European Food Safety Authority
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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
"EFSA" redirects here. For other uses, see EFSA (disambiguation).
European Food Safety Authority
Headquarters in Parma
Authority overview
Formed 21 February 2002
Jurisdiction European Union
Headquarters Parma, Emilia-Romagna, Italy
Motto Committed to ensuring that Europe's food is
safe
Bernhard Url, Executive Director
Authority executive
Key document Regulation (EC) No 178/2002
Website www.efsa.europa.eu
Map
Parma
European Food Safety Authority (European Union)
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) is the agency of the European Union (EU) that
provides independent scientific advice and communicates on existing and emerging risks associated
with the food chain.[1][2] EFSA was established in February 2002, is based in Parma, Italy, and for 2021
it has a budget of €118.6 million, and a total staff of 542.[3]
The work of EFSA covers all matters with a direct or indirect impact on food and feed safety,
including animal health and welfare, plant protection and plant health and nutrition. EFSA supports
the European Commission, the European Parliament and EU member states in taking effective and
timely risk management decisions that ensure the protection of the health of European
consumers and the safety of the food and feed chain. EFSA also communicates to the public in an
open and transparent way on all matters within its remit.
Structure[edit]
Based on a regulation of 2002,[2] the EFSA is composed of four bodies:
Management Board[4]
Executive Director
Advisory Forum
Scientific Committee and Scientific Panels
The Management Board sets the budget, approves work programmes, and is responsible for
ensuring that EFSA co-operates successfully with partner organisations across the EU and beyond. It
is composed of fourteen members appointed by the Council of the European Union in consultation
with the European Parliament from a list drawn up by the European Commission, plus one
representative of the European Commission.
The Executive Director is EFSA's legal representative and is responsible for day-to-day
administration, drafting and implementing work programmes, and implementing other decisions
adopted by the Management Board. They are appointed by the Management Board.
The Advisory Forum advises the Executive Director, in particular in drafting a proposal for the EFSA's
work programmes. It is composed of representatives of national bodies responsible for risk
assessment in the Member States, with observers from Norway, Iceland, Switzerland and the
European Commission.
The Scientific Committee and its Scientific Panels provide scientific opinions and advice, each within
their own sphere of competence, and are composed of independent scientific experts. The number
and names of the Scientific Panels are adapted in the light of technical and scientific development by
the European Commission at EFSA's request. The independent scientific experts are appointed by
the Management Board upon a proposal from the Executive Director for three-year terms.
Focal Point network[edit]
The EFSA cooperates with the national food safety authorities of the 27 EU member states, Iceland
and Norway, as well as observers from Switzerland and EU candidate countries, through its Focal
Points, who also communicate with research institutes and other stakeholders. They "assist in the
exchange of scientific information and experts, advise on cooperation activities and scientific projects,
promote training in risk assessment and raise EFSA's scientific visibility and outreach in Member
States."[5]
Members[edit]
The following countries' national food safety authorities are members of the EFSA Focal Point
network:[6]
