15. Procedure for Scientific Committee and Scientific Panel. - (1) The members of the Scientific Committee, who are not members of the Scientific Panel and the members of the Scientific Panel shall be appointed by the Food Authority, for a period of three-years, which shall be renewable, for such period, and the vacancy notice shall be published in the relevant leading scientific publications and on the Food Authority's website for a call for expressions of interest.
(2) The Scientific Committee and the Scientific Panel shall each choose a Chairperson from amongst their members.
(3) The Scientific Committee and the Scientific Panel shall act by a majority of their members and the views of the members shall be recorded.
(4) The procedure for the operation and co-operation of the Scientific Committee and the Scientific Panel shall be specified by regulations.
(5) These procedures shall relate in particular to-
(a) the number of times that a member can serve consecutively on a Scientific Committee or Scientific Panel;
(b) the number of members in each Scientific Panel;
(c) the procedure for re-imbursing the expenses of members of the Scientific Committee and the Scientific Panel;
(d) the manner in which tasks and requests for scientific opinions are assigned to the Scientific Committee and the Scientific Panel;
(e) the creation and organisation of the working groups of the Scientific Committee and the Scientific Panel, and the possibility of external experts being included in those working groups;
(f) the possibility of observers being invited to meetings of the Scientific Committee and the Scientific Panel;
(g) the possibility of organising public hearings; and
(h) quorum of the meeting, meeting notice, agenda of the meeting and such other matters.
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