21.10.2014

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 373/14

---

Call for expression of interest

Scientific Committee on Occupational Exposure Limits (SCOEL)

Membership during its sixth term of office

(2014/C 373/12)

1.   Subject of the call

Following the adoption of Commission Decision 2014/113/EU (1), the Commission is launching a call for expression of interest, addressed to scientists who wish to be considered for membership of the Scientific Committee on Occupational Exposure Limits (SCOEL) during its sixth term of office.

SCOEL members will be appointed in their personal capacity, for a term of office of three years.

SCOEL's sixth term of office is expected to start at the beginning of 2015.

2.   SCOEL's mission

SCOEL was initially set up by Commission Decision 95/320/EC (2) to evaluate the health effects of occupational exposure to chemical agents. This Decision was recently repealed by Decision 2014/113/EU, which brings SCOEL's working methods more into line with the Commission's common rules on expert groups. To do this, the new Decision requires a new selection procedure for members, via an open call for expression of interest, to ensure transparency and equal opportunities for highly qualified and specialised scientific experts. It also emphasises the continued importance of the ethical principles of excellence, independence and impartiality as the basis for SCOEL's work.

In accordance with Article 3 of Council Directive 98/24/EC (3), SCOEL's mission is to provide the Commission with scientific recommendations and opinions on a range of priority chemicals. These recommendations and opinions are used by the Commission to develop EU policy on workers' health protection, in particular to set occupational exposure limits (OELs) for chemical substances at EU level, pursuant to Directive 98/24/EC and Directive 2004/37/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council (4). SCOEL evaluates the relationship between the effects of hazardous chemicals and the level of occupational exposure by carrying out an independent scientific assessment of the latest available scientific data.

SCOEL's recommendations must be scientifically reliable and valid, innovative, well-supported, understandable and clear, and produced through a balanced, unbiased and clearly-defined process.

SCOEL's main task is to recommend ‘health-based’ OELs by assessing the effects of airborne exposure. The recommended levels must be set to ensure that exposure, even when repeated on a regular basis throughout a working life, will not lead to adverse health effects for people who were exposed to the chemicals, and/or their progeny at any time (as far as can currently be predicted). For some adverse effects (in particular genotoxicity, carcinogenicity and respiratory sensitisation), it may not be possible, based on present knowledge, to identify a safe threshold of exposure. In these cases, SCOEL may calculate a series of exposure levels associated with estimated risks.

In addition to recommendations relating to airborne OELs, SCOEL is also asked to give recommendations for biological limits or biological guidance values, and to supplement its recommended OELs with further notations such as skin absorption, sensitising capacity and carcinogenicity, as appropriate.

Scientific advice on matters relating to protecting workers' health and safety must be organised in accordance with best practice principles of risk assessment and must be based on the ethical principles of excellence, independence, impartiality and transparency. These are set out in the Commission Communication on ‘The collection and use of expertise by the Commission: principles and guidelines. Improving the knowledge for better policies’ (5).

Information on SCOEL activities and, in particular, on the methodology for the derivation of OELs and the list of recommendations adopted can be found at:

http://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?catId=148&langId=en&intPageId=684

3.   SCOEL members' role

SCOEL members must be highly qualified, specialised, and independent scientific experts in different areas related to chemical agents, including, in particular, chemistry, toxicology, epidemiology, occupational medicine and industrial hygiene. They must also have general skills relating to setting OELs.

SCOEL members are expected to attend SCOEL meetings at least four times a year and to actively contribute to scientific discussions, review documents, comment on them, and act as ‘chair’ and/or ‘rapporteurs’ (lead person for a specific file).

SCOEL members will be asked to perform the following tasks:

—	contribute to the preparation, discussion and adoption of scientific recommendations on OELs, either as the ‘rapporteur’ or supporting the ‘rapporteur’;

—	contribute to scientific advice on matters related to chemical agents, as requested by the Commission;

—	provide advice on conducting and organising SCOEL's scientific activities.

SCOEL's working documents are in English and meetings are also conducted in English. Meetings involve thorough preparatory work, including prior reading, critical assessment and drafting documents.

Applicants are required to express their commitment that, if appointed, they will actively participate in SCOEL's activities.

SCOEL members will be entitled to a special allowance, in accordance with Decision 2014/113/EU, of a maximum of EUR 450 for each full working day spent on activities relating to their participation in meetings. Travel and subsistence expenses incurred by participants in carrying out SCOEL activities will be reimbursed by the Commission in accordance with the applicable provisions (6).

4.   SCOEL composition

As stated in Article 3 of Decision 2014/113/EU, SCOEL will be composed of a maximum of 21 individual experts, selected from a list of suitable candidates drawn up after the evaluation of the eligible applications submitted to this call for expression of interest.

5.   Selection procedure

The selection procedure will consist of two steps:

i.	checking the applications' eligibility;

ii.	evaluating whether the applicants meet the selection criteria, and drawing up a list of the most suitable candidates.

The Selection Board will be composed of representatives from the relevant Commission services.

Each expression of interest will be assessed by at least two members of the Selection Board against the eligibility and selection criteria. During the selection process, the Commission will also consider the independence of the experts (in particular, any potential conflicts of interest) and will ensure a balanced geographical and gender distribution of SCOEL members.

The requirements

A.   Eligibility criteria

Each application will be screened against the following eligibility criteria:

i.	a university degree in a scientific area relevant to SCOEL's work;

ii.	at least ten (10) years of professional experience in a field relevant to SCOEL's work, gained after obtaining the degree mentioned in point (i);

iii.	EU citizenship;

iv.	ability to work in English: successful applicants must be able to read English and report in English, in writing and orally (7), since it is the language in which the vast majority of relevant scientific literature is written in the international context.

B.   Selection criteria

Applications that meet the eligibility requirements will be assessed on the basis of the following selection criteria.

i.   Specific areas of scientific expertise

In selecting candidates, the Commission will seek to achieve the best possible balance of scientific expertise in the following areas:

chemistry, toxicology, epidemiology, occupational medicine, environment and health, exposure sciences, respiratory medicine, dermatology, nervous system, reproductive toxicity, genotoxicity/carcinogenicity, pathology, occupational hygiene, biological monitoring, analytical methodologies and experience in setting OELs for chemicals, or other scientific disciplines relevant to the work of SCOEL.

ii.   Relevant areas of experience and skills

Applicants will be evaluated on the following areas of experience and skill:

—	evaluation of the effects of occupational exposure to chemicals on human health;

—	professional experience in a multidisciplinary scientific environment, preferably in an international context;

—	published scientific papers on topics relevant to developing scientific proposals for OELs;

—	membership of national or international scientific committees responsible for developing scientific recommendations or setting OELs on chemicals;

—	contributing, in a supporting capacity, to the work of national or international scientific committees responsible for developing scientific recommendations or setting OELs on chemicals;

—	project management related to scientific matters.

Applicants with experience in evaluating the effect of exposure to chemicals on human health in other areas such as food, environment or consumer protection may also be considered.

6.   Appointment of members

The Commission will appoint members following the results of the selection procedure and ensuring a balanced geographical distribution of the members of the committee, in accordance with Article 3 of Decision 2014/113/EU.

The names of the members appointed will be published in the Register of Commission expert groups and in the Official Journal of the European Union.

Personal data will be collected, processed and published in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 45/2001 of the European Parliament and of the Council (8).

Before appointment, the Commission reserves the right to check documents and certificates in order to confirm the accuracy and eligibility of the application.

SCOEL members will serve a term of office of three years.

Applicants who meet the requirements for membership but who are not appointed will remain on a candidate list, as set out in Article 4(2) of Decision 2014/113/EU.

7.   Ethical principles

As set out in Article 9 of Decision 2014/113/EU, SCOEL's scientific advice must be based on the ethical principles of independence, transparency and confidentiality.

1.   Independence

SCOEL members undertake to act independently of any external influence. They must not delegate their responsibilities to any other person.

They must make a declaration of commitment to act in the public interest and declare the absence or existence of any direct or indirect interests which might be considered prejudicial to their independence.

The Commission services will take note of and decide on the relevance of any interests declared.

2.   Transparency

SCOEL must ensure that its recommendations and opinions clearly set out the reasoning used in its decision-making process, as outlined in its methodology.

3.   Confidentiality

SCOEL members must not divulge information they learn as a result of their work for SCOEL, thematic workshops, working groups or other activities relating to Decision 2014/113/EU. This requirement is in addition to those set out in Article 339 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union and Article 12 of Decision 2014/113/EU.

SCOEL members must sign a declaration of confidentiality at the beginning of each term of office.

8.   Equal opportunities

The Commission takes great care to apply the principles of equal treatment in its procedures.

9.   Submission of applications

Scientists who are interested in applying are invited to complete and submit the online application form, which is available at:

http://ec.europa.eu/eusurvey/runner/SCOEL

Applicants are kindly asked to complete their application form in English, in order to facilitate the selection procedure.

An application will only be deemed admissible if it includes:

—	a completed application form;

—	a curriculum vitae, preferably not exceeding three pages (to be uploaded to the application form at the relevant point);

—	a list of the applicant's scientific publications in topics relevant to SCOEL's work (to be uploaded to the application form at the relevant point);

—	a declaration on the applicant's honour, a commitment declaration and a declaration of any potential conflicts of interest (included at the end of the application form).

Supporting documents may be requested at a later stage.

The Commission will inform applicants of the result of the selection procedure as soon as possible.

10.   Closing date for sending applications

The closing date for submitting applications for SCOEL membership is 15.12.2014 (time GMT +1). Only properly completed online applications submitted via the website linked above will be considered.

Applicants are strongly advised not to wait until the last few days before the deadline since heavy internet traffic or a problem with internet connections could otherwise lead to applicants not being able to submit the application on time. Applications will not be accepted after the deadline has expired.

---

(1)  OJ L 62, 4.3.2014, p. 18.

(2)  OJ L 188, 9.8.1995, p. 14.

(3)  OJ L 131, 5.5.1998, p. 11.

(4)  OJ L 158, 30.4.2004, p. 50.

(5)  COM(2002) 713 final of 11 December 2002.

(6)  Commission Decision C(2007) 5858 Rules on the reimbursement of expenses incurred by people from outside the Commission invited to attend meetings in an expert capacity.

(7)  As a guide, ‘Ability to work in English’ corresponds to level B2 or above, as set out in the Council of Europe reference document for the European Language Portfolio (‘Common European Framework of Reference: Learning, Teaching, and Assessment’). For more information please refer to http://europass.cedefop.europa.eu/en/resources/european-language-levels-cefr

(8)  OJ L 8, 12.1.2001, p. 1.

---