Article 3 Selection criteria and composition of the scientific panel

The members of the scientific panel should be appointed based on objective criteria and following a public call for expression of interest. The selection criteria included in the call for expression of interest should ensure that highly qualified multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary experts, with a sufficient level of up-to-date scientific, sociotechnical or technical expertise on different aspects related to artificial intelligence (‘AI’), the impacts of AI, or otherwise relevant to the effective enforcement of Regulation (EU) 2024/1689, including expertise in applied sectors, fundamental rights and equality, as appropriate, are selected and that they are able to act independently and in the public interest. The call for expression of interest should set out the application procedure. Supporting documents may include statements issued by a public authority of a Member State of the Union or of the European Free Trade Association which is a member of the European Economic Area, attesting the candidates’ scientific, sociotechnical or technical expertise.

To ensure an effective functioning while at the same time ensuring diversity of expertise, the number of experts to be appointed to the scientific panel should be no more than 60, as consulted with the European Artificial Intelligence Board (the ‘Board’). For each term of office, the number of experts to be appointed to the scientific panel should be determined and specified in the call for expression of interest, based on the expected workload and necessary expertise, in each case determined in consultation with the Board. The Commission will evaluate the maximum number of experts based on experience gained and consider revising it as part of a possible review of this Regulation.

Principles for the selection of a diverse group of experts should be laid down. The Commission should ensure to the extent possible gender balance and a fair geographical representation in the selection of experts. To achieve a fair geographical representation, at least one national from each Member State of the Union and from each member of the European Free Trade Association which is a member of the European Economic Area should be appointed, provided that there is an applicant from those countries that satisfies the criteria of the call. In any event, there should be no more than three experts from each of those countries. Recognizing the importance of introducing diverse perspectives to the scientific panel, nationals of third countries should be able to be appointed as experts. However, at least four-fifths of the experts of the scientific panel should be nationals from the Member States of the Union or from a member of the European Free Trade Association which is a member of the European Economic Area.

To avoid conflicts of interest in the performance of their tasks, experts of the scientific panel should be independent from any provider of AI systems or general-purpose AI models and should act independently, impartially and objectively. To ensure trust in the work of the scientific panel, experts should draw up declarations of interest and commitment to act in the public interest, which should be made publicly available. For the same purpose, the tasks of the scientific panel should be carried out in a transparent manner and its membership should be made publicly available.