The European Union is committed to ensuring that citizens’ health and safety are properly protected. This means ensuring food and other products on sale to consumers in the EU are safe, and taking action against other threats to health, such as infectious disease.

But how does the EU decide what is safe?
How does it identify health threats - and the actions that need to be taken to avoid or minimise the risks they pose?

The answer is: by carrying out thorough risks assessments. In a number of areas - for example, food safety - the EU has established specialised agencies to carry out these assessments. In other areas, such as the safety of hair dyes, sun screens, sun beds and certain blood products or air and water quality, the Commission has created committees of independent scientific experts.

Issues related to consumer safety, public health and the environment are addressed by the three scientific committees managed by DG Health and Consumers. These Committees were recently set up by Commission Decision 2008/721/ECand replace the former scientific committees operating in these areas. They are:

• The Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety
• The Scientific Committee on Health and Environmental Risks
• The Scientific Committee on Emerging and Newly-Identified Health Risks

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