High quality scientific advice for the drafting and amendment of Community rules regarding Consumer protection in general and Consumer Health in particular is of utmost importance. This is also underlined in the April 1997 Commission Communication on Consumer health and food safety ( COM(97) 183 fin. of 30 April 1997 ). CONSUMER HEALTH is here defined as including matters on consumer health in its strictest sense, animal health and welfare, plant health and environmental health.

Many issues relating to consumer health are of a multidisciplinary nature and require input from various scientific disciplines.

As announced in the above Communication the entire system of scientific advice has been reformed in June-October 1997: a Scientific Steering Committee and 8 new Scientific Committees have been established, respectively by Commission Decision N° 97/404/EC of 10 June 1997 (Official Journal N° L 169 of 27.06.97) and Commission Decision N° 97/579/EC of 23 July 1997 (Official Journal N° L 237 of 28.8.97). They replace and have an updated and broadened mandate as compared to the former Scientific Committees.

Until November 1997, the advice was provided by 6 different Scientific Committees: Food, Veterinary, Animal Nutrition, Cosmetology, Pesticides and Toxicity and Ecotoxicology. In addition, the Multidisciplinary Scientific Committee (MDSC), established in 1996, addressed the multi-disciplinary aspects of the recent Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy epidemic.

The scientific advice by these Committees is made available without undue delay following a request by the Commission for a scientific advice or opinion on a new development that may cause concern for consumer health. The advice and opinions, in the interest of consumers and industry, are based on the principles of excellence, independence and transparency.

	Scientific Steering Committee (former MDSC)
	Scientific Committee on Food
	Scientific Committee on Animal Nutrition
	Scientific Committee on Animal Health and Animal Welfare
	Scientific Committee on Veterinary Measures relating to Public Health
	Scientific Committee on Plants
	Scientific Committee on Cosmetic Products and Non-Food Products intended for Consumers
	Scientific Committee on Medicinal Products and Medical Devices
	Scientific Committee on Toxicity, Ecotoxicity and the Environment

	The European Food Safety Authority seeks scientists with a background in risk assessment for membership of its scientific committee and scientific panels (+/-90KB)
	Renewal of Scientific Committees completed, 12 December 2000
	Press release : New Members of Scientific Steering Committee (SSC) appointed , 14 September 2000
	Call for expressions of interest for the position of member of a Scientific Committee (OJ C 142 of May 20, 2000)
	Call for expressions of interest for the position of member of the Scientific Steering Committee (OJ C 142 of May 20, 2000)
	Alphabetical list of the Scientists appointed by the Commission as members of the Scientific Committees set up by Decision 97/579/EC (1) (1999/C 376)
	Call for expressions of interest for the post of member of a Scientific Committee   (published on 1 June 1999)
	Future of Scientific Advice
	Plenary dates of the Scientific Steering Committee and the Scientific Committees
	Call for expressions of interest for the post of Member of one of the Scientific Committees (published on 1 August 1997) This call for expressions of interest is obsolete.  Members have been appointed by Commission Decision 97/C 342/04 of 4 November 1997.  It is here for information purposes only.  See also the above-mentioned new call for expressions of interest published on 1 June 1999)
	Report on the Working of the Scientific Committees 1998