97/579/EC: Commission Decision of 23 July 1997 setting up Scientific Committees in the field of consumer health and food safety (Text with EEA relevance)

COMMISSION DECISION of 23 July 1997 setting up Scientific Committees in the field of consumer health and food safety (Text with EEA relevance) (97/579/EC)
THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,
Whereas sound scientific advice is an essential basis for Community rules on consumer health, which concerns matters relating to consumer health in its strictest sense, but also on animal health and welfare, plant health and environmental health;
Whereas scientific advice on matters relating to consumer health must, in the interests of consumers and industry, be based on the principles of excellence, independence and transparency;
Whereas, besides cases in which consultation of the Scientific Committees is mandatory, those Committees may also be consulted on matters of particular relevance to consumer health and food safety;
Whereas, although many of the problems requiring a scientific opinion fall within the field of competence of one of the existing Scientific Committees, it is nonetheless apparent that some problems may involve the competence of several Committees;
Whereas, in order to strengthen their cohesion and at the same time avoid certain overlaps, it is appropriate to redefine the activities of certain Committees;
Whereas by Decision 97/404/EC (1) the Commission established a Scientific Steering Committee to coordinate the work of the Scientific Committees;
Whereas the Commission must be able to obtain sound and timely scientific advice;
Whereas several Council directives and a number of Council regulations provide for mandatory consultation of one or another of the current Scientific Committees; whereas the Commission intends to make appropriate proposals to the Council to adapt existing legislation to this Decision,