The European Commission published in the Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU) of September 10th, 2008, the Decision 2008/721/EC, setting up an advisory structure of Scientific Committees and experts in the field of consumer safety, public health and the environment. This Decision will repeal Decision 2004/210/EC.

This Decision establishes the advisory structure on scientific risk assessment in the areas of consumer safety, public health and the environment, which includes:

• The Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety, SCCS.
• The Scientific Committee on Health and Environmental Risks, SCHER.
• The Scientific Committee on Emerging and Newly Identified Health Risks, SCENIHR.
• A Pool of Scientific Advisers on Risk Assessment, which will support the activities of the Scientific
• Committees in accordance with the relevant provisions of this Decision.

The reorganisation of the advisory structure already in place, will provide increased flexibility to allow it to advise the Commission on matters falling under established areas of competence as well as on emerging and newly identified health risks and matters not within the competence of other
Community risk assessment bodies, and must be able to provide rapid advice when needed, ensure full transparency and a high level of consistency and collaboration with other Community bodies and relevant scientific organisations.

Mission of the Scientific Committees

The mission of the Scientific Committees will be to assist the Commission in the cases lay down by Community Law. The Commission may also request the advisory structure assistance on questions of particular relevance to consumer safety, public health and the environment, which do not fall within the mandate of other Community bodies.

Besides, the Scientific Committees may be requested to provide rapid advice on the state of scientific knowledge concerning specific risks in case of urgent needs, and they may be invited to identify research needs and assess research results in relation to the subject areas covered by its fields of competence.

The Scientific Committees may be involved in research activities, acting as advisory and pilot body, organising or participating in workshops, and being part of thematic networks with other Community bodies or scientific organisations, in order to monitor and contribute to the development of scientific knowledge on risks.

Works of the Scientific Committees will be governed by the principles of Independence, Transparency and Confidentiality.