European Chemicals Agency

The Member State Committee of the European Chemicals Agency

Role and responsibilities

The primary tasks of the Member State Committee according to Regulation (EC) 1907/2006 are to:

  • Seek agreement when the examination of testing proposals under dossier evaluation results to draft decisions to which amendments are proposed by Member States; (Art. 40(3)=>Art. 51(4-6))
  • Seek agreement when compliance check under dossier evaluation or substance evaluation results to draft decisions where more information would be required but to which amendments are proposed by Member States (Art. 41(3) & Art. 46(3)=> Art. 51(4-6)& Art. 52(2))
  • Seek agreement in cases where two or more Member States have expressed an interest in evaluating the same substance (Art. 45(3))
  • Seek agreement on the identification of substances to be included on the candidate list for eventual inclusion in Annex XIV (list of substances subject to authorisation) (Art. 59(7-8))

In each of the above cases, if an agreement within a specified deadline is not reached within the Member State Committee, the matter will be referred to the Commission.

  • Provide an opinion for establishing the Community rolling action plan (CoRAP) for substances which could constitute a risk to human health or the environment (Art. 44(2))
  • Provide an opinion whether or not to add substances to the Community rolling action plan (CoRAP) following proposals from any Member State (Art. 45(5))
  • Provide an opinion for recommending priority substances to be included in Annex XIV (list of substances subject to authorisation) (Art. 58(3)).

On the basis of an opinion from the Member State Committee the Agency shall adopt the final Community rolling action plan for substance evaluation and prepare its recommendation to the Commission of priority substances for potential inclusion on the list of substances to be subject to authorisation.

Rules of procedure of the MSC (26/02/2009)

Working procedures of the MSC in the identification of substances of very high concern (SVHC) (September 2008)

Working procedures for the MSC in providing the opinion on the Draft Recommendation of priority substances to be included in Annex XIV (September 2009)

Working procedures for the MSC to process draft decisions under dossier evaluation (October 2009)

Processes

  • Authorisation process
  • Dossier evaluation
  • Substance evaluation (no agreements or opinions from the MSC available as yet)

Meetings

Meetings of the Member State Committee

Composition

The Member State Committee is composed of:

  • Members appointed by Member States: each Member State shall appoint one member to the Committee
  • Up to five co-opted members chosen on the basis of their specific competence.

List of members of the Member State Committee

The chairman of the Member State Committee is an employee of the Agency. The members are appointed to the Committee for a renewable term of three years and may be accompanied by advisers.

Member States shall support the Committee members by providing adequate scientific and technical resources to them. Stakeholders may be invited to attend meetings as observers, as appropriate, at the request of the Committee members or the Management Board.

The Committee may establish working groups.