Europe’s national food authorities have called for continuous R&I investment in generating the scientific knowledge needed for risk assessment. This will ensure that providing healthy nutrition and safe food remains a priority objective for food systems that are sustainable, within and beyond Europe. In a joint statement with the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), the Advisory Forum, tasked with providing EFSA with strategic advice on scientific issues, invites the European Commission and national funding programmes to make active use of the large food safety knowledge ecosystem.
EFSA’s new Chief Scientist Carlos das Neves said: “EFSA and national food authorities can together significantly contribute to and benefit from the European Research Area, such as by working together through the European Partnerships and the research projects established under Horizon Europe. With its well-established scientific networks across all EU Member States, Iceland and Norway, EFSA can play a major role in stimulating One Health approaches to complex problems that affect us all. By helping to avoid duplication of research efforts, and joint planning of future research agendas, we can collectively ensure that future food systems remain safe and sustainable. That is a goal that should motivate us all!”
The statement comes ahead of EFSA’s second Risk Assessment Research Assembly (RARA) taking place on 7 December 2022 in Berlin. RARA brings together scientists, funders, risk assessors and EU policy makers to discuss how food safety research can best support the Sustainable Development Goals and relevant EU policies, and to foster complementarity of food safety R&I investments at European and national level.
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