The "Mertens" Group is named after a Belgian diplomat,
who institutionalised during the 1993 Belgian Presidency the meetings
of the assistants to the EEC Deputy Permanent Representatives.
These meetings were held to prepare COREPER I’s agenda.
In close co-ordination with the Council Secretariat and the Commission,
the "Mertens" officers set the agendas for COREPER I
and the Councils connected to it, co-ordinate the legislative
activity on which the latter depend and regulate all aspects of
the Council's general operation.
The Mertens officers have also a coordination activity for some
horizontal affairs (as for example the Lisbon Strategy relaunching)
