SCROLL DOWN TO FIND OUT

1. Receipt of request

Step 1
Send requests for scientific advice to EFSA


EFSA may also undertake work on its own initiative known as self-tasking, particularly in fields such as emerging risks where scientific knowledge and approaches are continually evolving.


Once accepted by EFSA,
requests become Mandates



Mandates are assigned to one or more scientific Panels or the Scientific Committee, depending on the scientific area and the expertise needed.
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Plant health
-
Pesticides
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Animal feed
-
Animal
health and
welfare -
Biological
hazards -
Contaminants
-
Nutrition
-
Food
additives -
Food
contact
materials -
Genetically
modified
organisms
Scientific committee 


2. Assessment

Step 2






The Panel or the Scientific Committee sets up a Working Group of experts to carry out the risk assessment or assigns the task to an existing Working Group.






The Working Group experts do the detailed scientific work
If there is a need for further data, EFSA may draw on EFSA's data collection networks or launch an open call for data





The Working Group develops a draft opinion and submits it to the Panel for discussion and possible adoption
EFSA often holds
public
consultations on its draft opinions
The Scientific Committee or Panel reviews the feedback received to draft the final opinion
EFSA may decide to hold an open consultation to support the development of a draft opinion, particularly on issues with a high level of expert and stakeholder interest. Interested parties are invited to submit relevant information and data, usually on a draft document published on EFSA's website. The Scientific Committee or Panel reviews this feedback and takes it into account in its final opinion.
3. Adoption

Step 3



The Scientific Committee or
Panel adopts the opinion by
consensus
Possible minority opinions are recorded





EFSA sends the opinion to the original requesters.
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The European Commission
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Other National food safety bodies
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The European Parliament
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The Opinion is
published in
the EFSA JournalEFSA Journal, EFSA's open-access, online scientific journalThe EFSA Journal is a free, online, open access scientific journal published EFSA. It provides the platform for EFSA's scientific work to the outside world. On average the EFSA Journal publishes over 500 articles each year including editorials and special issues.
They use the scientific opinions to support their policy-making and legislative decisions on food and feed safety
















The Panel on Plant Protection Products and their
Residues provides scientific advice on the risk assessment of
pesticides. This includes looking at risks for the operators, workers,
consumers and the environment. The Panel develops and reviews guidance
documents on the risk assessment of pesticides.


The Panel on
Biological Hazards deals with biological hazards in relations to
food safety and food-borne diseases. This includes food-borne zoonoses
(animal diseases transmissible to humans), transmissible spongiform
encephalopathies (BSE/TSEs), food microbiology and food hygiene and
associated waste management issues.
