30.4.2004 Official Journal of the European Union L 136/1 | (Acts whose publication is obligatory) REGULATION (EC) No 726/2004 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 31 March 2004 laying down Community procedures for the authorisation and supervision of medicinal products for human and veterinary use and establishing a European Medicines Agency (Text with EEA relevance) THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Article 95 and Article 152(4)(b) thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the Commission (%), Having regard to the Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee (2), After consulting the Committee of the Regions, In accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 251 of the Treaty (%), Whereas: (1)  Article 71 of Council Regulation (EEC) No 2309/93 of 22 July 1993 laying down Community procedures for the authorisation and supervision of medicinal products for human and veterinary use and establishing a European Agency for the Evaluation of Medicinal Products (*) provides that, within six years of the entry into force of the Regulation, the Commission is to publish a general report on the experience acquired as a result of the operation of the procedures laid down in the Regulation. 20 In the light of the Commission's report on the experience gained, it has proved necessary to improve () OJ C 75E, 26.3.2002, p. 189 and O] C ... (not yet published in the Official Journal). () O] C 61, 14.3.2003, p. 1. (}) Opinion of the European Parliament of 23 October 2002 (O] C 300 E, 11.12.2003, p. 308), Council Common Position of 29 September 2003 (O] C 297 E, 9.12.2003, p. 1), Position of the European Parliament of 17 December 2003 (not yet published in the Official Journal) and Council Decision of 11 March 2004. (*) OJ L 214, 24.8.1993, p. 1. Regulation as last amended by Regu- lation (EC) No 1647/2003 (O] L 245, 29.9.2003, p. 19). the operation of the authorisation procedures for the placing of medicinal products on the market in the Community and to amend certain administrative aspects of the European Agency for the Evaluation of Medicinal Products. In addition, the name of that Agency should be simplified and changed to the European Medicines Agency, (hereinafter referred to as the ‘Agency). (3) It emerges from the conclusions of that report that the amendments to be made to the centralised procedure set up by Regulation (EEC) No 2309/93 consist of corrections to some of the operating procedures and adaptations to take account of the probable devel- opment of science and technology and the future enlargement of the European Union. It also emerges from the report that the general principles previously established which govern the centralised procedure should be maintained. (4)  Moreover, since the European Parliament and the Council have adopted Directive 2001/83/EC of 6 November 2001 on the Community code relating to medicinal products for human use (°) and Directive 2001/82/EC of 6 November 2001 on the Community code relating to veterinary medicinal products (%), all the references to the codified Directives in Regulation (EEC) No 2309/93 should be updated. (5)  For the sake of clarity, it is necessary to replace the said Regulation with a new Regulation. (6) It is appropriate to preserve the Community mechanism set up by the repealed Community legislation for concertation prior to any national decision relating to a high-technology medicinal product. () OJ L 311, 28.11.2001, p. 67. Directive as last amended by Council Directive 2004/27[EC (see p. 34 of this Official Journal). () O] L 311, 28.11.2001, p. 1. Directive as amended by Council Directive 2004/28/EC (see p. 58 of this Official Journal).