Article 54

The Agency shall have legal personality and financial autonomy.

The Council shall lay down the statutes of the Agency, acting by a qualified majority  on a proposal from the Commission.

The statutes may be amended in accordance with the same procedure.

The statutes shall determine the Agency's capital and the terms upon which it is to be  subscribed.The major part of the capital shall always belong to the Community and  to the Member States.The contributions to the capital shall be determined by  common accord of the Member States.

The rules for the commercial management of the activities of the Agency shall be  laid down in the statutes. The latter may provide for a charge on transactions to  defray the operating expenses of the Agency.

Article 55

The Member States shall communicate or cause to be communicated to the Agency  all the information necessary to enable it to exercise its right of option and its  exclusive right to conclude supply contracts.

Article 56

The Member States shall be responsible for ensuring that the Agency may operate  freely in their territories.

They may establish one or more bodies having authority to represent, in relations  with the Agency, producers and users in the non European territories under their  jurisdiction.

Section 2

Ores, source materials and special fissile materials coming from inside the Community

Article 57

1. The right of option of the Agency shall cover:

a. the acquisition of rights to use and consume materials owned by the Community under the provisions of Chapter 8;
b. the acquisition of the right of ownership in all other cases.

2. The Agency shall exercise its right of option by concluding contracts with  producers of ores, source materials and special fissile materials.

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