EFSA boss welcomes findings of independent report

EFSA boss Catherine Geslain-Lanéelle has welcomed the findings of an external evaluation that say the safety authority ‘continues to demonstrate its value as the cornerstone of risk assessment for food and feed in the EU, and fulfil its obligations to operate in an independent manner’. However, the review also makes a number of recommendations on how the EFSA could further improve its performance.

The report, by international auditors Ernst & Young, notes the ‘high quality of EFSA’s scientific outputs and risk communication activities’ and highlights its culture of ‘transparency and robust systems to ensure the impartiality of its scientific advice’.

But it goes on to recommend that it enhances transparency in some decision-making processes, builds better links with Member States, increases its planning and prioritisation capacity, and improves the clarity of its communications and develop its data collection practices.

“This external evaluation underlines that EFSA operates to the highest standards – particularly with regard to the quality of our scientific opinions and risk assessment methodologies,” comments EFSA executive director Geslain-Lanéelle. “Independence, transparency and openness are core values upon which the Authority is built and the review acknowledges that our culture and safeguards in this respect are among the most rigorous of any comparable organisation.

“We welcome the recommendations the report makes to improve the way we operate still further and these will be key in laying the foundations to build our strategic plan over the next five years.”
 

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