Ensuring Food Safety in Europe through Scientific Cooperation and Networking The Role of EFSA Carola Sondermann EFSA Polish Focal Point – Annual Experts

Ensuring Food Safety in Europe through Scientific Cooperation and Networking

The Role of EFSA

Carola SondermannEFSA

Polish Focal Point – Annual Experts Summit

24 April 2009, Warsaw, Poland

2C. Sondermann, 24 April 2009, Warsaw

Outline

1. EFSA – the corner stone of EU risk assessment for food and feed safety

2. Why scientific cooperation

3. Scientific cooperation with EFSA’s partners and networks


EFSA in Parma


EFSA at a glance

European Food Safety Authority (EFSA)

• Established in 2002• Separation of Risk Assessment and Risk Management• Independent• 393 staff members with 25 nationalities - incl 5 Poles • About 200 scientific experts in 10 Scientific Panels

and the Scientific Committee• Networks with > 1200 scientific experts • > 1300 scientific outputs (opinions and reports)

published to date


EFSA’s tasks

1. Providing independent scientific advice

2. Collecting and analysing data to characterise and monitor risks related to the food chain

3. Promoting and coordinating development of harmonised risk assessment methodologies

4. Communicating on existing and emerging risks


EFSA Scientific Committee & Panels

“From Farm to Fork”

Scientific Committee &

10 Scientific Panels

http://www.efsa.europa.eu/EFSA/ScientificPanels/efsa_locale-1178620753812_CEF.htm


Why Scientific Cooperation?

EFSA aims to deliver the best science at the right time in the most appropriate manner

EFSA aims to deliver the best science at the right time in the most appropriate manner

Effective pooling of scientific excellence Effective pooling of scientific excellence


• Appropriate allocation of resources against priorities

• Co-ordination of activities to avoid duplication

• Early identification and analysis of emerging risks

• Increased coherence inscientific risk assessment and communications

Scientific Cooperation – its benefits


EFSA’s Partners & Networks

Working together with …

EU bodies and institutions EU Member States Stakeholders (i.e. consumer

organisations, industry, NGOs)

International bodies and organisations

and with… Scientific experts across the

world


EFSA EU Member States

Working together with…….EU Member States


Advisory Forum

Representatives from national food safety

authorities of all 27 EU Member States

and from Norway, Switzerland, Island

and the European Commission(as observers)


Role of the Advisory Forum

Committed to

• Exchange scientific data • Co-ordinate risk communications activities and

messages • Address contentious issues and diverging

opinions • Set up working groups to focus

collectively on specific issues • Co-ordinate work and

avoid duplication

• Advising EFSA on scientific matters, its work programme and priorities

• Addressing emerging risk issues


Focal Points

• Interface between EFSA and EU Member States

• Poland: in the Główny Inspektorat Sanitarny (Chief Sanitary Inspectorate)

• Supporting the Advisory Forum Members


Four Focal Point Meetings to date

• Lively and constructive discussions

• Open and trustful atmosphere


Role of Focal Points

Supporting the Advisory Forum Members:

• Building and supporting a network with their national stakeholders

• Raising EFSA’s visibility & awareness

• Cooperating through Article 36

• Ensuring the exchange of scientific information


Focal Points

A bridge between EFSA and national food safety authorities, research institutes

and national stakeholders


Raising visibility and awareness

Examples of special FP-websites on the institutions’ homepages


Exchange of scientific information

Information Exchange Platform (IEP)for EFSA and EU Member States

Scientific information exchange


Information Exchange Platform

• On the EFSA Extranet• Access: Advisory Forum, Focal Points, its

CommunicationsWG and EFSA staff

Platform should facilitate access to relevant scientific information available in the public domain

•No confidential papers to be uploaded onto the IEP



Focus on• Information on risk assessment activities

from EFSA and national risk assessment bodies - mandates and outputs (opinions, statements, technical reports)

• Work plans and country profiles• Calendar of risk assessment events




Article 36

Article 36 of EFSA’s Founding Regulation* states:

* Regulation (EG) 178/2002

EFSA “… shall promote the European networking of organisations

operating in the fields within the Authority's mission.”


Article 36

List of competentorganisations

Undertaking work for EFSA e.g.• collecting data• preparatory work for development of scientific

opinions • other scientific and technical support

e.g. on emerging issues and crisis situations

Article 36 list


Working together with……EFSA Stakeholders

'Civil Society Stakeholders‘

• Consumer groups• NGOs and • Market operators such

as farmers, food & feed manufacturers or distributors and

• Science professionals

‘Institutional Stakeholders’

• Bodies and organisations with which EFSA has a legal obligation to work, i.e. European Commission, European Parliament and EU Member States


Working together with…. …international scientists

EFSA Scientific Colloquia



Aim: Better understanding of fundamental scientific issues

Scope: Open scientific debate on topics central to EFSA’s work

Audience: - 70 to 120 participants - International scientists, experts in the

specific field

Outcome: Published as scientific summary

reports



Two Colloquia in 2008: • May 2008, Acrylamide carcinogenicity - New evidence in relation to dietary exposure • Dec 2008, Important aspects of Risk Assessment of Campylobacter


International cooperation

Scientific cooperation on a global scale to secure the safety of European food

Sharing information and practices with international bodies e.g. WHO/FAO, national authorities of the USA, Canada, New Zealand, Australia and Japan


Future challenges in a globalised world

• Climate change• New technologies• New or re-emerging risks• Sustainability of Europe’s food

production• Societal changes including changes

in consumers behaviour• Obesity• ….


Scientific Cooperation For Safe Foods

Thank you for your attention!

Documents

Ensuring Food Safety in Europe through Scientific Cooperation and Networking The Role of EFSA Carola Sondermann EFSA Polish Focal Point – Annual Experts