External experts
We work with leading food safety experts from around the EU and beyond to assess health risks throughout the food chain.
Together we evaluate biological hazards and contaminants, assess the safety of food and feed additives, flavourings, and packaging materials, and provide guidance on issues such as animal nutrition The science of how diet relates to the body's need for sustenance and plant protection products.
Our external experts come from a variety of disciplines including veterinary science, toxicology, microbiology, nutrition, environmental science and plant health.
This diversity allows us to address complex questions ranging from food safety to animal health and welfare and environmental protection.
Our experts work independently to provide science-based advice that supports the decision-making of legislators in the European Union and its Member States.
We involve our external experts in our work through our Scientific Committee, Scientific Panels, and Working Groups or via the Individual Scientific Advisor scheme (ISA).
Scientific Committee and Panels
Our Scientific Committee and Panels carry out most of our scientific work. Each panel is focussed on a different area of the food and feed chain, while our Scientific Committee develops 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 methodologies.
Composition
Each panel is composed of between eleven and twenty-one experts, depending on the workload and expertise required.
Our Scientific Committee is made up of the chairs of our eleven scientific panels and six additional experts not affiliated to a panel.
This structure ensures a balance of perspectives while maintaining scientific independence.
See here the members of our current panels and Scientific Committee.
Role and responsibilities
Experts on our panels and Committee are responsible for reviewing and adopting EFSA’s scientific opinions, guidance documents and statements.
They also develop assessment methodologies used in our risk assessment work.
Working Groups
We set up working groups to gather scientific evidence on specific topics, draft scientific opinions and conduct other preparatory work.
Members of our scientific panels and Committee are often invited to chair or be a member of these groups. Other experts may contribute as hearing experts.
The composition of our active working groups is available here.
ISA experts
We also get expertise from experts on the Individual Scientific Advisors (ISA) scheme, without overlapping or substituting the EFSA panel and working groups experts system.
How we do our risk assessments
Our risk assessment work starts when we receive a request from the European Commission, the European Parliament or a Member State – or when we task ourselves with a new assessment.
Depending on the mandate, experts may be asked to develop scientific opinions, draft guidance documents, assess applications for regulated products (such as food additives or plant protection products) or review risk assessments by national authorities.
Each task involves collecting all the available scientific evidence, assessing possible risks by combining hazard A substance or activity which has the potential to cause adverse effects to living organisms or environments and 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 data, and reviewing this work in our scientific panels and working groups.
We also clearly address data gaps and scientific uncertainties to support EU decision-makers when they set rules and inform citizens about potential risks along the food chain.
All our work follows clear steps to ensure transparency, scientific quality and independence.
And we make our work publicly available in the EFSA Journal.
How to become an EFSA external expert
Membership of our scientific panels and Committee is renewed every five years, with the next cycle due in 2029. An open call will be launched for members.
We set up working groups according to our needs and incoming mandates.
Consult our calls for expression of interests for scientific and technical profiles
Experts interested in joining the ISA scheme can apply in accordance with the rules described in the call.
We invite all categories of experts to create and/or update their profile in our online recruitment tool, which simplifies the process for future applications and ensures experts are considered for relevant opportunities.
What to expect as an EFSA expert
Time commitment
On average, experts take part in six to ten Scientific Committee and panel plenary meetings each year, which represents a time commitment of around ten to twenty working days annually. Participation in working groups may increase the time required (up to 20 meetings each year). For each meeting, experts are expected to spend roughly the same amount of time on preparation as the meeting lasts (for example, an 8-hour meeting requires about 8 hours of preparation).
Remote participation
Flexibility is a central feature of EFSA’s working arrangements. Around two-thirds of all scientific meetings are held online, reducing the need for travel, while the remaining meetings take place in person at EFSA’s premises in Parma, Italy.
Compensation
EFSA compensates experts for their preparation and participation in meetings, whether online or in person. When experts travel to Parma, we cover travel expenses, accommodation and daily allowances. For scientific panels and working groups, we describe our remuneration policy in our expert compensation guide. ISA experts’ remuneration is laid out here.
Working language
EFSA’s official working language is English. All meetings are conducted in English and all official documents are prepared in English. This enables experts from across Europe and beyond to collaborate effectively.
Declaration of interests
Our experts are required to submit and regularly update detailed Declarations of Interest, which we make publicly available. We apply a rigorous independence policy to identify and prevent potential conflicts of interest, ensuring our scientific advice is trustworthy and meets high standards.
What EFSA can do for you as an expert
Becoming an EFSA expert is an opportunity to make a direct contribution to public health, food safety, animal and plant health, and animal welfare in Europe.
As an expert, you will work within a scientific panel or working group, supported and guided by experienced EFSA staff.
Our collaborative environment ensures you can contribute effectively while also learning from colleagues with diverse expertise.
We invest in the professional growth of our experts by offering training on scientific methodologies, risk assessment approaches and EU policies.
In addition, experts gain valuable networking opportunities within our broad scientific community. Participation in our work creates unique opportunities for collaboration across scientific disciplines and institutions.
Experts' corner
EFSA experts’ corner is an information portal dedicated to our external experts.
Here they can find practical guidance on risk assessment, information on communication and media engagement, details on compensation, travel arrangements to Parma, training opportunities, and much more. It is designed to support experts throughout their work with us, making their contribution as smooth and impactful as possible.
Access is reserved only for active EFSA experts with an EFSA profile.