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1. The HSC and the Advisory Committee shall carry out their activities in an independent, impartial and transparent manner and shall undertake to act in the public interest.

2. Representatives appointed to the HSC and to the Advisory Committee and, where relevant, observers shall not have any financial or other interests which might be considered prejudicial to their independence.

3. The representatives appointed to the HSC and to the Advisory Committee and, where relevant, observers shall make a declaration of their financial and other interests and update them annually and whenever necessary. They shall disclose any other facts of which they become aware that might in good faith reasonably be expected to involve or give rise to a conflict of interest.

4. Representatives who participate in meetings of the HSC or of the Advisory Committee and, where relevant, observers, shall declare, before each meeting, any interests which could be considered to be prejudicial to their independence or impartiality with regard to the items on the agenda.

5. Where the Commission decides that a representative’s declared interest constitutes a conflict of interest, that representative shall not take part in any discussions or decisions, nor shall that representative obtain any information concerning that item of the agenda. Such declarations of representatives and the decision of the Commission shall be recorded in the summary minutes of the meeting.

6. Representatives who participate in meetings of the HSC or the Advisory Committee, and, where relevant, observers shall be subject to requirements of professional secrecy, even after their duties have ceased.