European Commission launches call for new EFSA Management Board Member

The European Commission has launched a call for a new member of the European Food Safety Authority’s (EFSA) Management Board. The Commission is organising a selection procedure for one position of the 15-member Board whose term will expire on 30 June 2014. A member of the Authority’s Management Board has resigned and is to be replaced until the end of the term of office.

An open call for expressions of interest has been published in the Official Journal of the European Communities on 31 July 2012. The Council of the European Union will appoint the Board member based on a list of possible candidates submitted by the European Commission and after consulting the European Parliament. Members of the Management Board are appointed in accordance with the provisions of Article 25 of EFSA’s Founding Regulation 178/2002.

The current membership of EFSA’s Management Board includes only three members (instead of the statutory four) with a background in organisations representing consumers and other interests in the food chain. The Commission therefore encourages in particular applications from candidates having this background noting that the current Board has one member with a background in organisations representing consumer interests and two members with a background in organisations representing other interests in the food chain.

Established in 2002, the EFSA’s Management Board has responsibility for establishing the budget and work programmes, monitoring their implementation, and appointing the Executive Director and members of the Scientific Committee and the Scientific Panels. The Board meets four-five times a year.

Interested candidates should submit their applications to the European Commission by 21 September 2012.

• Official Journal of the European Communities on 31 July 2012