The European Food Safety Authority

1. The European Food Safety Authority GEOFFREY PODGERExecutive Director EFSA FOOD SAFETY CONFERENCE – DUBLIN 12 MARCH 2004

2. EFSA – The Main Changes: • Risk assessment divorced from risk management • EFSA not part of the Commission nor answerable to it • EFSA controlled by Board acting in independent capacity not national representatives • EFSA works in close cooperation with national authorities • Need to actively consider and meet stakeholder needs (including in particular consumers) • Better support to and coordination of Panels FOOD SAFETY CONFERENCE – DUBLIN 12 MARCH 2004

3. EFSA Risk Assessments: What are we trying to achieve? • Taking forward the science of risk assessment • Greater transparency of process including timeframes • Authoritative views respected across Europe and beyond • Increased stakeholder confidence in process • Better liaison and coordination with national authorities FOOD SAFETY CONFERENCE – DUBLIN 12 MARCH 2004

4. EFSA Tasking • Legal requirements • By the Commission • By the European Parliament • By the Member States • Self tasking FOOD SAFETY CONFERENCE – DUBLIN 12 MARCH 2004

5. EFSA SELF TASKING : PROJECTS UNDER CONSIDERATION • BUILDING EXPERT NETWORKS • RISK ASSESSMENT GENOTOXIC AND CARCINOGENIC SUBSTANCES • EXPOSURE ASSESSMENT GUIDANCE • ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARD AND RISK ASSESSMENT • SAFETY ASSESSMENT OF MICRO-ORGANISMS • EARLY WARNINGS OF EMERGING RISKS • SIMULTANEOUS EXPOSURE VIA FOOD • HARMONISATION OF DETECTION METHODS FOR MAJOR CONTAMINANTS • ASSOCIATIONS BETWEEN HUMAN TOXICITIES AND DISEASES AND FOOD EXPOSURE FOOD SAFETY CONFERENCE – DUBLIN 12 MARCH 2004

6. EFSA WORKLOAD 2003 122 Questions received from the Commission 2004 ? 180 Questions from the Commission ? Member States ? European Parliament FOOD SAFETY CONFERENCE – DUBLIN 12 MARCH 2004

7. EFSA’s Role in Risk Communication • Independent of political process • Open and transparent • Coordination with national authorities • Support to Commission over food ‘scares’/emergencies FOOD SAFETY CONFERENCE – DUBLIN 12 MARCH 2004

8. Effective Risk Communication To be effective the communication must • explain and contextualise the risk • advise the recipient whether he/she needs to take action • set out clearly steps for any necessary government/industry action • Cover (i) to (iii) above in a way which is culturally sensitive FOOD SAFETY CONFERENCE – DUBLIN 12 MARCH 2004

9. RISK ANALYSIS FRAMEWORK FOOD SAFETY CONFERENCE – DUBLIN 12 MARCH 2004

10. Balance between National authorities and EFSA • National authorities handle national issues • National authorities provide their expertise to EU wide consideration of issues, formally and informally • EFSA responsible through its committees for taking EU wide view if needed, with national authorities contributing • Core communication message from 3 (above) established by EFSA but national authorities transmit the message to reflect also national cultural sensitivity FOOD SAFETY CONFERENCE – DUBLIN 12 MARCH 2004

11. National Authorities Stake in EFSA • Opportunity to commit on candidates for EU Scientific Committee and Panels • Involvement in recruitment of senior staff • Secondment of ENDs • Involvement in Advisory Forum and ad hoc meetings • Advisory Forum Sub-Committees on Communications and IT FOOD SAFETY CONFERENCE – DUBLIN 12 MARCH 2004

12. Conclusions A successful EFSA will : • Achieve greater co-ordination and harmonizationwith national authorities in those areas where it is needed • inject a greater element of challenge into risk management • Gain a higher level of stakeholder confidence in what we are doing • Prepare us better for the unexpected - which will surely come ! FOOD SAFETY CONFERENCE – DUBLIN 12 MARCH 2004