External complaint

What can I complain about?

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) provides independent scientific advice on existing and emerging food-related risks, EU risk managers in making their decisions, and helping protect consumers from risks along the food chain. EFSA’s remit covers: food and feed safety, nutrition, animal health and welfare, plant protection and plant health. 

EFSA’s work involves:

  • gathering scientific data and expertise
  • providing independent, up-to-date scientific advice on food safety issues
  • communicating its scientific work to the public 
  • cooperating with EU countries, international bodies, and other stakeholders 
  • boosting trust in the EU’s food safety system by providing reliable dependable advice 

You may submit a complaint on matters related to EFSA’s mission. EFSA is not in charge for the implementation of EU law, law enforcement, food inspection or risk management decisions, such as decisions on the authorisation of regulated products. 

In this context, EFSA grants any legal or natural person the possibility of filing a complaint if they believe there’s been a violation of rules and principles set out in relevant standards, legislations or other documents related to EFSA’s decisions, practices, behaviours, or omissions. This includes situations like decisions affecting personal data, regulatory data submitted during a scientific evaluation, or communications directly affecting someone’s legal interests. 

Complaints to be raised in specific procedures (e.g. appeals against decisions regarding a selection procedure for a vacancy or comparable position, requests for public access to documents, requests for review of decisions taken in the context of competing interest management, request for confidential treatment of information and for administrative review under Regulations (EC) No 1829, 1831 and 2065/2003 etc.) must follow the procedures outlined in the respective legal act or process, not via this generic complaint mechanism. 

How can I file a complaint?

  • Submit a complaint to EFSA by sending an email to complaints [at] efsa.europa.eu, providing the Authority with the following information:
    • Your identity (first name, family name, contact details, employer/organization if relevant, etc.);
    • The reason for your complaint
    • The result you are hoping to achieve by filing a complaint; and
    • Any relevant supporting documentation or references to documentation (link to websites or publications, product name, EFSA reference number, document, etc.)
  • Your complaint must be brought up to EFSA within 2 years from the date on which you were informed of or have learnt about the facts on which your complaint is based on. 
  • You have the possibility to request confidential treatment of your complaint or certain parts thereof by indicating such a requirement in the complaint itself and by providing supporting reasoning or justification.

How will EFSA handle my complaint?

  • EFSA will acknowledge receipt of, or otherwise respond to, your complaint in writing within 2 weeks, unless it lacks sufficient information (see above), or your complaint is abusive, excessive in number, repetitive or of pointless character: in these cases, EFSA will not process the correspondence received. 
  • EFSA commits to reply within 2 months from the receipt of a complete complaint. This deadline may be extended depending on the complexity of the case. 
  • EFSA further commits to handle your complaint in line with EFSA’s Code of Good Administrative Behaviour.
  • Regarding requests for internal review under Regulation (EC) No 1367/2006, EFSA commits to reply within 16 weeks after the expiry of the eight-week deadline to bring the complaint, or within 22 weeks as of the eight weeks deadline for the most complex cases, as prescribed in Article 10 thereof.  

Are there any further steps or options available to me?

If you are not satisfied with EFSA’s response to your complaint, further means of action are available:

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