European Community, it is for the Commission to implement legislation at Community level (Article 202 of the EC Treaty, ex-Article 145). In practice, each legislative instrument specifies the scope of the implementing powers granted to the Commission and how the Commission is to use them. Frequently, the instrument will also make provision for the Commission to be assisted by a committee in accordance with a procedure known as "comitology".
The committees which are forums for discussion, consist of representatives from Member States and are chaired by the Commission. They enable the Commission to establish a dialogue with national administrations before adopting implementing measures. The Commission ensures that they reflect as far as possible the situation in each country in question.
Procedures which govern relations between the Commission and the committees are based on models set out in a Council Decision ("comitology" Decision). The first "comitology" Decision dates back to 13 July 1987. In order to take into account the changes in the Treaty - and, in particular, Parliament's new position under the codecision procedure - but also to reply to criticisms that the Community system is too complex and too opaque, the 1987 Decision has been replaced by the Council Decision of 28 June 1999.