EFSA’s mission The European Food Safety Authority: The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) is the working together keystone of European Union (EU) risk assessment regarding food and feed safety. In close collaboration with national authorities and in open consultation with HERMAN B.W.M. KOËTER its stakeholders, EFSA provides independent Deputy Executive Director scientific advice and clear communication on existing and and emerging risks. Director of Science 1 2 ADVISORY FORUM MEMBER STATES Separate risk assessment from risk MANAGEMENT BOARD ARTICLE 36 INSTITUTIONS management � EFSA is fully independent of the Commission in EFSA STAKEHOLDERS its scientific work; ------------------------------------- COMMISSION SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE AND Consumers SCIENTIFIC PANELS � Close cooperation with the Commission and Industry Member States; Environmental COUNCIL NGOs � EFSA shares the area of risk communication PARLIAMENT with the Commission and Member States. Animal welfare NGOs 3 4 The 9 Scientific Panels Scientific Panels � Food additives, flavourings, processing aids, materials in � Structure defined in the founding Regulation and contact with food (AFC) copied from the Commission; � Animal Health and Welfare (AHAW) � Together covering the whole food chain; � Biological hazards (BIOHAZ) � Contaminants in the food chain (CONTAM) � Expert members appointed by Management Board following a call to express interest; � Additives and products in animal feed (FEEDAP) � Plant Protection Products (PPR) � Maximum of 21 members per panel selected on the basis of scientific excellence, area of expertise, � Genetically modified organisms (GMO) gender and geographical balance. � Dietetic products, nutrition and allergies (NDA) 5 6 � Plant Health Panel (PLH)
Scientific activities (work themes) : Scientific Committee � Providing scientific opinions, guidance and advice in � Comprises the Chairs of all 9 Panels; response to questions; � Additional 6 independent members; � Assessing the risk of regulated substances and � Provides guidance to all Panels; development of proposals for risk-related factors; � Manages projects involving several Panels; � Monitoring of specific animal health risk factors and diseases; � Advises EFSA on emerging issues and priorities for scientific work. � Development, promotion and application of new and harmonized scientific approaches and methodologies for hazard and risk assessment of food and feed. 7 8 Scientific activities (work themes) : Providing scientific opinions, guidance and advice in response to questions � Providing scientific opinions, guidance and advice in response to questions; A few examples: � Assessing the risk of regulated substances and � Review of the scientific justification for the import development of proposals for risk-related factors; ban on US beef; � Monitoring of specific animal health risk factors and � Risks and benefits of wild and farmed fish; diseases; � Evaluation of new evidence suggesting serious � Development, promotion and application of new and health risks of aspartame; harmonized scientific approaches and methodologies for hazard and risk assessment of � Perception of pain in unborn vertebrate animals. food and feed. 9 10 Scientific activities (work themes) : Assessing the risk of specific groups of chemical substances � Providing scientific opinions, guidance and advice in response to questions; Chemical categories include : � Assessing the risk of regulated substances and � Food additives, smoke flavourings, enzymes; development of proposals for risk-related factors; � Food processing aides; � Monitoring of specific animal health risk factors and � Food contact materials; diseases; � Additives for use in animal nutrition; � Development, promotion and application of new and � Pesticides; and harmonized scientific approaches and � Genetically modified organisms, food and feed. methodologies for hazard and risk assessment of 11 food and feed. 12
Scientific activities (work themes) : Monitoring of specific risk factors and � Providing scientific opinions, guidance and advice in diseases response to questions; � Geographical BSE risk assessment; � Assessing the risk of regulated substances and � BSE / TSE testing and validation of tests; development of proposals for risk-related factors; � Annual zoonosis report; � Monitoring of specific animal health risk factors and diseases; � Containment and eradication of animal diseases (e.g. AI, food and mouth disease, rabies). � Development, promotion and application of new and harmonized scientific approaches and methodologies for hazard and risk assessment of food and feed. 13 14 Investing in food science: focus areas Investing in food science (2) � Harmonization of detection methodology for � Organization of open scientific EFSA meetings, to chemical and microbiological contaminants in discuss in-depth topical and sensitive issues related food/feed; to EFSA’s mission : EFSA Science Colloquiums; � Improving the risk assessment process (e.g., � Adequate follow-up on EFSA Scientific Colloquiums environment, transparency, animal health and (e.g. development of Guidance Documents); welfare, specific substances); � Active participation in and monitoring of scientific � Methodologies to detect and recognise emerging projects, conferences and other scientific meetings risks; in Member States. � Exposure assessment modelling (chemical and microbiological). 15 16 A Science Colloquium is: The Colloquium is not: � an interactive event rather than only a passive listening to lectures; � An attempt to agree on the details of a preferred � a platform for scientists to have in-depth discussions on strategy or approach, if any scientific approaches and methods available and tools and � An attempt to finalise a blue print for the work ahead of data needed for conducting a risk assessment us; � an event to explore opportunities and limitations for � A “what is right and what is wrong” discussion. defining a common understanding of the issue at hand and � an opportunity to define further research needs. 17 18
Science Colloquiums Challenges and opportunities � Setting threshold levels for Dioxins and PCBs (2004); � Timely delivery and communication of scientific � Qualified Presumption of Safety of microorganisms opinions and advice; (2004); � Collection of European Food Consumption Data (2005); � Principles of risk assessment of animal health and welfare (2005); � Consumption based dietary guidelines (2006); � Risk/benefit analysis (June 2006); � Cumulative risk assessment of pesticides (December 2006) 19 20 Challenges and opportunities Challenges and opportunities � Timely delivery and communication of scientific � Timely delivery and communication of scientific opinions and advice: opinions and advice; � Staff limitations � Strengthen relationships with European institutional partners, national food safety authorities and � Legal deadlines stakeholders; � Panel workloads � Organisation of the work � Outsourcing 21 22 Strengthen relationships with European Challenges and opportunities institutional partners, national food safety � Timely delivery and communication of scientific authorities and stakeholders opinions and advice; � Relationship with the Commission, Parliament and Council � Strengthen relationships with European institutional � Working with Member States partners, national food safety authorities and a) through the Advisory Forum and Focal Points; stakeholders; b) information exchange: declaration of intent; c) cooperation strategy. � Recognition and timely address of emerging risks; � Working with other national authorities (MoUs) � Cooperation with international organisations 23 24
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