22. 7. 78 Official Journal of the European Communities No L 198/17 COMMISSION DECISION of 28 June 1978 setting up a Scientific Advisory Committee to examine the toxicity and ecotoxi- city of chemical compounds (78/618/EEC) THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community, Whereas the programme of action of the European Communities on the environment (1) stresses the need to assess the unfavourable effects of chemical compounds on man and on the environment; whereas particular attention must be paid to those compounds the use of which is liable to have detri- mental effects on human health and on the various environmental media; Whereas the resolution of the Council of the Euro- pean Communities and of the representatives of the Governments of the Member States meeting within the Council of 17 May 1977 on the continuation and implementation of a European Community policy and action programme on the environment(?), provides that the Commission will examine perma- nently at Community level the impact of chemical compounds on the environment, with the help of a committee of experts ; Whereas it is important for the Commission to obtain, within a committee of scientific experts, the opinions of highly qualified persons to allow the Commission to conduct this permanent examination, HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION : Article 1 There shall be attached to the Commission a Scien- tific Advisory Committee to examine the toxicity and ecotoxicity of chemical compounds (hereinafter called ‘the Committee’). Article 2 1. The task of the Committee or, where appro- priate, of its sections referred to in Article 8, shall be to supply the Commission with opinions, at the latter’s request, on all matters relating to the examina- tion of the toxicity and ecotoxicity of those chemical compounds the use of which is liable to have detri- (*) OJ No C 112, 20. 12. 1973, p. 28. (2) O) No C 139, 13. 6. 1977, p. 1. mental effects on human health and on the various environmental media, taking into account : — scientific knowledge gained concerning the toxi- city and ecotoxicity of the chemical compounds ; — the uses and quantities of those compounds; — the assessment of the levels of exposure of the targets. Opinions of the Committee shall relate in particular to: — the examination of the toxic effects of chemical compounds on man; — the examination of the various routes by which chemical compounds are transferred, and of the processes by which they are concentrated in the environment, which affect or could affect man; — the examination of the toxic effects and nuisances caused by chemical compounds on the various environmental media. 2.  The Committee shall not deliver opinions on radioactive substances and matters related to the exam- ination of the toxicity and ecotoxicity of chemical compounds when these problems are the responsi- bility of other advisory committees attached to the Commission. Article 3 The Committee shall consist of 22 members, of whom : — 18 shall be senior experts from the Member States, two from each Member State, — four shall be representatives from the Commis- sion. | Article 4 The members of the Committee shall be appointed by the Commission. For the seats to be filled which are allocated to the experts from the Member States, the Commission, after consulting the Member States concerned, shall appoint nine experts on toxicology and nine experts on ecotoxicology.