Assessment

Identifying experts
EFSA’s secretariat identifies scientists from relevant Panels to work on each opinion, who may be supported by external experts with the required specialisation. To help identify suitable working group members, EFSA consults its expert database, open to candidates with scientific expertise who may be called upon by EFSA in fulfilling its remit.

• Selection of experts: Decision of the Executive Director (0.1 Mb)
• Expert database  
• Renewal of Scientific Committee and Panels

Declaring interests
All experts identified to work for EFSA need to make a Declaration of Interests to allow any potential conflicts to be identified and dealt with transparently. The Declarations cover matters such as ownership and investments, employment and research funding. EFSA’s secretariat assesses these Declarations before making a final decision on the experts that will work on a given issue.

• Declarations of Interests

Working group set up
The responsible Scientific Panel establishes a working group of the selected experts to develop a draft scientific opinion. EFSA’s secretariat publishes the minutes of each working group meeting, including any potential conflicts of interest identified through EFSA's procedures. EFSA has a number of standing working groups which for instance assess market applications so that new working groups need not be set up to evaluate each new application.

Scientific support to risk assessment activities
In addition to the risk assessment activities of the Scientific Panels, specialised EFSA staff provide in-house scientific and technical support in the following areas:

• Collecting and analysing data on food/feed safety and nutrient intakes
• Developing risk assessment methodologies for the Panels’ use
• Cooperating with Member States
• Developing procedures to identify emerging risks related to the food chain

Stakeholder involvement
Before starting an evaluation the Panel may decide to involve institutional and civil society stakeholders to gather scientific input, experience and best practice. This is particularly helpful when EFSA begins work in a new field.

• EFSA stakeholder initiatives
• Scientific colloquia  

Reviewing data
Working groups assess the relevant scientific information available, which may include data supplied by Member States, research institutes or companies. If there is a need for further data it may draw on EFSA’s data collection networks or launch an open call for data on the EFSA website organised by EFSA’s secretariat. For company applications EFSA may request more data directly from the applicant - in which case the clock is stopped on the regulatory timetable until this is supplied.

• EFSA’s Dietary & Chemical Monitoring Unit
• Open calls for data
• EFSA’ s Scientific Assessment Support Unit  

Scientific co-operation with other partners
EFSA is at the heart of the EU food safety system and it works closely with many other partners, stakeholders and networks. They include risk managers, national food safety authorities, international organisations, third countries, stakeholder organisations and research institutes. Depending on the mandate, EFSA may co-operate with partners in the Member States through its network of National Focal Points, with other EU bodies such as the Joint Research Centre, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC). Moreover EFSA may award grants to scientific organisations in Member States for assistance, including data collection or preparatory work for scientific opinions. EFSA also co-ordinates several European Scientific Cooperation (ESCO) projects involving experts from EFSA and the Member States.

• Scientific co-operation with other partners
• European Scientific Cooperation (ESCO) projects
• EFSA's Advisory Forum & Scientific Cooperation Unit   

• Good risk assessment practice
• Quality assurance

• Open consultations