Engagement platforms
Stakeholders can engage with EFSA in many ways according to their interests and expertise. These interaction mechanisms are complemented by services and tools that ensure a timely access to information and an effective exchange with EFSA.
This catalogue provides an overview of EFSA’s engagement mechanisms, tools, resources and services, and of the context in which they are activated.
Stakeholders’ engagement mechanisms
Public consultations and calls for data
During the lifecycle of scientific mandates and applications on regulated products, EFSA regularly consults stakeholders to incorporate their input into its risks assessments. EFSA may also collect data from third parties to inform its scientific advice.
Public events
Public events such as colloquia and workshops ensure that EFSA taps into the expertise of the wider scientific community to jointly prepare for future risk assessment A specialised field of applied science that involves reviewing scientific data and studies in order to evaluate risks associated with certain hazards. It involves four steps: hazard identification, hazard characterisation, exposure assessment and risk characterisation challenges. Public events are also organised to promote the understanding of EFSA’s work (information sessions and webinars) and encourage dialogue on specific issues related to EFSA’s scientific mandates (technical meetings, e.g. during/after a public consultation).
Open plenary meetings of EFSA’s Scientific Panels and Scientific Committee
Every year, EFSA holds one public session of each of its Scientific Panels and Scientific Committee. Stakeholders may attend these meetings as observers.
Presentations at training and information sessions organised by industry associations
EFSA staff attend and give presentations at training and information sessions hosted by industry associations for their members.
This initiative is primarily aimed at organisations within EFSA’s registered stakeholder scheme but is also open to relevant parties outside the scheme when deemed appropriate. EFSA's presentations at these sessions focus on the guidance and resources available to help applicants prepare and submit their dossiers. These materials can be found in the dedicated section of EFSA’s website.
Thematic discussion groups
Thematic discussion groups are communities acting as “learning systems” to discuss and exchange information in specific areas, leveraging stakeholders’ knowledge in those domains. Discussion groups are open to registered and non-registered organisations or individuals to participate, based on their interest, competences, expertise, and experience. Such participation is in line with EFSA’s core values of openness and transparency.
The following groups are currently active:
Stakeholder community on applications for food and feed products: The stakeholder community on applications for food and feed products is a collaborative forum bringing together members with expertise and a professional interest in topics related to the applications for food and feed products which require authorisation prior to entering the EU market. In addition to stakeholders from different categories, the community also includes delegates from the European Commission and representatives of Member State national authorities. The aim of this platform is to facilitate discussions on application-related matters, with a strong emphasis on the active role of its members in proposing topics for discussion and possible solutions and initiatives to support applicants.
Please find all details about the scope, composition, roles and more in the Terms of Reference.
Members’ organisations | Meetings | Activity Report April 2025 – March 2026
Related topic: Application procedures
Discussion Group on Aquaculture Environmental Risk Assessment (StaDG-ERAQUA): The Stakeholder DG on Aquaculture ERA Environmental risk assessment (ERA) is the process of assessing potential harm to the environment caused by a substance, activity or natural occurrence. This may include the introduction of GM plants, the use of pesticides, or the spread of plant pests is a platform for engagement and collaboration between EFSA and experts in the field to improve the exchange of information and dialogue in this area. The group is supporting EFSA’s ongoing work on ERA of feed additives for aquaculture, with a focus in marine sediments, allowing for exchanges on the scientific evidence, scientific studies, published outcomes of projects and peer discussions on the subject. The StaDG-ERAQUA enables EFSA to capitalise on stakeholders’ specialised knowledge and identify challenges and knowledge gaps in the field.
Please find all details about the scope, composition, roles and more in the Framework for Interaction document.
Evaluation Committee Report | Members | Meetings
Related topic: Feed additives
Discussion group on Environmental risk assessment: The Stakeholder DG on ERA is a dynamic platform for engagement and collaboration between EFSA and experts in the field contributing to shaping the future of plant protection products (PPPs) in the European Union.
Please find all details about the scope, composition, roles and more in the Framework for Interaction document.
Members | Minutes of the selection meeting
Related topic: Environmental risk assessment
Discussion Group on Emerging Risks (StaDG-ER): EFSA defines an emerging risk A risk to human, animal or plant health resulting from a new source or increased susceptibility or exposure to an existing source as: “A risk resulting from a newly identified hazard A substance or activity which has the potential to cause adverse effects to living organisms or environments to which a significant exposure Concentration or amount of a particular substance that is taken in by an individual, population or ecosystem in a specific frequency over a certain amount of time may occur, or from an unexpected new or increased significant exposure and/or susceptibility to a known hazard”. Set up in 2010, the StaDG-ER enables EFSA to capitalise on stakeholders’ specialist knowledge in this area, and to improve the exchange of information and dialogue on emerging risks.
Framework for interaction | Members | Call for renewal of membership 2023 and Evaluation Committee Report | Annual reports (2011, 2012&2013, 2014, 2015, 2016) | Meetings
Related topic: Emerging Risks
Discussion Group on Food Chemical Occurrence The fact or frequency of something (e.g. a disease or deficiency in a population) happening Data: EFSA is required to work in close cooperation with all organisations operating in the field of data collection. The Stakeholder Discussion Group on Food Chemical Occurrence Data discusses and exchanges information on the practical aspects and challenges regarding provision of occurrence data and usage data from stakeholders. The group’s focus is mainly on food additives and chemical contaminants in food.
Framework for interaction | Call for renewal of membership 2023 | Meetings | Evaluation Committee Report
Closed or inactive groups:
- Pilot focus group on a Guidance Document on Allergenicity The ability to trigger an abnormal immune response that leads to an allergic reaction in a person in the area of regulated products (Framework of interaction | Members).
- Group on E-Submission (Framework of interaction | Members).
- Consultation group on Endocrine Disruptors (Members | Minutes of the selection meeting).
- Group on EU Bee Partnership for Data Sharing: This discussion group was set up in 2018 to establish the terms of reference for the EU Bee Partnership as an outcome of the scientific symposium “Collecting and sharing data on bee health: towards a European Bee Partnership” organised by EFSA as part of European Bee and Pollination Week 2017. Participants agreed to work towards setting up the European Bee Partnership, a platform run by stakeholders for the benefit of stakeholders to ensure that honeybees, and eventually all pollinators, can thrive in Europe. Minutes of the selection meeting and list of Members | Meetings and news
- Technical group on the Tools related to the application of the Transparency Regulation (TG TOOLS): EFSA has established the Technical Group on the Tools related to the application of the Transparency Regulation (TG TOOLS) as a forum for technical exchanges on the use of the tools with the purpose of enhancing the dialogue with the users and gathering feedback from users on suggestions for adjustments or simplification of the tools referenced in the Terms of Reference (ToR). Members | Terms of Reference (ToR) | Meetings
- Consultation Group on Bee Guidance Revision: This group is supporting EFSA’s ongoing review of the guidance on risk assessment of pesticides and bees, which was requested by the European Commission. The group is being consulted at various stages of the review and providing input to the EFSA scientific working group charged with revising the document. Call for members | Minutes of the selection meeting | News Related topic: Pesticides and bees: guidance review
Engagement mechanisms dedicated to registered stakeholders
In addition to the above, registered stakeholders may also engage with EFSA through the following mechanisms. Two of these are standing bodies established by EFSA’s Management Board.
Stakeholder Forum
The Stakeholder Forum brings together the community of EFSA’s registered stakeholders once a year to discuss EFSA’s work plans and priorities. The themes and topics of each annual forum are suggested by registered stakeholders and by the priority areas identified by EFSA.
List of registered stakeholders | Meetings
Stakeholder Bureau
The Stakeholder Bureau’s role is to advise EFSA on stakeholder engagement and dialogue on issues in the Authority’s remit. It also helps to shape the agenda of the Stakeholder Forum. It is made up of seven representatives of EFSA’s stakeholder groups proposed by the stakeholders themselves to act in the interests of the category they represent.
Members | Meetings | Call for renewal of the Stakeholder Bureau Members 2023
Questions
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