1. The following specialised committees are hereby established:

(a) the Committee on citizens' rights;

(b) the Committee on the other separation provisions;

(c) the Committee on issues related to the implementation of the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland;

(d) the Committee on issues related to the implementation of the Protocol relating to the Sovereign Base Areas in Cyprus;

(e) the Committee on issues related to the implementation of the Protocol on Gibraltar; and

(f) the Committee on the financial provisions.

Those specialised committees shall comprise representatives of the Union and representatives of the United Kingdom.

2. The work of the specialised committees shall be governed by the rules of procedure set out in Annex VIII to this Agreement.

Unless otherwise provided in this Agreement, or unless the co-chairs decide otherwise, the specialised committees shall meet at least once a year. Additional meetings may be held at the request of the Union, the United Kingdom, or of the Joint Committee. They shall be co-chaired by representatives of the Union and of the United Kingdom. The specialised committees shall set their meeting schedule and agenda by mutual consent. The specialised committees may draw up draft decisions and recommendations and refer them for adoption by the Joint Committee.

3. The Union and the United Kingdom shall ensure that their respective representatives on the specialised committees have the appropriate expertise with respect to the issues under discussion.

4. The specialised committees shall inform the Joint Committee of their meeting schedules and agenda sufficiently in advance of their meetings, and shall report to the Joint Committee on the results and conclusions of each of their meetings. The creation or existence of a specialised committee shall not prevent the Union or the United Kingdom from bringing any matter directly to the Joint Committee.