1 / 20

EFSA Risk Communications Strategy and Plans

EFSA Risk Communications Strategy and Plans. Anne-Laure Gassin Communications Director, EFSA. Introduction. 21st Management Board (MB) meeting (27.10.05): request to review EFSA Communications strategy and plans; consider EFSA evaluation report findings

mitch
Download Presentation

EFSA Risk Communications Strategy and Plans

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. EFSA Risk Communications Strategy and Plans Anne-Laure GassinCommunications Director, EFSA Risk Communications, MB 12 09 2006

  2. Introduction • 21st Management Board (MB) meeting (27.10.05): request to review EFSA Communications strategy and plans; consider EFSA evaluation report findings • 25th MB meeting (29.03.06): initial discussion by Board; support for overall approach; reflects key points from EFSA evaluation • April – July 06: document outlining EFSA's Communications strategy presented and discussed at meetings of: • Scientific Committee, Advisory Forum, Advisory Forum Working Group on Communications, EFSA's Advisory Group on Risk Communications and Stakeholder Consultative Platform. • 12.09.06: Final document submitted to MB for endorsement • 1st step in implementing EFSA evaluation re Communications Risk Communications, MB 12 09 2006

  3. Risk Communications Purpose: Provideappropriate, consistent, accurate and timely communications on food safety issues, to all interested parties, stakeholders and the public at large, based on the Authority’s risk assessments and scientific expertise. Risk Communications, MB 12 09 2006

  4. Objectives • Establish EFSA as an expert and trusted source of information on food and feed safety issues (within RA mandate). • Promote EFSA’s key values: scientific excellence, independence, openness and transparency. • Ensure that messages are relevant, understandable and address food safety concerns. • Enhance the coherence of information on food safety matters across the Community. Risk Communications, MB 12 09 2006

  5. Overall Strategic Approach • Understand consumer and public perception of food and food safety risks. • Bridge the gap between science and the consumer. • Harness support of key actors to reach consumers with pertinent and effective messages. • Promote coherent risk communications across the Risk Assessment/Risk Management interface. Risk Communications, MB 12 09 2006

  6. Risk perceptions: Top Concerns Question: For each of the following issues, please tell me if you are very worried, fairly worried, not very worried or not at all worried by it? Answers: WORRIED CONTAMINATION BY BACTERIA: Czech Republic, Luxembourg, Slovakia PESTICIDES: Greece, Italy, Hungary, France, Portugal, Slovenia, Germany, Spain, Finland POLLUTANTS LIKE MERCURY OR DIOXINS: Belgium NEW VIRUSES LIKE AVIAN INFLUENZA: Malta, Latvia, The Netherlands GMOs: Austria RESIDUES IN MEAT: Cyprus, Greece, Belgium ADDITIVES: Lithuania, Estonia WELFARE OF FARMED ANIMALS: Denmark, Sweden FOOD HYGIENE OUTSIDE HOME: Poland, United Kingdom, Denmark, Ireland, Spain Risk Communications, MB 12 09 2006

  7. Consumer groups 32% Your physician\doctor 32% Scientists 30% Public authorities 22% Media 17% Food manufacturers 6% Farmers 6% Supermarkets or shops 3% Other (SPONTANEOUS) 1% None (SPONTANEOUS) 5% DK 2% Sources of Information Preferred sources Question:Suppose a serious food risk were found in fish or chicken. Who would you trust the most to inform you about this risk? Risk Communications, MB 12 09 2006

  8. Who does EFSA communicate to? General Public Risk Managers (EC, EP, MS) Risk Assessors (e.g. MS) Stakeholders (Environment, Consumer,Health NGOs, Industry) Policy Makers (EU & Beyond) EFSA Stakeholders (Scientists/ Academics) Media (Food, Health, EU Affairs) Concerned Individuals Risk Communications, MB 12 09 2006

  9. Defining a Communications Strategy: key considerations • Scientific significance of the risk assessment findings • Nature of the risk (emerging, possible, identified and confirmed) • Potential public health impact, taking into account exposure of vulnerable groups • Public perception and anticipated reactions • Legislative and market contexts, as appropriate Risk Communications, MB 12 09 2006

  10. Tailor Communications approach to information needs • All opinions published on the EFSA website • Explanatory/web context notes • Web “news stories” • Publications (eg EFSANews) • Press information: news alerts/announcements • Press statements/releases for “sensitive” opinions • Press briefings for “highly sensitive” opinions Risk Communications, MB 12 09 2006

  11. EFSA Public Announcements:Highlights • Semicarbazide & baby food • Aspartame • GMOs (NK 603, MON 863, ARMGs, guidance for RA…) • Methylmercury in fish; safety of wild and farmed fish • Labelling of allergenic foods, derivatives • Trans fatty acids • Animal health and welfare (transport, stunning…) • BSE (BSE risk in UK, GBR reports, SRM, BSE in goats…) • Additives: safety of parabens usage in food • Infant formula: microbiological risks • Avian influenza… Risk Communications, MB 12 09 2006

  12. Communications Channels and Tools: «Influencing the influencers» • Website- Europe-wide reference service on food and feed safety- 100.000 visits per month/ 12.200 subscribers to EFSA Highlights Risk Communications, MB 12 09 2006

  13. Our users agree! – web survey results SCIENCE PR Risk Communications, MB 12 09 2006

  14. Distribution of articles per Category SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE 2% Article Corporate NDA 31% 3% GMO 11% CONTAM 3% BIOHAZ 13% AHAW AFC 10% 27% Communications Channels and Tools: «Influencing the influencers» • Press and Media– key intermediary with consumers on food safety issues: • 46 press releases/statements in 2005 (+ 37% vs 2004)- 4-fold increase in publicity (>1300 articles) • over 100 media enquiries on one press issue alone- comprehensive database of food and consumer safety journalists Risk Communications, MB 12 09 2006

  15. 2005 Headlines Goat had 'Mad Cow Disease' Europe calls for new risk assessment method EFSA sets guidelines to minimise risk of bird flu in poultry E la mucca pazza inglese salvò quella italiana Risk Communications, MB 12 09 2006

  16. Communications Channels and Tools: «Influencing the influencers» • Member State and Stakeholder networks(i) Advisory Forum (representatives of 25 MS)(ii) Advisory Forum Working Group Communications (Heads of Communications – MS)(iii)Stakeholder Relations/Stakeholder Consultative Platform (iv)Pre-notification under embargo of draft press releases to Commission, MS authorities and stakeholders Risk Communications, MB 12 09 2006

  17. EFSA Evaluation: CommmunicationsEnhance impact and effectiveness Build: • Visibility - for EFSA's Corporate mission and scientific expertise. • Simplicity – clarity and relevance of EFSA risk communications • Collaboration & coherence – of information on food & feed safety across the Community Risk Communications, MB 12 09 2006

  18. EFSA Risk Communications: Looking Ahead Consolidate/strengthen organisation (internal/external) to support developments such as: • Joint communications with Member States • Website redesign • New communications tools for non-technical audiences, eg: “Focus on the issues”, explanatory notes… • Information seminars for media • New scientific communications tools, eg EFSA Journal/scientific publishing house • Consumer perception research • Annual Review on Risk Communication (AGRC) • Pan-European media monitoring and evaluation of communications initiatives Risk Communications, MB 12 09 2006

  19. EFSA Communications Department Risk Communications, MB 12 09 2006

  20. THANK YOU! Risk Communications, MB 12 09 2006

More Related