L 33/30 Official Journal of the European Union 8.2.2003 DIRECTIVE 2002/98/EC OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 27 January 2003 setting standards of quality and safety for the collection, testing, processing, storage and distribu- tion of human blood and blood components and amending Directive 2001/83/EC THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Commu- nity, and in particular Article 152(4)(a) thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the Commission (!), Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and Social Committee (%), Having regard to the opinion of the Committee of the Regions (°), Acting in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 251 of the Treaty (%), in the light of the joint text approved by the Conciliation Committee on 4 November 2002, Whereas: (1) The extent to which human blood is used therapeutically demands that the quality and safety of whole blood and blood components be ensured in order to prevent in particular the transmission of diseases. (2)  The availability of blood and blood components used for therapeutic purposes is dependent largely on Commu- nity citizens who are prepared to donate. In order to safeguard public health and to prevent the transmission of infectious diseases, all precautionary measures during their collection, processing, distribution and use need to be taken making appropriate use of scientific progress in the detection and inactivation and elimination of transfu- sion transmissible pathogenic agents. (3)  The quality, safety, and efficacy requirements of proprie- tary industrially-prepared medicinal products derived from human blood or plasma were ensured through Directive 2001/83/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 6 November 2001 on the Community code relating to medicinal products for human use (). The specific exclusion of whole blood, plasma and blood cells of human origin from that Directive, however, has led to a situation whereby their quality and safety, in so far as they are intended for transfusion and not processed as such, are not subject to any binding Community legislation. It is essential, therefore, that whatever the intended purpose, Community provisions () O] C 154 E, 29.5.2001, p. 141 and OJ C75E, 26.3.2002, p. 104. () O] C 221, 7.8.2001, p. 106. () 0] C 19, 22.1.2002, p. 6. (*) Opinion of the European Parliament of 6 September 2001 (O] C 72 E, 21.3.2002, p. 289), Council Common Position of 14 February 2002 (O] C 113 E, 14.5.2002, p. 93) and Decision of the European Parliament of 12 June 2002 (not yet published in the Official Journal). Decision of the European Parliament of 18 December 2002 and Decision of the Council of 16 December 2002. () OJ L 311, 28.11.2001, p. 67. should ensure that blood and its components are of comparable quality and safety throughout the blood transfusion chain in all Member States, bearing in mind the freedom of movement of citizens within Community territory. The establishment of high standards of quality and safety, therefore, will help to reassure the public that human blood and blood components which are derived from donations in another Member State nonetheless meet the same requirements as those in their own country. (4)  In respect of blood or blood components as a starting material for the manufacture of proprietary medicinal products, Directive 2001/83/EC refers to measures to be taken by Member States to prevent the transmission of infectious diseases, comprising the application of the monographs of the European Pharmacopoeia and the recommendations of the Council of Europe and the World Health Organisation (WHO) as regards in parti- cular the selection and testing of blood and plasma donors. Furthermore, Member States should take measures to promote Community self-sufficiency in human blood or blood components and to encourage voluntary unpaid donations of blood and blood compo- nents. (5)  In order to ensure that there is an equivalent level of safety and quality of blood components, whatever their intended purpose, technical requirements for the collec- tion and testing of all blood and blood components including starting materials for medicinal products should be established by this Directive. Directive 2001/ 83/EC should be amended accordingly. (6)  The Commission's Communication of 21 December 1994 on Blood Safety and Self-sufficiency in the European Community identified the need for a blood strategy in order to reinforce confidence in the safety of the blood transfusion chain and promote Community self-sufficiency. (7)  In its Resolution of 2 June 1995, on blood safety and self-sufficiency in the Community (), the Council invited the Commission to submit appropriate proposals in the framework of the development of a blood strategy. (9 OJ C 164, 30.6.1995, p. 1.