Food Law News - EU - 2000
22 May 2000: ADMINISTRATION - Commission to renew scientific committees on consumer health and food safety
Commission Press Release (IP/00/502), 22 May 2000
Commission to renew scientific committees on consumer health and food safety
The European Commission has on May 20 published an invitation for the presentation of candidates for the Scientific Steering Committee and for the eight specialised scientific committees. The three year mandate of the current members of the committees expires in the coming months. The Commission is looking for high level independent scientific experts with up-to-date experience relevant to consumer health and food safety issues in a variety of scientific disciplines. Potential candidates are to express their interest in membership of the Steering Committee by 17 June 2000 and of the eight specialised committees by 1 July 2000. Scientists from inside and outside the EU may apply.
The Scientific Steering Committee (SSC) and the eight specialised scientific committees were set up within the framework of the measures taken in 1997 in response to the BSE crisis. The objective was to reinforce the independence, transparency and excellency of the scientific advice on which Commission decisions on consumer health and food safety are based. The members of the scientific committees are appointed in their individual capacity. Their mandate will in principle last for three years, but may be shortened as a result of the ongoing reform of the Commission's scientific advice system, in particular in the light of the proposed establishment of a European Food Authority.
The SSC is responsible for the overall co-ordination and multi-disciplinary issues, in particular Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathies (BSE) and Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies (TSE). The SSC is composed of the eight chairpersons of the specialised scientific committees and eight scientists not part of any of these committees.
The eight specialised scientific committees consist of a maximum of 19 members each; they are:
- Scientific Committee for Human Nutrition
- Scientific Committee for Animal Nutrition
- Scientific Committee for Animal Health and Welfare
- Scientific Committee for Veterinary Measures in relation to Public Health
- Scientific Committee for Plants,
- Scientific Committee for Cosmetic Products and Non-Food Products
- Scientific Committee for Medicinal Products and Medical Devices
- Scientific Committee for Toxicity, Ecotoxicity and the Environment.
In addition to the selection of members for the SSC and the eight specialised committees, a list of scientists will be established. Experts on this list will be called on in the case of resignations, of appointment of additional members, or for additional expertise on an ad-hoc basis.
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