2000/443/EC: Commission Decision of 18 May 2000 amending Decision 97/404/EC of 10 June 1997 setting up a Scientific Steering Committee and Decision 97/579/EC of 23 July 1997 setting up scientific committees in the area of consumer health and food safety (notified under document number C(2000) 1343) (Text with EEA relevance)
Date: 2000-05-18
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: appointment of staff, confidentiality, consumer protection, elective office, public health, scientific committee (EU)

18.7.2000

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

L 179/13

II

(Acts whose publication is not obligatory)

COMMISSION

COMMISSION DECISION

of 18 May 2000

amending Decision 97/404/EC of 10 June 1997 setting up a Scientific Steering Committee and
Decision 97/579/EC of 23 July 1997 setting up scientific committees in the area of consumer health
and food safety

(notified under document number C(2000) 1343)

(Text with EEA relevance)

(2000/443/EC)

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European
Community,

Having regard to Decision 97/404/EC of 10 June 1997 setting
up a Scientific Steering Committee (1), and in particular Articles
3, 4 and 8 thereof,

Having regard to Decision 97/579/EC of 23 July 1997, setting
up scientific committees in the area of consumer health and
food safety (2), and in particular Article 5 thereof,

(3)

Whereas:

(1)

In July 2000 the terms of office of the eight members of
the Scientific Steering Committee who do not chair
other scientific committees will come to an end.
In
November 2000 the terms of office of the members of
the eight sectoral scientific committees will come to an
end. Consequently, new members of these committees
will have to be appointed, at the latest, in July 2000 for
the Scientific Steering Committee and in November
2000 for the sectoral scientific committees. Before new
members are appointed,
it is necessary to adapt the
decisions setting up the committees in the light of prac-
tical experience, as regards the length of the term of
office of their members, the rules on confidentiality and
the annual declaration of interests.

(2)

the

Membership of
committees may be
scientific
partially renewed during their term of office (replace-
ment of resigning members, increase in the number of
members). In order to ensure that the scientific commit-
tees in question function correctly and to ensure cohe-

(1) OJ L 169, 27.6.1997, p. 86.
(2) OJ L 237, 28.8.1997, p. 18.

sion of their work, it is appropriate to limit the term of
office of new committee members to the remaining term
of office of the other committee members. Bearing in
mind the often limited duration of these partial terms of
office, it is emphasised that the rule limiting members to
no more than two consecutive terms of office refers only
to complete terms of office.

Article 4 of Decision 97/404/EC of 10 June 1997 setting
up a Scientific Steering Committee provides for an
annual declaration of interests to ensure the indepen-
dendce of the Scientific Steering Committee. This rule
should be extended to the ad hoc Scientific Steering
Committee group set up by the
aforementioned
Decision of 10 June to take account of the permanent
status of this group. Even if the members of the ad hoc
group already make an annual declaration in accordance
with the rules of procedure, it is appropriate to include
this obligation in the Decision.

(4)

The obligations of confidentiality under Article 8 of
Decision 97/404/EC of 10 June 1997 setting up a
Scientific Steering Committee are only applicable to
members of the committee, whereas Article 11 of the
other abovementioned Decision of 23 July 1997 setting
up scientific committees applies the same obligations of
confidentiality to both the members of the Committees
and external experts. Even if the rules of procedure
provided for by the two decisions cover both members
and external experts as regards obligations of confiden-
tiality, it now appears necessary to bring the wording of
the aforementioned Article 8 into line with that of the
aforementioned Article 11,

L 179/14

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

18.7.2000

HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:

Article 1

Decision 97/404/EC is amended as follows:

1. Article 3(5) is replaced by the following text:

‘5.
The term of office of members of the SSC not being
chairpersons of scientific committees shall be three years.
This term may be shortened in a member's instrument of
appointment, in order to ensure that the terms of office of
all the members come to an end at the same time. Members
may not serve more than two consecutive terms of office.
After the period of three years they shall remain in office
until they are replaced or their appointments are renewed.’

2. Article 4(2) is replaced by the following text:

‘2. Members of the SSC and of its ad hoc group shall
inform the Commission annually of any interests which
might be perceived as prejudicial to their independence.’

3. Article 8 shall be replaced by the following text:

‘Article 8
Without prejudice to Article 287 of the Treaty, members
and external experts shall be obliged not to divulge informa-
tion which they acquire as a result of the work of the SSC

or one of its working groups when they are informed that
this information is subject to a request for confidentiality.’

Article 2

Article 5(1) decision 97/578/EC is replaced by the following
text:

The term of office of members of

‘1.
the scientific
committees shall be three years. This term may be short-
ened in a members' instrument of appointment, in order to
ensure that the terms of office of all of the members of a
scientific committee come to an end at the same time.
Members may not serve more than two consecutive terms
of office. After the period of three years they shall remain
in office until they are replaced or their appointments are
renewed.’

Done at Brussels, 18 May 2000.

For the Commission

David BYRNE

Member of the Commission