WRITTEN QUESTION E-2148/99

by Glenys Kinnock (PSE) to the Commission

(24 November 1999)

Subject: Scientific Committee for Food

What is the process by which annual declarations of interest of past and current members of the Scientific Committee for Food are sought, submitted and published?

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(16 December 1999)

The independence of every member of a scientific committee is one of the three fundamental principles on which the work of the new scientific committees is based, namely: scientific excellence, independence of the members and transparency of the work undertaken.

Article 6(1) of the Commission Decision 97/0579/EC of 23 July 1997 setting up scientific committees in the field of consumer health and food safety(1) stipulates that the members of the committees shall act independently of all external influence. In order to ensure such independence, members are obliged to make three separate declarations of all their interests that could be considered prejudicial to their independence: a declaration of interest as part of the original expression of interest (application) to become a member of a scientific committee; an annual declaration of interest, and a declaration of any particular interest which could be regarded as prejudicial to the expert's independence in respect of an item on the agenda of a meeting of his or her committee.

The question of the Honourable Member concerns the annual declarations of interest of past and current members of the scientific committee on food.

Article 6 paragraph 2 of the above mentioned Decision stipulates that each member of a scientific committee is required to inform each year the Commission of all the interests which could be considered prejudicial to their independence. This general rule applies to all nine scientific committees. Nevertheless, each committee has adopted its own rules of procedure. The rules of procedure of the scientific committee on food, adopted on 17 September 1998, stipulate that: Each year, the members shall inform the Commission in writing of any interest which could be regarded as prejudicial to their independence. Interest may be of a direct or indirect financial nature or in some cases concern ethical matters.

It has to be emphasised that the scientific committees adopt their internal rules of procedure with complete independence.

The members of the scientific committee on food submitted their declarations for the first time after the adoption of the rules of procedure and for the second time in April 1999.

The annual statements are not automatically accessible to the public. As they contain personal information, the declarations can only be provided to third parties if the member has given his or her express agreement. The rules of procedure contain, as an annex, a form entitled annual statement of members' interests. The form provides for the agreement of the member to allow the declaration to be made publicly available. On the occasion of the last annual statement, most of the members agreed that their declarations could be accessible to the public. In these cases, the Commission can inform third parties on request.

Regarding past members, no particular obligations concerning this matter are in force.

(1) OJ L 237, 28.8.1997.