Brussels, 05/06/2000 (Agence Europe) - The Commission is preparing to renew the EU scientific committees - the "Scientific Steering Committee" (SSC) and the eight specialised scientific committees - whose mandates expire in the coming months. An invitation for the presentation of candidates was recently published in the Official Journal (Nº S/142 of 20 May) for the recruiting of high level independent scientific experts, with up-to-date experience relevant to consumer health and food safety issues, and that the Commission would make selections in the light of their personal abilities. The committees are: 1) human nutrition, 2) animal nutrition, 3) animal health and welfare, 4) veterinary measures in relation to public health, 5) plants, 6) cosmetic products and non-food products, 7) medicines and medical devices, 8) toxicity, ecotoxicity and the environment. Placed under the umbrella of the SSC responsible for the coordination and multi-disciplinary issues, they where established in 1997, following the Mad Cow Disease crisis, in view of improving the EU scientific advisory system, which supports Commission decisions with regard to public and consumer health.
The scientific experts mandate, until now set at three years, could be shortened within the framework of the present reform of the scientific advisory system and notably of the plan to create a European food authority. Other than the members of the committees that it will recruit (a maximum 19 per committee), the Commission will establish a list of "reserve" experts that could, if the need arises, replace the members that have resigned, designate additional members or answer a need for additional expertise on an ad-hoc basis.
The invitation for the presentation of candidates, as well as information on the selection criteria and the application procedures can be found on the Internet at the following address: http: //europa.eu.int/comm/dg24/sc