[Consumer safety, public heath, and environment : Scientific advice at the European level]

The European Commission aims at basing its policy decisions on sound scientific evidence. To ensure access to the best scientific expertise, it has created a committee-based advisory structure. The three scientific committees on Consumer Safety, on Health and Environmental Risks, and on Emerging and Newly Identified Health Risks develop opinions in the area of public health, environment, and consumer protection. This article provides an overview of the structure, areas of expertise, and working practices of the committees and gives examples for recently adopted opinions.