2000/731/EC: Commission Decision of 10 November 2000 establishing the rules of procedure of the Consultation Forum of the revised Community Eco-label Scheme (notified under document number C(2000) 3281) (Text with EEA relevance)

Commission Decision
of 10 November 2000
establishing the rules of procedure of the Consultation Forum of the revised Community Eco-label Scheme
(notified under document number C(2000) 3281)
(Text with EEA relevance)
(2000/731/EC)
THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community and in particular Article 175(1) thereof,
Having regard to Regulation (EC) No 1980/2000 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 July on a revised Community Eco-Label Award Scheme(1), and in particular Article 15 thereof,
Whereas:
(1) Article 13 of Regulation (EC) No 1980/2000 provides that the Commission shall establish a European Union Eco-Labelling Board, hereinafter referred to as the "EUEB", consisting of the competent bodies referred to in Article 14 and of the Consultation Forum referred to in Article 15.
(2) Article 15 of Regulation (EC) No 1980/2000 provides that the Commission shall ensure that in the conduct of its activities the EUEB observes, in respect of each product group, a balanced participation of all relevant interested parties concerned with that product group such as industry and service providers, including SMEs, crafts and their business organisations, trade unions, traders, retailers, importers, environmental protection groups and consumer organisations.
(3) Article 15 of Regulation (EC) No 1980/2000 provides these parties shall meet in a Consultation Forum.
(4) Article 15 of Regulation (EC) No 1980/2000 provides that the rules of procedure of the Consultation Forum shall be established by the Commission in accordance with the procedure laid down under Article 17.
(5) Recital 5 of Regulation (EC) No 1980/2000 provides that for the acceptance by the general public of the Community Eco-Label Award System it is essential that environmental NGOs and consumer organisations play an important role in the development and setting of criteria for Community Eco-Labels.
(6) Annex IV(1) of Regulation (EC) No 1980/2000 provides that a specific ad hoc working group involving the interested parties referred to in Article 15 and the competent bodies referred to in Article 14 will be established within the EUEB for the development of Eco-Label criteria for each product group.
(7) The measures provided for in this Decision are in accordance with the opinion of the Committee set up in accordance with Article 17 of Regulation (EC) No 1980/2000.