Transcript Slide 1

EFSA today
EFSA TODAY
To contribute to ensuring Europe’s food
is safe, EFSA is:
1. a key actor in the EU food safety system
2. committed to excellence in risk assessment
3. sustained by a robust governance
4. an advocate of scientific cooperation
5. leading on risk communications
6. constantly evolving to meet new challenges
EFSA today
01
EFSA is a key actor in the EU food
safety system
EFSA today
EFSA IS




the European reference
body for risk
assessment
covers the entire food
chain – from farm to
fork
committed to ensuring
food and feed safety
an independent
authority
EFSA today
EFSA IS TASKED TO



Provide independent scientific advice and
support for EU law/policies on food and
feed safety
Provide independent, timely risk
communication
Promote
scientific
cooperation
EFSA today
…BUT NOT TO


Enforce food safety legislation

Substitute national authorities
Take charge of food safety/quality controls,
labeling or other such issues
EFSA today
EFSA WAS SET UP IN JANUARY 2002 AS


an independent source of scientific
advice and communication on risks
associated with the food chain
part of a comprehensive program to:
•
improve EU food safety system
•
help ensure a high level of consumer
protection
•
restore and maintain confidence in the EU
food supply
EFSA today
...WITH HEADQUARTERS IN PARMA

2005: moved to Parma
from Brussels


2003: scientific work starts

Budget 2014: EUR 79.6
million

Over 450 staff, 60%
engaged in science
Since 2003 more than
3,300 scientific outputs
including 2,330 scientific
opinions
EFSA today
EFSA IS DRIVEN BY STRONG KEY VALUES
EFSA today
…AMONG WHICH INDEPENDENCE
Robust set of mechanisms and processes to
safeguard EFSA’s independence
EFSA policy on Independence
and Scientific DecisionMaking Processes (2011)
Review
(2014)
EFSA today: priorities and challenges
Implementing
rules (2012)
02
EFSA is committed to excellence in
risk assessment
EFSA today
COMMITMENT TO SCIENTIFIC EXCELLENCE MEANS
The quality of our science is central to
everything we do
Further
develop EFSA’s
scientific advice
Strengthen the
scientific basis for
risk assessment and
monitoring
Optimise the
use of risk
assessment
capacity in EU
EFSA today: priorities and challenges
Roadmap
Develop and harmonise
methodologies to assess
risk in the food chain
... SCIENTIFIC EXCELLENCE IN RISK ASSESSMENT

> 3,300 outputs
> 2,330 opinions
- 500th opinion: 2007
- 1000th opinion: 2009
- 2000th opinion: 2012



Scientific outputs
800
700
600
500
400
Scientific expertise 300
200
across Europe
Impartiality of
scientific advice
100
0
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
EFSA Journal, Scientific Colloquia, international
cooperation…
EFSA today
... THROUGHOUT THE WORKFLOW
EFSA today
... WITH FOCUS ON OPENNESS AND TRANSPARENCY
EFSA today


Procedure for Expert selection

Names of panel and working group
members


Declaration of interest of experts






Minutes of the panel’s plenary
Accepted mandates (Register of
Questions)
Agendas of the panel’s plenary
meetings
Minutes of working group meetings
Consultations
Adopted opinions
Press releases and web stories
Key topics
... AND ON FIT-FOR-PURPOSE DELIVERY
Mandates

Clear EFSA response
Adequate timing

Meeting deadlines
for mandates /
prioritization
Resources

EFSA today
Right resources for
each task (Panel,
working groups,
EFSA staff,
outsourcing,
Member States)
... WITH SPECIAL FOCUS ON URGENT REQUESTS FOR
SCIENTIFIC ADVICE
2013


Hepatitis A
Salmonella
Mikawasima

Phenylbutazone in
horsemeat

Xylella fastidiosa in
olive trees
2012
2010


Volcanic ash
Chlormequat in table grapes
2009


Nicotine in wild mushrooms
4-methlybenzophenone in
breakfast cereals
2008
2011




2007

“Schmallenberg" virus
(SBV)
STEC in vegetables
EFSA today

Dioxins in pork meat
Melamine in infant milk
Mineral oil in sunflower oil
Melamine in food and feed
03
EFSA is supported by a robust
governance
EFSA today
EFSA HAS A ROBUST GOVERNANCE...
EFSA today
EFSA MANAGEMENT BOARD…
14 Members




Selected on basis of individual expertise
and competence through an open call
Appointed by the Council of the EU based
on suggestions from Parliament
Members do not represent EU Member
States and are appointed in a personal
capacity
Wide range of backgrounds
1 Member representing the European
Commission
EFSA today
… WHOSE ROLE IS TO





Primary role: ensure Authority functions
effectively and efficiently
Establish budget, agree work programmes
and monitor implementation
Ensure Authority stays within remit of
Founding Regulation
Appoint Executive Director, Scientific
Committee and Panels
Audit Authority’s operations
EFSA today
EFSA ADVISORY FORUM...



Representatives from national
food safety authorities/bodies
with role equivalent to EFSA
One representative per
Member State; may bring
specialist support
Commission represented as
observer
EFSA today
... WHOSE ROLE IS TO






Advise EFSA on scientific matters, work
programme/ priorities and emerging risks
Ensure close collaboration between
national bodies and EFSA
Assist in resolving contentious scientific
issues and avoiding divergent views on
food/feed safety issues
Avoid duplication of scientific effort
Play a key role in sharing and
disseminating information
Assist in increasing scientific co-operation
between Member States
EFSA today
SCIENTIFIC PANELS AND SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE...
+
The Scientific Committee
EFSA today
…CAREFULLY SELECTED
EFSA seeks high-calibre experts to serve on its
Scientific Committee and Scientific Panels

The recruitment call is open
to scientists from all
Member States of the
European Union.

EFSA chooses candidates
with proven excellence in
one or more of the
scientific fields within the
Authority’s remit.

Selection is carried out
through an open,
transparent procedure.
EFSA today
... WHOSE ROLE IS TO PROVIDE SCIENTIFIC ADVICE
FROM FARM TO FORK
EFSA today
... AS WELL AS TALENTED STAFF
EFSA today
04
EFSA is an advocate of scientific
cooperation
EFSA today
WITHIN EUROPE...




National food safety agencies /
research organisations (Art. 36)
400 research institutes
1,500 experts
EU Agencies:
EFSA today
OUTSIDE EUROPE...
Working with national food safety organisations:





US: FDA, USDA APHIS, USDA FSIS, ARS, EPA
Health Canada
Food Safety Commission of Japan
Food Standards Australia
New Zealand Food Safety Authority
Working with international organizations:
EFSA today
...IN A OPEN, TRANSPARENT AND INCLUSIVE MANNER


EFSA Founding Regulation 178/2002

Management Board decisions on
transparency and openness

Support of stakeholders for
establishment of EFSA
Stakeholder involvement right from
the start
EFSA today
... TRANSLATED INTO KEY ACTIONS





Board meetings: open to public and ondemand (proceedings)
Public Consultations and technical hearings
Bilateral meetings
Speaking
engagements
Pre-notification of
scientific opinions
and press releases
(only Member States
and few selected stakeholders)
EFSA today
... AND A STAKEHOLDER CONSULTATIVE PLATFORM




Mission: assist EFSA with the
development of its overall relations and
policy with regard to stakeholder
involvement
Members: EU-wide stakeholder
organisations representing consumers,
food chain operators and other NGOs
active within EFSA's mandate
A forum for regular dialogue and
exchange
Almost 10 years of operation
EFSA today
05
EFSA is leading on risk communications
EFSA today
RISK COMMUNICATIONS IS
EFSA today
... AND EFSA’S MANDATE IS
To communicate food and feed
safety advice to its principal
partners, stakeholders and the
public at large in a timely, clear
and helpful way.
EFSA today
... IMPLEMENTED THROUGH A THEMATIC APPROACH
Integrated communications plans:

across all tools and
channels

themes reflecting
public health priorities

continous “campaign”
approach with key
milestones (eg.
zoonoses: annual
report, baseline
surveys, opinions of
BIOHAZ, AHAW,…)
covering all relevant
aspects of EFSA’s work
in an area
EFSA today
... WITH CLEAR TARGET AUDIENCES
Who does EFSA communicate with?
EFSA today
… AND A COHERENT APPROACH
Advisory Forum Working Group on
Communications (since November 2003):

Network of communications units from EFSA,
Member States and EU Commission

Key to promoting coherence in
communications

Co-ordination of risk communications;
exchange information; evaluation of efforts;
development of best practices


Early warning on emerging/topical issues
Pre-notification of press releases
EFSA today
...TO BRING THE THEMES TO LIFE ON THE WEB
EFSA today
...AND MANAGE GROWING MEDIA INTEREST
...AND SOCIAL MEDIA



Launched in Jan 2012
Followers: 5,800
Re-tweets: 700




Launched in July 2012
32 Understanding science videos,
13 corporate videos
1,000 subscribers
150,000 views

5,000 followers
Data as of March 2014
EFSA today
06
EFSA is constantly evolving to
meet new challenges
EFSA today
THE NATURE OF EFSA WORK IS CHANGING...



More complex
regulatory work,
not always
predictable
Development of
guidance
documents for
applicants
(8 in 2007,
64 by January 2012)
Better service for applicants: Applications
helpdesk
EFSA today
... ITS METHODOLOGY IS STRENGTHENED

Evaluation of the safety and environmental
impact of new products
•


e.g. novel food, additives
Development of new risk evaluation methods
•
e.g. nanotechnology, active and intelligent
packaging
•
e.g. ‘-omics’, less animal testing
Evaluation of efficacy/ benefits
•
EFSA today
e.g. pesticides (2011), claims
... CONTRIBUTING TO EU FOOD SAFETY SYSTEM

Dedicated to scientific excellence for 10 years:

Protecting Europe’s 500 million consumers:

Working together, working for Europe:

Shaping the future of risk assessment together
with Member States
EFSA’s opinions have underpinned the EU’s decisions on
food and feed safety, animal health & welfare, nutrition
and plant health
Europeans enjoy one of the highest levels of food safety
in the world
Continued commitment, co-operation with national
counterparts and the European Commission
EFSA today
... TO RESPOND TO FUTURE CHALLENGES
Integrated multidisciplinary
advice
 meat
inspection
 nutrition
 antimicrobial
resistance…
Improve mid-term
planning
Reinforce
risk
assessment
capacity
(scientific
cooperation)
Development of
harmonised
methodologies
Optimise
internal
scientific
expertise
Collection and
analysis of highquality data
Risk assessment training
EFSA today
Proactive approach
to emerging risks
Any questions?