
Article 1 
An advisory group on the food chain and animal and plant health, hereinafter called ‘the group’, shall be set up and attached to the Commission.
Article 2 

1. The Commission shall consult the group on its programme of work in the following fields:
— food and feed safety,
— food and feed labelling and presentation,
— human nutrition, in relation to food legislation,
— animal health and welfare,
— matters relating to crop protection, plant protection products and residues thereof, and conditions for the marketing of seed and propagation material, including biodiversity, and including matters pertaining to industrial property.
2. In addition, the Commission will be able to consult the group on any measures which the Commission has to take or propose in these fields.
Article 3 

1. The group shall be composed of no more than 45 representatives of representative European bodies. These bodies must have as their objective the protection of interests in the fields referred to in Article 2(1) and must meet the following criteria: general nature of the interests protected, representation covering all or most Member States and permanent existence at Community level with direct access to members’ expertise to permit swift and coordinated reactions.
2. Within one month of the date of adoption of this Decision, the Commission shall invite bodies wishing to participate in the group to express their interest within one month, and to explain their interest and the way in which they meet the above criteria.
3. The Commission shall select the bodies which most effectively meet the above criteria and shall draw up a list of bodies to be published in the Official Journal of the European Union.
4. Each body selected shall ensure coordination of consultation and information activities within its own organisation so as to present views of the interests it represents which are as representative as possible.
Article 4 

1. The group shall in principle meet twice a year at the premises of the Commission and whenever the Commission considers a meeting necessary.
2. Working groups may be created to examine specific questions on the basis of terms of reference set by the group or whenever necessary.
3. The Commission may invite experts or observers, including representative bodies from non-member States, where appropriate or necessary, to participate in the work of the group or working groups.
4. The group and any working group shall meet according to the arrangements and the timetable set by the Commission, and shall be chaired by the Commission.
5. The group shall adopt its own Rules of Procedure on the basis of a proposal from the Commission. The Commission's departments shall provide secretarial services for the meetings and work of the group and any working groups.
6. The Commission shall ensure publicity for the work of the group.
Article 5 
Members of the group, ad hoc experts and any other persons invited to the group's meetings as observers shall be obliged not to disclose information which has come to their knowledge through the work of the group or its working groups and which has been classified by the Commission as confidential. In such cases, the Commission may decide that only the members of the group may receive such information and attend meetings.
Article 6 
Commission Decision 80/1073/EEC setting up an Advisory Committee on Foodstuffs is repealed.
Article 7 
This Decision shall enter into force on the day of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.
Done at Brussels, 6 August 2004.
For the Commission
David BYRNE
Member of the Commission