Save the date! “Science Meets Policy” conference on “EU initiatives towards the large-scale use of Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) to tackle foodborne threats”

Background

Given the success of the first “Science Meets Policy” virtual conference (held in September 2020 with over 500 participants from 49 countries worldwide), EFSA and the European Commission’s inter-EURL working group on Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS) are jointly organising the second event in the series. It will be hosted by EFSA in its premises in Parma, Italy, on 5 and 6 September 2023.  

The 2020 conference discussed with stakeholders the state of play of the construction of an EU system for collecting and analysing genomic data from foodborne pathogens to support decision making by the competent authorities. The event mainly focused on the issues resulting from the absence of an EU legal framework to ensure data protection and consumer confidence in the food market while enabling the competent authorities to base measures on strong scientific evidence.  

The 2023 conference will encourage further discussion on new methodologies and standards for data sharing, and will identify specific action points that may arise in a roadmap that was specifically conceived by stakeholders to bridge the gaps identified at the first event.  

For the 2023 event, special attention will be given to the legal aspects of food safety, highlighting the blockers for the endorsement of the approach mentioned above and discussing possible solutions that reflect the current and/or future strategies of the competent authorities and stakeholders participating in the event. 

The conference programme will be published on the EFSA website in conjunction with the opening of registrations in April 2023. 

Who should attend?

The meeting is open to all interested parties and it will be particularly relevant for food safety risk assessment competent authorities in the EU and beyond, as well as policymakers, academics and stakeholders with an interest in the topic.  

Physical participation is limited to a maximum of 200 attendees, while online attendance will be unlimited. 

Online registration

Registration will open on 14 April 2023 and will close on 30 June for physical participation or 1 September for online attendance.  

EFSA reserves the right to screen registrations for physical participation to ensure a balanced representation of all stakeholder and expertise groups. Registrants for in-person attendance will be informed whether their physical participation is confirmed after 30 June. Registration for in-person attendance may close earlier than the indicated deadline if the maximum number of participants is reached before that date.  

Logistical information

The meeting will be held in Parma, Italy, and online.  

Further logistical details will be communicated to the selected participants for in-person attendance when their registration is confirmed. For online participants, the link to connect to the meeting will be communicated on 1 September. 

The event will be in English. No translation will be provided. 

Participation in the event is free of charge. Unless they are invited by EFSA, in-person participants are required to cover their travel and accommodation costs. 

Contact

For more information, please contact the organising committee at events [at] efsa.europa.eurel="noreferrer noopener".