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Seven BfR scientists appointed to EFSA panels

15/2006, 09.06.2006

Their selection confirms the Institute’s high scientific standard

A total of seven scientists from the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) have been appointed to the ten scientific advisory bodies of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). Over the next three years, they - together with a further 184 scientists mainly from EU Member States - will advise EFSA. "The appointment of my staff members following a strict selection procedure confirms the high scientific standard of our work which was recently praised in the Scientific Council’s expert report", commented BfR President Professor Dr. Dr. Andreas Hensel on the decision by the EFSA Management Board.

According to the founding regulation of the European Food Safety Authority, the members of the nine scientific panels and the Scientific Committee are appointed or reappointed every three years. These advisory panels are the scientific backbone of EFSA. They prepare expert opinions and advise the European Commission on food safety matters. In this way, they create the scientific basis for Commission decisions on improving consumer health protection in Europe.

The experts for these bodies were chosen from 874 applicants by EFSA staff members. They were then assessed and put forward by an external selection committee with the support of the Advisory Forum and subsequently appointed by the EFSA Management Board. The main selection criteria were scientific expertise and independence. To guarantee transparency and avoid conflicts of interests, the members of the expert bodies must submit an annual declaration on their links to interest groups (Declaration of Interests). One central requirement is that they input their independent scientific expertise into the panels.

In future, BfR scientists will be involved in the following EFSA Scientific Expert Panels:

• Food additives, flavourings, processing aids and materials in contact with food (AFC)

• Animal health and welfare (AHAW)

• Biohazards (BIOHAZ)

• Contaminants in the food chain (CONTAM)

• Genetically modified organisms (GMO)

• Dietetic products, nutrition and allergies (NDA)

Further information on the expert panels and appointed procedure can be accessed on www.efsa.eu.int./press_room/press_release/1513_en.html

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