EFSA to strengthen international cooperation during China visit

EFSA will participate in a series of events and meetings with its Chinese, EU and international partners in early November to promote the global harmonisation of food safety risk assessment and communication. During the one-week visit, EFSA will foster its relations with the China National Centre for Food Safety Risk Assessment (CFSA).

Since 2012, EFSA has been forging ties with various Chinese regulatory bodies, in particular the CFSA. Good contacts have been established between the two authorities through technical visits, the exchange of guest scientists, and a Memorandum of Cooperation signed in 2016.

A highlight of this year’s visit will be EFSA’s prominent participation in the 11th China International Food Safety & Quality Conference, taking place in Beijing on 1-2 November. In addition to a keynote speech by the Authority’s Executive Director Bernhard Url, EFSA delegates will contribute to conference sessions on topics ranging from risk communication to chemical and biological risk assessment.

Global approach to food safety
EFSA will also co-chair a seminar on “Global harmonisation of principles and methods for risk assessment of chemicals in food”, jointly organised with the CFSA, the French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety (Anses), and the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR).

An important milestone will be the launch of two new international liaison groups on risk communication (IRCLG) and on methods for risk assessment of chemicals in food (ILMERAC). A workshop on “Global strategic risk communication for food safety”, jointly organised with Peking University and CFSA, will complete the programme.

For more information:
www.chinafoodsafety.com