Brussels, 06/09/2002 (Agence Europe) - The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA)'s management board will hold its inaugural meeting in Brussels on 18/19 September. Brussels is where the headquarters of the EFSA is provisionally based, whilst a decision is taken about the permanent location from among the candidate cities - Helsinki, Parma, Barcelona and Lille. The first working meeting will be attended by the 14 members appointed by a 15 July 2002 decision of the EU Council, and Robert Coleman, Director General of DG Health and Consumer Protection at the European Commission, who has been appointed by the European Commission as its representative (see Europe of 7 July, p.10). the EFSA's management board's main task is to ensure that the Authority works effectively and competently in line with the EU regulation officially setting it up (Regulation 178/2002 of 28 January 2002). Under the regulation, it will be responsible for adopting work programmes and a draft budget and ensure they are applied. It will also adopt the Authority's rules of procedure and appoint an Executive Director from a list of candidates drafted by the Commission, along with the members of a committee and standing scientific groups.