Afssa - national Focal Point for EFSA

The Agency, a national Focal Point for EFSA

Due to the nature of its missions, the Agency is a special partner of EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) and the French bodies working with the Authority. In line with its mandate, the Agency was appointed the "Focal Point" of the French network of Competent Bodies for EFSA in November 2007.

What is a Focal Point?

The regulation creating EFSA (1) and it's Advisory Forum designates "Competent Bodies" in each Member State to act as special partners of the Authority. There are currently almost 250 of these. The list of Competent Bodies in a Member State can be modified on the State's initiative.
Only these Competent Bodies are authorised to respond to calls for tender issued by EFSA, following a simplified procedure. They may also be asked to directly assist EFSA.

France has appointed 19 Competent Bodies, representing several hundred research units and laboratories, concerned by food safety issues to varying degrees:

· Agence nationale chargée de la sécurité sanitaire de l’alimentation, de l’environnement et du travail (Anses)
· Institut supérieur des sciences agronomiques, agroalimentaires, horticoles et du paysage (Agrocampus Ouest)
· Institut de recherche pour l'ingénierie de l'agriculture et de l'environnement (Cemagref)
· Centre de coopération internationale en recherche agronomique pour le développement (CIRAD)
· Centre national de la recherche scientifique (CNRS)
· Commission du génie biomoléculaire (CGB)
· Commission du génie génétique (CGG) (2)
· École nationale vétérinaire d'Alfort (ENVA)
· École Nationale Vétérinaire de Lyon (ENVL)
· École Nationale Vétérinaire de Toulouse (ENVT)
· École nationale supérieure d'agronomie et des industries alimentaires (ENSAIA)
· ENITA Clermont-Ferrand (ENITAC)
· École Nationale Supérieure de Biologie Appliquée à la Nutrition et à l'Alimentation (ENSBANA), Laboratoire de Toxicologie Alimentaire, Université de Bourgogne
· Institut français de recherche pour l'exploitation de la mer (Ifremer)
· Institut national de la recherche agronomique (INRA)
· Institut Pasteur de Paris
· Institut Pasteur de Lille
· Laboratoire de Toxicologie Alimentaire, EA 3880, Université de Bretagne Occidentale (LTA-UBO)
· Laboratoire national de protection des végétaux (LNPV)

To facilitate the circulation of scientific information between EFSA and national and foreign Competent Bodies, the Advisory Forum and EFSA have agreed that each Member State should have a national Focal Point. The latter therefore acts as a coordinator and regulatory body for information exchanges.

What are the missions of the Focal Point?

The memorandum of understanding signed with EFSA in November 2007 appointing the Agency as the French national Focal Point led to the recruitment of a "Focal Point" project manager by the Agency in April 2008, responsible for setting up the tools required to operate the French Focal Point.
These tools will make it possible to:
· Facilitate the exchange of scientific and technical information between France, EFSA and other Member States;
· Facilitate, on request, the formation of transnational partnerships, particularly to respond to EFSA calls for tenders;
· Inform French stakeholders of interesting studies under way (research themes, opinions in the preparatory phase);
· Inform the French bodies concerned by calls issued by EFSA (calls for data and contributions, calls for tender, open consultations);
· Provide support to bodies wishing to respond to these calls.

(1) EC regulation 178/2002
(2) The CGG and the CGB are currently being overhauled within the Haut Conseil des Biotechnologies

July 2008

Agency presentation

Missions

Governance system

Scientific panels

Environmental and occupational health safety

Food, Animal health and nutrition, Plants

Quality policy

Ethical framework

Europe/international

Official Bulletin