European Food Safety Authority seeks scientists for its scientific committee and panels, and hopes that a permanent location will be found soon
The management board of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA,
http://www.efsa.eu.int) met on 21 January, and among the issues discussed was selection of the experts who will provide scientific opinions to the EFSA (1). An expression of interest in membership of the EFSA Scientific Committee and panels was published the same day, with a closing date of 14 March
(
http://www.efsa.eu.int/recruitment_en.html). Those selected will be proposed to the board on 29 April, and the EFSA risk assessment programme is scheduled to begin soon after this date, making the EFSA scientifically operational.
Operation of the planned EFSA advisory forum was also discussed. This will consist of one representative for each European Union (EU) member state. Effective functioning of this body will be vital to the success of the EFSA, and so membership, independence, responsibilities, openness, and other issues were put under close scrutiny, prior to making a decision on the most appropriate operating principles to serve the European public interest.
A permanent location for the EFSA has yet to be found, and chairman of the board Stuart Slorach expressed his hope that a decision on this will be reached under the Greek Presidency of the
EU.