GMO's and food safety: An introduction to the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA)

摘要

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) provides independent scientific advice and technical support in the field of food and feed safety for the European Community's legislation and policies. EFSA is an independent body that has been established tocontribute to a high level of consumer health protection in the area of food safety and to rebuild the consumer confidence in the safety of the food chain. The organisiation, which will grow to 350 employees by the end of 2006, is led by a Management Board and an Advisory Forum, whereas the scientific activities of the EFSA are split into 8 scientific panels. The employees of the EFSA and the panel scientists cover a broad range of expertise on all aspects of the food chain. The panels answer scientific questions posed by the European Commission or work on issues identified by self-tasking - for example, the formulation of guidance documents for the registration of GMO's. EFSA is communicating and consulting with a huge number of stakeholders from NGO's to industry. Its working principles arc separation of risk assessment from risk management, transparency, openness and keeping its independence.