L 52/40 Official Journal of the European Union 25.2.2005 COUNCIL DECISION of 17 February 2005 appointing six Belgian members and eight Belgian alternate members of the Committee of the Regions (2005/159/EC) THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Article 263 thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the Belgian Government, Whereas: (1)  On 22 January 2002 the Council adopted Decision 2002/60/EC (') appointing the members and alternate members of the Committee of the Regions. (2)  One seat as a member and one seat as an alternate member of the Committee of the Regions have become vacant following the resignation of Mr Frans RAMON, member, notified to the Council on 8 September 2004 and of Mr Jos BEX, alternate member, notified to the Council on 3 February 2005, and five seats as members and seven seats as alternate members of the Committee of the Regions have become vacant following the expiry of the mandates of Mr Paul VAN GREMBERGEN (BE), Mr Bart SOMERS (BE), Mr Stefaan PLATTEAU (BE), Mr Xavier DESGAIN (BE) and Mr Hervé HASQUIN (BE), members, and of Mr Jacques TIMMERMANS (BE), Mr André DENYS, Ms Josée VERCAMMEN, Mr Serge KUBLA, Mr Rudy DEMOTTE, Mr Jean-Marc NOLLET and Mr Bernd GENTGES, alternate members, notified to the Council on 24 January 2005, HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS: Sole Article The following are hereby appointed to the Committee of the Regions: a) as members: Mr Yves LETERME Minister-President van de Vlaamse Regering en Vlaams Minister van Institutionele Hervormingen, Landbouw, Zeevisserij en Plattelandsbeleid to replace Mr Frans RAMON Mr Bart SOMERS Vlaams Volksvertegenwoordiger (on the basis of his new mandate as a member of the Flemish Parliament) Ms Fientje MOERMAN Vice-Minister-President van de Vlaamse Regering en Vlaams Minister van Economie, Ondernemen, Wetenschap, Innovatie en Buitenlandse Handel to replace Mr Stefaan PLATTEAU Mr Geert BOURGEOIS Vlaams Minister van Bestuurzaken, Buitenlands Beleid, Media en Tourisme to replace Mr Paul VAN GREMBERGEN Mr Michel LEBRUN Député wallon to replace Mr Xavier DESGAIN () O] L 24, 26.1.2002, p. 38.