Brussels, 11/06/2015 (Agence Europe) - The European Food Safety Agency (EFSA) has had something of a reshuffle. On Thursday 11 June (see EUROPE 11103) EFSA announced that it has renewed the memberships of eight of its scientific Panels and its Scientific Committee. The CVs and declarations of interest by the scientists were published the same day.
The 167 scientists - about half of whom are joining EFSA for the first time - will start their three-year term on 1 July 2015.
In a press release, Dr Tobin Robinson, head of EFSA's Science Strategy and Coordination Department, stated: “We have attracted very highly qualified scientists from across Europe that will make a difference to Europe's food safety system”. The experts from the scientific committee responsible for transversal questions such as harmonising risk assessment approaches, new methodologies and specialist scientific groups are selected on the basis of their proven scientific excellence and their independence, explained EFSA.
The inaugural meetings will take place at the beginning of July at EFSA's premises in Parma. During these meetings, experts are informed about EFSA strategy, risk assessment, the Authority's policy on independence and implementing rules. Each Panel will also meet separately to discuss its future work programmes and elect its Chair and vice-Chairs.
EFSA's Management Board will appoint some additional experts to replace those that did not accept the appointment or who were not nominated at the March meeting of the Management Board. Their CVs and declarations of interest will be published by the first inaugural meeting on 1-2 July.
The recruitment procedure was launched in April 2014 with a call for expressions of interest. Two EFSA groups, one on food additives and sources of nutrients (ANS group) and the group on materials in contact with foodstuffs, enzymes, flavourings and technological auxiliaries (CEF) were already reshuffled in 2013. (Aminata Niang)