The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) is preparing a scientific opinion on technical assistance for risk communication in the food chain. An online public consultation on this draft opinion is open until 17 January 2021.
It provides an assessment of the concept and best practices in risk communication. The objective is to assist the European Commission in implementing a new provision of the 2019 (EU) ‘Transparency Regulation’ 2019/1381 on an integrated risk communication framework to be followed by risk assessors and risk managers at both EU and national level.
The draft opinion reviews all the evidence provided by all the scientific literature on key issues such as: - reducing ambiguity of the difference in meaning between “hazard” and “risk”; - tackling false information and its sources; - taking into account the risk perceptions of different audiences; - segmenting audiences and tailoring information to their needs; - developing mechanisms for structured risk communication planning and operations.
Experts in risk communication and scientific communication - including practitioners from national, European and international public authorities involved in risk assessment and risk management - are invited to comment on this draft opinion. (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)