"Following a series of food scares in the 1990s (eg BSE, dioxins…)
which undermined consumer confidence in the safety of the food chain,
the European Union concluded that it needed to establish a new
scientific body charged with providing independent and objective advice
on food safety issues associated with the food chain. Its primary
objective as set out in the White Paper on Food Safety would be to:
“…contribute to a high level of consumer health protection in the area
of food safety, through which consumer confidence can be restored and
maintained.” The result was the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA).
Set
up provisionally in Brussels in 2002, EFSA provides independent
scientific advice on all matters linked to food and feed safety -
including animal health and welfare and plant protection - and provides
scientific advice on nutrition in relation to Community legislation.
The Authority communicates to the public in an open and transparent way
on all matters within its remit. EFSA’s risk assessments provide risk
managers (consisting of EU institutions with political accountability,
i.e. European Commission, European Parliament and Council) with a sound
scientific basis for defining policy driven legislative or regulatory
measures required to ensure a high level of consumer protection with
regards to food safety." (Source: EFSA website )
