29/01/2001 (Agence Europe) - Firmly decided to "bring to the public the criteria used" to assess the toxicological effects of chemical substances on workers health, the European Commission published a "reference paper", which notably explains that "after having set a NO(A)EL or a LO(A)EL, the SCOEL will establish and recommend a figured value for a VLEP. The VLEP will, however, be nearly always set below the level of the NO(A)EL or the LO(A)EL, and it's the SCOEL (based on the judgement of experts), which will determine on a case by case basis the relationship between VLEP and these figures". For information: VLEP: ceiling for professional exposure, SOEL: groups of scientific experts, NO(A)EL: no observed adverse effect, LO(A)EL: lowest observed adverse effect. (Methodology for setting limit values for professional exposure - reference paper, European Commission, employment and social affairs, ISBN 92-828-8107-5).