Section 15: Procedure for Scientific Committee and Scientific Panel

(1) The members of the Scientific Committee, who are not members of the Scientific Panel and the members of the Scientific Panel shall be appointed by the Food Authority, for a period of three years, which shall be renewable for such period, and the vacancy notice shall be published in the relevant leading scientific publications and on the Food Authoritys website for a call for expressions of interest.

(2) The Scientific Committee and the Scientific Panel shall each choose a Chairperson from amongst their members.

(3) The Scientific Committee and the Scientific Panel shall act by a majority of their members and the views of the members shall be recorded.

(4) The procedure for the operation and co-operation of the Scientific Committee and the Scientific Panel shall be specified by regulations.

(5) These procedures shall relate in particular to—

(a) The number of times that a member can serve consecutively on a Scientific Committee or Scientific Panel;

(b) the number of members in each Scientific Panel;

(c) the procedure for re-imbursing the expenses of members of the Scientific Committee and the Scientific Panel;

(d) the manner in which tasks and requests for scientific opinions are assigned to the Scientific Committee and the Scientific Panel;

(e) The creation and organisation of the working groups of the Scientific Committee and the Scientific Panel, and the possibility of external experts being included in those working groups;

(f) The possibility of observers being invited to meetings of the Scientific Committee and the Scientific Panel;

(g) The possibility of organising public hearings; and

(h) Quorum of the meeting, meeting notice, agenda of the meeting and such other matters.