EU scientific committee completes mandate

The European Commission's Scientific Steering Committee (SSC) has closed its door to the business of dispensing scientific advice, but not before finalising 19 outstanding opinions and two reports related to bovine spongiform encephalitis (BSE) at its final plenary session, on 10 and 11 of April, reports Cordis.

The SSC was set up six years ago with a view to assisting the Commission in obtaining the best scientific advice available on matters related to consumer health. To fulfil its mandate, the SSC sought the advice of more than 200 experts from 25 countries, and as a result, adopted 270 opinions. On the basis of their advice, more than 30 legislative proposals were made by the Commission.

Providing scientific advice to the Commission on matters relating to food safety will now be the job of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). Set up in July 2002, EFSA has gradually been gaining the necessary know-how and is now ready to take on the responsibilities of the SSC.

Of the 19 items adopted in the SSC's last meeting, there were two reports, summarising BSE-related opinions, as well as several opinions relating to alternative methods for the treatment of animal by-products, the safety of tallow derivatives and the link between organophosphates and BSE.

One opinion referred to BSE cases in the UK that occurred after the reinforced feed ban of 1 August 1996, stating that the incidences posed no increased risk for the consumer.

The committee also agreed upon the geographical BSE risk of 11 countries: Paraguay, Uruguay, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Costa Rica, Belarus, former Yugoslavian republic of Macedonia (FYRM), Estonia, Lithuania and Cyprus.

In the area of risk assessment harmonisation, the committee adopted an opinion and several detailed reports on issues such as the quantitative risk assessment for food-borne pathogens, ecological risk assessments and quality of life concerns in the risk assessment process.