Report from the Commission on the working of committees during 2003 (COM(2004) 860)
Date: 2005-03-17
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: European Commission, activity report, committee (EU)

17.3.2005

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 65 E/1

I

(Information)

COMMISSION

REPORT FROM THE COMMISSION

on the working of committees during 2003

(COM(2004) 860)

(2005/C 65 E/01)

1. GENERAL COMMENTS REGARDING THE COMITOLOGY

SYSTEM

The present report covers the activities of comitology commit-
tees during the year 2003. It follows the basic structure of the
previous report covering the year 2002. It contains an intro-
ductory Section 1, a horizontal overview of committees' activ-
ities
in Section 2 and an Annex with detailed statistics
regarding the individual comitology committees, organised
according to the different departments of the Commission (1).
This report maintains the improved transparency of the statis-
tics in the Annex by listing all committees individually together
with textual comments on their activities.

1.1. The legal nature and role of the comitology commit-

tees

The purpose of the comitology committees is to assist the
Commission in exercising the implementing powers conferred
upon it by the legislator,
i.e. the Council and the European
Parliament. The comitology committees share three essential
features.

First, they are created by the legislator (the Council and the
European Parliament) in accordance with the ‘legislative’ proce-
dures in force at the time of adoption of the basic instrument
under which they are established, namely the cooperation or
advisory procedures and, since the Maastricht Treaty, the code-
the omitology
cision procedure. Hence,
committees is enshrined in a so-called ‘basic instrument’

the legal basis of

Second, their structure and working methods are in several
respects standardised. A representative of
the Commission
chairs each committee, which consists of Member State repre-
sentatives; these are the only ‘members’ of the committees. The
committees intervene within the framework of the procedures
set out in the basic legislative instrument, in compliance with
the Council's comitology decision.

Article 9 of Council Decision 1999/468/EC (2) repeals the old
comitology Decision 87/373/EEC of 13 July 1987 (the 1987
Comitology Decision) (3). The 1987 procedures
remained
temporarily in force until the amendment of the basic legisla-
tive instruments,
in line with the comitology procedures
pursuant to Decision 1999/468/EC. This has been achieved
either by individual amendment acts or by the ‘alignment regu-
lations’ (see section 1.2).

Third, the committees deliver opinions on draft implementing
measures submitted to them by the Commission pursuant to
the basic legislative instrument and intervene within the frame-
work of the advisory procedure, the management procedure or
the regulatory procedure provided for that purpose.

(Article 2(a)). The

Pursuant to Article 2 of Council Decision 1999/468/EC, the
management procedure should be reserved for management
measures such as those relating to the application of
the
common agricultural and common fisheries policy or to the
implementation of programmes with substantial budgetary
implications
is
prescribed in the case of measures of general scope designed to
including
apply essential provisions of basic instruments,
measures concerning the protection of the health or safety of
humans, animals or plants and in updating the 'technical'
elements of a basic instrument
(Article 2(b)). The advisory
procedure is applied wherever it is considered to be the most
appropriate.

regulatory procedure

(1) The Annex is presented as a Commission staff working paper.

(2) OJ L 184, 17.7.1999, p. 23.
(3) OJ L 197, 18.7.1987, p. 33.

C 65 E/2

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

17.3.2005

1.2. The state of implementation of Decision 1999/468/EC

In Declaration No 2 on the implementation of Council Deci-
sion 1999/468/EC (1), the Council and the Commission agreed
to adapt, as soon as possible, and in compliance with the
appropriate legislative procedures, the provisions governing the
its
committees assisting the Commission in the exercise of
implementing powers according to Decision 87/373/EEC so as
to bring them into line with the provisions of Articles 3 to 6 of
Decision 1999/468/EC.

On 31 January 2001,
in compliance with Article 7(1), the
Commission adopted the standard rules of procedure (5) on the
basis of which the existing or newly created committees draw
up their rules of procedure. The Commission intends to adopt
an updated version of the standard rules of procedure, mainly
to bring them into line with the new rules on access to docu-
ments (see below). By the end of 2003, 94 of the total of 263
committees had adopted internal rules of procedure based on
the standard text in force.

four proposals

Since the entry into force of Decision 1999/468/EC,
the
committee procedures of a number of basic instruments have
been updated on a case-by-case basis. In order to complete the
the end of 2001 the Commission presented a
update, at
regulations) (2),
package of
(the alignment
covering more than 300 basic instruments laying down imple-
menting procedures. The Council and the Parliament adopted
the alignment regulations in the course of 2003 (3), in accord-
ance with the relevant legislative procedures (assent procedure,
codecision procedure and consultation procedure with qualified
majority and unanimity). It is worth noting that the alignment
acts do not affect the substantive provisions of the legislative
acts, nor do they affect the safeguard procedures or the identity
of the committees provided for by the basic legal acts.

Finally, Article 7(5) of Decision 1999/468/EC provides that the
Commission has to publish a register giving the references of all
documents sent to the European Parliament under comitology proce-
dures. This register has been in operation since December
2003 (6). According to its statement No 5 on Council Decision
1999/468/EC, the Commission added a repository to the register
as an additional transparency measure, making many docu-
ments communicated to the European Parliament directly avail-
able to the public in accordance with Regulation (EC) No
1049/2001 of the Parliament and of the Council regarding
public access to the institutions' documents (7), which came
into effect on 3 December 2001. The repository contains
agendas, summary records and voting results of the committee
meetings and work; draft implementing measures are provi-
sionally not published.

an important new element, Article 7 of Decision
As
1999/468/EC, and Council and Commission statements relating
to that provision (notably statements No 4 and No 5), put in
place measures designed to improve the transparency of
the
working of the comitology committees.

In this respect, publication of the present annual report on the
working of the committees, as provided for in Article 7(4), is in
itself a significant contribution towards shedding light on the
Commission's activities in terms of exercising its implementing
powers.

Also,
in compliance with Article 7(4), the Commission has
published a list of all the committees which help it exercise these
implementing powers (4). A continuously updated inventory of
existing committees can be consulted in the register (see below)
and the annual reports.

(1) OJ C 203, 17.7.1999, p. 1.
(2) COM(2001) 789 final, adopted on 27 December 2001.
(3) Council Regulations (EC) No 806/2003 (OJ L 122, 16.5.2003, p. 1)
and (EC) No 807/2003 (OJ L 122, 16.5.2003, p. 36) of 14 April
2003 adapting to Decision 1999/468/EC the provisions relating to
committees which assist the Commission in the exercise of
its
implementing powers laid down in Council instruments adopted in
accordance with the consultation procedure (qualified majority/
unanimity), Council Regulation (EC) No 1105/2003 (OJ L 158,
27.6.2003, p. 3) of 26 May 2003 amending Regulation (EC) No
1260/1999 laying down general provisions on the Structural Funds
(assent procedure) and Regulation (EC) No 1882/2003 of the Euro-
pean Parliament and of the Council (OJ L 284, 31.10.2003, p. 1) of
29 September 2003 adapting to Council Decision 1999/468/EC the
provisions relating to committees which assist the Commission in
the exercise of its implementing powers laid down in instruments
subject to the procedure referred to in Article 251 of the EC Treaty
(codecision).

(4) OJ C 225, 8.8.2000, p. 2.

1.3. The European Parliament's right of scrutiny

The Commission is obliged to inform the European Parliament
about the work of the committees and to send it all draft
implementing measures pursuant to a basic instrument adopted
under Article 251 of the Treaty (codecision), so that the Euro-
pean Parliament can exercise its right of scrutiny enshrined in
Article 8 of Decision 1999/468/EC.

In February 2000, the European Parliament and the Commis-
sion concluded an Agreement on procedures
implementing
Council Decision 1999/468/EC, designed specifically to regulate
the procedures for implementing the obligations incumbent on
the Commission (8).

for

(5) OJ C 38, 6.2.2001, p. 3. Following a number of amendments to be
approved by the Commission and linguistic review, the standard
rules of procedure will be published afresh in the Official Journal.
(6) See the Internet address: http://europa.eu.int/comm/secretariat_gen-
eral/regcomito/registre.cfm?CL=en. The register covers documents as
of the beginning of 2003.
(7) OJ L 145, 31.5.2001, p. 43.
(8) OJ L 256, 10.10.2000, p. 19. The agreement replaces certain earlier
agreements: the Plumb/Delors Agreement of 1988, the Samland/
Williamson Agreement of 1996 and the ‘modus vivendi’ of 1994.

17.3.2005

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 65 E/3

The agreement provides for the electronic transmission of
documents, a task which was
implemented progressively
during 2001. Documents from the various Commission depart-
ments are first transmitted to the Secretariat-General of the
Commission, which promptly dispatches them to a central
service at the European Parliament. Today practically all docu-
ments are transmitted electronically.

Except in emergencies, the agreement stipulates a period of one
month from receipt of a ‘definitive’ draft
implementing
measure (1) under a legal act adopted through codecision to
allow the European Parliament, where appropriate, to adopt a
resolution (in plenary session), pursuant to Article 8 of Council
Decision 1999/468/EC, if it considers that the draft measure
exceeds the implementing powers enshrined in the basic instru-
ment (2).

The bilateral agreement of February 2000 was implemented by
a further administrative agreement between the Secretariats-
General of the European Parliament and the Commission, dated
14 December 2001. This administrative agreement is intended
to ensure a harmonised approach by the departments of the
Commission so that all the Commission obligations under the
bilateral agreement of February 2000 are properly fulfilled. In
particular, it provides for minimum standards with regard to
the types of documents and their structure. It is worth noting
that during 2003 there were again no cases reported where the
European Parliament felt the need to adopt a resolution based
on Article 8 of Council Decision 1999/468/EC.

1.4. Referrals to the Council

No case of referrals to the Council was reported in 2003.
Pursuant
to Council Decision 1999/468/EC, draft measures
must be referred to the Council when the Commission fails to
obtain the necessary majority under the regulatory procedure
or faces an opposing qualified majority under the management
procedure. The absence of referrals (and in previous years the
small percentages of less than 1 % compared with the total
number of instruments adopted by the Commission under the
management or regulatory procedure) shows that the work of
the committees under the current system results in a high
degree of consensus and that the proposals by the Commission
representatives are normally approved by the committees.

1.5. Wider developments

In December 2002, the European Commission submitted a
proposal for a revised regulatory procedure (3) for measures

(1) The drafts are first sent before the committee meeting and, if they
are substantially amended during the meeting, again afterwards.
(2) This basic instrument must itself have been adopted under the code-
cision procedure (Article 251 of the Treaty) between the Council
and the European Parliament.

(3) Proposal for a Council Decision amending Decision 1999/468/EC
laying down the procedures for the exercise of
implementing
powers conferred on the Commission [COM(2002) 719 final,
adopted 11 December 2002].

designed to widely implement the essential aspects or adapt
certain other aspects of basic acts adopted under the codecision
procedure (Article 251 of
the Treaty). This proposed new
procedure places the European Parliament and the Council on
an equal footing in supervising the Commission's exercise of
implementing powers. On 2 September 2003, the European
Parliament broadly endorsed the Commission's proposal (4),
while suggesting a very limited number of technical amend-
ments. On 22 April 2004, the Commission issued an amended
proposal (5) to take on board the bulk of the European Parlia-
ment's amendment, and clarify the new procedure. The
amended proposal
is currently under examination in the
Council.

introduces the instrument of

The Convention on the Future of Europe proposed to the Intergo-
vernmental Conference (IGC) in its draft Constitutional Treaty
to reorganise the executive powers of the Commission (6). The
Convention's draft
'delegated'
regulations to be adopted by the Commission in order to
supplement or amend certain 'non-essential' elements of the
European laws under the control of the Parliament and the
Council, which may revoke the delegation itself or object to a
specific draft regulation; these delegated regulations are to be
the
distinguished from the mere implementing acts
Commission mainly will adopt under some control by the
Member States. The text remained unchanged in the final
version adopted by the Intergovernmental Conference at the
meeting of the European Council 17/18 June 2004 (7).

that

The enlargement of the European Union took place on 1 May
2004. Following the conclusions of the Copenhagen Summit of
December 2002, on 25 February 2003 the Commission
adopted measures (8) granting active observer status to the 10
acceding States, which applied from the day following the
signature of the Accession Treaty on 16 April 2003 (9). Under
this arrangement, representatives of the acceding states were
invited to most comitology committees; they had the possibility
of expressing their views on the issues discussed in the meet-
ings but no right to take part in the voting on draft imple-
menting measures. For the remaining three candidate countries
(Bulgaria, Romania and Turkey), the participation continued to
be organised on the basis of the ‘Communication from the
Commission to the Council on the participation of candidate
countries in Community programmes, agencies and commit-
tees’ (10). In the course of the reporting year, the 10 acceding
States were represented in approximately 186 of the total of
256 committees.

(4) Resolution adopted on 2 September 2003 (P5-TA(2003)0352),

based on the report of R. CORBETT.

(5) COM(2004) 324 final, dated 22 April 2004.
(6) Draft Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe, submitted to the
European Council meeting in Thessaloniki, 20 June 2003, Articles I
to 35 and I to 36.

(7) See Provisional consolidated version of the draft Treaty establishing
a Constitution for Europe, document CIG 86/04, dated 25 June
2004.

(8) Commission document C(2003) 341/3.
(9) Towards the enlarged Union, Strategy Paper and Report of the Euro-
pean Commission on the progress towards accession by each of the
candidate countries (9.10.2002), COM(2002) 700 final, see point
3.3 (p. 25).

(10) COM(1999) 710 final, adopted on 20 December 1999.

C 65 E/4

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

17.3.2005

2. HORIZONTAL OVERVIEW OF ACTIVITIES

2.1. Number of committees and types of procedures

It is important to distinguish between the comitology commit-
tees, on the one hand, and other entities, in particular ‘expert
groups’ created by the Commission itself, on the other hand.
The latter are concerned with preparing and carrying out poli-

cies, whereas the comitology committees are involved in the
context of implementing legislative acts. The present report
focuses exclusively on comitology committees. The number of
comitology committees has been calculated by sector of activity
(Table I) as at 31 December 2003. The figures for the previous
year (status as at 31 December 2002) are given for compar-
ison.

Table I

Total number of committees

Policy Sector

2002

2003

Enterprise (ENTR)

Employment and Social Affairs (EMPL)

Agriculture (AGRI)

Transport/Energy/Trans-European Networks (TREN)

Environment (ENV)

Research (RTD)

Information Society (INFSO)

Fisheries (FISH)

Internal Market (MARKT)

Regional Policy (REGIO)

Taxation and Customs Union (TAXUD)

Education and Culture (EAC)

Health and Consumer Protection (SANCO)

Justice and Home Affairs (JAI)

External Relations (RELEX)

Trade (TRADE)

Enlargement (ELARG)

Europe Aid (AIDCO)

Humanitarian Aid (ECHO)

Statistics (ESTAT)

Budget (BUDG)

Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF)

31

8

29

39

35

8

13

3

11

2

9

6

22

7

2

12

2

8

1

6

1

1

33

8

30

45

35

2

13

3

12

2

9

7

13 (*)

7

3

13

2

8

1

7

2

1

(*) Unlike the previous year, the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Welfare with its nine sections and subsections is

counted as one single committee, following the coming into force of Regulation (EC) No 178/2002 (OJ L 31, 1.2.2002, p. 1).

Total

256

256

17.3.2005

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 65 E/5

The figures indicate the relative importance of comitology in
the activities in the different policy sectors. Transport/Energy
(45), Environment (35), Enterprise (33) and Agriculture (30)
have the largest number of committees. With 143 out of a
total of 256 committees, these policy sectors alone account for
more than half of the committees. The Commission continues
its efforts to minimise the growth in the number of commit-
tees. Thus,
the number of committees in 2003 is stable,
compared with 2002. Whilst the legislator in some policy areas
with increased activities (notably in the area of Transport and
Energy) has established new committees, in other policy sectors
the number has decreased as a consequence of the restructuring
of the legal framework (see, for example, Health and Consumer
Protection and Research).

The comitology committees can be classified according to the
type of procedure under which they operate (advisory procedure,
management procedure, regulatory procedure, and safeguard

the ‘alignment regulations’

procedure — see Table II). For part of the year 2003, the 1987
comitology procedures continued to apply until the entry into
force of
(see section 1.2). The
different variants vis-à-vis the 1987 comitology procedures (IIa
and IIb, IIIa and IIIb) are counted together with the corre-
sponding new types of procedures as prescribed in Declaration
No
of Council Decision
1999/468/EC (1).

implementation

the

on

2

Since certain committees apply multiple procedures (ranging
from the advisory procedure to the regulatory procedure, plus
the safeguard procedure), they have been singled out from the
committees operating according to a unique procedure.

(1) OJ C 203, 17.7.1999, p. 1. This means: variant I together with the
advisory procedure, variants IIa and IIb together with the manage-
ment procedure and variants IIIa and IIIb together with the regula-
tory procedure.

Table II

Number of committees by procedure (2003)

Type of procedure

Advisory (*)

Management (*)

Regulatory (*)

Safeguard

Committees
operating under
several procedures

9

1

—

7

3

—

1

2

—

1

1

1

1

1

2

4

—

23

12

6

1

3

1

4

1

4

—

—

—

1

3

18

3

4

21

26

—

3

—

6

—

4

—

7

1

—

2

—

—

—

1

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

2

4

3

4

—

1

6

2

—

1

—

6

5

5

1

6

ENTR

EMPL

AGRI

TREN

ENV

RTD

INFSO

FISH

MARKT

REGIO

TAXUD

EAC

SANCO

JAI

RELEX

TRADE

C 65 E/6

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

17.3.2005

Type of procedure

Advisory (*)

Management (*)

Regulatory (*)

Safeguard

Committees
operating under
several procedures

ELARG

AIDCO (incl. DEV)

ECHO

ESTAT

BUDG

OLAF

TOTAL

—

—

—

—

1

—

31

1

6

—

4

—

—

74

—

2

—

1

1

1

100

1

—

—

—

—

—

2

(*) Including, respectively, procedures I, II and III in accordance with Council Decision 87/373/EC.

—

—

1

2

—

—

49

The figures indicate that nearly half of the committees (100 out
of 256) work exclusively under the regulatory procedure,
followed by a considerably smaller number of committees
working exclusively under the management procedure (74).
The breakdown by policy sector shows that the use of the
three types of procedures varies from policy sector to policy
sector. However, in some of the policy sectors, a clear domi-
nance of one of the procedures can be noted: Transport/Energy
and Environment work with a large number of committees
functioning under the regulatory procedure, whereas Agri-
culture works with a large number of committees functioning
under the management procedure.

2.2. Number of meetings

The number of committees is not the only indicator of activity
at comitology level. The number of meetings held in 2003
reflects the intensity of work in general, at sector level and in
individual committees (Table III).

Table III

Number of meetings

ENTR

EMPL

AGRI

TREN

ENV

RTD

INFSO

2002

2003

44

17

59

17

352

322

23

49

46

36

44

54

50

31

FISH

MARKT

REGIO

TAXUD

EAC

SANCO

JAI

RELEX

TRADE

ELARG

AIDCO

ECHO

ESTAT

BUDG

OLAF

2002

2003

25

25

12

106

19

109

28

1

37

7

40

10

15

5

1

25

38

12

113

23

101

21

5

32

8

35

10

17

6

1

As in 2002, Agriculture leads the field (with 322 meetings),
since managing the different agricultural markets requires
frequent meetings.
It is followed by Taxation and Customs
Union (with 113 meetings) and Health and Consumer Protec-
tion (with 101 meetings) which is responsible, among other
things, for food safety and a group of other sectors, like Enter-
prise, Environment and Research, where the number of meet-
ings is in the range of 50 to 70.

17.3.2005

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 65 E/7

2.3. Number of opinions and instruments

Opinions

Instruments

(i. e.

instruments

As introduced in the previous report, the present report gives
global figures on the formal opinions delivered by the commit-
tees (1) and the subsequent
implementing
measures = legal acts, administrative decisions) adopted by the
Commission. These figures describe the concrete ‘output’ of the
committees (table IV). The total number of opinions delivered
by the committees in 2003 was 2 981 (compared to 3 610 in
2002); the number of instruments adopted by the Commission
was 2 768 (compared to 3 077 in 2002). Both indicators show
that
important
‘output’ in the reporting year, compared to the previous period.

there was quantitatively a somewhat

less

Table IV

Number of opinions and instruments (2003)

ENTR

EMPL

AGRI

TREN

ENV

RTD

INFSO

Opinions

Instruments

395

16

352

0

1.413

1.413

30

39

74

34

24

31

60

21

FISH

MARKT

REGIO

TAXUD

EAC

SANCO

JAI

RELEX

TRADE

ELARG

AIDCO

ECHO

ESTAT

BUDG

OLAF

19

10

29

34

97

392

13

4

66

83

9

8

7

34

47

392

7

4

55

90

164

153

42

26

1

0

42

18

1

0

The large number of
instruments adopted in certain policy
sectors — Agriculture (1 413), Health and Consumer Protection
(392) and Enterprise (352) — again reflect the intensity of
work delegated to the Commission in these areas via the comi-
tology procedures (2).

(1) Including favourable, unfavourable and no opinions, following a
formal vote in the case of regulatory and management procedures.

(2) However, it has to be noted that the sheer number of instruments
adopted as such does not indicate the political, economic or finan-
cial importance of the decisions taken.

8

ANNEX

ANNEX TO THE REPORT FROM THE COMMISSION ON THE WORKING OF COMMITTEES
DURING 2003

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PRESENTATION OF ACTIVITIES BY SECTORAL POLICY . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . ..

Detailed statistics for enterprise policy . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . ..

Detailed statistics for employment and social affairs . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . ..

Detailed statistics for agriculture . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . ..

Detailed statistics for transport and energy . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . ..

Detailed statistics for environment . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . ..

Detailed statistics for research. . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . ..

Detailed statistics for information society.. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . ..

Detailed statistics for fisheries. . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . ..

Detailed statistics for internal market. . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . ..

Detailed statistics for regional policy . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . ..

Detailed statistics for taxation and customs union . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . ..

Detailed statistics for education and culture. . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . ..

Detailed statistics for health and consumer protection . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . ..

Detailed statistics for home and justice. . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . ..

Detailed statistics for external relations . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . ..

Detailed statistics for trade.. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . ..

Detailed statistics for enlargement . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . ..

Detailed statistics for europeaid (AIDCO + DEV).. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . ..

Detailed statistics for humanitarian aid (ECHO) . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . ..

Detailed statistics for statistics . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . ..

Detailed statistics for budget . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . ..

Detailed statistics for anti fraud (OLAF) . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . ..

9

10

13

14

16

21

25

26

29

30

31

32

35

36

40

41

42

44

45

46

46

48

49

9

PRESENTATION OF ACTIVITIES BY SECTORAL POLICY

This working document contains snapshots of the sectoral policies and includes the figures for all the committees in a
sector. All individual committees under the responsibility of each Commission department (whether active or not) are
listed, together with their relevant data. This approach provides for transparency of the sector policy activities. In addi-
tion, textual comments highlight some important aspects of the work in the reporting year (1).

The following explanations are intended for the reader to better understand the statistical data:

Opinions delivered by the committees may be of various kinds: they may concern draft Commission legislative acts
(directives, regulations), decisions designed to regulate a specific legal situation or to approve financial projects in the
context of any of the many Community programmes, or just position statements (which explains why the total number
of favourable opinions may be greater than the total number of legal instruments adopted in a specific sector).

Consequently, the instruments adopted by the Commission follow these categories.

In the event of a favourable opinion, the rule is that the Commission adopts the implementing measure (the instrument);
under the management procedure it may also adopt an instrument in the absence of an opinion (shown in the row ‘no
opinion’, although formal voting has taken place (2)). Only if there is an unfavourable opinion is the decision referred to
the Council as ‘an appeal body’, which then has the power to decide (referrals to the Council). Under the regulatory proce-
dure, the Council is also consulted if there is ‘no opinion’. In the (summary) table IV of the Report, all three categories:
favourable opinions, unfavourable opinions and no opinions', appear as one total figure under ‘Opinions’.

A further source of difference between the total number of favourable opinions delivered by committees and the number
of instruments adopted by the Commission in a given sector occurs when opinions were delivered in 2002 but the instru-
ments adopted only the following year (2003), or opinions were adopted at the end of 2003 and instruments adopted
only in 2004.

In certain cases committees are required to deliver opinions on dossiers which will not be the subject of a draft instru-
ment until some time later. Hence there may be considerable discrepancies between the total number of opinions and
the number of instruments adopted by the Commission.

This Annex provides an overview of ‘comitology’ activities during 2003 with a breakdown by sector. For each sector the
list of all existing committees (whether they have been active in 2003 or not) with their relevant data is reported.

(1) The textual comments are based on selective contributions from the Commission services responsible for the committees; they vary in
length and subject, which is not necessarily an indicator for the intensity of the activities in the given policy sector. Efforts will be
made to harmonise the kind of information given in the following annual reports.

(2) This situation occurs if neither the necessary quorum for a favourable, nor for an unfavourable opinion has been reached as a result of

the voting.

10

DETAILED STATISTICS FOR ENTERPRISE POLICY

Committee

No of
meetings

No of
days

Procedure

Favourable
opinions

Unfavourable
opinions

No
opinion
(absence
of
opinion)

Instruments
adopted by
the
Commission

Referred to
Council

Cases in which
European Parliament
has adopted a
resolution according
to Article 8 of
Council Decision
1999/468/EEC

for

Management Committee
the
fourth multiannual programme for
small and medium-sized enterprises
in the European Union (2001 to
2005) (SMEs)

Committee for execution of
the
specific programme for
research,
and
technological
demonstration on promotion of
innovation and encouragement of
SME participation (1999 to 2002)

development

Specific Programme 2 Structuring
the European Research Area, config-
uration Research and Innovation

Committee on implementation of
projects, actions and measures to
trans-
ensure
interoperability of
European networks
telematic
data interchange between adminis-
trations (IDA II-TAC)

for

Committee on the Adaptation to
Technical Progress of the Directives
the Elimination of Technical
for
Barriers
in Dangerous
to Trade
Substances and Preparations

provisions

Committee on the harmonisation of
the
the
placing on the market and supervi-
sion of explosives
for civil uses
(Explosives)

relating

to

Committee on Drug Precursors

Committee for
the adaptation to
technical progress of legislation on
the removal of technical barriers to
trade in fertilisers (CATP-Fertilisers)

Committee for
the adaptation to
technical progress of legislation on
the removal of technical barriers to
trade in detergents
(CATP-Deter-
gents)

Committee on directives relating to
textile names and labelling

Committee for harmonisation of
to
national
cableway installations designed to
carry persons

regulations

relating

0

0

3

3

3

Management

0

0

-

3

6

3

Management

6

Management

10

0

0

Regulatory

1

1

Regulatory

3

0

0

0

1

4

0

Regulatory

Regulatory

0

Regulatory

0

1

Regulatory

Advisory

0

0

15

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

2

0

0

1

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

Committee

No of
meetings

No of
days

Procedure

Favourable
opinions

Unfavourable
opinions

No
opinion
(absence
of
opinion)

Instruments
adopted by
the
Commission

Referred to
Council

11

Cases in which
European Parliament
has adopted a
resolution according
to Article 8 of
Council Decision
1999/468/EEC

Committee for the harmonisation of
to
national
recreational craft

legislation

relating

1

1

Advisory

1

Management Committee on hori-
zontal questions concerning trade
in processed agricultural products
not listed in Annex I

10

0

Management

19

Standing Committee on medicinal
products for human use

12

12

Regulatory

282

Regulatory

39

4

0

Regulatory

Standing Committee on veterinary
medicinal products

Committee for
the adaptation to
technical progress of the directives
on the removal of technical barriers
to trade in colouring matters which
may
to medicinal
be
products

added

Standing Committee on cosmetic
products (COSCOM)

the adaptation to
Committee for
technical progress of legislation on
the removal of technical barriers to
trade in motor vehicles and their
trailers

Committee for
the adaptation to
technical progress of legislation on
the removal of technical barriers to
trade in agricultural and forestry
tractors

Advisory Committee on standardi-
sation in the field of
information
technology (SOGITS)

Advisory Committee on the approx-
imation of the laws of the Member
States relating to machinery

Standing Committee on the approx-
imation of the laws of the Member
States relating to lifts

Committee for
the adaptation to
technical progress of legislation to
remove technical barriers to trade
in construction plant and equip-
ment

4

0

4

4

2.5

Regulatory

4

Regulatory

0

0

Regulatory

0

0

0

0

0

Advisory

0

Advisory

0

Advisory

0

Advisory

0

3

9

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

2

0

0

1

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

19

282

39

0

3

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

12

Committee

No of
meetings

No of
days

Procedure

Favourable
opinions

Unfavourable
opinions

No
opinion
(absence
of
opinion)

Instruments
adopted by
the
Commission

Referred to
Council

Cases in which
European Parliament
has adopted a
resolution according
to Article 8 of
Council Decision
1999/468/EEC

Standing Committee on the approx-
imation of the laws of the Member
States concerning equipment and
protective systems intended for use
in potentially explosive atmospheres
(EXAT)

Committee for
the adaptation to
technical progress of legislation to
remove technical barriers to trade
in electric materials used in an
explosive atmosphere (CATP/EXAT)

Telecommunications
Conformity
Assessment and Market Surveillance
Committee (TCAM)

Committee for
the adaptation to
technical progress of legislation to
remove technical barriers to trade
in pressure vessels

Standing Committee on the approx-
imation of the laws of the Member
States concerning pressure equip-
ment

Committee for
the adaptation to
technical progress of legislation to
remove technical barriers to trade
in aerosol dispensers (CATP/Aero-
sols)

Advisory Committee on the approx-
imation of the laws of the Member
States relating to medical devices

Committee for
the adaptation to
technical progress of legislation to
remove technical barriers to trade
in electro-medical equipment used
in human or veterinary medicine

the adaptation to
Committee for
technical progress of legislation to
remove technical barriers to trade
in measuring instruments

Standing Committee on approxima-
tion
to
laws
construction products

relating

the

of

2

2

Advisory

0

0

Regulatory

2

0

0

0

1

0

0

2

4

Several: Advi-
sory, Regulatory

0

Regulatory

0

Advisory

0

Regulatory

1

Several: Advi-
sory, Regulatory

0

Regulatory

0

Regulatory

4

Regulatory

0

0

5

0

0

0

1

0

0

5

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

5

0

0

0

1

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

The 33 committees in this policy sector have delivered a total of 392 favourable and three unfavourable opinions,
giving rise to 352 instruments.

In 2003 16 committees met (five more than in 2002). Two committees (the Committee for the execution of the specific
programme for research, technological development and demonstration on promotion of innovation and encouragement of SME
participation (1999 to 2002) and the Committee for the adaptation to technical progress of legislation to remove technical barriers
to trade in electric materials used in an explosive atmosphere (CATP/EXAT)) have disappeared and a new Committee for the
Specific Programme Structuring the European Research Area (configuration Research and Innovation) has been created.

13

There were three unfavourable opinions delivered in this policy sector (these cases; which are not listed above in section 1.4
because they were not referred to the Council):

— The proposal for a Directive adapting to technical progress the cosmetics Directive, which received a negative vote
from the Standing Committee on Cosmetic Products on 4 November 2003. This proposal concerned a substance
called ketoconazole. Considering arguments from Member States, the Commission decided to consult the Committee
for Proprietary Medicinal Products (CPMP) before going to the Council.

— The two negative opinions in the Standing committee for human medicinal products concerned the form of the
following acts: Annex I to Directive 2001/83/EC (which was finally adopted in a further meeting) and the Directive
on clinical trials (which will be again discussed in 2004).

As regards individual files with institutional importance, it is worth mentioning the Management Committee for the fourth
multi-annual programme for small and medium-sized enterprises in the European Union (2001 to 2005) (EPMC). The principal
role of the EPMC is to approve and monitor the annual programming cycle of the multi-annual programme cited. Never-
theless, during 2003 the EPMC adopted a favourable opinion on the implementation report on the 2002 work
programme and on the amendments to that programme, and gave a favourable opinion on the 2004 work programme.
In addition, an amendment to the recreational craft Directive (2003/44/EC) was adopted by the legislator, which
provides for the regulatory procedure for the amending provisions on exhaust and noise emissions (instead of the
existing advisory procedure established by Directive 94/25/EC).

DETAILED STATISTICS FOR EMPLOYMENT AND SOCIAL AFFAIRS

Committee

No of
meetings

No of
days

Procedure

Favourable
opinions

Unfavourable
opinions

No
opinion
(absence
of
opinion)

Instruments
adopted by
the
Commission

Referred to
Council

Cases in which
European Parliament
has adopted a
resolution according
to Article 8 of
Council Decision
1999/468/EEC

Disability
Committee
Advisory
(established within framework of
the European Year of People with
Disabilities)

Committee
Action
discrimination

of
Programme

the Community
combat

to

of

Committee
the Community
action programme to encourage co-
operation between Member States
to combat social exclusion

Employment Incentive Measures

Committee for the technical adapta-
tion of legislation on the introduc-
to encourage
tion of measures
improvements
in the safety and
health of workers at work

Committee for the technical adapta-
tion of legislation on the minimum
safety and health requirements for
treatment on
improved medical
board vessels

Restricted Committee for Safety and
Health in the Mining and Other
Extractive Industries

Committee for the implementation
of the Programme relating to the
Community framework strategy on
gender equality

4

2

4

3

2

4

Advisory

2

4

Several: Advi-
sory, Manage-
ment

Several: Advi-
sory, Manage-
ment

1.5

Several: Advi-
sory, Manage-
ment

2

Regulatory

0

0

Regulatory

0

2

0

2

Regulatory

—

0

8

0

7

1

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

14

The eight committees in this policy sector have delivered a total of 16 favourable opinions, but no instrument was
adopted in the year 2003.

In all committees accession countries were invited to participate, with the active observer status conferred to them. The
remaining candidate countries were also invited to participate as observers. In view of the enlargement date in 2004,
some committees set up working groups in order to prepare their working agendas.

Following the Council Decision of 22 July 2003 setting up an Advisory Committee on Safety and Health at Work (1) (OJ C
218, 13.9.2003, p. 1), the Committee for Safety and Health in the Mining and Other Extractive Industries ceased to exist on 1
January 2004.

DETAILED STATISTICS FOR AGRICULTURE

Committee

No of
meetings

No of
days

Procedure

Favourable
opinions

Unfavourable
opinions

No
opinion
(absence
of
opinion)

Instruments
adopted by
the
Commission

Referred to
Council

Cases in which
European Parliament
has adopted a
resolution according
to Article 8 of
Council Decision
1999/468/EEC

Committee on Agricultural Struc-
Rural Development
and
tures
(STAR Committee)

Implementation
spirit drinks

Committee

for

Committee on the
conservation,
characterisation, collection and utili-
sation of genetic resources in agri-
culture

Community Committee
on the
Farm Accountancy Data Network
(FADN)

9

3

2

4

9

3

2

Several: Advi-
sory, Manage-
ment

Several: Advi-
sory, Regulatory

Management

6

Management

European Agricultural Guidance
and Guarantee Fund Committee

15

18

Management

Management
bananas

Committee

for

5

5

Management

Management Committee for beef
and veal

21

21

Management

59

0

0

3

17

8

81

Management Committee for cereals

45

45

Management

603

Management Committee for dried
fodder

1

1

Management

Management Committee for
and vegetables

fruit

17

19

Management

Management Committee for hops

Management Committee
for
plants and floriculture products

live

1

0

1

0

Management

Management

1

37

1

0

Management Committee for milk
and milk products

22

22

Management

123

Management Committee for Natural
Fibres

5

5

Management

5

(1) OJ C 218, 13.9.2003, p. 1.

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

4

59

0

0

3

17

8

85

81

684

0

7

0

0

1

44

1

0

18

141

0

5

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

Committee

No of
meetings

No of
days

Procedure

Favourable
opinions

Unfavourable
opinions

No
opinion
(absence
of
opinion)

Instruments
adopted by
the
Commission

Referred to
Council

15

Cases in which
European Parliament
has adopted a
resolution according
to Article 8 of
Council Decision
1999/468/EEC

Management Committee
and fats

for oils

14

14

Management

Management
pigmeat

Committee

for

12

12

Management

Management Committee for poul-
trymeat and eggs

11

11

Management

15

17

Management

13

18

58

18

5

0

4

4

0

7

Management

Management

Management

37

Management

143

19

Management

37

1

0

Management

Regulatory

5

Regulatory

9

5

0

Regulatory

Regulatory

Several: Manage-
ment, Regula-
tory

3

Management

0

0

2

4

0

0

5

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

12

25

0

1

0

0

0

0

9

2

0

0

0

0

0

0

1

6

18

59

18

5

0

4

152

39

0

0

2

4

0

0

6

33

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

for
Management
products processed from fruit and
vegetables

Committee

Management Committee for
tobacco

raw

Management Committee for seeds

Management Committee for sheep-
meat and goatmeat

Management Committee for sugar

Management Committee for wines

Standing Committee on Agricultural
Research (SCAR)

Regulatory Committee on certifi-
cates of specific character for agri-
cultural products and foodstuffs

on

Committee

the
Regulatory
protection of geographical
indica-
tions and designations of origin for
agricultural products and foodstuffs
(OAP)

Regulatory Committee on Organic
Farming

Standing Forestry Committee (SFC)

Implementation
Committee
aromatised wine-based drinks

for

Management committee for direct
payments

4

0

7

37

19

1

0

5

6

5

0

3

Joint meetings
committees

of management

33

33

—

27

16

During the 322 meetings of the 30 existing committees and joint committees in DG AGRI, 1 272 favourable opinions
and 141 absences of opinion (no opinion) were delivered/recorded, giving rise to 1 413 drafts adopted by the Commis-
sion.

In 2003, following the reform of the Common Agricultural Policy, decided on by the Council on 29 September 2003, a
new agricultural committee was created. The legal basis for the Management Committee for Direct Payments, governing its
operation as a management committee, appears in Article 144 of Council Regulation (EC) No 1782/2003 of 29
September 2003 establishing common rules for direct support schemes under the common agricultural policy and estab-
lishing certain support schemes for farmers (1).

No unfavourable opinions were delivered in the context of the management committees and no absences of opinion (no
opinion) were expressed in the context of a regulatory committee: consequently, there were no referrals to the Council
in 2003.

DETAILED STATISTICS FOR TRANSPORT AND ENERGY

Committee

No of
meetings

No of
days

Procedure

Favourable
opinions

Unfavourable
opinions

No
opinion
(absence
of
opinion)

Instruments
adopted by
the
Commission

Referred to
Council

Cases in which
European Parliament
has adopted a
resolution according
to Article 8 of
Council Decision
1999/468/EEC

Advisory Committee for the tech-
nical adaptation of the Community
procedure to improve the transpar-
ency of gas and electricity prices
charged to industrial end-users

Advisory Committee
unfair
pricing practices in maritime trans-
port

on

Committee on application of
the
legislation on access to the ground-
handling market
at Community
airports

Transport infrastructure charging

Developing
Committee

European

Railways

Technical Adaptation Committee on
Roadworthiness Testing

the
Committee on adaptation of
reciprocal
concerning
legislation
recognition of national boatmasters'
certificates for the carriage of goods
and passengers by inland waterway

Advisory Committee on the condi-
tions under which non-resident
carriers may operate national road
passenger transport services within
a Member State (cabotage)

0

0

Advisory

0

0

0

2

1

0

0

Advisory

0

Advisory

0

2

1

0

Advisory

Several: Advi-
sory, Regulatory

Several: Advi-
sory, Regulatory

Several: Advi-
sory, Manage-
ment, Regula-
tory

0

0

Several: Advi-
sory, Safeguard

0

0

0

0

0

1

0

0

(1) OJ L 270, 21.10.2003, p. 1.

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

1

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

Committee

No of
meetings

No of
days

Procedure

Favourable
opinions

Unfavourable
opinions

No
opinion
(absence
of
opinion)

Instruments
adopted by
the
Commission

Referred to
Council

17

Cases in which
European Parliament
has adopted a
resolution according
to Article 8 of
Council Decision
1999/468/EEC

multiannual
for

Committee for implementation of
framework
the
programme
in the
energy sector (1998 to 2002) —
promotion of
energy
sources (ALTENER)

renewable

actions

multiannual
for

Committee for implementation of
framework
the
programme
in the
energy sector (1998 to 2002) —
rational and efficient use of energy
resources (SAVE)

actions

multiannual
for

Committee for implementation of
framework
the
programme
in the
energy sector (1999 to 2002) —
technologies
fuel
clean
(CARNOT)

actions

solid

multiannual
for

Committee for implementation of
framework
the
programme
in the
energy sector (1999 to 2002) —
future development of energy policy
(ETAP)

actions

multiannual
for

Committee for implementation of
framework
the
programme
in the
energy sector (1999 to 2002) —
reinforcement
international
of
cooperation (SYNERGY)

actions

multiannual
for

Committee for implementation of
framework
the
programme
in the
energy sector (1999 to 2002) —
safety of nuclear installations in the
countries participating in the TACIS
programme (SURE)

actions

multiannual
for

Committee for implementation of
framework
the
programme
in the
energy sector (1999-2002) –rational
and efficient use of energy resources
(SAVE)

actions

Committee for implementation of
framework
the
in the
programme
energy sector (2003 to 2006) (Intel-
ligent energy for Europe)

multiannual
for

actions

0

0

Management

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

Management

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

Management

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

Management

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

Management

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

Management

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

Management

0

0

0

0

0

1

1

Management

1

0

0

1

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

18

Committee

No of
meetings

No of
days

Procedure

Favourable
opinions

Unfavourable
opinions

No
opinion
(absence
of
opinion)

Instruments
adopted by
the
Commission

Referred to
Council

Cases in which
European Parliament
has adopted a
resolution according
to Article 8 of
Council Decision
1999/468/EEC

Ecopoints Management Committee

Committee for harmonisation of
national measures on the indication
by labelling and standard product
information of the consumption of
energy
resources by
and other
household appliances

Committee for the application of
legislation on the transfer of ships
from one register to another within
the Community

Committee for the establishment of
conditions for the interoperability
of
the trans-European high-speed
rail system

Committee for the implementation
of the series of guidelines for trans-
European energy networks

Committee on application of
the
legislation concerning the definition
and use of compatible technical
specifications for the procurement
of air
traffic management equip-
ment and systems

the
Committee on application of
legislation on harmonisation of
technical requirements and adminis-
trative procedures in the field of
civil aviation

Committee on application of
the
legislation on ship inspection and
survey organisations and the rele-
vant activities of maritime adminis-
trations

Committee on application of
the
legislation on the minimum level of
training for seafarers and the recog-
nition of
issued by
certificates
training institutes or administrations
of third countries (STCW)

3

1

0

4

0

0

3

1

Management

Regulatory

0

Regulatory

5

Regulatory

0

Regulatory

0

Regulatory

0

0

Regulatory

0

0

Regulatory

0

0

Regulatory

0

0

0

2

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

Committee on application of
the
legislation on the minimum require-
for vessels bound for or
ments
and
leaving
carrying dangerous or polluting
goods

Community

ports

0

0

Regulatory

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

Committee

No of
meetings

No of
days

Procedure

Favourable
opinions

Unfavourable
opinions

No
opinion
(absence
of
opinion)

Instruments
adopted by
the
Commission

Referred to
Council

19

Cases in which
European Parliament
has adopted a
resolution according
to Article 8 of
Council Decision
1999/468/EEC

Committee on application of
the
legislation on tonnage measurement
of ballast
in segregated
ballast oil tankers (SBT)

spaces

Committee on driving licences

Committee on tachograph (CATP)

Committee on the
dangerous goods

transport of

Committee overseeing the condi-
tions governing imports of agri-
cultural products originating
in
third countries following the acci-
dent
the Chernobyl nuclear
at
power station

Community/Switzerland Transport
Committee (rail and road)

Ten-Energy
Committee

Financial Assistance

TEN-Energy Guidelines Committee

Ten-Transport Financial Assistance
Committee

regulation

concerning

Committee for implementation of
the
the
granting of Community financial
assistance for actions of an innova-
tive nature to promote combined
transport (PACT) (1997 to 2001)

Advisory Committee on application
for
of
the legislation on access
Community air carriers
to intra-
Community air routes

Advisory Committee on measures
taken in the event of a crisis in the
market in the carriage of goods by
road and for laying down the condi-
tions under which non-resident
carriers may operate national road
haulage services within a Member
State (cabotage)

Committee
prevention of pollution from ships

Seas

Safe

on

and

0

5

0

1

0

1

1

0

2

0

0

0

0

Regulatory

6

0

1

0

1

1

0

3

0

Regulatory

Regulatory

Regulatory

Regulatory

Regulatory

Regulatory

Regulatory

Regulatory

Regulatory

0

Safeguard

0

Advisory

0

0

0

3

0

0

1

0

2

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

1

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

3

0

0

1

0

2

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

2

2

Management

3

0

0

3

0

0

20

Committee

No of
meetings

No of
days

Procedure

Favourable
opinions

Unfavourable
opinions

No
opinion
(absence
of
opinion)

Instruments
adopted by
the
Commission

Referred to
Council

Cases in which
European Parliament
has adopted a
resolution according
to Article 8 of
Council Decision
1999/468/EEC

Marco Polo Committee

EASA Committee

Consultative Committee on Market
Access (Aviation)

1

5

1

1

6

1

Management

Advisory

Advisory

Regulatory Committee
Aviation Security

for Civil

10

14

Regulatory

Committee for the implementation
of the distribution and management
of authorisations for heavy trucks
the Community circulating in
of
Switzerland

1

1

Regulatory

2

6

1

4

1

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

2

5

1

4

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

The 45 committees in this policy sector have delivered a total of 29 favourable opinions and one absence of opinion
(no opinion), giving rise to 24 instruments.

The Developing European Railways Committee (DERC) was informally consulted twice (in January and July) on a draft
Commission Recommendation concerning a common format for railway licences that have to be issued by Member
States' licensing authorities based on Directive 2001/13.

The Committee on the Transport of Dangerous Goods delivered favourable opinions on the adoption of certain national
derogations to the requirements of Directives 94/55/EC and 96/49/EC and the deferral of the date of implementation of
Directive 1999/36/EC on transportable pressure equipment for certain types of equipment.

In addition, the Committee discussed (without any formal voting), modifications of Annexes to Directive 95/50/EC on
road-side checks; translations and publication of the international agreements on the transport of dangerous goods
(ADR, RID, ADN) in all Community languages in the future and the establishing of an information exchange forum for
the national notifying authorities and the EU and notified bodies.

The Committee on the adaptation of technical progress focused on corrigenda and some technical amendments of the Annex
1B to Council Regulation (EEC) No 3821/85, as amended by Council Regulation (EC) No 2135/98. The opinion of the
Committee was favourable.

The Committee for the establishment of conditions for the interoperability of the trans-European rail system gave a second
mandate to the ‘Association européenne pour l'interopérabilité ferroviaire’ (AEIF) for the development of conventional
rail technical specifications for interoperability (TSIs) on safety in tunnels, accessibility to people with reduced mobility
and air pollution. Air pollution by engines used in railway application has since fallen under the scope of a general direc-
tive (TSIs for tunnel safety and accessibility are expected for 2005). The Committee also discussed the draft TSIs of the
first priority group and gave a favourable opinion on a draft decision relative to the ERTMS parameters and on a draft
decision relative to the basic parameters for the ‘telematics application for freight’, ‘noise’ and ‘wagons’ TSIs.

The Committee on driving licences focused in particular on the future revision of Annex III on mental and physical fitness
to drive a vehicle (without delivering any formal voting). Another point of discussion concerned the necessary adapta-
tion to technical progress of the definition of (semi)-automatic gearboxes.

The European Aviation Safety Agency, established by Article 54 of Regulation (EC) No 1592/2002 of 15 July 2002, came
into being in July 2003. It was working under great pressure from the outset, as it was required to deliver opinions on
texts constituting the regulatory basis for the certification procedures for aeronautical products which, pursuant to Regu-
lation (EC) No 1592/2002, were the responsibility of the EASA from 28 September 2003. Thus, from September, the
Committee was delivering favourable opinions on three proposed Commission regulations, concerning (respectively)
amendments to Article 6 of Regulation (EC) No 1592/2002 to bring it into line with the most recent requirements of
the International Civil Aviation Organisation and the rules implementing Articles 5 (airworthiness) and 6 (environmental
requirements) of the same Regulation. In December, a draft Commission Regulation on the organisation and make-up of
the EASA appeals chamber also received a favourable opinion, as did a draft Commission Decision laying down the
rules on the delegation of the powers of the executive director of the Agency.

21

Regulation (EC) No 2320/2002 of the European Parliament and of the Council came into force on 19 January 2003.
The Committee for Civil Aviation Security Committee 2003 met for the first time in February 2003. The Committee deliv-
ered favourable opinions regarding four Commission Regulations. Commission Regulations (EC) No 622/2003 and (EC)
No 68/2004 were technical regulations that add detail to the requirements of Regulation (EC) No 2320/2002. Commis-
sion Regulation (EC) No 1217/2003 lays down common standards for quality control programmes in the Member States
in the field of aviation security — as required by an obligation in Article 5 of Regulation (EC) No 2320/2002. Commis-
sion Regulation (EC) No 1486/2003 lays down operational requirements for the conduct of inspections of EU airports
by the Commission, also meeting obligations laid down in Article 5 of the Regulation (EC) No 2320/2002.

The Committee on Market Access (Aviation) (working under the advisory procedure) examined a draft decision by the
Commission on a complaint by Switzerland against Germany concerning certain airspace regulations in the approach to
Zürich airport which Switzerland considered to be restrictive. The draft decision proposing not to follow the request
received a favourable opinion by the Committee.

Regulation (EC) No 2099/2002 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 5 November 2002 establishing a
Committee on Safe Seas (COSS) and the Prevention of Pollution from Ships) came into force on 25 November 2002, and
the Committee held its first two meetings in 2003. The COSS replaced all of the existing committees in the area of mari-
time safety.

An informal meeting of the Marco Polo Programme Committee took place prior to the adoption of the Marco Polo
Programme in July 2003. The Committee adopted its Rules of Procedure and delivered a favourable opinion after the
Programme adoption regarding the Marco Polo Work programme 2003.

The Committee for the Financing of the Trans-European Network — Transport Section (TEN-T) approved, by favourable
opinion, a Commission proposal for the cofinancing of six projects making up a first tranche of the non-MIP fund allo-
cation for 2003, and a Commission proposal for the cofinancing of the second tranche of the non-MIP fund allocation
for 2003. The Committee was also informed by the Commission about, and expressed its views on, the ‘outstanding
payments’ (Reste à liquider) exercise intended to reduce the number of financial matters awaiting implementation.

The Committee for the Financing of the Trans-European Network — Energy Section (TEN-E) delivered a favourable opinion on
a draft Commission decision to support 15 of the 37 applications for financial aid received for a total of EUR 21,6
million.

DETAILED STATISTICS FOR ENVIRONMENT

Committee

No of
meetings

No of
days

Procedure

Favourable
opinions

Unfavourable
opinions

No
opinion
(absence
of
opinion)

Instruments
adopted by
the
Commission

Referred to
Council

Cases in which
European Parliament
has adopted a
resolution according
to Article 8 of
Council Decision
1999/468/EEC

Advisory Committee for implemen-
tation of the directive on the limita-
tion of emissions of volatile organic
compounds due
to the use of
organic solvents in certain activities
and installations

Advisory Committee for implemen-
tation of the directive relating to a
reduction in the sulphur content of
certain liquid fuels

Committee for the implementation
of the Community framework for
cooperation to promote sustainable
urban development (2001 to 2004)

Committee for
implementing the
Community action programme in
the field of civil protection (CPC)
(2000 to 2004)

0

0

Advisory

0

1

4

0

Advisory

1

Advisory

6

Management

0

0

2

3

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

2

1

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

22

Committee

No of
meetings

No of
days

Procedure

Favourable
opinions

Unfavourable
opinions

No
opinion
(absence
of
opinion)

Instruments
adopted by
the
Commission

Referred to
Council

Cases in which
European Parliament
has adopted a
resolution according
to Article 8 of
Council Decision
1999/468/EEC

Committee for
the adaptation to
technical and scientific progress of
the directive on the quality of water
intended for human consumption

Committee on Marine Pollution

Committee on the financial instru-
ment for the environment (LIFE)

Management Committee for appli-
cation of the directive on the stan-
dardisation and rationalisation of
reports on the implementation of
certain directives
relating to the
environment

Management Committee to monitor
production and consumption of
substances that deplete the ozone
layer (SDO)

Committee for
the adaptation to
technical progress of the directive
on the control of volatile organic
compound emissions resulting from
the storage of petrol and its distri-
bution from terminals to service
stations (VOC)

Committee for application of
the
voluntary
authorising
regulation
participation by undertakings in the
industrial sector in a Community
eco-management and audit scheme
(EMAS)

Committee for implementation of
the directive on integrated pollution
prevention and control (IPPC)

Committee for implementation of
the directive on packaging and
packaging waste

Committee for
implementing the
directive establishing a Community
policy regarding water

Committee for
the adaptation to
scientific and technical progress and
implementation of the directive on
protection of waters against pollu-
tion caused by nitrates from agri-
cultural sources

2

2

2

0

2

0

2

Management

2

2

0

Management

Management

Management

4

Management

0

Regulatory

1

4

Regulatory

3

2

1

2

5

Regulatory

2

Regulatory

1

Regulatory

2

Regulatory

0

1

1

0

9

0

1

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

1

2

0

5

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

1

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

Committee

No of
meetings

No of
days

Procedure

Favourable
opinions

Unfavourable
opinions

No
opinion
(absence
of
opinion)

Instruments
adopted by
the
Commission

Referred to
Council

23

Cases in which
European Parliament
has adopted a
resolution according
to Article 8 of
Council Decision
1999/468/EEC

Committee for
the adaptation to
scientific and technical progress and
implementation of the directive on
the incineration of hazardous waste

Committee for
the adaptation to
scientific and technical progress and
implementation of the directive on
urban waste water treatment

Committee for
the adaptation to
scientific and technical progress and
implementation of the directives on
waste

Committee for
the adaptation to
scientific and technical progress of
the directive on conservation of
wild birds (ORNIS)

Committee for
the adaptation to
technical progress and application
of
the Community award scheme
for an eco-label (ECO-LABEL)

Committee for
the adaptation to
technical progress and implementa-
tion
on the
contained use of genetically modi-
fied micro-organisms

directive

the

of

0

0

Regulatory

1

2

Regulatory

6

6

Regulatory

1

1

Regulatory

3

1.5

Regulatory

0

0

Regulatory

Committee for
the adaptation to
technical progress and implementa-
tion of the directive on the delib-
erate release into the environment
of genetically modified organisms

the adaptation to
Committee for
technical progress and implementa-
tion of the regulation on the evalua-
tion and control of
the risks of
existing substances

2

2

Regulatory

2

2

Regulatory

Committee for
the adaptation to
technical progress of legislation to
remove technical barriers to trade
and
in
preparations

substances

dangerous

1

2

Regulatory

the adaptation to
Committee for
technical progress of the directive
on the quality of bathing water

0

0

Regulatory

0

0

1

0

3

0

2

2

4

0

0

0

0

0

1

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

3

0

0

0

2

0

0

2

0

0

4

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

1

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

24

Committee

No of
meetings

No of
days

Procedure

Favourable
opinions

Unfavourable
opinions

No
opinion
(absence
of
opinion)

Instruments
adopted by
the
Commission

Referred to
Council

Cases in which
European Parliament
has adopted a
resolution according
to Article 8 of
Council Decision
1999/468/EEC

Committee for the application of
the directive relating to the avail-
ability of consumer information on
fuel economy and CO2 emissions in
respect of
the marketing of new
passenger cars

Committee for the approximation
of the laws of the Member States
relating to measures against
the
emission of gaseous and particulate
pollutants from internal combustion
engines to be installed in non-road
mobile machinery

Committee for the approximation
of the laws of the Member States
relating to noise emission in the
environment by equipment for use
outdoors

Committee for
the protection of
species of wild fauna and flora by
regulating trade therein

Committee on implementing legisla-
tion on ambient air quality assess-
ment and management

Committee on the conservation of
natural habitats and of wild fauna
and flora (Habitat)

on

Committee
the monitoring
mechanism of Community CO2
and other greenhouse gas emissions

Committee overseeing the condi-
tions governing imports of agri-
in
cultural products originating
third countries following the acci-
dent
the Chernobyl nuclear
at
power station

Standing Committee for implemen-
tation of
the directive concerning
the placing of biocidal products on
the market

Standing Committee for implemen-
tation of
the directive on the
control of major accidental hazards
involving dangerous substances

Advisory Committee for implemen-
tation of the directive on the limita-
tion of emissions of volatile organic
compounds due
to the use of
organic solvents in certain activities
and installations

0

0

Regulatory

0

0

Regulatory

2

2

Regulatory

5

1

2

3

0

1

2

0

5

Regulatory

1

Regulatory

2

Regulatory

6

Regulatory

0

Regulatory

1

Regulatory

4

Regulatory

0

Advisory

0

0

1

2

1

2

2

0

1

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

1

2

1

2

1

0

1

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

25

The 35 committees in this policy sector have delivered a total of 38 favourable opinions and one unfavourable opinion,
giving rise to 31 instruments.

The Eco-label Regulatory Committee gave its opinion on four draft Commission Decisions establishing the ecological
criteria for the award of the Community eco-label to different kinds of products and services. Three of them (concerning
tourist accommodation services, washing machines and refrigerators) received positive opinions by the Committee and
were therefore adopted. The fourth, related to furniture, was instead rejected by the Committee. The proposed criteria
received a negative vote (in favour: 30; against: 42; abstention: 13). The Commission, decided to withdraw the fourth
proposal rather than referring it to Council. The Regulatory Committee for the Adaptation to scientific and technical progress of
directive 94/62 on packaging and packaging waste met twice in 2003. It focused on the harmonisation of data provision on
recycling and recovery rates, running in parallel with the legislative procedure which lead to the revision of the Directive
itself at the end of the year. Another sensitive issue addressed was the clarification of questions raised by Acceding Coun-
tries on the implementation of the Directive. The committee also served as a forum to exchange best practice on data
collection among the Member States.

The Regulatory Committee on the implementation of the Monitoring Mechanism of Community CO2 and other greenhouse gas
emissions gave a favourable opinion on the guidelines to be used by installations covered under the Community green-
house gas emissions trading scheme to monitor and report their emissions. It also prepared the implementing provisions
for the new Monitoring Decision which was discussed by the Legislator in 2003.

The (regulatory) Committee on the deliberate release into the environment of genetically modified organisms adopted a model for
the presentation of the results on the deliberate release of superior plants for purposes other than commercialisation. It
also gave favourable opinion for setting up a system of GMO indicators.

DETAILED STATISTICS FOR RESEARCH

Committee

No of
meetings

No of
days

Procedure

Favourable
opinions

Unfavourable
opinions

No
opinion
(absence
of
opinion)

Instruments
adopted by
the
Commission

Referred to
Council

Cases in which
European Parliament
has adopted a
resolution according
to Article 8 of
Council Decision
1999/468/EEC

39

39.5

Several: Manage-
ment, Regula-
tory

58

0

0

47

0

11

9.5

Management

16

0

0

13

0

0

0

Committee for the execution of the
research,
specific programme for
and
technological
and
demonstration:
Strengthening
European
Research Area’ (2002 to 2006)

development
‘Integrating
the

Committee for the execution of the
research,
specific programme for
and
technological
demonstration:
the
European Research Area’ (2002 to
2006)

development
‘Structuring

The two committees in this policy sector have delivered a total of 74 favourable opinions, giving rise to 60 instruments.

2003 was the first full year of operations for the two (new) Programme committees under the sixth framework
programme for research. The specific Programme committees ceased their activities in 2002, which explains the consid-
erable reduction of committees in this policy area. The relationship of the committee members with the services of DG
Research continued to be smooth and productive, as under the previous framework programmes for research.

It is important to note the full support provided by the committees on the various revisions proposed by the Commis-
sion for the Work programmes of the specific programmes ‘Integrating and Strengthening the European Research Area’
and ‘Structuring the European Research Area’.

The two programme committees meet in different sections, according to the nature of the issues on the agenda to be
discussed. These sections are:

26

Programme committee for the specific programme ‘Integrating and Strengthening the European Research Area’:

— horizontal aspects,

— life sciences, genomics and biotechnology for health,

— information society technologies,

— nanotechnologies and nanosciences, knowledge-based multifunctional materials and new production processes and

devices,

— aeronautics and space,

— food quality and safety,

— sustainable development, global change and ecosystems,

— citizens and governance in a knowledge-based society.

Programme committee for the specific programme ‘Structuring the European Research Area’:

— horizontal aspects,

— research and innovation,

— human resources and mobility,

— research infrastructures,

— science and society.

DETAILED STATISTICS FOR INFORMATION SOCIETY

Committee

No of
meetings

No of
days

Procedure

Favourable
opinions

Unfavourable
opinions

No
opinion
(absence
of
opinion)

Instruments
adopted by
the
Commission

Referred to
Council

Cases in which
European Parliament
has adopted a
resolution according
to Article 8 of
Council Decision
1999/468/EEC

Electronic Signatures Committee

Advisory Committee on informa-
tion systems security (SOG-IS)

Advisory Committee on the imple-
mentation of open telecommunica-
tions network provision (ONP)

Committee for application of
the
legislation on general authorisations
licences in the field
and individual
of
services
(GAIL/AGLI)

telecommunications

Advisory Committee for Telecom-
munications Equipment (ACTE)

Communications
Committee-
framework directive 2002/21/EC
(COCOM)

Radio Spectrum Committee (RSC)
— Decision No 676/2002/EC (RSC)

1

0

0

0

0

6

4

0.5

Management

12

0

0

Several

Several

0

Several

0

6

Advisory

Several

4

Several

0

0

0

0

7

4

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

1

0

0

0

0

6

4

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

Committee

No of
meetings

No of
days

Procedure

Favourable
opinions

Unfavourable
opinions

No
opinion
(absence
of
opinion)

Instruments
adopted by
the
Commission

Referred to
Council

27

Cases in which
European Parliament
has adopted a
resolution according
to Article 8 of
Council Decision
1999/468/EEC

Committee for the implementation
of the series of guidelines for trans-
European
telecommunications
networks (TEN-Telecom)

TEN
Committee
2236/95)

Financial

Regulation
(Regulation (EC) No

Committee for the execution of the
research,
specific programme for
and
technological
and
demonstration:
Strengthening
European
Research Area (2002 to 2006) —
ISTC Priority 2 configuration

development
Integrating
the

Committee for the implementation
of
the multiannual Community
programme to stimulate the devel-
opment and use of European digital
content on the global networks and
to promote linguistic diversity in
the information society (eContent)

on the multiannual
Committee
Community
on
action
promoting safe use of the Internet
(1999 to 2002)

plan

of

the

specific
Committee
programme Structuring the Euro-
pean Research Area — Research
Infrastructures configuration

6

1

8

5.5

Regulatory

1

Regulatory

8

Several: Manage-
ment, Regula-
tory

1

1

4

0

0

0

0

0

0

1

1

4

0

0

0

3

3

Management

1

0

0

1

0

1

1

1

Regulatory

1

Management

2

2

0

0

0

0

1

2

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

The 13 committees in this policy sector have delivered a total of 34 favourable opinions, giving rise to 21 instruments.

Compared to 2002, the PROMISE Committee expired (it was replaced, from 2004 on, by the MODINIS Committee),
whereas the Committee ‘Structuring the ERA — Research Infrastructures configuration’ is newly listed in the Information
Society policy area, so there is no change in the overall number of 13 committees. Of these 13 committees nine were
active committees in the year 2003, whereas four showed no activities in 2003 (SOG-IS, ONP, GAIL/AGLI and ACTE).

e-Signature Committee

During its meeting of July 2003, the committee gave a favourable opinion on the draft Decision on generally recognised
standards for electronic signature products. The Commission adopted the final Decision (1).

PROMISE Committee

The committee which was created in order to manage the PROMISE work programme, met for the last time in
September 2002. Continuation of the meetings in 2003 was not necessary because the PROMISE programme expired
and was replaced by the MODINIS programme (2). This programme in its article 6, stipulates that the Commission shall
be assisted in the execution of the MODINIS programme by a committee working according to the management proce-
dure (MODINIS Committee). It will be established and start activities in the year 2004.

(1) OJ L 175, 15.7.2003, p. 45.
(2) Decision 2256/2003/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on a multi-annual programme 2003 to 2005, for the moni-
toring of eEurope 2005 Action plan, dissemination of good practices and the improvement of network and information security (OJ L
336, 23.12.2003, p. 1).

28

Communications Committee (COCOM)

The COCOM, created in 2002, has proven to play a key role for implementing the new framework by both issuing
opinions on draft Commission measures and by being a forum to exchange ideas on practical issues. Important imple-
mentation measures have found the Committee's favourable opinion under comitology procedure, such as the Commis-
sion Recommendation on notifications under Article 7 of the Framework Directive. During the year of people with
disabilities, the COCOM established a dedicated subgroup, called Inclusive Communication (Incom), which produced a
report on a large scale of issues, including best practice and suggestions on how to overcome barriers for users of tele-
communications services with disabilities. More than 60 working documents were distributed to the committee
members and made available to them via the CIRCA IT-tool. The CIRCA sites became a major information and transpar-
ency tool, with more than 11 000 hits in 2003.

Radio Spectrum Committee (RSC)

The RSC, created in 2002, has proven to play a key role for implementing the new framework as regards radio spectrum
issues. A total of four mandates under the Spectrum Decision subject to formal votings according to comitology proce-
dure have found a favourable opinion. Some 50 working documents were distributed and some 4 000 hits were
counted at the Committee's website.

eContent Committee

During the year 2003 proceedings to include the ten accession countries and the three remaining candidate countries
(Bulgaria, Romania, Turkey) in the committee were concluded and the committee's work focused on the third call of
proposals that closed in March 2003. Thanks to the committee members over 20 information days publicizing the
programme were organised throughout Europe (total participation in excess of 2 500 people). A mid-term evaluation of
the programme was concluded in June 2003.

Safer Internet Programme Committee

Following the late adoption of the extension Decision by the European Parliament and the Council (1), the Committee
only met once in 2003. It discussed and delivered opinions on agenda items related to the implementation of the
Programme, in particular the Work Programme 2003-2004 and the 2003 call text. Representatives of the acceding
countries participated for the first time with an observer status.

Information Society Technologies (IST) Committee

The main task of the committee is the integration and strengthening of the European Research Area (ISTC Priority 2).
During the first year of operations under the sixth framework programme (2), the information society technologies (IST)
programme Committee screened 197 proposals. The new instruments (52 ‘Integrated Projects’ and 29 ‘Networks of
Excellence’) of the sixth framework programme were successfully implemented receiving slightly more than two thirds
of the budget allocated, as provided for in the Work Programme. The ‘Specific Targeted Research Project’ was with 85
proposals the most frequently used of the old instruments, while we count 20 ‘Specific Support Actions’ and 11 ‘Coordi-
nation actions’.

These operations successfully started implementing the European Research Area for Information Society Technologies.
They enabled the programme to increase support for the development of key technologies for the competitiveness of
European industry and enable citizens to benefit more from information society services, with a major impact in areas
such as health, transport and education and training.

eTEN Committee 2003

The year 2003 was used to put the eTEN programme back on track firmly after a call for proposals had been cancelled
in late 2002, and to strengthen the involvement of the (management) committee with a view to the demanding agenda
of 2003. This agenda comprised the creation and adoption of a new Work Programme for 2003, preparing and
informing the constituencies in the Member States, launching a Call for Proposals based on the Work Programme, and
conducting a transparent and fair evaluation and selection process. The eTEN Committee was strongly involved in all
these issues. In addition the committee was actively involved in the launching of the 30 % decision (Proposal by the
Commission to increase the maximum funding level of Initial Deployment projects to 30 %), and in the preparation of
involving the new Member States into the programme after the accession in 2004.

(1) Decision 1151/2003/EC (OJ L 162, 1.7.2003, p. 1).
(2) Thus, replacing the Committee for execution of the specific programme of research, technological development and demonstration on

a user-friendly information society (1999 to 2002, FP 5).

DETAILED STATISTICS FOR FISHERIES

Committee

No of
meetings

No of
days

Procedure

Favourable
opinions

Unfavourable
opinions

29

No
opinion
(absence
of
opinion)

Instruments
adopted by
the
Commission

Referred to
Council

Cases in which
European Parliament
has adopted a
resolution according
to Article 8 of
Council Decision
1999/468/EEC

Committee for the Structures for
Fisheries and Aquaculture

5

5

Several: Advi-
sory, Manage-
ment

Committee for Fisheries Products

Committee for Fisheries and Aqua-
culture

10

10

7,5

Management

11,5

Several: Manage-
ment, Regula-
tory

3

5

11

0

0

0

0

0

0

3

1

5

0

0

0

0

0

0

The three committees in this policy sector have delivered a total of 19 favourable opinions, giving rise to nine instru-
ments.

Committee for Structures on Fisheries and Aquaculture

The Committee was consulted on five occasions in 2003 on the following subjects:

Second revision of Regulation (EC) No 1685/2000 governing the eligibility rules under the Structural Funds. The consul-
tation took place by written procedure and resulted in a favourable opinion.

Information on the accompanying measures and financial needs required by affected MS to address the socio-economic
impact of recovery plans, on the 2003 program for innovative actions, and the 2003 programme for technical assis-
tance.

Communication from the Commission on the future of the cohesion policy, information on the impact of the CFP
reform on aid to the fleet, consultation on the revised indicative guidelines for structural funds in future Member States
(favourable opinion, COM(2003) 0499 final).

Revision of the list of objective 2 eligibility zones. The consultation took place by written procedure and resulted in a
favourable opinion.

Information on the results of the call for proposals for innovative actions in 2003 and the implementation of previous
projects in the framework of the 2002 similar call for proposals.

Committee for Fisheries Products

The (management) Committee for Fisheries Products focused its work on the common organisation of the fisheries and
aquaculture products markets. Mention should be made of the adoption of Commission Regulation (EC) No 1181/2003
amending Council Regulation (EEC) No 2136/89 laying down common marketing standards for preserved sardines,
following a favourable opinion of the committee.

With regard to current management activities, priority went to the revision of the multi-annual tariff quotas laid down
in Council Regulation (EC) No 2803/2000.

Committee for Fisheries and Aquaculture

The following measures were adopted by the Commission after receiving favourable opinions of the (management)
committee:

Commission Regulation (EC) No 728/2003 (of 25 April 2003) adapting certain fish quotas for 2003 pursuant to
Council Regulation (EC) No 847/96 introducing additional conditions for year-to-year management of TACIS and
quotas.

30

Commission Regulation (EC) No 1438/2003 (of 12 August 2003) laying down implementing rules on the Community
Fleet Policy as defined in Chapter III of Council Regulation (EC) No 2371/2002.

Commission Regulation (EC) No 1461/2003 (of 18 August 2003) laying down conditions for pilot projects for the elec-
tronic transmission of information on fishing activities and for remote sensing.

Commission Regulation (EC) No 2244/2003 (of 18 December 2003) laying down detailed provisions regarding satellite-
based Vessel Monitoring Systems.

Commission Decision (of 30 December 2003) on the financial contribution towards carrying out certain operations
planned by the Member States in 2003 to implement the control, inspection and surveillance systems applicable to the
common fisheries policy (second instalment) (1).

DETAILED STATISTICS FOR INTERNAL MARKET

Committee

No of
meetings

No of
days

Procedure

Favourable
opinions

Unfavourable
opinions

No
opinion
(absence
of
opinion)

Instruments
adopted by
the
Commission

Referred to
Council

Cases in which
European Parliament
has adopted a
resolution according
to Article 8 of
Council Decision
1999/468/EEC

Advisory Committee
Procurement (ACPC)

on Public

UCITS Contact Committee

Committee of Senior Officials on
Public Health (CSOPH)

Committee on the protection of
individuals with regard
to the
processing of personal data and on
the free movement of such data

Committee on the second general
system for
recognition of
professional education and training

the

Committees on checks for confor-
mity with the rules on product
safety in the
case of products
imported from third countries

Accounting Regulatory Committee

Banking Advisory Committee (BAC)

concerning

the
Committee for application of
common
legislation
the
rules for the development of
internal market
of Community
postal services and the improve-
ment of quality of service

Committee on fees, implementation
rules and the procedure of
the
boards of appeal of the Office for
Harmonization
Internal
in
Market (trade marks and designs)

the

4

5

2

5

1

0

4

3

1

3,5

Advisory

5

2

6

1

0

4

4

1

Advisory

Management

Management

Management

Management

Regulatory

Regulatory

Regulatory

0

0

Regulatory

Insurance Committee

European Securities Committee

3

10

3

Regulatory

10

Regulatory

(1) OJ L 13, 20.1.2004, p. 34.

2

0

0

2

1

0

1

0

1

0

0

3

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

2

0

0

2

0

0

1

0

0

0

0

3

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

31

The 12 committees in this policy sector have delivered a total of 10 favourable opinions, giving rise to eight instru-
ments.

Most of the committees in the Internal Market sector share comitology functions with more general advisory functions,
which represent the predominant part of their activity. There were significant discussions in the Banking Advisory
Committee on the subject of the adequacy of capital in credit institutions and investment firms or the application of the
‘electronic money’ Directive to certain categories of institutions. The Advisory Committee on Public Procurement, for its part,
discussed the legislative framework applicable to public/private partnerships and concessions. It also discussed the revi-
sion of the ‘appeals’ Directive. In the area of data protection, the committee responsible for the implementation of Direc-
tive 95/46/EC was kept regularly updated on the progress of negotiations with the United States in respect of the
transfer of data concerning passengers on transatlantic flights.

The role of the Committees in the Internal Market sector should, however, show a shift towards more ‘comitological’
activity over the next few years. This is already the case in the financial services sector following the implementation of
what is referred to as the ‘Lamfalussy process’. This new method, approved by the European Parliament and the Council, is
specifically intended to grant the Commission increased executive powers. Its scope is, however, limited to the securities
sector. In this area, the three first draft implementing measures of Directive 2003/6/EC on ‘market abuse’ submitted by
the Commission to the European Securities Committee in accordance with ‘Lamfalussy’ principles, were adopted by the
Commission in December 2003. The fact that these draft measures met with the unanimous approval of the Committee
can be considered as proof that all concerned place great store by the ‘Lamfalussy’ process.

In a draft Directive adopted on 5 November 2003, the Commission proposed to extend the ‘Lamfalussy’ approach to the
banking sector, insurance and pension funds. This proposal also provided for the European Securities Committee to be
given the task of assisting the Commission in the exercise of its power to implement Directives 2001/107/EC and
2001/108/EC on UCITS, in place of the Committee currently responsible in this area.

Other notable activities during 2003 include the important favourable opinion delivered by the Accounting Regulatory
Committee on the draft Commission Regulation to adopt into Community law all of the International Accounting Stan-
dards (IAS) in force at 14 September 2002 with the exception of standards IAS 32 and IAS 39 on financial instruments
(which are being contested by the EU banking and insurance industries). The Advisory Committee on Public Procurement,
for its part, delivered a favourable opinion on a draft Commission Regulation establishing a Common Procurement
Vocabulary.

DETAILED STATISTICS FOR REGIONAL POLICY

Committee

No of
meetings

No of
days

Procedure

Favourable
opinions

Unfavourable
opinions

No
opinion
(absence
of
opinion)

Instruments
adopted by
the
Commission

Referred to
Council

Cases in which
European Parliament
has adopted a
resolution according
to Article 8 of
Council Decision
1999/468/EEC

Committee for
the Development
and Conversion of Regions (CDCR)

11

11

Several: Advi-
sory, Manage-
ment

5

Committee on the regulation estab-
lishing an Instrument for Structural
Policies for Pre-Accession (ISPA)

1

2

Management

23

1

0

0

0

7

0

0

0

0

0

The two committees in this policy sector have delivered a total of 28 favourable opinions and one unfavourable
opinion, giving rise to seven instruments.

Committee on the Development and Conversion of the Regions (CDCR)

This CDCR acts under the management procedure when it deals with rules implementing the Structural Funds Regu-
lation (EC) No 1260/1999 and under the consultative procedure dealing with other points related to the same Regu-
lation.

The CDCR delivered an unfavourable opinion, under to the management procedure, on a draft amendment to Commis-
sion Regulation (EC) No 1685/2000 of 28 July 2000 laying down detailed rules for the implementation of Council
Regulation (EC) No 1260/1999 as regards eligibility of expenditure of operations co-financed by the structural funds.
Finally, Commission Regulation (EC) No 1145/2003 of 27 June 2003 amending Commission Regulation (EC) No
1685/2000 was adopted.

32

However, requirements with regard to the committee procedure were not fully respected (the text of that Regulation had
never been sent to delegations in the consolidated version). As a consequence, the Commission proposed repealing the
Regulation (EC) No 1145/2003 and replacing it by the modified text and the Committee gave a favourable opinion.

Furthermore, the Committee has been consulted as a management committee on a decision on the new repartition of
Community Initiative allocations 1994 to 1999 in favour of the programme PEACE, in order to respond to a ruling of
the Court of Justice.

Under the consultative procedure the CDCR treated the revision of the list of areas eligible under Objective 2 of the
Structural Funds for the period 2000 to 2006 in France and Technical assistance measures planned for 2004.

The CDCR also acted as platform to consult the Member States on the revised indicative guidelines on the Structural
Funds based on the relevant agreed Community policies,
in accordance with Article 10(3) of Regulation (EC) No
1260/1999.

In addition, the CDCR acts as a forum for information and discussion of any specific points related to the implementa-
tion of the Structural Funds. In 2003 the CDCR therefore discussed a wide range of issues concerning the Structural
Funds and in particular the European Regional Development Fund.

The CDCR has been consulted in its role as a sectorial committee on projects related to the ‘Interchange of Data
between Administrations (IDA)’.

The Working group ‘Territorial and Urban Development’ is charged to assist the CDCR and the Commission in imple-
menting Regulation (EC) No 1260/1999, in particular issues related to spatial planning and urban questions.

The ISPA (Management) Committee

This committee acts under the management procedure; representatives of the EIB and EBRD participate as observers.

Its main assignment is to deliver an opinion, on the draft measures proposed by the Commission for ISPA funding. In
addition, the committee is entitled to examine, either at the initiative of the Commission or at its own request, ISPA
related activities in the fields of programming, implementation, monitoring and financial management and control.

In 2003, one meeting of the ISPA Committee took place where 23 favourable opinions required by Article 7(1) of the
ISPA Regulation were gathered.

DETAILED STATISTICS FOR TAXATION AND CUSTOMS UNION

Committee

No of
meetings

No of
days

Procedure

Favourable
opinions

Unfavourable
opinions

No
opinion
(absence
of
opinion)

Instruments
adopted by
the
Commission

Referred to
Council

Cases in which
European Parliament
has adopted a
resolution according
to Article 8 of
Council Decision
1999/468/EEC

Committee on the
return of cultural goods

export

and

Committee for implementation of
an action programme for customs
in the Community (Customs 2007)
(2003 to 2007)

Committee for monitoring trade in
substances used for the illicit manu-
facture of narcotic drugs or psycho-
tropic substances (precursors)

2

2

4

2

2

Advisory

Management

5

Management

1

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

Committee

No of
meetings

No of
days

Procedure

Favourable
opinions

Unfavourable
opinions

No
opinion
(absence
of
opinion)

Instruments
adopted by
the
Commission

Referred to
Council

33

Cases in which
European Parliament
has adopted a
resolution according
to Article 8 of
Council Decision
1999/468/EEC

Customs Code Committee — coun-
terfeit and pirated goods

Customs Code Committee — tariff
and statistical nomenclature — BTI

2

3

2

Management

4

Management

Customs Code Committee — tariff
and statistical nomenclature — HS
— CN –TARIC

13

25.5 Management

Committee for mutual assistance on
recovery of claims (assistance)

Committee on economic outward
processing arrangements for textiles

Committee on excise duties

Committee on the movement of air
or sea passengers' baggage (princi-
ples)

Code

Customs
Committee —
customs procedures with economic
impact

1

0

9

0

4

1

Regulatory

0

Regulatory

13.5

Regulatory

0

Regulatory

4

Regulatory

Customs
customs valuation

Code

Committee —

4

5

Regulatory

Customs
Committee —
customs warehouses and free zones

Code

Customs Code Committee — duty-
free arrangement

Code
Customs
favourable tariff
or end-use of goods)

Committee —
(nature

treatment

4

0

0

4

Regulatory

0

Regulatory

0

Regulatory

Code
Customs
general legislation

Committee —

3

3

Regulatory

Customs Code Committee — move-
ment of air or
sea passengers'
baggage (technical problems)

0

0

Regulatory

0

1

6

0

0

1

0

0

2

5

0

0

1

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

1

2

0

0

1

0

0

1

0

0

0

1

0

1

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

34

Committee

No of
meetings

No of
days

Procedure

Favourable
opinions

Unfavourable
opinions

No
opinion
(absence
of
opinion)

Instruments
adopted by
the
Commission

Referred to
Council

Cases in which
European Parliament
has adopted a
resolution according
to Article 8 of
Council Decision
1999/468/EEC

Customs Code Committee — tariff
statistical nomenclature —
and
Agriculture and chemicale

Customs Code Committee — tariff
statistical nomenclature —
and
Mechanical appliances

Customs Code Committee — tariff
statistical nomenclature —
and
Textiles

Customs Code Committee — transit

Customs
economic tariff questions

Code

Committee —

Customs Code Committee — origin

Standing Committee on Administra-
tive Cooperation

Customs Code Committee — repay-
ment

Customs Code Committee — Single
Administrative Document

6

5

3

0

0

0

0

0

0

12

Management

14

Management

4

Management

0

0

0

0

0

0

-

-

-

-

-

-

7

6

4

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

7

6

4

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

The nine committees in this policy sector have delivered a total of 34 favourable opinions, giving rise to the same
number of instruments.

Advisory Committee on Cultural Goods

The Committee for the export and restitution of cultural goods is intended to administer the implementation of Regu-
lation (EEC) No 3911/92 on the export of cultural goods and to draw up the relevant rules. Its work during 2003
concentrated on the development of a new model export licence, a project that required an amendment to Regulation
(EEC) No 752/93 laying down provisions for the implementation of Council Regulation (EEC) No 3911/92 on the
export of cultural goods. In addition to this the Committee dealt with issues regarding the common interpretation of
certain legal concepts in Regulation (EEC) No 3911/92, such as ‘collection’ and ‘lawful and definitive’.

‘Customs 2007’ Committee

‘Customs 2002’ is a programme for customs administration within the customs union.

The ‘Customs 2007’ Committee is an essential element of this programme and works specifically towards identical treat-
ment of trade based on the cooperation of customs administrations. The programme administered by the Committee
has, in particular, provided a major computer network to process transit and tariffs. The numerous joint activities under-
taken in 2003 saw high levels of participation by both the Member States and the candidate countries.

DETAILED STATISTICS FOR EDUCATION AND CULTURE

35

Committee

No of
meetings

No of
days

Procedure

Favourable
opinions

Unfavourable
opinions

No
opinion
(absence
of
opinion)

Instruments
adopted by
the
Commission

Referred to
Council

Cases in which
European Parliament
has adopted a
resolution according
to Article 8 of
Council Decision
1999/468/EEC

Committee for implementation of
the actions laid down in the second
phase of the Community vocational
training action programme „Leo-
nardo da Vinci“ (2000 to 2006)

3

5

Several: Advi-
sory, Manage-
ment

Committee for implementation of
the second phase of the Community
action programme in the field of
education
to
„Socrates“
2006)

(2000

3

6

Several: Advi-
sory, Manage-
ment

Committee for implementation of
the third phase of the trans-Euro-
pean cooperation scheme for higher
education (Tempus
(2000 to
2006)

III)

1

1

Several: Advi-
sory, Manage-
ment

7

7

Several: Advi-
sory, Manage-
ment

in

the

programme

training programme

Committee for the implementation
for
of
the
European
professionals
audiovisual
industry
and of the programme to encourage
the development, distribution and
promotion of European audiovisual
works (MEDIA-formation / MEDIA
Plus) (2001-2005)

9

26

1

41

0

0

0

0

0

7

0

14

0

1

0

16

0

0

0

0

programme

on the Community
Committee
concerning
action
cooperation policy in the youth
field, including European voluntary
service and youth exchanges within
the Community and with third
countries (YOUTH) (2000 to 2006)

2

2

Several: Advi-
sory, Manage-
ment

4

0

0

1

0

Committee for implementation of
the programme establishing a single
financing and programming instru-
cooperation
cultural
ment
(Culture 2000) (2000 to 2004)

for

3

3

Several: Advi-
sory, Manage-
ment

The advisory committee for
Year
European
through Sport 2004

the
Education

of

4

10

Advisory

8

8

0

0

0

0

6

2

0

0

The seven committees in this policy sector have delivered a total of 97 favourable opinions, giving rise to 47 instru-
ments.

The Leonardo da Vinci Committee held three plenary meetings in 2003. The Committee delivered a favourable opinion on
the following: the selection of projects for 2003 under the ‘B’ procedure, the ‘C’ procedure and joint actions for 2003,
the ‘innovation transfer’ call for tenders, the financial addendum to the text of the 2004 call, priorities for joint action
for 2003, improvements to the ‘B’ selection procedure, the work plan, the ex ante budget for 2004 and the selection of
pre-proposals for 2004.

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

36

The Socrates Committee met three times in 2003. Its main activities were to adopt opinions, on the basis of proposals
submitted by the Commission's services, so as to enable the ongoing implementation of the Socrates programme and its
different actions. The most important political items discussed were the following: the political priorities for the forth-
coming programme year, national evaluation reports, the Socrates information strategy and budget matters.

The Tempus Committee met in February 2003 and delivered a positive opinion on the new Guide for Applicants.

The MEDIA Committee delivered a favourable opinion on amendments to the guidelines in the various sectors of the
MEDIA Plus and MEDIA Training programmes and was consulted for the selection of projects to which a Community
contribution would be made.

In addition to its main tasks concerning the Culture 2000 Programme, the Committee also approved financing for a
special concert in St. Petersburg in April 2003, as part of the tercentenary celebrations of the city, and financing for four
projects issuing from a special call for ‘A cultural celebration of the Enlargement of the European Union in 2004’. Both
of these were under the Action 3 of the Culture 2000 Programme.

For the YOUTH Committee in 2003 the most important points on the agendas were the Activity Report 2002 and Work
plan and budget 2004.

The Committee for the European Year of Education through Sport 2004 was created by Decision No 291/2003/EC of
the European Parliament and of the Council (1), establishing the European Year of Education through Sport 2004. This
Committee, operating in accordance with the consultation process and bringing together representatives of the States
participating in the Year, assists the Commission in defining priorities and implementing activities linked to the initiative.
The Committee is also consulted on the list of projects to be co-financed. The Committee met four times during its first
year of existence.

DETAILED STATISTICS FOR HEALTH AND CONSUMER PROTECTION

Committee

No of
meetings

No of
days

Procedure

Favourable
opinions

Unfavourable
opinions

No
opinion
(absence
of
opinion)

Instruments
adopted by
the
Commission

Referred to
Council

Cases in which
European Parliament
has adopted a
resolution according
to Article 8 of
Council Decision
1999/468/EEC

Committee on implementation of
the general
framework for Com-
munity activities in favour of consu-
mers (1999 to 2003)

the

Committee for the implementation
of
action
programme on public health (2003
to 2008)

Community

2

2

2

Advisory

3

Several: Advi-
sory, Manage-
ment

0

3

Standing Committee on the Food
and Animal Health —
Chain
Section: „Animal health and animal
welfare“

19

27

Several: Advi-
sory, Regulatory

150

1

1

Regulatory

1

approximation of

Committee established under Article
10 of the Directive 2001/37/EC on
the
laws,
and
regulations
administrative
the Member States
provisions of
manufacture,
concerning
the
tobacco
presentation and sale of
products

the

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

3

150

1

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

Committee of the General Product
Safety Directive (2001/95/EC)

3

6

Regulatory

4

0

0

4

0

0

(1) OJ L 43, 18.2.2003, p. 1.

Committee

No of
meetings

No of
days

Procedure

Favourable
opinions

Unfavourable
opinions

No
opinion
(absence
of
opinion)

Instruments
adopted by
the
Commission

Referred to
Council

37

Cases in which
European Parliament
has adopted a
resolution according
to Article 8 of
Council Decision
1999/468/EEC

Committee on the decision to set
up a network for the epidemiolo-
gical
surveillance and control of
communicable diseases

Regulatory
quality and safety of blood

Committee

on

the

Standing Committee
for Com-
munity protection of plant variety
rights

5

1

1

7

Regulatory

2

1

Regulatory

Regulatory

Standing Committee on plant health
(SCPH)

11

22

Regulatory

Standing Committee on the Food
and Animal Health —
Chain
Section
„Phytopharmaceuticals-
Pesticide residues“

Standing Committee on the Food
Chain
and Animal Health —
Section: „Animal nutrition“

Standing Committee on the Food
and Animal Health —
Chain
Section:
the
„Biological
food chain“

safety of

6

8

10

Regulatory

14

Regulatory

11

16

Regulatory

2

1

1

19

10

16

49

Standing Committee on the Food
and Animal Health —
Chain
Section:
import
conditions“

„Controls

and

Standing Committee on the Food
and Animal Health —
Chain
Section: „General food law“

Standing Committee on the Food
and Animal Health —
Chain
„Phytopharmaceuticals —
Section:
Legislation“

Standing Committee on the Food
Chain
and Animal Health —
Section: „Toxicological safety of the
food chain“

Standing Committee on Zootech-
nics (SCZ)

Standing Committee on propagating
material and ornamental plants

Standing Committee on propagating
material and plants of fruit genera
and species

0

4

5

4

0

2

2

Standing Committee on seeds and
propagating material for agriculture,
horticulture and forestry (SCS)

14

19

0

—

46

5

Regulatory

10

Regulatory

11

45

4

Regulatory

12

0

2

2

Regulatory

Several: Manage-
ment, Regula-
tory

Several: Manage-
ment, Regula-
tory

Several: Manage-
ment, Regula-
tory

0

1

2

18

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

1

0

0

0

0

0

0

2

1

1

19

10

16

49

46

12

45

12

0

1

2

18

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

1

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

38

The 13 committees in this policy sector have delivered a total of 392 favorable opinions, giving rise to the same
number of instruments.

Public Health

Committee for the implementation of the programme of community action in the field of public health (2003/2008)

The main activity of the committee consisted of giving a (favourable) opinion on the selection of projects for Com-
munity funding following the 2003 call for proposals for public health and on the adoption of the work plan for 2004.

‘Blood’ Regulatory Committee

During its first year of activity, this new committee, established by Directive 2002/98/EC, gave favourable opinions on
the setting of standards of quality and safety for the collection, testing, processing, storage and distribution of human
blood and blood components and the draft implementing measures on technical requirements for quality and safety of
human blood and blood components (1).

Tobacco Products Directive Regulatory Committee

The committee gave its favourable opinion on the draft proposal for a Commission Decision on the use of colour photo-
graphs or other illustrations as health warnings on tobacco packages as provided in Article 5(3) of Directive
2001/37/EC (2).

Committee setting up a network for the epidemiological surveillance and control of communicable diseases (created by decision
2119/98/EC)

Two important acts obtained the favourable opinion of the committee: a draft Commission Decision updating case defi-
nitions and ensuring that pathogens which may be used in bio-terror attacks are monitored by the network and a draft
Commission Decision to enhance collaboration among Member States in the surveillance of communicable diseases
improving comparability of data and the operation of dedicated surveillance networks (3).

Food Safety

Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health

All the sections of the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health, created by Regulation (EC) No
178/2002, were active during this second year of existence of the committee.

The General Food Law section adopted opinions on, for example, the following issues: decisions concerning authorisations
for the marketing of novel foods and novel food ingredients under Regulation (EC) No 258/97 (4) and a regulation on
the labelling of products containing added phytosterols (5); directives concerning substances that may be added for par-
ticular nutritional uses in food for particular nutritional purposes (6).

On one occasion (authorisation of the placing on the market of sweetcorn from genetically modified maize Bt11) the
Committee could not express an opinion with the requested majority and the Commission referred the draft proposal to
the Council in accordance with the rules governing the regulatory procedure. The Council failed to adopt measures itself
so the Commission adopted them as Decision 2004/657/EC (7).

(1) Commission Directive 2004/33/EC (OJ L 91, 30.3.2004, p. 25).
(2) Commission Decision 2003/641/EC (OJ L 226, 10.9.2003, p. 24).
(3) Commission Decision 2003/542/EC (OJ L 185, 24.7.2003, p. 55).
(4) Commission Decisions 2004/334/EC (OJ L 105, 14.4.2004, p. 43) and 2004/335/EC (OJ L 105, 14.4.2004, p. 46).
(5) Commission Regulation (EC) No 608/2004 (OJ L 97, 1.4.2004, p. 44).
(6) Commission Directives 2004/5/EC (OJ L 14, 21.1.2004, p. 19) and 2004/6/EC (OJ L 15, 22.1.2004, p. 31).
(7) OJ L 300, 25.9.2004, p. 48.

The Toxicological Safety section gave favourable opinions on a number of technical issues, among which were the estab-
lishment of maximum levels for certain contaminants in foodstuffs (e.g. patulin (1), aflatoxins (2), ochratoxin A, tin in
canned foods (3)) and of sampling and analysis methods for the official control of such contaminants (4), favourable
opinions were also delivered on issues related to the use of materials and articles intended to come into contact with
foodstuffs (5) and specific purity criteria on food additives other than colours and sweeteners (6).

39

The Animal Nutrition section delivered favourable opinions relating to the authorisation of feed additives (7) and bio-
protein (8), to official controls in the field of animal nutrition (9) and to undesirable substances in feedingstuffs (in par-
ticular maximum levels of dioxins) (10).

In the plant protection section, the subsection dealing with pesticide residues delivered favourable opinions on Maximum
Residues Levels (MRLs) for thirty two substances representing more than four thousand MRLs (taking into account the
possible pesticide/commodities combinations) (11). The subsection dealing with regulatory aspects gave its opinion on the
draft implementing measures aiming at establishing standard warnings to be used on pesticides in case of special risks or
as safety precautions for the protection of the humans and the environment (12). It also voted on the inclusion of 30
active substances in Annex I to Directive 91/414/EEC and for the withdrawal from the market of more than 100
substances which could not be included in said Annex I (13).

The Animal Health and Welfare section delivered 150 favourable opinions, 25 of which on draft decisions on the eradica-
tion of avian influenza in the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany (14), eight on the control of classical swine fever in
Belgium, France, Germany and Luxembourg (15), three on outbreaks of Newcastle disease in the United States of America
and Australia (16) and two on foot-and-mouth disease in Argentina (17).

(1) Commission Regulation (EC) No 1425/2003 (OJ L 203, 12.8.2003, p. 1) and Commission Regulation (EC) No 455/2004 (OJ L 74 ,

12.3.2004, p. 11).

(2) Commission Regulation (EC) No 2174/2003 (OJ L 326, 13.12.2003, p. 12) and Commission Regulation (EC) No 683/2003 (OJ L

106, 15.4.2003, p. 41).

(3) Commission Regulation (EC) No 242/2004 (OJ L 42, 13.2.2004, p. 3).
(4) Commission Directive 2003/78/EC (patulin) (OJ L 203, 12.8.2003, p. 40) and Commission Directive 2004/16/EC (tin in canned

foods) (OJ L 42, 13.2.2004, p. 16).

(5) Commission Directive 2004/1/EC (Azodicarbonamide — Semicarbazide)

(OJ L 7 of 13.1.2004, p. 45), Commission Directive
2004/19/EC (Plastics) (OJ L 71, 10.3.2004, p. 8) and Commission Directive 2004/14/EC (regenerated cellulose films) (OJ L 27,
30.1.2004, p. 48).

(6) Commission Directive 2004/45/EC (OJ L 113, 20.4.2004, p. 19).
(7) Commission Regulation (EC) No 316/2003 (OJ L 46, 20.2.2002, p. 15), Commission Regulation (EC) No 666/2003 (OJ L 96,
12.4.2003, p. 11), Commission Regulation (EC) No 668/2003 (OJ L 96, 12.4.2003, p. 14), Commission Regulation (EC) No
676/2003 (OJ L 97, 15.4.2003, p. 29), Commission Regulation (EC) No 871/2003 (OJ L 125, 21.5.2003, p.3), Commission Regu-
lation (EC) No 877/2003 (OJ L 126, 22.5.2003, p. 24), Commission Regulation (EC) No 1334/2003 (OJ L 187, 26.7.2003, p. 11 and
OJ L 14, 21.1.2004, p. 54), Commission Regulation (EC) No 1801/2003 (OJ L 264, 15.10.2003, p. 16), Commission Regulation (EC)
No 1847/2003 (OJ L 269, 21.10.2003, p. 3), Commission Regulation (EC) No 1852/2003 (OJ L 271, 22.10.2003, p. 13), Commis-
sion Regulation (EC) No 2112/2003 (OJ L 317, 2.12.2003, p. 22), Commission Regulation (EC) No 2154/2003 (OJ L 324,
11.12.2003, p. 11).

(8) Commission Directive 2003/104/EC (OJ L 295, 13.11.2003, p. 83).
(9) Commission Directive 2003/126/EC (OJ L 339, 24.12.2003, p. 78).
(10) Commission Directive 2003/57/EC (OJ L 151, 19.6.2003, p. 38), Commission Directive 2003/100/EC (OJ L 285, 1.11.2003, p. 33).
(11) See for instance Commission Directives 2003/60/EC and 2003/62/EC (OJ L 155, 24.6.2003, p. 15), 2003/69/EC (OJ L 175,

15.7.2003 p. 37), 2003/113/EC (OJ L 324, 11.12.2003 p. 24), 2003/118/EC (OJ L 327, 16.12.2003, p. 25).

(12) Commission Directive 2003/82/EC (OJ L 228, 12.9.2003, p. 11).
(13) See, for instance Commission Directives 2003/39/EC (OJ L 124, 20.5.2003 p. 30), 2003/68/EC (OJ L 177, 16.7.2003, p. 12),
2003/70/EC (OJ L 184, 23.7.2003 p. 9), 2003/79/EC (OJ L 205, 14.8.2003, p. 16), 2003/81/EC (OJ L 224, 6.9.2003, p. 29),
2003/84/EC (OJ L 247, 30.9.2003, p. 20), 2003/112/EC (OJ L 321, 6.12.2003, p. 32) and Commission Decisions 2004/129/EC (OJ
L 37, 10.2.2004, p. 27), 2004/140/EC (OJ L 46, 17.2.2004, p. 32), 2004/141/EC (OJ L 46, 17.2.2004, p. 35), 2004/247/EC and
2004/248/EC (OJ L 78, 16.3.2004, p. 50).

(14) Commission Decisions 2003/153/EC (OJ L 59, 4.3.2003, p. 32), 2003/156/EC (OJ L 64, 7.3.2003, p. 36), 2003/172/EC and
2003/173/EC (OJ L 69, 13.3.2003, pp. 27 and 29), 2003/186/EC (OJ L 71, 15.3.2003, p. 30), 2003/187/EC (OJ L 73, 19.3.2003, p.
8), 2003/191/EC (OJ L 74, 20.3.2003, p. 30), 2003/214/EC (OJ L 81, 28.3.2003, p. 48), 2003/258/EC (OJ L 95, 11.4.2003, p. 65),
2003/275/EC (OJ L 99, 17.4.2003, p. 57), 2003/289/EC, 2003/290/EC and 2003/291/EC (OJ L 105, 26.4.2003), 2003/317/EC and
2003/318/EC (OJ L 115, 9.5.2003), 2003/333/EC (OJ L 116, 13.5.2003, p. 28), 2003/356/EC, 2003/357/EC, 2003/358/EC and
2003/359/EC (OJ L 123, 17.5.2003), 2003/386/EC, 2003/387/EC and 2003/388/EC (OJ L 133, 29.5.2003), 2003/428/EC (OJ L
144, 12.6.2003, p. 15), 2003/443/EC (OJ L 150, 18.6.2003, p. 64).

(15) Commission Decisions 2003/135/EC and 2003/136/EC (OJ L 53, 28.2.2003), 2003/146/EC (OJ L 55, 1.3.2003, p. 56),
2003/363/EC (L 124, 20.5.2003, p. 43), 2003/526/EC (OJ L 183, 22.7.2003, p. 46), 2003/626/EC (OJ L 223, 5.9.2003, p. 32),
2003/772/EC (OJ L 280, 30.10.2003, p. 21), 2003/851/EC (OJ L 322, 9.12.2003, p. 30).

(16) Commission Decisions 2003/377/EC (OJ L 130, 27.5.2003, p. 25), 2003/489/EC (OJ L 167, 4.7.2003, p. 37), 2003/572/EC (OJ L

194 , 1.8.2003, p. 87).

(17) Commission Decisions 2003/658/EC (OJ L 232 , 18.9.2003, p. 59), 2003/758/EC (OJ L 272, 23.10.2003, p. 16).

40

The Controls and Import Conditions section gave favourable opinions on 46 draft Commission decisions, on issues ranging
from specific conditions and veterinary checks on imports of live animals and animal products from various third coun-
tries to measures relating to the presence of residues in food of animal origin and the setting of minimum required
performance limits for analysis (1).

The ‘Biological Safety of the Food Chain’ section held this year a joint meeting with the Standing Committee for Waste
Management, in order to debate the relationship between the waste framework Directive and the animal by-products
Regulation.

The Standing Committee on Plant Health dealing with harmful organisms gave a favourable opinion on 14 draft Commis-
sion Decisions and five Commission directives. These cover technical adaptations to the current legislation, emergency
measures against the introduction into and spread within the EC of Diabrotica (western corn rootworm affecting
Maize) (2) and Pseudomonas solanacearum (potato brownrot) (3) and temporary derogations allowing the entry of certain
commodities under strict phytosanitary conditions (4).

The three Standing Committees dealing with seeds and plant propagating material gave their favourable opinions on
several draft proposals in particular on the authorisation to Member States to market material subject to less stringent
requirements (5), on Community comparative trials and tests (6) and on the establishment of alignments between the
requirements of varieties for the Common catalogues and for Plant breeder's rights (7).

The Standing Committee for Community Protection of Plant Variety Rights delivered a favourable opinion on implementation
rules for the application of Council Regulation (EC) No 2100/94 on Community Plant Variety Rights as regards the fees
payable to the Community Plant Variety Office (8).

Consumer Protection

2003 was a year of transition for the Advisory Committee on the implementation of a general framework for Community activ-
ities in favour of consumers. The new legal basis (Council Decision No 20/2004/EC (9)), which came into force at the start
of 2004, strengthens the role of this Committee, which, during its meetings in 2003, expressed a favourable opinion on
the preparation of the new framework (planning and working method, new duties and prerogatives provided for in the
new basic text, etc.).

The General Product Safety Committee gave its favourable opinion on the draft of the four Commission Decisions
prolonging the validity of prohibition to place on the market toys and childcare articles intended to be placed in the
mouth by children under three years of age made of soft PVC containing one or more of the substances DINP, DEHP,
DBP, DIDP, DNOP, and BBP (10).

DETAILED STATISTICS FOR HOME AND JUSTICE

Committee

No of
meetings

No of
days

Procedure

Favourable
opinions

Unfavourable
opinions

No
opinion
(absence
of
opinion)

Instruments
adopted by
the
Commission

Referred to
Council

Cases in which
European Parliament
has adopted a
resolution according
to Article 8 of
Council Decision
1999/468/EEC

European Refugee Fund Advisory
Committee

AGIS Committee

ARGO Committee

2

2

1

2

Advisory

1.5

1

Several: Advi-
sory, Manage-
ment

Several: Advi-
sory, Manage-
ment

2

2

3

0

0

0

0

0

0

14

1

2

0

0

0

0

0

0

(1) See for instance Commission Decisions 2004/99/EC (OJ L 29, 3.2.2004, p. 17), 2004/210/EC (OJ L 32, 5.2.2004, p. 45) and

2004/264/EC (OJ L 81, 19.3.2004, p. 89).

(2) Commission Decision 2003/766/EC (OJ L 275, 25.10.2003, p. 49).
(3) Commission Decision 2004/4/EC (OJ L 2, 6.1.2004, p. 50).
(4) Commission Decision 2003/248/EC (OJ L 93, 10.4.2003, p. 28) and Commission Decision 2003/69/EC (OJ L 26, 31.1.2003, p. 72).
(5) Commission Decision 2003/210/EC (OJ L 80, 27.3.2003, p. 25) and Commission Decision 2003/244/EC (OJ L 89, 5.4.2003, p. 39).
(6) Commission Decision 2003/865/EC (OJ L 325, 12.12.2003, p. 62) and Commission Decision 2003/894/EC (OJ L 333, 20.12.2003,

p. 88).

(7) Commission Directive 2003/90/EC (OJ L 254, 8.10.2003, p. 7) and Commission Directive 2003/91 (OJ L 254, 8.10.2003, p. 11).
(8) Commission Regulation (EC) No 569/2003 (OJ L 82, 29.3.2003, p. 13).
(9) OJ L 5, 9.1.2004, p. 1.
(10) Decisions 2003/113/EC (OJ L 46, 20.2.2003, p. 27), 2003/368/EC (OJ L 125, 21.5.2003, p. 45), 2003/610/EC (OJ L 210,

20.8.2003, p. 35) and 2003/819/EC (OJ L 308, 25.11.2003, p. 8).

Committee

No of
meetings

No of
days

Procedure

Favourable
opinions

Unfavourable
opinions

No
opinion
(absence
of
opinion)

Instruments
adopted by
the
Commission

Referred to
Council

41

Cases in which
European Parliament
has adopted a
resolution according
to Article 8 of
Council Decision
1999/468/EEC

for

Committee
Programme for civil
eration

the

Framework
judicial coop-

Committee for the implementation
of Daphne Programme

Committee Article 6 Visa

1

1

3

1

.5

Several: Advi-
sory, Manage-
ment

Several: Advi-
sory, Manage-
ment

3

Regulatory

SIS II Committee

11

11

Several: Manage-
ment, Regula-
tory

2

1

2

1

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

2

0

2

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

The seven committees in this policy sector have delivered a total of 13 favourable opinions, giving rise to seven instru-
ments.

The Visa Committee, which assists the Commission in setting out the secret technical specifications for documents classi-
fied as EU-Secret (uniform format for visas, residence permit for third country nationals, FTD, FRTD), met three times in
2003 in a meeting room of the Council. The meetings treated EU-Secret documents. Due to requirements arising from
the implementation of the Commission Decision of 29 November 2001 on security issues (1): as no meeting rooms
complying with the security rules laid down in the above mentioned Decision are at the disposal of services within the
Commission facilities.

In 2003, the SIS (2) II Committee delivered a favourable opinion on the validation of the outcome of the Feasibility Study
which addressed in particular the architecture of the SIS II and contributed to the preparation of a part of the documen-
tation needed for the SIS II development.

The European Refugee Fund Advisory Committee was consulted by written procedure on Member States' co-financing
requests for 2004. The written procedure was also used for consulting the ARGO Committee and has not been contested
so far. This type of procedure proved to be quite useful for the work of the committee as it saves financial resources and
time for the Commission and the Member States.

During the only and last meeting (3) of the Committee for the implementation of the Daphne Programme, the Commission
proposed projects to be funded in 2003 which were unanimously approved.

DETAILED STATISTICS FOR EXTERNAL RELATIONS

Committee

Nr of
meetings

Nr of days

Procedure

Favourable
opinions

Unfavourable
opinions

No
opinion
(absence
of
opinion)

Instruments
adopted by
the
Commission

Referred to
Council

Cases in which EP
has adopted a
resolution according
to Art. 8 of Council
Decision
1999/468/EEC

1

1

Advisory

1

0

0

1

0

0

Committee on the implementation
of projects promoting cooperation
and commercial relations between
the European Union and the indus-
trialised
North
America, the Far East and Austra-
lasia
Advisory
Committee)

(EXPROM

countries

of

(1) Commission Decision of 29 November 2001 amending its internal Rules of Procedure (notified under document number C(2001)

3031) (OJ L 317, 3.12.2001, p. 1).

(2) Schengen Information System.
(3) In 2004, when Daphne II will be approved, a new Committee will be set up.

42

Committee

Nr of
meetings

Nr of days

Procedure

Favourable
opinions

Unfavourable
opinions

No
opinion
(absence
of
opinion)

Instruments
adopted by
the
Commission

Referred to
Council

Cases in which EP
has adopted a
resolution according
to Art. 8 of Council
Decision
1999/468/EEC

Committee on protection against
the effects of
the extra-territorial
application of legislation adopted by
a third country, and actions based
thereon or resulting therefrom (anti-
boycott)

0

0

Several: Manage-
ment, Regula-
tory

0

0

0

0

0

le
Comité pour la certification et
contrôle des
importations et des
exportations de diamants bruts aux
en oeuvre du
fins de
du
de
système
processus de Kimberley

certification

la mise

4

4

Management

3

0

0

3

0

0

0

The three committees in this policy sector have delivered a total of four favourable opinions, giving rise to the same
number instruments.

The Export Promotion (EXPROM) Committee was created by Council Regulation (EC) No 382/2001 of 26 February 2001
concerning the implementation of projects promoting cooperation and commercial relations between the European
Union and the industrialised countries of North America, the Far East and Australasia. The only meeting of the Exprom
Committee in 2003 focused on the implementation of the Executive Training Programme as well as on the EU Gateway
to Japan export promotion campaign. The Committee delivered a favourable opinion on a draft decision concerning the
work program and the financing thereof (1).

In 2003, a new Committee (established by Article 22 of Council Regulation (EC) No 2368/2002 and working under the
management procedure) dealing with the implementation of the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS) for the
international trade in rough diamonds took up its work. The Committee delivered favourable opinions on a wide range
of tasks, including the certification of imports into and exports from the EC, industry self-regulation, trade statistics, and
the preparation of participation by the EC in Plenary meetings of the KPCS, as well as the participation by the EC in
Working Groups of the KPCS, and provided a formal opinion in three instances on draft Commission Regulations (2).

DETAILED STATISTICS FOR TRADE

Committee

No of
meetings

No of
days

Procedure

Favourable
opinions

Unfavourable
opinions

No
opinion
(absence
of
opinion)

Instruments
adopted by
the
Commission

Referred to
Council

Cases in which
European Parliament
has adopted a
resolution according
to Article 8 of
Council Decision
1999/468/EEC

on

defence

Committee
against
obstacles to trade which affect the
market of the Community or a non-
member country (TBR)

3

1,5

Advisory

7

Management Committee on quanti-
tative import or export quotas

Advisory Committee on common
rules for imports of products origin-
ating in third countries

2

3

1

Management

11

1,5

Safeguard

6

0

0

0

0

0

0

7

5

6

0

0

0

0

0

0

(1) Adopted by the Commission on 15 April 2003.
(2) Commission Regulations (EC) No 257/2003 of 11 February 2003 (OJ L 36, 12.2.2003, p. 11), (EC) No 762/2003 of 30 April 2003

(OJ L 109, 1.5.2003, p. 10) and (EC) No 1214/2003 of 7 July 2003 (OJ L 169, 8.7.2003, p. 30).

Committee

No of
meetings

No of
days

Procedure

Favourable
opinions

Unfavourable
opinions

No
opinion
(absence
of
opinion)

Instruments
adopted by
the
Commission

Referred to
Council

43

Cases in which
European Parliament
has adopted a
resolution according
to Article 8 of
Council Decision
1999/468/EEC

Advisory Committee on common
rules for imports of products origin-
ating in certain third countries

Committee on common rules for
exports of products

3

0

1,5

Safeguard

0

Safeguard

6

0

Textile Committee
regime)

(conventional

13

6,5

Regulatory

32

Committee on common rules for
textile products from
imports of
certain third countries (autonomous
regime)

0

0

Regulatory

0

0

?

Committee for administering the
double-checking
system without
quantitative limits in respect of the
export of certain steel products
covered by the EC and the ECSC
countries
Treaties
(Ukraine, Russian Federation and
Kazakhstan) having e steel agree-
ment with the European Union
(2000 to 2001)

the NIS

for

Advisory Committee on the imple-
mentation of activities relating to
the Community market
access
strategy

2

1

Advisory

Advisory Committee on the imple-
mentation of
the programme of
to
specific measures and actions
improve access of European Union
goods and cross-border services to
Japan (1999 to 2001)

Committee on harmonisation of the
provisions concerning export credit
insurance
transactions with
for
medium and long-term cover

Generalised Preferences Committee

product-specific

Traditional
safe-
guard mechanism for originating in
the People's Republic of China
(TPSSM)

0

0

?

0

0

Management

4

2

2

Several: Advi-
sory, Regulatory

1

Safeguard

0

0

0

0

0

4

2

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

6

0

32

0

0

0

0

0

4

2

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

44

The 13 committees in this policy sector have delivered a total of 66 favourable opinions, giving rise to 55 instruments.

The Safeguard (import regime) Committees focussed on the two EC safeguard proceeding on imports of steel and Satsumas
respectively. The Committees were called at several stages to pronounce on the actions proposed by the Commission,
investigative process, provisional and definitive safeguard measures and termination of existing measures (1).

The TBR Committee delivered favourable opinions related to the exercise of the Community's rights under international
trade rules, in particular those established under the auspices of the WTO. Among the investigated practices were:
Canada — lack of protection of the wines with geographical indication ‘Bordeaux’ and ‘Medoc’, Turkey — measures
concerning import of pharmaceutical products and United States — subsidies granted in the United States to oilseed
producers.

The Generalised Preferences Committee assists the Commission in implementing the Council regulation on the scheme of
generalised tariff preferences granted by the EU to developing countries. In 2003, among other things, the committee
discussed matters relating to the requests of beneficiary countries for the special incentive schemes for labour protection.
The committee gave opinions on the Commission's graduation proposal for excluding sectors from the GSP scheme,
granting Sri Lanka the inventive scheme for labour protection, amending the annexes to the GSP Regulation and on
initiating an investigation in Belarus on violations of freedom of association (2).

The Committee dealing with non-textile quotas from the People's Republic of China gave a favourable opinion, in addition
to routine management, on criteria and parameters to be used for the allocation of quotas amongst applicant importers.

DETAILED STATISTICS FOR ENLARGEMENT

Committee

No of
meetings

No of
days

Procedure

Favourable
opinions

Unfavourable
opinions

No
opinion
(absence
of
opinion)

Instruments
adopted by
the
Commission

Referred to
Council

Cases in which
European Parliament
has adopted a
resolution according
to Article 8 of
Council Decision
1999/468/EEC

Committee on economic assistance
to certain central and eastern Euro-
pean countries and for coordinating
aid to the applicant countries in the
framework of
the pre-accession
strategy (PHARE)

Committee on certain procedures
for applying the Europe Agreements
with the CEECs and the Republic of
Slovenia and the free trade agree-
ments with the Baltic
countries
(safeguard)

8

6,5

Management

83

0

0

90

0

0

0

Safeguard

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

The two committees in this policy sector have delivered a total of 83 favourable opinions, giving rise to 90 instruments.

Of the two committees in this policy area, only the PHARE Committee has been operational in 2003. There was no
reason for the Commission to convene a meeting of the other committee, treating possible safeguard measures regarding
the accession states and remaining candidate countries (Romania and Bulgaria).

Some of the favourable opinions delivered in the PHARE Committee have been related to horizontal programmes, which
have been subsequently adopted by individual decisions per beneficiary country (with identical texts for each of the
financing proposals). This explains why the number of instruments adopted by the Commission exceeds exceptionally
the number of favourable opinions delivered by the committee in this policy area in the reporting period.

(1) The Commission terminated the definitive safeguard measures in relation to certain steel products by the Regulation (EC) No
2142/2003 of 5 December 2003 (OJ L 321, 6.12.2003, p. 11). By Commission Regulation (EC) No 1964/2003 of November 2003
(OJ L 290, 8.11.2003, p. 3) the provisional measures in respect of satsumas were adopted.

(2) The Commission adopted the measures as Commission Regulation (EC) No 2331/2003, Commission Regulation (EC) No 2342/2003,

Commission Regulation (EC) No 1686/2003 and Commission Decision 2004/23/EC of 29 December 2003, respectively.

DETAILED STATISTICS FOR EUROPEAID (AIDCO + DEV)

45

Committee

No of
meetings

No of
days

Procedure

Favourable
opinions

Unfavourable
opinions

No
opinion
(absence
of
opinion)

Instruments
adopted by
the
Commission

Referred to
Council

Cases in which
European Parliament
has adopted a
resolution according
to Article 8 of
Council Decision
1999/468/EEC

5

5

Management

12

0

0

12

0

0

CARDS: Committee for the imple-
mentation of Community Assistance
to Reconstruction, Development
and Stabilisation for Albania, Bosnia
and Herzegovina, Croatia, Serbia
and
(including
Montenegro
province of Kosovo) and Fyrom

Committee on development
co-
operation with South Africa (meets
under
in
accordance with the basic rules in
force)

EDF Committee,

the

Committee on Food Security and
Food Aid

MED: Committee on financial and
technical cooperation between the
Community
and Mediterranean
non-member countries

ONG: Committee on co-financing
operations with European non-
governmental development organi-
sations in fields of interest to the
developing countries

TACIS: Committee for the imple-
mentation of the provision of assis-
in
to the partner States
tance
Eastern Europe and Central Asia

and Democracy:
Human Rights
Committee for implementation of
opera-
development
cooperation
tions which contribute
to the
general objective of developing and
consolidating democracy and the
rule of law and to that of respecting
human rights and fundamental free-
doms

PVD-ALA: Committee for manage-
ment of
financial and technical
assistance to and economic coop-
eration with the developing coun-
tries in Asia and Latin America

3

3

Management

5

0

0

5

0

3

6

3

Management

21

6

Management

21

3

3

Management

3

6

6

Management

25

3

3

Regulatory

16

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

21

15

3

25

11

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

6

8

Regulatory

61

0

0

61

0

0

46

The eight committees in this policy sector have delivered a total of 164 favourable opinions, giving rise to 153 instru-
ments.

Eight committees assist the Commission in the implementation of Community external aid. Five committees are closely
involved with cooperation programmes in the following geographical areas: the south Mediterranean and the near and
Middle East (MED), the Balkans (CARDS), eastern Europe and central Asia (TACIS), Asia and Latin America (PVD-ALA)
and South Africa. The three other committees are involved with programmes covering the following: food safety and
food aid, the European Initiative for Democracy and Human Rights, and cooperation with non-governmental organisa-
tions.

These committees met 35 times during 2003, to which figure must be added the eight meetings of the European Devel-
opment Fund Committee (EDF). This Fund is intended to finance Community aid in sub-Saharan Africa, the Caribbean
and the Pacific (ACP). Because of its specific legal context, the EDF committee does not follow the Committee procedure.
However, its missions and role are similar to those of the aforementioned committees.

During 2003, the committees' activity focussed mainly on the analysis of projects and programmes that the Commission
proposed to finance in 2003 in line with the various external aid programmes. Thus, for example, the ALA Committee
delivered a favourable opinion on various programmes of reconstruction in Afghanistan (1).

In order to harmonise the procedures and working methods of the committees in the RELEX family, a standardised
internal regulation was adopted in June 2003 in the context of a joint meeting bringing together all of the committees
concerned.

DETAILED STATISTICS FOR HUMANITARIAN AID (ECHO)

Committee

No of
meetings

No of
days

Procedure

Favourable
opinions

Unfavourable
opinions

No
opinion
(absence
of
opinion)

Instruments
adopted by
the
Commission

Referred to
Council

Cases in which
European Parliament
has adopted a
resolution according
to Article 8 of
Council Decision
1999/468/EEC

Committee on humanitarian aid
measures

10

10

Several: Manage-
ment, Regula-
tory

42

0

0

42

0

0

The Humanitarian Aid Committee (HAC) (2) provided 42 favourable opinions (on draft humanitarian financial decisions)
and discussed around 55 strategy and/or policy issues such as ECHO Aid Strategy, ECHO's Information Strategy, disaster
preparedness and prevention, needs assessments, ECHO cooperation with partners, and including ECHO missions,
evaluations, statistical data etc. In 2003, there were also organised various initiatives to inform and integrate the new
acceding countries into the work of the committee and humanitarian aid in general, including visits to the capitals of
acceding countries and general information meetings.

In addition to the formal committee meetings, the committee also meets on an informal basis once to twice a year in
the capital of the holder of the presidency of the Council (on the expenses of the Member State exercising the presi-
dency). In the informal meetings senior representatives from the authorities responsible for humanitarian aid in Member
States and ECHO discuss strategy, policy or thematic issues outside the constraints of the formal HAC meetings. Two
such meetings were held in May and October 2003 in respectively Athens and Rome where the topics discussed were
‘The European Convention: the future of European Humanitarian
‘Entry-Exit strategies for Humanitarian Assistance’,
Assistance and of International Humanitarian Law’, ‘Humanitarian responses to food crises’, and ‘Joint efforts on Evalua-
tions’.

DETAILED STATISTICS FOR STATISTICS

Committee

No of
meetings

No of
days

Procedure

Favourable
opinions

Unfavourable
opinions

No
opinion
(absence
of
opinion)

Instruments
adopted by
the
Commission

Referred to
Council

Cases in which EP
has adopted a
resolution according
to Article 8 of
Council Decision
1999/468/EEC

Committee on statistics relating to
the
goods between
Member States

trading of

Committee on statistics relating to
the trading of goods with non-
member countries

3

3

4.5

Management

4.5

Management

2

2

0

0

0

0

2

1

0

0

0

0

(1) Adopted by Commission Decision of 28 July, 23 October and 17 December 2003.
(2) Set up by Article 17 of Regulation (EC) No 1257/96 concerning humanitarian aid.

Committee

No of
meetings

No of
days

Procedure

Favourable
opinions

Unfavourable
opinions

47

No
opinion
(absence
of
opinion)

Instruments
adopted by
the
Commission

Referred to
Council

Cases in which EP
has adopted a
resolution according
to Article 8 of
Council Decision
1999/468/EEC

Committee on the harmonisation of
the compilation of gross national
product at market prices (GNP)

Confidentiality
Committee

of

Statistics

Standing Committee
cultural Statistics (SCAS)

for Agri-

Statistical Programme Committee
(SPC)

Committee on the harmonisation of
income at market
gross national
prices (GNI)

0

1

4

4

2

0

Management

1

4

4

4

Management

Several

Several

Regulatory

0

0

5

17

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

4

11

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

The seven committees in this policy sector have delivered a total of 26 favourable opinions, giving rise to 18 instru-
ments.

Mention must be made of the role of the committees that assisted the Commission with the implementation of the Com-
munity statistical programme for 2003 to 2007 (1). This year also saw representatives of the ten new Member States
start to take part as observers.

The Committee for the Statistical Programme (CSP), in its general role as coordinator, helped the Commission to coordinate
actions at Community level with national statistical programmes. The CSP delivered favourable opinions on social statis-
tics (labour forces, income and living conditions, and index of labour costs) (2), transport (air and rail) (3), company struc-
ture, waste and industrial production (4).

(1) Decision No 2367/2002/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 December 2002 on the Community statistical

programme 2003 to 2007 (OJ L 358, 31.12.2002, p. 1).

(2) Commission Regulation (EC) No 1980/2003 of 21 October 2003 implementing Regulation (EC) No 1177/2003 of the European
Parliament and of the Council concerning Community statistics on income and living conditions (EU-SILC) as regards definitions and
updated definitions (OJ L 298, 17.11.2003, p. 1).
Commission Regulation (EC) No 1981/2003 of 21 October 2003 implementing Regulation (EC) No 1177/2003 of the European
Parliament and of the Council concerning Community statistics on income and living conditions (EU-SILC) as regards the fieldwork
aspects and the imputation procedures (OJ L 298, 17.11.2003, p. 23).
Commission Regulation (EC) No 1982/2003 of 21 October 2003 implementing Regulation (EC) No 1177/2003 of the European
Parliament and of the Council concerning Community statistics on income and living conditions (EU-SILC) as regards the sampling
and tracing rules (OJ L 298, 17.11.2003, p. 29).
Commission Regulation (EC) No 1983/2003 of 7 November 2003 implementing Regulation (EC) No 1177/2003 of the European
Parliament and of the Council concerning Community statistics on income and living conditions (EU-SILC) as regards the list of target
primary variables (OJ L 298, 17.11.2003, p. 34).
Commission Regulation (EC) No 1216/2003 of 7 July 2003 implementing Regulation (EC) No 450/2003 of the European Parliament
and of the Council concerning the labour cost index (OJ L 169, 8.7.2003, p. 37).
Commission Regulation (EC) No 1358/2003 of 31 July 2003 implementing Regulation (EC) No 437/2003 of the European Parliament
and of the Council on statistical returns in respect of the carriage of passengers, freight and mail by air and amending Annexes I and
II thereto (OJ L 194, 1.8.2003, p. 9). Commission Regulation (EC) No 1192/2003 of 3 July 2003 amending Regulation (EC) No 91/
2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council on rail transport statistics (OJ L 167, 4.7.2003, p. 13).

(3) Commission Regulation (EC) No 1358/2003 of 31 July 2003 implementing Regulation (EC) No 437/2003 of the European Parliament
and of the Council on statistical returns in respect of the carriage of passengers, freight and mail by air and amending Annexes I and
II thereto (OJ L 194, 1.8.2003, p. 9). Commission Regulation (EC) No 1192/2003 of 3 July 2003 amending Regulation (EC) No 91/
2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council on rail transport statistics (OJ L 167, 4.7.2003, p. 13).

(4) Commission Regulation (EC) No 1667/2003 of 1 September 2003 implementing Council Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 58/97 with

regard to derogations to be granted for structural business statistics (OJ L 244, 29.9.2003, p. 1).
Commission Regulation (EC) No 317/2004 of 23 February 2004 on adopting derogations from the provisions of Regulation (EC) No
2150/2002 of the European Parliament and of the Council on waste statistics as regards Austria, France and Luxembourg. (OJ L 55,
24.2.2004, p. 43).
Commission Regulation (EC) No 574/2004 of 23 February 2004 amending Annexes I and III to Regulation (EC) No 2150/2002 of
the European Parliament and of the Council on waste statistics. (OJ L 90, 27.3.2004, p. 15).
Commission Regulation (EC) No 1829/2004 of 21 October 2004 adopting derogations from the provisions of Regulation (EC) No
2150/2002 of the European Parliament and of the Council on waste statistics with regard to Belgium, Portugal, Greece and Cyprus.
(OJ L 321; 22.10.2004, p. 24).
Commission Regulation (EC) No 210/2004 of 23 December 2003 establishing for 2004 the ‘Prodcom list’ of industrial products
provided for by Council Regulation (EEC) No 3924/91 (OJ L 45, 14.2.2004, p. 1).
Commission Decision 2004/452/EC of 29 April 2004 laying down a list of bodies whose researchers may access confidential data for
scientific purposes. (OJ L 156, 30.4.2004, p. 1).

48

Outside the Committee procedure, this Committee discussed a plan of action on economic, monetary and financial
statistics for the pre-accession countries. It also expressed its views on the Commission's legislative proposals on
economic and monetary statistics, short-term statistics, the information society and ongoing vocational training in
companies. Representatives of several other institutions took part as observers (1).

The Committee on statistics relating to the trading of goods between Member States (Intrastat) and the Committee on Statistics
relating to the trading of goods with non-member countries (Extrastat) dealt with all of the issues regarding the implementation
of Intrastat and Extrastat regulations. In particular, the Intrastat Committee delivered a favourable opinion on the
preparation of the new Commission proposal to simplify the Intrastat system, which is currently under discussion by the
European Parliament and the Council. The two Committees also delivered favourable opinions in respect of the conti-
nuation of the Edicom programme (adoption of the annual Commission decision; mid-term report; follow-up work).
They also regularly dealt with (for discussion or information) points concerning the collection, processing and dissemina-
tion of data, various issues on methodology and projects linked to cooperation and enlargement.

The Committee on Statistical Confidentiality met to examine (though did not vote on) the implementation of Commission
Regulation (EC) No 831/2002 concerning access to confidential data for scientific purposes, specifically the application
of Article 3(1)(c) concerning the admissibility of applications from organisations and institutions not covered by the
Regulation.

The new Committee for the harmonisation of gross national income at market prices (GNI Committee) created by
Council Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1287/2003 of 15 July 2003 on the harmonisation of gross national income at
market prices (GNI Regulation), was established in 2003 and, among other things, took over the role of the Committee
on the harmonisation of the compilation of gross national product at market prices (GNP). It provides assistance to the Commis-
sion in the verification of the harmonisation of GNI and GNP data. In 2003, GNI inventories of sources and methods
submitted by the Member States were checked for compliance with the European system of national and regional
accounts. Moreover, annual GNI/GNP data submitted by Member States were considered appropriate for use for Com-
munity purposes, receiving a favourable opinion.

The Standing Committee on Agricultural Statistics (CPSA) delivered a favourable opinion on the continued application of
area frame surveys and remote-sensing techniques to the agricultural statistics (LUCAS project) and on the technical
action plan for 2003 on improvements to Community agricultural statistics (TAPAS) (2). The Committee also delivered
opinions on winegrowing statistics and statistics on sheep and goat populations and production (3).

DETAILED STATISTICS FOR BUDGET

Committee

No of
meetings

No of
days

Procedure

Favourable
opinions

Unfavourable
opinions

No
opinion
(absence
of
opinion)

Instruments
adopted by
the
Commission

Referred to
Council

Cases in which
European Parliament
has adopted a
resolution according
to Article 8 of
Council Decision
1999/468/EEC

Advisory
Communities'
(ACOR)

Committee
Own

on
the
Resources

Regulatory Committee for Executive
Agencies (RCEA)

4

2

4

Advisory

1.5

Regulatory

0

1

0

0

0

0

0

1

0

0

0

0

(1) EFTA = European Free Trade Association

= European Central Bank

CMFB = Committee on Monetary, Financial and Balance of payment
ECB
OECD = Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development
IMF
CEIES = European Advisory Committee on statistical information in the Economic and social Sphere.

= International Monetary Fund

(2) Commission Decision No 2003/304/EC of 29 April 2003 approving the technical action plan 2003 for improving agricultural statis-

tics (OJ L 110, 3.5.2003, p. 15).

(3) Commission Regulation (EC) No 1402/2003 of 1 August 2003 setting out a schedule of tables and laying down the definitions

relating to basic statistical surveys of areas under vines (OJ L 199, 7.8.2003, p. 4).
Commission Decision No 2003/597/EC of 4 August 2003 laying down detailed rules for the application of Council Directive
93/25/EEC as regards the statistical surveys on sheep and goat population and production (OJ L 203, 12.8.2003, p. 46).
Commission Decision 2003/654/EC of 8 September 2003 laying down a code and standard rules for the transcription into a
machine-readable form of the data relating to intermediate statistical surveys of areas under vines (OJ L 230, 16.9.2003, p. 44).

49

Only one of the two committees in this policy sector has delivered one favourable opinion, giving rise to one instru-
ment.

The Advisory Committee on Own Resources (ACOR) held its usual forecasting meeting in April. For the first time the then
10 accession countries presented their preliminary predictions of the amounts that they expected to pay to the budget
under the four different own resources in 2004. With respect to traditional own resources, the ACOR examined
21 reports of inspection visits carried out in the Member States and also discussed a series of technical questions, in par-
ticular concerning import arrangements for certain goods, as well as matters of principle relating to the interpretation of
Community provisions on own resources. In the field of VAT- and GNI-based own resources the ACOR similarly exam-
ined 6 reports on control missions to Member States and debated a number of general questions concerning the
determination of these resources. Each meeting was attended by representatives of the accession countries and the state
of preparedness of these countries' financial authorities to meet their budgetary obligations from 1 May 2004 onwards
was a regular subject of discussion.

The Executive Agencies Committee was created by Council Regulation (EC) No 58/2003 of 19 December 2002 laying
down the statute for executive agencies to be entrusted with certain tasks in the management of Community
programmes. In November 2003 this Committee, now operational in accordance with the regulatory procedure, met for
the first time and adopted its rules of procedure. The Committee discussed the first draft Commission Decision setting
up an ‘executive agency for intelligent energy’ (for the administration of Community activities in the area of energy in
accordance with Council Regulation (EC) No 58/2003). As this was the first project of this type, the delegations asked
general questions on executive agencies, their operation and their human and budgetary resources, and proposed a
certain number of amendments to the project, which were taken into consideration by the Commission. During its
second meeting, the Committee issued a favourable opinion on the draft Decision.

DETAILED STATISTICS FOR ANTI FRAUD (OLAF)

Committee

Nr of
meetings

Nr of days

Procedure

Favourable
opinions

Unfavourable
opinions

No
opinion
(absence
of
opinion)

Instruments
adopted by
the
Commission

Referred to
Council

Cases in which EP
has adopted a
resolution according
to Art. 8 of Council
Decision
1999/468/EEC

Committee on mutual assistance in
customs and agricultural matters

1

1

Regulatory

0

0

0

0

0

0

The Mutual Assistance Committee (1) delivered no formal opinion (and consequently no instrument was adopted by the
Commission in this policy sector):

International Mutual Assistance Convention

The Commission invited the Member States to reflect on the consequences of the adoption of the Draft International
Customs Mutual Assistance Convention established by the World Customs Organisation vis-à-vis of the provisions of
Regulation (EC) No 515/1997 and the Mutual Assistance Agreement/Protocols in customs matters concluded between
the Community and third countries. A consultation is ongoing with the Member States as well as between the Commis-
sion services.

Customs System of Information (CIS)

The Commission produced a report describing the first three months of exploitation of the system and reported on the
final recommendations on the CIS Seminar hold on March 21 to 24, 2003 in Athens. The committee informally agreed
to examine the feasibility of these recommendations on the technical, administrative and legal aspects.

The Commission explained the actions to be undertaken with regard to the calendar aiming to put the CIS database in
production status before the enlargement date (1st May 2004). In particular with regard to the existence of an appro-
priate legal instrument related to the data protection rules, the appointment of the competent authorities and the deploy-
ment of the workstations.

(1) Established by Regulation (EC) No 515/1997.

50

Modification of Regulation (EC) No 515/1997

With regard to the extension of the legal frame, the Commission was invited to consider a modification of Article 30(1)
of Regulation (EC) No 515/1997 allowing the extract of data integrated into the CIS and to re-use such data in the
national systems of risk analysis involving the control of goods. Due to the lack of consensus on the proposition in the
committee, the Commission pursued its reflection on the extension of the terms of the Article 27(1) of Regulation (EC)
No 515/1997.

Mutual Assistance (MA) Communication

The Commission presented an evaluation report concerning the use of the MA Communications which demonstrated
the heteroclite character of the bi-annual follow-up of MA communication by Member States as well as the long storage
of cases in the phase of administrative investigation. With a view to allow the Commission to make recommendations
or proposals aimed at improving the current system, Member States were invited to communicate their comments for
September 2003 and to close at the latest by 1 November 2003 cases communicated between 1 January 1987 and 31
December 2001.

European Customs Files Identification Database ( Fichier d'identification douanière européen) — FIDE

In addition to comitology procedures the Commission presented a proposal to modify Regulation (EC) No 515/1997
aiming to create a customs registration file for the identification of investigation (FIDE first pillar), to expand the use of
the CIS into the national risk analysis system, to create a supplementary category concerning the seizure of goods, to
create the European Data Pool and to create a permanent infrastructure for the Joint Surveillance Operation. The
committee pleads for a feasibility study on a unique search tool for both data bases and proposed that a working group
examines the types of infringements to be considered within the framework of the FIDE third pillar. The study started in
October 2003, was completed in May 2004 and approved by the Committee in July 2004. It is now under development
and implementation by the Member States (due in 2006).

Use of the CIS info on the seizure of cigarettes linked with the World Customs Organization (WCO) database

The Commission informed the Committee on the conclusion of a procedure for the exchange of data related to the
seizure of cigarettes. This procedure entered into force on 1 September 2003 and allowed the Member States and the
then acceding countries to communicate the data to WCO and OLAF in a single report.