The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) provides the European Commission with independent scientific advice on all matters with a direct or indirect impact on food safety. It is a separate legal entity, independent from the other EU institutions.

The establishment of EFSA was one of the key measures contained in the Commission’s White Paper on Food Safety, which was published in January 2000. The Regulation 178/2002/EC providing a legal basis for the Authority was formally adopted on 28 January 2002.

Two additional Commission Regulations were adopted, 1304/2003 EC, which set up the procedure applied by the EFSA to request for scientific opinions referred to it, and 2230/2004 EC, which laid down rules with regard to the network of organisations operating in the fields within the EFSA’s mission. The procedures relating to the requests for scientific opinions which EFSA formulate on its own initiative or which originate from the Commission, Parliament or Member States requests must generally ensure that the process is objective, transparent and functional. Commission Regulation (EC) No 2230/2004 singles out the criteria that must be satisfied by the bodies assisting EFSA, by themselves or within a network.

The competent organisations must posses a high level of scientific or technical expertise in one or several fields and their organisational arrangements must include specific procedures and rules ensuring that any tasks entrusted to them by the Authority will be performed with independence and integrity.

EFSA’s work covers all stages of food production and supply, from primary production to the safety of animal feed, right through to the supply of food to consumers. It collects information and analyses new scientific developments so it can identify and assess any potential risks to the food chain. It can carry out scientific assessment on any matter that may have a direct or indirect effect on the safety of the food supply, including matters relating to animal health, animal welfare and plant health.

EFSA also gives scientific advice on non-food and feed GMOs as well as on nutrition in relation to EU legislation. It can communicate directly with the public on any issue within its area of responsibility.
This site contains archive material related to five committees which were transferred to EFSA in May 2003:

• Scientific Committee on Food
• Scientific Committee on Animal Nutrition
• Scientific Committee on Veterinary Measures relating to Public Health
• Scientific Committee on Plants
• Scientific Committee on Animal Health and Animal Welfare

All were established by Commission Decision 97/579/EC. At the same time the Scientific Steering Committee was dissolved and its responsibilities in relation to scientific advice on BSE/TSE were also transferred to EFSA. More information on these committees is available here.

A list of 12 names was adopted by the Commission on 11 March 2008 with a view to the appointment by the Council of 7 members of the Management Board of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), whose term of office ends on 30 June 2008.

	Partial renewal of the Management Board of the European Food Safety Authority Applications are invited for the positions of 7 out of 14 members of the Management Board of the European Food Safety Authority established by Regulation (EC) N. 178/2002 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 28 January 2002 laying down the general principles and requirements of food law, establishing the European Food Safety Authority and laying down procedures in matters of food safety. The Authority is located in Parma, Italy. The call for expressions of interest is published in the Official Journal of the European Union : OJ C 168 of 21 July 2009. Application form : The final deadline for submission of applications is 30.09.09 As mentioned in the call and in order to facilitate the selection procedure, the Candidates are encouraged to include a summary of experience and other pertinent information in English.