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20 years of the BfR - 20 years of identifying risks and protecting health

03/2022, 27.01.2022

The German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment is celebrating its 20th birthday

This year the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) is celebrating its 20^th anniversary. Since it was founded in November 2002, the institute has given important impetus to policy advice and consumer health protection through its assessments and research: Whether it's e-cigarettes, tattoo ink or resistance to antibiotics, germs in food, pesticide assessments and the transfer of substances along the food chain from field to plate - the focus of the assessment is always on human health. In addition, regular surveys conducted by the BfR Consumer Monitor for more than seven years have helped assess risk perception among the population. The BfR Corona Monitor, which has been published regularly for over a year, is making an important contribution during the COVID-19 pandemic. "Today, the BfR is an important institution of German, European and also global consumer protection," says BfR President Professor Dr. Dr. Andreas Hensel. "However, we know that in terms of safety issues, major tasks still await us in the course of further supply chain globalisation. We will do everything we can to improve consumer health protection for food and consumer goods internationally." To mark the start of its 20^th anniversary, the BfR also updated its corporate design and logo.

The history of consumer protection dates back to the founding of the Imperial Health Office in 1876. The German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) has existed since 2002 within the portfolio of the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL). More than 1,150 employees work every day to protect the health of consumers and to make the world a safer place. Today, the BfR works nationally and internationally with various partners and Germany’s national contact for the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA).

The BfR is celebrating its anniversary with various events throughout the year: These include the 5^th BfR Plant Maze with an interactive adventure trail and the 3^rd BfR school kids' university. In the founding month of November, the BfR will host the 2^nd BfR Knowledge Dialogue on the subject of "trust" and in December the 3^rd BfR Science Slam. All information on events and current publications related to the anniversary is available on the anniversary page of the BfR website.

• https://www.bfr.bund.de/en/20_years_of_the_bfr-291400.html

The BfR has modernised both its logo and its design to mark its 20^th anniversary, and will transition to these gradually in the course of time. The BfR's standard blue has become darker; it represents the BfR’s scientific seriousness and strength in consumer health protection in Germany and Europe. The offset areas emphasise the complexity of the BfR's work, while the geometric shape highlights the accuracy and precision that form the basis of the BfR's scientific work. People will always remain the focus of the institute's work and therefore feature prominently in the logo. Located above, the arch symbolises protection and simultaneously is a reference to principles of natural sciences.

About the BfR

The German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) is a scientifically independent institution within the portfolio of the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL) in Germany. The BfR advises the Federal Government and the States ('Laender') on questions of food, chemical and product safety. The BfR conducts its own research on topics that are closely linked to its assessment tasks.

This text version is a translation of the original German text which is the only legally binding version.

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