Article 160 [Social Protection Committee]

Article 160 TFEU replaces ex-Article 144 TEC. The provision has its origins in the Treaty of Nice and the therein introduction established the explicit legal basis for the Social Protection Committee. As a result, the Social Protection Committee acquired institutional status after 2003 and that status was originating directly from the Treaties. It must be noted that prior to the entry into force of the Treaty of Nice, the Council had proceeded to establish the Social Protection Committee through secondary legislation. The legal basis that was used at that time was ex-Article 202 TEC (repealed and in effect replaced now by Article 16.1 TEU and Articles 290 and 291 TFEU). After the creation of an express legal basis in ex-Article 144 TEC, the relevant secondary act was replaced and recently a new and more elaborate legal basis has been introduced.