EFSA renews membership to Scientific Committee and Panels for new 3-year term

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has today published the names and accompanying Declarations of Interest of the 167 scientists who will start working with the Authority on its Scientific Committee and eight of its Panels from 1 July 2012 onwards for a three year term.

According to EFSA’s Founding Regulation, the Authority’s Scientific Committee and Panels are to be renewed every three years, with current members either replaced or re-appointed. Now in its tenth year, EFSA has successfully renewed its Scientific Committee and eight of its Scientific Panels for the third time. Publication of the new panel and Scientific Committee compositions follows a rigorous selection procedure that was coordinated by EFSA. The process was reviewed by an external evaluation committee and the final lists were adopted by EFSA’s Management Board on 14 June 2012.

Commenting on the new Scientific Committee and Panel composition, Dr. Hubert Deluyker, EFSA’s Director of Science Strategy and Coordination explained “EFSA can only fulfil its mission thanks to the contribution of top scientists employed by national food safety agencies, universities and other research bodies. Their experience gives us the best multi-disciplinary expertise at a level impossible to achieve on our own. In response to our call for Scientific Committee and Panel members, EFSA attracted a very high calibre of scientific expertise. The balance between our current and new experts will enable consistency in the quality of work that is expected from us while challenging our thinking to ensure the successful implementation of the Authority’s Science Strategy.”

Recognising that in its tenth anniversary year, a considerable number of experts have supported the Authority from the outset, Deluyker said “We are indebted to those experts who since the early days have given their time and know-how in the name of public health, ensuring that the risks connected with food remain as low as possible and that food continues to be associated with pleasure and health for all.”

• Scientific Committee and Panel renewal 2012

Profiles of Scientific Committee and Panel members in brief:

• Strong expertise present in universities and other public research institutes throughout the European Union as well as from governmental bodies.
• EFSA is placing greater reliance on working with experts from similar food safety organisations which pursue public health interest objectives.
• 41% come from universities, 39% from public research institutes and 15% from government bodies (the remaining 5% are retired from such institutions).