EFSAnews : the Newsletter of the European Food Safety Authority. N°16, December 2007.
Date: 2005-08-23
Institutions: European Food Safety Authority
Subjects: European Food Safety Authority, serial publication

The Newsletter of the European Food Safety Authority

N°16 - December 2007

I

S
S
N
1
8
3
0
-
3
8
0
3

Contents

GENERAL NEWS

A series of events to mark EFSA’s

first 5 years 

p1

p1

p2

EFSA strengthens relationships

with Member States

p2

EFSA and FDA strengthen 

co-operation on food safety 

p2

p2

science

SCIENTIFIC NEWS

EFSA to prepare a scientific 

opinion on animal welfare 

aspects of the killing and 

skinning of seals 

p3

EFSA workshop on assessing 

pesticide risks for birds and 

mammals 

p3

European Commission request to

EFSA for advice on animal cloning

p4

p4

p4

p4

ANNOUNCEMENTS

EFSA announces Scientific 

Colloquium No.10 on Plant

Health

PUBLICATIONS

EFSA Scientific Colloquium 

Summary Report No. 6: 

Risk-Benefit Analysis of Foods –

Methods and Approaches

p4

Community Summary Report on

Zoonoses 2005 

p4

NUMBER OF SCIENTIFIC 

OPINIONS, STATEMENTS AND

OTHER SCIENTIFIC DOCUMENTS

PER PANEL FROM APRIL TO

SEPTEMBER 2007

A SERIES OF EVENTS TO MARK EFSA’S FIRST 5 YEARS

in  co-operation  with  the  University  of  Parma. 
For the general public, a range of activities was on
offer  in  Parma  during  the  week  to  present  EFSA 
and  its  work  to  adults  and  children  with  handouts, 
interactive games, video projections and a programme
of  lectures  and  conferences  as  well  as  an  Open 
Door Day.
Through these events, understanding about the work
of EFSA and how it contributes to consumer safety in
the European Union has been increased. This will be 
strengthened as the 5th anniversary celebrations will 
conclude  with  weeklong  activities  scheduled  for 
Brussels in November this year.
During this week, a Scientific Forum will take place on 
20-21 November. This two-day event will mark EFSA’s 
commitment  to  excellence  in  science  through 
discussing “From safe food to healthy diets: EU risk 
assessment  past,  present  and  future” with  Europe’s 
top experts in food and feed safety, plant protection
and animal health and welfare. The Forum offers an
opportunity  for  EFSA  to  discuss  with  the  scientific
community, and other interested parties such as the
media, consumers and industry.
A  European  Food  Safety  Summit  will  be  jointly 
organised by EFSA, the Portuguese Presidency and
the European Commission. Taking place on 22 November
2007, the Summit is open to the general public upon
registration through the EFSA website.

An exhibition will also be organised in the European 
Parliament.

Information about both the Brussels Scientific Forum
and European Food Summit can be found online at:
http://www.efsa.europa.eu/EFSA/1178620777283/
efsa_locale-1178620753812_events.htm

Further information about the 5th anniversary activities
can be found here:
http://www.efsa.europa.eu/EFSA/AboutEfsa/
efsa_locale-1178620753812_
EFSAFiveYearAnniversary.htm

EFSA

news 1
news 1EFSA

2007  marks  the  5th anniversary  of  the  foundation 
of  the  European  Food  Safety  Authority  (EFSA). 
This is an appropriate time to assess achievements
and  plan  for  a  challenging  future.  But  a  special 
birthday  is  also  a  cause  for  celebration  and 
throughout the year EFSA is focusing on spreading 
its  message  to  an  even  wider  audience.  EFSA  has 
already  this  year  organised  a  series  of  events  in 
Brussels, Parma and Ispra where young and old joined
in the fun and in the process discovered more about
what EFSA does and stands for.
During the first week in May, EFSA played its part in
Brussels  during  the  EC  Open  Doors  Days  at  the
Berlaymont, which attracted over 80,000 visitors. The
EFSA stand was the focus of great interest as children
and  their  parents  took  turns  to  enjoy  the  memory
game  and  giant  puzzle  and  leave  with  take-away
memories of their “EFSA Experience”.
In  Parma  on  9  May,  EFSA  organised  several  local
events to mark Europe Day. Over 2500 people visited
an information stand on Piazza Garibaldi shared with
the Commune of Parma.
An EFSA outdoor exhibition held in Ispra on 12 May
in  the  parkland  grounds  of  the  European  Joint 
Research  Centre  (JRC)  was  another  great  success.
Professional  children’s  animators  explained  the 
work  of  EFSA  in  an  entertaining  interactive  way, 
while  EFSA  scientific  staff  was  on  hand  to  bring 
technically-aware  visitors  up-to-date  on 
more 
EFSA science activities. 
Celebrations continued with a whole week of events
in Parma from 1-7 October. They included a special
anniversary event with local, national and European
dignitaries  as  well  as  a  Scientific  Symposium  on 
Food  Safety,  Nutrition  and  Nanotechnology,  held 

 
EFSA STRENGTHENS RELATIONSHIPS WITH MEMBER STATES

EFSA’s 5th anniversary celebrations continue to provide a
perfect opportunity to focus on relationships with Member
States and institutional partners. “Through these initiatives
more  people  will  understand  more  about  who  we  are, 
how we work and how we contribute to food safety,” said 
Catherine  Geslain-Lanéelle  who  detailed  a  significant 
programme  of  events  designed  to  present  EFSA  and 
its work.
Rome  featured  in  June  when  the  Italian  Ministry  of
Health and EFSA organised a Scientific Conference in
the  Istituto  Superiore  di  Sanità  on  the  subject  of 
“EFSA  and  Food  Safety  in  the  EU:  Achievements  &
Challenges”. 
Moving  to  Bratislava,  EFSA  and  the  Ministry  of 
Agriculture  of  the  Slovak  Republic  organised  a  joint
conference  focussed  on  “Commitment  to  Food 
Safety”.  The  joint  event  was  followed  by  a  press 
conference and a meeting of EFSA's Advisory Forum
during  the  following  days,  hosted  by  the  Slovak 
Ministry of  Agriculture. 

The Colosseum in Rome

The  joint  events  series  was  continued  with  a 
conference in Bucharest, Romania in September, where
also the 32nd meeting of EFSA’s Management Board
took place, kindly hosted by the Romanian Ministry of 
Agriculture, Forests and Rural Development.
On the occasion of the 5th anniversaries of both EFSA

and  the  Spanish  Food  Safety  Authority  AESAN,  the 
in 
International  University  Menéndez  y  Pelayo 
Santander, Spain organised a joint conference which
took  place  in  September  in  Spain.  The  aim  of  the 
conference was to discuss food safety and nutrition-
related topics as well as to present key achievements 
of  the  two  Food  Safety  Authorities  over  the  last 
five years.

The most recent event took place in Lisbon, Portugal
on 19 September, where also EFSA’s Advisory Forum
held  its  latest  meeting.  The  objective  of  the  event 
was  to  discuss  with  Portuguese  authorities  and 
stakeholders food safety-related topics and to look at
the best ways of contributing to safer food in Europe.

Detailed information about joint events with Member
States can be found on the EFSA website:
http://www.efsa.europa.eu/EFSA/1178620777283/
efsa_locale-1178620753812_events.htm

EFSA AND FDA STRENGTHEN CO-OPERATION ON FOOD SAFETY SCIENCE

and  it  heralds  the  first  formal  step  in  co-operation 
between the two bodies.
This  event  in  many  ways  reflects  the  fact  that 
the  food  chain  today  is  a  truly  global  one  –  a  view 
shared  by 
the  agreement, 
Catherine  Geslain - Lanéelle  for  EFSA  and  Andrew 
C. von Eschenbach for the FDA.

the  signatories  of 

“Food  safety  knows  no  national  boundaries,”  said
EFSA’s  Executive  Director.  “We  need  to  work  with 
the best scientific minds from across the world and 
extend  scientific  co-operation  to  assess  food  safety
risks and protect consumers even more. I am delighted
to be signing this agreement.”
“The FDA recognises that scientific co-operation is vital
for  the  success  of  its  mission,  which  is  to  provide 

the  best  possible  health  protection  for  the  public,” 
said Andrew C. von Eschenbach, M.D., Commissioner,
Food  and  Drugs.  “We  welcome  this  opportunity  for 
scientific exchanges with our European colleagues.”

While informal co-operation and dialogue had already
been established between the two bodies, this legal
agreement will enable contacts to be formalised and
extended  and  will  also  safeguard  the  transfer  of 
confidential scientific information. EFSA will be looking
to  develop  similar  working  arrangements  with  other 
authorities worldwide in the coming years.

For more information go to: 
h t t p : / / w w w. e f s a . e u r o p a . e u / E F S A / e f s a _ l o c a l e -
1178620753812_1178621165446.htm

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and the
U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) signed on 
2 July 2007 the first U.S./European agreement in the
area  of  assessing  food  safety  risks.  This  is  the  first 
international co-operation agreement signed by EFSA

SCIENTIFIC NEWS

EFSA  TO  PREPARE  A  SCIENTIFIC
OPINION ON THE ANIMAL WELFARE
ASPECTS  OF  THE  KILLING  AND 
SKINNING OF SEALS

The  European  Commission  has  asked  EFSA  for  a 
scientific opinion on the animal welfare aspects of 
methods  for  killing  and  skinning  seals  currently 
being used in both EU and non-EU countries. EFSA 
has  also  been  requested  to  assess,  based  on 
current scientific knowledge, the most appropriate/

suitable  killing  methods  for  seals  that  will  avoid 
or  reduce  any  unnecessary  pain,  distress  and 
suffering. In its scientific opinion, the EFSA Panel on 
Animal  Health  and  Welfare  (AHAW)  will  review 
and  evaluate  all  the  methods  from  a  scientific 
viewpoint  and  intends  to  prepare  an  initial  draft
opinion  followed  by  a  public  consultation  process 
before  arriving  at  its  final  conclusions.  EFSA  will 
limit  itself  to  the  scientific  aspects  related  to  the 
animal  health  and  welfare  issues  involved,  as  the 
include 
Authority’s 

legal  mandate  does  not 

societal  or  ethical  aspects  of  animal  welfare.  The 
animal  health  and  welfare  panel  of  the  Norwegian 
Scientific Committee for Food Safety, which has also 
set  up  a  working  group,  will  provide  relevant  data 
and input.

Although  EFSA’s  scientific  work  in  respect  to 
animal  health  and  welfare  issues  is  mainly  in 
relation to the food producing animals and the food 
chain, the Authority also addresses issues in other 
areas. The opinion on seals will evaluate, as far as 

EFSA

news  2

is  scientifically  possible,  the  degree  of  pain, 
distress and suffering that may be caused by each 
method.  It  will  also  assess  the  most  appropriate 
killing methods so that seals will not be caused to 
suffer  unnecessary  pain  and  distress,  or  other 
adverse effects. 

In order to ensure all scientific information is taken 
into  account  in  the  final  opinion, EFSA  met  with 
stakeholders  on  4  October  to  discuss  work  in 
progress on this issue. Around 40 organisations from
11  countries  attended  from  a  broad  cross-section 
of  animal  welfare  groups,  hunter  associations, 
scientific  institutions,  industry  bodies  and  national 
authorities,  including  Inuit  representatives.  The 
stakeholders  reviewed  and  commented  on  the 
draft  report  prepared  by  a  working  group  of  the 
AHAW  Panel,  provided  additional  information  and 
received  clarification  from  the  working  group  on 
details of the report.

The AHAW Panel aims to adopt its final opinion by 
December 2007. 

For further updates on this topic go to:
http://www.efsa.eur opa.eu/EFSA/efsa_locale-
1178620753812_1178654267511.htm

EFSA  WORKSHOP  ON  ASSESSING 
PESTICIDE  RISKS  FOR  BIRDS  AND
MAMMALS

EFSA  is  in  charge  of  providing  and  updating 
EU-level  guidance  on  conducting  risk  assessment 
in  the  field  of  pesticides,  a  task  it  took  over  from 
the  European  Commission  in  2006.  The  guidance 
is  used  by  Member  States  when  carrying  out 
safety  evaluations  and  companies  applying  for 
market  authorisations  in  the  context  of  Council 
Directive  91/414/EEC  on  the  placing  of  plant 
protection products on the market. 

EFSA’s  Panel  on  Plant  Protection  Products  and 
their  Residues  (PPR  Panel)  is  currently  revising 
the  Guidance  Document  on  Risk  Assessment  for 
Birds  and  Mammals,  which  describes  how  to 
assess  risks  from  plant  protection  products  for 
birds  and  mammals.  Although  this  document  only 
dates  back  to  2002, recent  advances  in  scientific 
understanding mean that existing approaches can be
updated and improved. 

To  carry  out  this  detailed  exercise  to  the  highest 
standards,  EFSA  has  actively  sought  input  from  all 
key stakeholder organisations and has involved top 
European  experts  in  the  process.  An  online  public 
consultation  held  in  July–September  2006  led 
to EFSA’s setting up several expert working groups 

involving stakeholders to consider how the feedback 
received and relevant new scientific knowledge are 
to be  incorporated  into  the  revised  Guidance 
Document. 

On  8 -11  May  2007  EFSA  organised  a  scientific 
workshop  on  the  “Use  of  Focal  Species  and 
Ecological  Parameters 
in  Risk  Assessment 
Refinement”  in  Valencia,  Spain.  The  aim  was  to 
update  interested  parties  on  the  state  of  play 
and  direction  of  the  revision  process,  discuss 
possible  methodologies  for  conducting  first  tier 
and  refined  risk  assessments  and  demonstrate 
available  methods 
collecting  ecological 
for 
parameter  data.  Around  50  experts  took  part, 
including  representatives  from  22  Member  States, 
industry  and  academia,  many  of  whom  were 
risk  assessors  or  risk  managers  with  an  in-depth 
knowledge  of  the  Guidance  Document  through 
their daily work.

For  this  in-depth  scientific  discussion,  experts 
presented ongoing work in a range of technical fields 
including  focal  species  and  ecological  parameters, 
diet  of
farmland  birds,  the  proportion  of  diet 
obtained from treated areas, residues in food items 
and different model approaches to cover all routes 
of  exposure.  Participants  also  observed  a  generic 
field  study  to  measure  ecological  parameters  in 
local  citrus  orchards,  including  radio  tracking  of 
birds and dietary analysis using faecal samples. 

Tony  Hardy,  Agri-Environment  Research  Director 
of the Central Science Laboratory in York, UK and 
Chair  of
the PPR  Panel,  said: “We  are  seeking 
active  co-operation  especially  with  the  Member 
States  and  we  would  like  not  only  to  inform  our 
partners  of  our  outputs  but  to  listen  to  their 
the 
opinions,  comments  and  criticisms  on 
the 
taking.”  He  underlined 
direction  we  are 
importance  of  the  event  not  only  for  the  process 
in question but also for future exercises where EFSA
will take a similarly open and co-operative approach. 

EFSA’s  PPR  Panel  will  use  the  valuable  input 
received  at  the  workshop  to  take  forward  the 
revision  process,  and  intend  to  hold  a  second 
public  consultation  on  a  draft  version  of  the 
updated Guidance Document by the end of 2007. 

the  workshop 

information  on 

More 
including
the  programme,  presentations  and  background 
papers are available at:
http://www.efsa.eur opa.eu/EFSA/efsa_locale-
1178620753812_1178623592142.htm

General information about the PPR Panel and EFSA’s 
work on pesticides can be found on EFSA’s website at 
the following links:
http://www.efsa.europa.eu/EFSA/ScientificPanels/
efsa_locale-1178620753812_PPR.htm 
h t t p : / / w w w. e f s a . e u r o p a . e u / E F S A / Ke y To p i c s /
efsa_locale-1178620753812_Pesticides.htm

EUROPEAN  COMMISSION  REQUEST  TO
EFSA FOR ADVICE ON ANIMAL CLONING

EFSA  is  progressing  its  work  on  the  request  from 
the European Commission (EC) for an opinion on the 
possible  implications  of  cloning  for  food  safety, 
animal health, animal welfare and environment in the 
European Union (EU). The opinion when adopted will
help inform any future EU measures for cloned animals
and their products. 

Given  that  animal  cloning  issues  cut  across  different
EFSA Panels the Scientific Committee, which includes
the Chairs of all EFSA Panels, is leading the work and
has  established  a  working  group  of  experts  from 
relevant areas, such as animal reproduction technology,
genetic characterisation, developmental biology, animal
health and welfare and toxicology.

The aim is to have a draft opinion for public consultation
by the end of 2007. The final opinion would be adopted
in the first quarter of 2008. At the same time as EFSA
is working on its opinion, the European Group on Ethics
in Science and New Technologies is preparing its advice
on the ethical aspects of cloning techniques, as cloning
also involves issues beyond EFSA’s remit.

Further information on the terms of reference of the
Commission’s request can be found on the EFSA 
website under the following link:
http://www.efsa.europa.eu/EFSA/
efsa_locale-1178620753812_
1178620834826.htm

EFSA

news  3

ANNOUNCEMENTS

EFSA announces Scientific Colloquium No.10
on Plant Health
Plant  health  is  the  subject  of  the  10th Scientific 
Colloquium to be organised by EFSA on 6-7 December
2007. International experts and key stakeholders will
be invited to come to Parma to join the Scientific Panel
on Plant Health for an open scientific debate on current
and  future  issues  in  the  area  of  plant  health.  The 
Colloquium will be structured in such a way to provide

PUBLICATIONS

EFSA Scientific Colloquium Summary Report
No. 6: Risk-Benefit Analysis of Foods – 
Methods and Approaches

EFSA  has  published  the  Scientific 
Colloquium Summary Report No. 6:
Risk-Benefit  Analysis  of  Foods  –
Methods and Approaches. The report
summarises the outcomes of EFSA’s
sixth  Scientific  Colloquium  which 
was held on 13-14 July 2006. The 
colloquium  was  attended  by  about
100 participants who discussed state-of-the-art risk benefit
assessment approaches, and suggested that a guidance
document should be developed by a scientific organisation
such as EFSA addressing methodology, approaches, tools
and  potential  pitfalls  in  risk-benefit  assessment.  The

T
M
-
A
A
-
0
7
-
0
1
6
-
E
N
-
C

an  opportunity  for  detailed  discussion  of  key 
topics,  following  a  short  plenary  session,  with  a 
view to making recommendations to strengthen risk 
assessment in plant health. 

The announcement and registration for the colloquium
are published on the EFSA website:
http://www.efsa.eur opa.eu/EFSA/efsa_locale-
1178620753812_1178647175660.htm

publication can be downloaded from the EFSA website at:
http://www.efsa.europa.eu/EFSA/Scientific_Document/
comm_colloque_6_en.pdf

Community Summary 
Report on 
Zoonoses 2005
The Community Summary Report on
Trends  and  Sources  of  Zoonoses,
Zoonotic  Agents,  Antimicrobial 
Resistance  and  Foodborne  Outbreaks  in  the  European
Union in 2005 has now been printed.
Zoonoses are infectious diseases transmissible from animals
to  humans  which  affected  in  2005  over  380,000  EU 
citizens. The report includes information on 16 zoonoses,

antimicrobial  resistance  in  zoonotic  agents  as  well  as 
foodborne  outbreaks.  The  European  Centre  for  Disease 
Prevention  and  Control  (ECDC)  provided  the  data  on 
human zoonoses cases and contributed in the analysis of
human related data in the report. The main report contains
a  summary  and  analysis  of  the  results  as  well  as  the 
monitoring activities in the Member States.
It  can  be  downloaded  from  the  EFSA  website  at  the   
following link : http://www.efsa.europa.eu/EFSA/Document
Set/Zoonoses_Report_EU_en_2005.pdf
EFSA  publications  can  be  downloaded  from  the  EFSA 
website.  Printed  copies  can  be  ordered  free  of  charge.
Please  refer  to  the  link  to  the  EU  bookshop  that  is 
provided on the EFSA website : http://www.efsa.europa.eu/
EFSA/ScientificOpinionPublicationReport/efsa_locale-
1178620753812_Printedsciencepublications.htm

NUMBER OF SCIENTIFIC OPINIONS, STATEMENTS AND OTHER SCIENTIFIC DOCUMENTS PER PANEL FROM APRIL TO SEPTEMBER 2007

Scientific Expert Panel

Scientific opinions 

Scientific statements, reports and other scientific documents

40
AFC Panel
6
AHAW Panel
4
BIOHAZ Panel
5
CONTAM Panel
22
FEEDAP Panel
3
GMO Panel
16
NDA Panel
3
PPR Panel
5
PLH Panel
Scientific Committee (SC) 2
-
PRAPeR Unit
-
Zoonoses Unit

3 report, 1 scientific statement document

1 co-adoption of chapter on chemical hazards in BIOHAZ opinion
1 working document: extrapolation of data regarding feed additives
1 guidance document, 1 statement, 1 report
1 statement
-
-
1 scientific statement
9 reports
1 report

The aim of this table is to provide an overview of the scientific
opinions, statements and other working documents adopted
by EFSA's Scientific Panels from April to September 2007.
These numbers vary according to the nature of the question
raised and the type of risk assessment required. Hence, the
number of opinions, statements and other working documents
issued by a Panel is not in itself an indicator of productivity. 
The list of all opinions adopted by EFSA's Scientific Panels can
be found in the Register of Questions at : http://www.efsa.

europa.eu/EFSA/ScientificOpinionPublicationRepor t/

efsa_locale-1178620753812_RegisterOfQuestions.htm
Summaries and texts of the opinions by Panel are available 
in the Science section at : http://www.efsa.europa.eu/EFSA/
efsa_locale-1178620753812_ScientificPanels.htm

EUROPEAN FOOD SAFETY AUTHORITY 

Tel: +39 0521 036 111
Fax: +39 0521 036 110 
info@efsa.europa.eu
www.efsa.europa.eu

Reproduction of articles is authorised, except for commercial purposes, provided that the source is mentioned.
Chief  Editor: Anne-Laure Gassin
Editor: Giovanni Fuga
The views or positions expressed in this newsletter do not necessarily represent in legal terms the official 
position of the European Food Safety Authority.

European Food Safety Authority
Largo N. Palli 5/A 
I-43100 Parma 
Italy

EFSA
EFSA

news 4
news 4

To receive EFSAnews on a regular basis by e-mail, 
please go to the EFSA homepage (www.efsa.europa.eu) and subscribe.