Brussels, 20/06/2005 (Agence Europe) - The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), the pivotal food safety body in the European Union which is tasked with the evaluation and communication of food risks, is to open its official headquarters in Parma on 21 June, at the Ducal Palace of Parma. Stuart Slorach, the president of the board, Geoffrey Podger, the executive director and members of the board and staff of the EFSA will be the hosts for this inauguration ceremony. The Italian Prime Minister, Silvio Berlusconi, and the President of the European Commission, Jose Manuel Barosso, will take part, as will members of the European Parliament, representatives of National food safety authorities and experts from EFSA scientific committees. Created in 2002 by regulation 178/2002/EC, which also laid down general principles of food legislation guaranteeing safety from the farm to the table, the EFSA was temporarily housed in Brussels. One third of the 150 people who make up its staff had already moved to Parma. By next autumn, all of its staff should be settled in Parma for good (EUROPE 8968).