Scientific Committees on Health, Environmental, and Emerging Risks (SCHEER) - Minutes of the 6th plenary meeting (6 October 2023)

The Scientific Committees on Health, Environmental, and Emerging Risks (SCHEER) convened for their 6th Plenary Meeting on 6 October 2023 in Luxembourg. The meeting addressed various critical issues and saw notable developments. Here are the key highlights from the event:

(*) The SCHEER adopted a new mandate for providing technical advice to amend annexes to Council Recommendation 1999/519/EC. A Q&A session with the mandating unit was held.

(*) Updates were provided on technical advice for amending Annexes to Council Recommendation 1999/519/EC. A call for external experts was issued, and a Preliminary Opinion on EMF II focusing on low frequencies was adopted. Additionally, a factsheet on EMF I opinion was adopted.

(*) WG on Animal Protection: A final opinion was adopted, supporting a targeted revision of Annexes III and IV of Directive 2010/63/EU on the protection of animals used for scientific purposes.

(*) WG on FORENV: A final opinion on FORENV cycle V, focusing on water resilience, was adopted and will be published as part of the FORENV report by DG Environment.

(*) WG on TiO2 in Toys: SCHEER prepared a reply to the industry on the final Opinion. A corrigendum, adding a missing reference, was adopted. A scientific article on this opinion is ready for publication in Reg. Tox. and Pharmacology, endorsed by SCHEER. Additionally, SCCS TiO2 in cosmetics shared preliminary scientific advice, awaiting SCHEER's comments once the draft is ready for discussion.

(*)  Other WGs: Updates were provided on the revision of guidelines concerning phthalates in certain medical devices. A public consultation is planned for April 2024. Discussions on updating the SCHEER Weight of Evidence document were initiated, and work on updating the SCHEER Emerging Risks statement is scheduled to begin in 2024.

MORE INFO ON: health.ec.europa.eu