EFSA provides independent scientific advice on food safety and nutrition issues to the European Commission, European Parliament, and EU member states. In 2013, EFSA predicted 676 scientific outputs to meet the continuing high demand for scientific advice. Key priorities included boosting risk assessment capacity, enhancing dialogue with risk managers, and improving efficiency. Major science highlights included providing scientific opinions on meat inspection modernization, dietary reference values, and assessments of genetically modified organisms, pesticides, and food contact materials.

1. EFSA general priorities
Per Bergman
Director of
Scientific Evaluation of Regulated Products Directorate (REPRO)
ECPA-IBMA workshop with EFSA on evaluation on PPP
Committed since 2002
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to ensuring that Europe’s food is safe

2. About EFSA
EFSA gives advice from farm to fork
Plant Health Plant Protection
Genetically modified
organisms
Animal health
Biological Animal feed
and welfare and
food their diseases
chain hazards
Food additives
Dietary,
Food chain Flavourings and
nutritional and
contaminants Procesing aids
novel food
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2 Food packaging

3. What EFSA does
Who can task EFSA?
European Commission EU Member States
European Parliament Self-tasking
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4. EFSA’s guiding principles
Core values
• Scientific excellence
• Independence
• Openness
• Transparency
• Responsiveness
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5. Organisation

6. Organisation

7. REPRO – Application areas
Main food and feed regulatory areas where REPRO Responsible unit
is currently called to review applications (REPRO Directorate)
Food additives
Nutrient sources
Flavourings FIP
Enzymes
Food contact material
Feed additives FEED
Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) GMO
Health claims
Novel food
NUTRITION
Infant formulae
Food allergies
Plant Protection Products: active substances (PPP) and
PESTICIDES
Maximum Residual Levels (MRL)
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8. About REPRO
• REgulated • Assess, advise, communicate
• PROducts • Independent, based on sound science
Mandate
Provide scientific advice and support for EU legislation,
policies in fields that impact food and feed safety
Provide independent information on all relevant matters
Communicate the risks
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9. Scientific outputs
A.1. Opinions of Scientific Committee
(SC)/Scientific Panel (SP)
A.2 Other EFSA scientific outputs
A.1.1 Opinion of the SC/SP
A.2.1 Statement of EFSA
A.1.2 Statement of the SC/SP
A.2.2 Guidance of EFSA
A.1.3 Guidance of the SC/SP
A.2.3 Conclusion on Pesticides Peer Review
A.2.4 Reasoned Opinion
A.2.5 Scientific Report of EFSA
B. Supporting publications
B.1 Technical Report
B.2 External Scientific Report
B.3 Event Report
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10. Publication of scientific outputs
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http://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/publications/efsajournal.htm

11. Working together
Cooperation with:
• 30 national food safety agencies
• 300 research institutes
• Over 1500 experts
• EU Agencies
• 3rd country organisations
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12. EFSA Outputs: Examination of
authorisation dossiers
Outputs related to applications vs. total outputs
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13. Current applications workload
Steadily increasing applications in number and complexity
• Since 2003 number of applications almost doubled
• 900 new dossiers in 2010 - of which 450 on health claims
Applications typically come in bulk within large product
reviews (PPP, food and feed additives, health claims, etc.)
More than 40% of EFSA budget spent on applications in 2011
The work in this area comprises 60-70% of the overall
EFSA´s scientific outputs
Very complex legal environment evolving over time
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14. 2013 priorities
• Continuing high demand for scientific advice: 676
scientific outputs predicted
• Further boost risk assessment capacity: full
implementation of EFSA Science Strategy 2012-2016; enhanced
knowledge management programme; support for managing scientific
literature; structured scientific data
• Dialogue with risk managers: multi-annuality
• Review of planning in scientific cooperation: efficiency
of contracts & grants programme (€10.6 million); strategic and
multiannual approach; workshops with stakeholders
• Continue enhancing EFSA’s efficiency: business process
mapping
• EU economic/budgetary context and EU multi-annual
financial framework 2014-2020
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15. Other priorities in 2013
• New services delivered by EFSA’s Application
Helpdesk: interactions with SMEs, streamline of application
procedures
• Electronic submission of applications: feasibility study
and benchmarking with other EU agencies
• Human capital development: training for Panel members and
EFSA staff, enhanced knowledge management programme
• Integrated quality management system: scientific outputs
covered by December 2013
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16. 2013 science highlights (I)
Public health
– Meat inspection: scientific basis for the modernisation of meat
inspection in EU, multidisciplinary
– Dietary reference values for micronutrients
– Plant toxicants
– Mycotoxins
– TSEs
– Metals, mercury in fish
– Perfluoro compounds
– Animal-based welfare indicators
Risk ranking: multiagency project, prioritisation of requests for work
Crisis preparedness: annual training and simulation exercises organised
with Member States 16

17. 2013 science highlights (II)
Application-related
– GMOs: cultivation and post-market environmental monitoring,
guidance document on risk assessment of GM animals
– Health claims: Article 13.5 and Article 14/reevaluation of some
Article 13 claims
– Pesticides: new active substances, renewals of approval,
cumulative risk assessment
– Plastic food contact materials
– Recycled materials
– Process aids
– Flavourings, enzymes
– Novel foods
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