FEFAC supports joint statement on preserving comitology system

FEFAC has co-signed a joint statement urging the European Commission to take into account the importance of taking science-based decisions before considering amending the comitology system.

The signatories, representing a wide number of economic sectors directly or indirectly affected by comitology rules, consider that science-based decisions must be central to comitology to allow for legal and regulatory certainty in the EU. In the joint statement ((17) PR 5), they urge the Commission

• To ensure proper and efficient implementation of existing EU legislation on comitology and improve legal certainty and predictability thus increasing the confidence of economic sectors in the EU system and allowing a better functioning of the single market and access of economic operators all along the chains to innovative products;
• To keep science-based decision-making as a fundamental aspect of the areas ruled by comitology;
• To consider the impact that moving away from a science-based system would have on research, innovation and investment in Europe;
• To avoid any additional complexity in the comitology system that would risk increasing the number of steps required before a final decision is taken.

The signatories fully agree with President Juncker that “Jobs, growth and investment will only return to Europe if we create the right regulatory environment and promote a climate of entrepreneurship and job creation. We must not stifle innovation and competitiveness with too prescriptive and too detailed regulations (…)”. They claim, however, that it is for this very reason that we need decision-making processes based on the best available science to promote growth, innovation, investment as well as consumer confidence and safety in the EU. Comitology rules have the potential to ensure the proper functioning of the EU internal market, and to boost innovation, jobs and growth.