European Parliament delegation visits EFSA

A delegation of the European Parliament’s Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI) visited the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) in Parma on 24 June 2010.

The delegation included Mrs Dagmar Roth-Behrendt, Vice-President of the European Parliament, delegation leader Mr Jo Leinen, Member of the European Parliament (MEP) and Chair of the ENVI Committee, and six other MEPs as well as advisors for the Parliament’s political groups. Their visit was part of a series which brings Parliament representatives to each of the decentralised agencies of the European Union once every two years.

At EFSA, the ENVI delegation attended sessions aimed at presenting how EFSA works, the work of EFSA’s Scientific Committee and Panels and EFSA’s recent activities. Views were exchanged on topics such as health claims, genetically modified organisms (GMOs), Bisphenol A, and pesticides. Afterwards Mr Leinen addressed EFSA staff.

The members of the ENVI delegation and EFSA’s Executive Director Catherine Geslain-Lanéelle also visited the Associated European School “Scuola per l’Europa di Parma” where they met with the Regional Director for Education, representatives from the school, and local authorities.