Terezia Sinkova EFSA The new EU Food Safety Agency

WHO, Almaty 2002EFSA - the new Food Safety Agency2 There is a need to create a coherent and transparent set of food safety rules All activities relating food chain „from farm to fork“ „from stable to table“ Should:  Be transparent and reliable  Ensure food safety and quality  Maximize confidence of consumers European Union strategy

WHO, Almaty 2002EFSA - the new Food Safety Agency3 White Paper on Food Safety /January 2000/ = Proposals for transormation EU food policy into a proactive, dynamic. Coherent and comprehensive instrument to ensure a high level of human health and consumer protection = a package of 84 measures

WHO, Almaty 2002EFSA - the new Food Safety Agency4 Principles of food safety  Comprehensive, integrated approach  Primary responsibility for food safety  Farm to table policy  Traceability of feed and food and their ingredients  Transparency  Foundation: risk analysis /risk assessment, risk management, risk communication  Precautionary principle /where appropriate/  Other legitimate factors

WHO, Almaty 2002EFSA - the new Food Safety Agency5 To restore and maintain consumer confidence the EFSA must:  Be guided by the best science  Be independent of industrial and political interests  Be open to rigorous public scrutiny  Be scientifically authoritative and  Work closely with national scientific bodies

WHO, Almaty 2002EFSA - the new Food Safety Agency6 Regulation /EC/ No. 178/2002 of the European Parliament and the Council of 28 January 2002  laying down the general principles and requirements of food law,  establishing the European Food Safety Authority and  laying down procedures in matters of food safety

WHO, Almaty 2002EFSA - the new Food Safety Agency7 Regulation /EC/ No. 178/2002 Aim: high level of protection of human health free movement of safe and wholesame food and feed within the Community Tool: Risk analysis Scientifically based risk assessment Risk management + precautionary principle Risk communication

WHO, Almaty 2002EFSA - the new Food Safety Agency8 Regulation /EC/ No. 178/2002 II. European Food Safety Authority  Mission and tasks  Organisation /bodies: management board, executive director, advisory forum, scientific committee, scientific panels/  Operation /scientific opinions, scientific and technical assistance, scientific studies, collection of data, identification of emerging risks, rapid alert system, independence, transparency, confidentiality and communication, financial provisions/

WHO, Almaty 2002EFSA - the new Food Safety Agency9 Regulation /EC/ No. 178/2002 II. European Food Safety Authority TASKS  Scientific and technical support for the Community legislation and policies in all fields which have a direct or indirect impact on food and feed safety  Independent information on all matters within these fields and communicate on risks Assistance for European Commission, Parliament and Member States

WHO, Almaty 2002EFSA - the new Food Safety Agency10 Scientific Committee and Scientific Panels Responsible for providing scientific opinions of the EFSA  Sci. Committee – responsible for general coordination  Sci. Panels established on: - Food additives, flavourings, processinf aids and materials in contact with food - Feed additives - Plant health and protection - GMOs - Dietetic products, nutrition and allergies - Biological hazards - Contaminants in food chain - Animal health and welfare

WHO, Almaty 2002EFSA - the new Food Safety Agency11 Regulation /EC/ No. 178/2002 Rapid alert system Aim  Protection of consumers against hazard from foodstuffs  Rapid exchange of information among the EC Member States Information related to threatening health of population from food and feed should be communicated to population (identification of product, character of risk, measurements undertaken for risk prevention)

WHO, Almaty 2002EFSA - the new Food Safety Agency12 Regulation /EC/ No. 178/2002 Rapid alert system  Implementing measures, confidentiality rules  Emergency measures  Crisis management

WHO, Almaty 2002EFSA - the new Food Safety Agency13 EFSA Home page  Information on development the EFSA  Details, responsibilities, structures and missions of the EFSA

WHO, Almaty 2002EFSA - the new Food Safety Agency14 Bodies of the EFSA  management board  executive director  advisory forum  scientific committee  scientific panels  14 members appointed by the Council /incl. 4 members representing consumers and other interests in the food chain/  4 years /may be renewed once/  Internal rules of procedure shall be made public  Programme for the coming year - adopted by 31 January  General report on the EFSA activities for the previous year – adopted by 30 March

WHO, Almaty 2002EFSA - the new Food Safety Agency15 Bodies of the EFSA  management board  executive director  advisory forum  scientific committee  scientific panels  Appointed by the Management board /proposed by Commission after an open competition/ for 5 years /renewable/  Responsibilities are defined in details

WHO, Almaty 2002EFSA - the new Food Safety Agency16 Bodies of the EFSA  management board  executive director  advisory forum  scientific committee  scientific panels  One representative from each Member State - competent bodies in the MSs /tasks similar to the EFSA/  Advise Executive Director  Constitute a mechanisms for an exchange of information on potential risks  Ensure close cooperation between EFSA and MSs

WHO, Almaty 2002EFSA - the new Food Safety Agency17 Bodies of the EFSA  management board  executive director  advisory forum  scientific committee  scientific panels See the slide Nr. 10 Composed of the Chairs of the Sci. Panels + 6 independent experts who do not belong to any of the Sci. Panels Setting up working groups in the case of subjects which do not fall within the competence of the Sci. Panels

WHO, Almaty 2002EFSA - the new Food Safety Agency18 Bodies of the EFSA  management board  executive director  advisory forum  scientific committee  scientific panels See the slide Nr. 10 Members: - independent scientific experts - adapted by the Commission at the EFSA request - in the light of technical and scientific development

WHO, Almaty 2002EFSA - the new Food Safety Agency19 Operation of the EFSA  Issuing scientific opinions – at the request if the Commission or on its own initiative.  Documents shall be made public.  Scientific studies – commissioned in an open transparent fashion.  The EFSA should inform the European Parliament, the Commission and the Member States on the results of its scientific studies.  The EFSA should collect, collate, analyse and summarize scientific and technical data /in cooperation with.../ on: - Food consumption and exposure to risks - Incidence and prevalence of biological resk - Contaminants in food and feed - Residues.

WHO, Almaty 2002EFSA - the new Food Safety Agency20 Operation of the EFSA What is most important:  Collaboration  Scientific approach  Wide access to documents  Contacts with representatives of consumers, producers, processors and any other intersted parties