Activities of BfRshort forGerman Federal Institute for Risk Assessment as national EFSAshort forEuropean Food Safety Authority Focal Point in Germany

In its role as a central, national Focal Point, BfRshort forGerman Federal Institute for Risk Assessment co-ordinates the exchange of scientific information between the European Food Safety Authority (EFSAshort forEuropean Food Safety Authority), the public authorities responsible for food and feed safety in Germany, stakeholders from economic, political and scientific circles and representatives of consumer associations.

Focal Points were set up in 2008 in all Member States of the European Union (EU) and in the associated countries Island and Norway. The task of the EFSAshort forEuropean Food Safety Authority Focal Points is to support the members of the EFSAshort forEuropean Food Safety Authority Advisory Board which is the interface between the national authorities in Member States and EFSAshort forEuropean Food Safety Authority itself. The President of BfRshort forGerman Federal Institute for Risk Assessment, Professor Dr Dr Dr h. c. Andreas Hensel, is the German member on the Advisory Board. In this context, the risk assessment activities of the individual Member States are to be co-ordinated on the European level. The goal of these measures is to bundle existing European knowledge about health risks associated with foods and, in this way, to place food safety in Europe on the highest possible scientific level.

In Germany BfRshort forGerman Federal Institute for Risk Assessment has been appointed as the EFSAshort forEuropean Food Safety Authority Focal Point for this scientific co-ordination work. BfRshort forGerman Federal Institute for Risk Assessment was proposed by the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMELshort forGerman Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture). As the national co-ordination office BfRshort forGerman Federal Institute for Risk Assessment is an important mediator between EFSAshort forEuropean Food Safety Authority and of the following institutions within the portfolio of the BMELshort forGerman Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (so-called External Link:Article 36 organisations pursuant to Article 36 Regulation (EC) No. 178/2002):

• External Link:Federal Office of Consumer Protection and Food Safety (BVL)
• German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR)
• External Link:Friedrich Loeffler Institute, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health (FLI)
• External Link:Johann Heinrich von Thünen-Institut (TI) - Bundesforschungsinstitut für Ländliche Räume, Wald und Fischerei
• External Link:Julius Kühn Institute, Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants (JKI)
• External Link:Max Rubner Institute, Federal Institute for Nutrition and Food (MRI)
• External Link:German Environment Agency (UBA)

Are you working at one of the Article 36 organisations? External Link:Check out the available grants.

BfRshort forGerman Federal Institute for Risk Assessment also has contacts to the federal state ministries responsible for monitoring activities in consumer protection. Scientific institutions involved in Germany in tracing, identifying, assessing and managing risks in the areas of food, feed, animal welfare and plant health are included in this exchange of information. The objective is to channel German expert knowledge to a greater degree into European level.

Exchange of information

As the EFSAshort forEuropean Food Safety Authority Focal point in Germany, the BfRshort forGerman Federal Institute for Risk Assessment ensures the exchange of scientific information on initiatives, ongoing proceedings, research projects, risk assessment findings and risk communication relating to foods, feed and the other topics in the remit of EFSAshort forEuropean Food Safety Authority. One of the vehicles for this exchange of scientific information is EFSA´s Knowledge Junction, which offers open access to scientific models and tools.

The national EFSAFocal Points and EFSAshort forEuropean Food Safety Authority organise several joint meetings every year on European level. The Focal Points submit regular reports on their activities to EFSAshort forEuropean Food Safety Authority, and these individual reports are summarised in an annual report (EFSAshort forEuropean Food Safety Authority Focal Point Report).

In its capacity as EFSAshort forEuropean Food Safety Authority Focal Point, the BfRshort forGerman Federal Institute for Risk Assessment answers questions from the Member States on risk assessments or passes these questions on to the competent ministries, authorities or institutions. The EFSAshort forEuropean Food Safety Authority Focal Point organises and stages meetings on national level on a regular basis. The BfRshort forGerman Federal Institute for Risk Assessment takes part in public consultations of EFSAshort forEuropean Food Safety Authority and informs German institutions about ongoing consultations. The German network also participates in EFSAshort forEuropean Food Safety Authority crisis exercises and contributes to the exchange of information within Europe in the event of national food crises.

Coordination of Article 36 organisations

Pursuant to Article 36 of Regulation (EC) 178/2002, Article 36 organisations are institutions that support EFSAshort forEuropean Food Safety Authority in the performance of its duties, among other things by participating in calls for proposals for research projects for which EFSAshort forEuropean Food Safety Authority can provide funding assistance. As national EFSAshort forEuropean Food Safety Authority Focal Point, the BfRshort forGerman Federal Institute for Risk Assessment informs these organisations about requests from EFSAshort forEuropean Food Safety Authority to submit suggestions and, where necessary, helps them to file their applications.

Creation of expert networks

The BfRshort forGerman Federal Institute for Risk Assessment has 15 scientific committees to advise the institute in the areas of food, feed, chemical and product safety as well as risk communication and to advise the German Centre for the Protection of Laboratory Animals (Bf3R). The expertise of this established network is not only called upon in times of crisis but also when scientific questions are addressed on European level. The BfRshort forGerman Federal Institute for Risk Assessment committees pool expertise of the highest scientific standard for the risk assessments of the BfRshort forGerman Federal Institute for Risk Assessment and share this expertise in international bodies - also in the EFSAshort forEuropean Food Safety Authority bodies, for example. The structure of the committees at the BfRshort forGerman Federal Institute for Risk Assessment is mainly based on the structure of EFSAshort forEuropean Food Safety Authority's scientific panels. The members of EFSAshort forEuropean Food Safety Authority's scientific panels from Germany can automatically also become members of the corresponding BfRshort forGerman Federal Institute for Risk Assessment committees. This ensures the widest possible exchange of expertise between national and European level.

Risk communication

In the area of risk communication, the BfRshort forGerman Federal Institute for Risk Assessment works closely with EFSAshort forEuropean Food Safety Authority and the Member States of the EU. Risk communication is an essential part of the work of the EFSAshort forEuropean Food Safety Authority Focal Point. The job of the BfRshort forGerman Federal Institute for Risk Assessment is to enter into dialogue with various target groups in Germany and to inform the public in Germany at an early stage about potential risks to health as well as the insights gained and the findings of work in Europe. As a member of EFSAshort forEuropean Food Safety Authority's Communication Experts Network (CEN) the BfRshort forGerman Federal Institute for Risk Assessment initiates national communication strategies and is involved in the joint communication initiatives of EFSAshort forEuropean Food Safety Authority.