Experter
Vår vetenskapliga kommitté och våra paneler består av ett brett spektrum av högt kvalificerade, oberoende vetenskapliga experter som tillhandahåller vetenskapliga bedömningar och utvecklar tillhörande bedömningsmetoder. Deras expertområden omfattar biologiska faror, föroreningar i livsmedelskedjan, livsmedelstillsatser och smakämnen, material som kommer i kontakt med livsmedel och många fler. Medlemskapet i dessa organ förnyas vart femte år, och nästa förnyelse kommer att äga rum i juli 2024.
Scientific Committee and panels
Our Scientific Committee and panels consist of a wide range of highly qualified, independent scientific experts who provide scientific assessments and develop related assessment methodologies. Their areas of expertise cover biological hazards, contaminants in the food chain, food additives and flavourings, food contact materials, and many more. Membership of these bodies is renewed every five years, with the next renewal taking place in July 2024, for which the selection procedure is currently ongoing.
Working Groups
EFSA may establish Working Groups whenever it deems necessary to fulfil its mandate and enhance its multidisciplinary expertise.
Working Groups are composed of experienced, independent experts tasked to gather scientific evidence on certain topics, draft scientific opinions and conduct preparatory work. Some Working Groups also draft guidance documents, develop methods or provide social science advice.
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 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 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Depending on the mandate, experts may be asked to develop scientific opinions, draft guidance documents, assess applications for regulated products (such as food additives or plant protection products) or review risk assessments by national authorities.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.