How to join EFSA's stakeholder community on applications for food and feed products
In 2025, EFSA established the stakeholder community on applications for food and feed products, a collaborative forum bringing together members with expertise and a professional interest in topics related to applications for food and feed products that require authorisation prior to entering the EU market.
The community enables members to share their views, experiences and suggestions with EFSA and their peers. The aim is to streamline the process and improve application quality, supporting timely and fit-for-purpose risk assessments.
The discussions within the community focus on topics related to applications and their processes, structured in four main areas relevant across all food and feed domains:
- Procedural aspects
- Digital tools
- Support initiatives for applicants
- General aspects related to guidance documents and methodology development
For detailed information on how the community works and what members can expect, interested stakeholders are encouraged to consult the Terms of Reference.
Who can register
This community is open to all categories of stakeholders who have an interest in topics related to regulated product applications. Members must meet the following requirements:
- Be involved in, or have a professional interest in, at least one of the application areas for regulated products, defined as:
- Animal welfare (i.e. stunning methods)
- Biological hazards (i.e. animal by-products and decontamination substances)
- Additives for use in animal nutritionThe science of how diet relates to the body's need for sustenance (feed additives)
- Food contact materials
- Food improvement agents
- Genetically modified organisms (GMOs)
- Novel foods and traditional foods
- Nutrition (i.e. health claims, infant and follow-on formulae, food allergies, nutrientAn element or compound needed for normal growth, development and health maintenance. Essential nutrients cannot be made by the body and must, therefore, be consumed from food sources)
- Pesticides
and
- Belong to one of the stakeholder categories identified by EFSA:
- Company: small to medium-sized enterprise (SME)
- Company: large enterprise
- Consultancy
- Laboratory/Contract Research Organisation
- Environmental or health NGO
- Industry association
- Academia
- Consumer organisations
- Distributors and HORECA
- Farmers and primary producers.
Being part of the EFSA Registered Stakeholders scheme is not a prerequisite to join the community.
In addition to stakeholders from different categories, the community also includes delegates from the European Commission and representatives of Member State national authorities, identified on an ad hoc basis by the respective authorities.
Registration
Interested stakeholders can register to join the community at any time by expressing their interest via the registration form.
Onboarding members
Registrations are screened periodically, and stakeholders are informed by email of the outcome of their registration request. Confirmed members are provided with the necessary onboarding information to support their participation in the community and its activities.
Questions
If you have any questions or requests for assistance regarding this call, feel free to contact us via Ask a Question indicating “Stakeholder community on applications for food and feed products” in the subject line.