[1] During the 1990s its relatively low importance led to its being referred to unfavourably by MEPs as the "Cinderella committee".
The co-decision procedure for legislation, which grants greater powers to the Parliament, has been extended to more policy areas.
Notably, the areas covered by this committee were the main recipients of these new powers.
The committee's open sessions, as well as constituting a major forum within the Parliament, are usually well attended by both business lobbyists and representatives from environmental NGOs.
[2] The committee is responsible for:[3] 1. environmental policy and environmental protection measures, in particular concerning: 2. public health, in particular: 3. food safety issues, in particular: Source:[4] This article about the European Union is a stub.