Working Group Convenor

1 ROLE/DEFINITION

Person who leads the activities of a Working Group (WG).

2 REPORTS TO

Its parent body (Technical Committee (TC) or Subcommittee (SC)).

3 RESPONSIBILITIES

3.1 The WG Convenor is responsible for the activities of a WG established by a TC (or SC) to undertake a specific task: the preparation of one or more draft standard(s) according to the specifications set by the TC and within the specified timeframe.
In this respect, the work specifications and guidelines provided by the TC shall describe clearly the requested work, specifying exactly what is to be covered and what is not. In case of doubt, the WG Convenor is responsible for seeking clarification from the TC.

3.2 The WG Convenor accepts these work specifications, having also evaluated that the WG composition as nominated by the TC or by CEN Members (balanced expertise from involved parties which are in touch with NSBs), is appropriate for the completion of the required work within the specified timeframe.

3.3 Convenes meetings when necessary and acts as Chairperson of the Working Group.

3.4 Ensures relevant documents are circulated to WG experts using the electronic platform as agreed by BT.

3.5 Actively progresses work and reports regularly on progress to the parent body or verbally at meetings of the parent body.

3.6 Ensures that WG experts have appropriate briefing on relevant rules and procedures.

3.7 Ensures that an interim draft has been sent to the TC Secretary at least once during the drafting process.

3.8 Operates the exploitation rights assignment system including:

• formal implementation during WG meetings;
• collecting of exploitation rights assignments of experts at each meeting;
• transfer of the originals of the exploitation rights assignments to the TC Secretary;
• transfer any request for copyright exploitation licence agreement to the TC Secretary.

3.9 Participates in the Editing Committee, if required.
 
3.10  Judges the state of readiness of draft standards for Enquiry including the quality of the technical content and the level of consensus within the WG, prior to their release to the TC Chairperson and Secretary.

3.11 Refers any problems encountered to the parent body.

4 RIGHTS

Receives Professional Standardization Support which may include a Secretary to the WG.

5 METHOD OF APPOINTMENT/REVIEW

Appointed by the TC on the nomination of the TC members for a period not exceeding 6 years.
Successive extensions of not more than 3 years are possible.

5.1 Convenor of a new WG

• The TC Secretary invites the TC members for nominations to the Convenor position, referring to the characteristics of the position and the work specifications given to the WG.

Nominations are required to be accompanied by the curriculum vitae of the applicants and an indication of their commitment to their responsibilities and duties.

• The TC Chairperson and Secretary evaluate the nominations received, according to appropriate criteria, including expertise, leadership qualities, acceptability to WG members.
• The TC Secretary seeks the agreement of the CEN Member in the home country of the candidate to provide Professional Standardization Support. If this CEN Member is not able to provide Professional Standardization Support, the Secretariat of the parent TC ensures that such support is available from another CEN Member before making the appointment.
• The TC Secretary submits the preferred nomination(s) in the form of a Decision according to the standard format, to the TC for voting.
• If the result of the voting is clear and non-controversial, the Convenor is considered as appointed. If the result is controversial, the matter has to be discussed at the next plenary meeting of the TC, where all CEN Members can be represented.
• The TC Secretary informs the appointed WG Convenor about his/her appointment while reminding him/her of his/her responsibilities and duties.
• The TC Secretary communicates the TC Decision approving the appointment of the Convenor to the TC members and to the CEN-CENELEC Management Centre (CCMC) for communication to the CEN System via the CEN Information System (together with the relevant address data). The information to CCMC shall comprise written commitment from the relevant CEN Member to provide Professional Standardization Support (PSS) or Qualified Support. Failing this, the appointment of the Convenor cannot be considered as valid.
• CCMC updates the CEN database.

5.2 Convenor of an existing WG

In case the Convenor wishes to resign from their position they shall first inform the CEN Member providing PSS or Qualified Support and subsequently the TC Secretary. For appointing a new Convenor the procedure as described in 5.1 applies.

For re-appointing a convenor a TC decision is sufficient. However the TC secretary needs to seek the agreement of the CEN Member already providing PSS or Qualified Support (see last but one bullet in 5.1).

6 MODE OF WORKING

Works with the help of a PSS or Qualified Support (which may include a Secretary to the WG) from own National Standards Body (NSB) or if not available from another NSB.
It is recommended that a checklist is used as a sort of trilateral service agreement between the TC Secretariat, the WG Convenor and the CEN Member providing the WG's PSS or Qualified Support. As such, the TC Secretariat, the WG Convenor and the WG's PSS or Qualified Support are free to discuss and agree upon assignment of tasks and may alter some "non-mandatory" assignments according to the rules as given in the checklist by mutual consent.