1. The Executive Director shall be appointed by the Management Board, on the basis of a list of candidates proposed by the Commission after an open competition, following publication in the Official Journal of the European Communities and elsewhere of a call for expressions of interest, for a period of five years which shall be renewable. Before appointment the candidate nominated by the Management Board shall be invited without delay to make a statement before the European Parliament and answer questions put by members of this institution. The Executive Director may be removed from office by a majority of the Management Board.
2. The Executive Director shall be the legal representative of the Authority and shall be responsible for:
(a) the day-to-day administration of the Authority;
(b) drawing up a proposal for the Authority's work programmes in consultation with the Commission;
(c) implementing the work programmes and the decisions adopted by the Management Board;
(d) ensuring the provision of appropriate scientific, technical and administrative support for the Scientific Committee and the Scientific Panels;
(e) ensuring that the Authority carries out its tasks in accordance with the requirements of its users, in particular with regard to the adequacy of the services provided and the time taken;
(f) the preparation of the statement of revenue and expenditure and the execution of the budget of the Authority;
(g) all staff matters;
(h) developing and maintaining contact with the European Parliament, and for ensuring a regular dialogue with its relevant committees.
3. Each year, the Executive Director shall submit to the Management Board for approval:
(a) a draft general report covering all the activities of the Authority in the previous year;
(b) draft programmes of work;
(c) the draft annual accounts for the previous year;
(d) the draft budget for the coming year.
The Executive Director shall, following adoption by the Management Board, forward the general report and the programmes to the European Parliament, the Council, the Commission and the Member States, and shall have them published.
4. The Executive Director shall approve all financial expenditure of the Authority and report on the Authority's activities to the Management Board.