7.10.2004 Official Journal of the European Union L 310/9 (Acts whose publication is not obligatory) COUNCIL COUNCIL DECISION of 24 September 2004 concerning the Staff Regulations of the European Defence Agency (2004/676[EC) THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, Having regard to the Council Joint Action 2004/551/CFSP of 12 July 2004 on the establishment of the European Defence Agency (1), and in particular Article 11(3)(3.1) thereof, HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS: TITLE 1 GENERAL PROVISIONS Article 1 1. These Staff Regulations shall apply to staff engaged under contract by the European Defence Agency (hereinafter referred to as ‘staff member’ and ‘Agency’ respectively). Such staff shall be: — temporary staff, — contract staff. 2. For the purpose of these Staff Regulations, the authority authorised to conclude contracts (hereinafter referred to as ‘AACC) shall be determined in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Joint Action 2004/551/CFSP. 3. Any reference in these Staff Regulations to a person of the male sex shall be deemed also to constitute a reference to a person of the female sex, and vice-versa, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. () O] L 245, 17.7.2004, p. 17. TITLE II TEMPORARY STAFF CHAPTER 1 General provisions Atticle 2 For the purposes of these Staff Regulations, “temporary staff” means staff engaged to fill temporarily a post included in the list of posts appended to the budget of the Agency. Article 3 Temporary staff shall not be engaged for more than four years but their engagement may be limited to any shorter duration. Their contracts may be renewed not more than once for a maximum period of two years if the possibility of renewal has been provided for in the initial contract and within the limits provided for in that contract. At the end of that time, they shall no longer be employed as temporary staff under these provisions. Article 4 Temporary staff shall not be engaged for any purpose other than that of filling, in accordance with these Staff Regulations, vacant posts included in the list of posts appended to the budget of the Agency. Article 5 1. In the application of these Staff Regulations, any discrimi- nation based on any ground such as sex, race, colour, ethnic or social origin, genetic features, language, religion or belief, political or any other opinion, membership of a national minority, property, birth, disability, age, or sexual orientation shall be prohibited.