The forum members have agreed to continue building on the scientific networks and collaboration achieved thus far to reinforce cooperation in risk assessment across the EU. EFSA will work with members and its scientific committee in developing a strategy for scientific cooperation to be adopted by the forum by the end of the year. The strategy will be key in implementing the first priority identified by EFSA’s management board in June to guide EFSA’s future development following the evaluation of the Authority and its work in 2005.

Catherine Geslain-Lanéelle, executive director of EFSA, welcomed this initiative: “I am pleased that members of the advisory forum have signed up to meet this new challenge. One of the key objectives in establishing EFSA was to achieve greater coherence in risk assessment in the EU. EFSA aims to deliver the best science at the right time and in the most appropriate manner. This can only be achieved through effective pooling and leverage at European level of our collective resources and expertise in risk assessment and risk communications.”

Geslain-Lanéelle believes strong collaboration among member states and EFSA is fundamental to the overall success and effectiveness of the European food safety system, and ultimately to increased consumer protection and confidence by ensuring co-ordination of work programmes and appropriate allocation of resources.