22. 8. 87 Official Journal of the European Communities No L 240/37 COMMISSION DECISION of 31 July 1587 Commission Decision 85/516/EEC relating to the setting up of a Join Committee on Road Transport ' (87/447/EEC) THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community, Whereas the enlargement of the Community requires an increase in the number of representatives of European organizations in the Joint Committee on Road Transport ; Whereas the Commission must take account of the specific situation in the various Member States in order to ensure optimum participation by the social partners of the road transport sector in the work of the Joint Committee and thus safeguard its representativeness of the socio-economic forces concerned ; HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS: Article 1 Commission Decision 85/516/EEC (') is hereby amended as follows : 1. Article 4 is replaced by the following: Article 4 1. The Committee shall consist of 54 members. 2. Seats shall be allocated as follows : (a) 27 to the representatives of the carriers’ organiza- tions (b) 27 to the representatives of the employees’ organi- zations. 3. The members of the Committee shall be appointed by the Commission as follows : (a) 48 on proposals from the following carriers’ and employees’ organizations : () OJ No L 317, 28. 11. 1985, p. 33 and OJ No L 7, 10. 1. 1986, p. 15. — Liaison committees of the IRU (International Road Transport Union) to the European Communities : 24 members ; — Committee of Transport Workers’ Unions in the European Community : 24 members ; (b) six, directly by the Commission, after consultation of the bodies mentioned in 3 (a) above; from amongst the most representative associations of- employers and employees, where appropriate other than the bodies mentioned in 3 (a). . Article 3 (1) (b) is replaced 'by the following : ‘1 (b) in respect of matters falling within the compe- tence of the employers’ and employees’ associa- tions listed in Article 4 (3). . Article § (1) is replaced by the following: ‘l.  An alternate shall be appointed for each member of the Committee under the same conditions as laid down in Article 4 (3)’ . Article 6 (3) is replaced by the following: ‘3. A member’s or alternate’s term of office shall cease before the expiry of the period of four years upon his resignation or death or if the association which nominated him requests his replacement. The vacancy thereby caused shall be filled in the manner prescribed in Article 4 (3) by a person appointed for the remainder of the term of office. . Article 7 (1) is replaced by the following : ‘1.  The Committee shall, by a two-thirds majority of members present, elect from among its members a chairman and vice-chairman who shall hold office for a term of two years. The chairman and the vice- chairman shall be chosen alternately, and in reverse order, from amongst the groups of associations listed in Article 4 (3). . Article 9 (b) is replaced by the following : (b) ask the Commission to appoint experts to assist it in specific tasks. It shall be its duty to do so if one of the associations listed in Article 4 (3) so requests;