Scientific Cooperation
Scientific cooperation between EFSA and the Member States is essential to the functioning of the Authority, enabling it to fulfil its main objective, to protect consumers and to re-establish and maintain their trust in European food products.
This collaboration promotes the harmonisation of risk assessment practices, fosters communication of practices, strengthens the capacities of the Member States and therefore also their scientific excellence, improves resource management and avoids possible divergence and duplication of projects.
EFSA also works with the national authorities with responsibility for risk assessment, through the Advisory Forum and with specific Focal Points, which act as a hub uniting EFSA and the different authorities of the Member States. The Forum has a working group on communications, which works with the communications departments of national food safety agencies.
In relation to this cooperation, it is worth mentioning Article 36 of EFSA’s founding regulation, the foundation by which the Management Board approves a list of public and private organisations, proposed by Member States, which can assist EFSA in some of its tasks. These organisations can formally apply to participate in EFSA’s calls for projects.