On December 14, 2016 the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) published the proceeding of the 71st meeting of its Management Board, where EFSA’s work plans for 2017 and beyond were discussed. The work plan for 2017 includes continued implementation of the PROMETHEUS project on evidence use in scientific assessment (FPF reported) and the MATRIX project streamlining the assessment of regulated products. Also, projects “to further ease access to, and use of, EFSA’s treasure trove of data,” shall be pursued. Guidances on weight of evidence, biological relevance, and nanoparticles will be developed to “significantly advance risk assessment.” EFSA further announced that in 2017 it “will hold the presidency of the EU Agencies Network and take a lead role in improving effective relations among EU agencies.” The Management Board has commenced reviewing EFSA’s independence policy and the revised independence policy shall be endorsed in 2017. In addition, EFSA reported that “to date some 75 stakeholders representing consumers, environmental and health NGOs, farmers, industry, distributors, practitioners and academia have already registered with EFSA under the new stakeholder engagement approach that was adopted in June 2016” (FPF reported). EFSA informed that the first annual meeting of all registered stakeholders, called the Stakeholder Forum, will take place in Parma, Italy, in early 2017.

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EFSA (December 14, 2016). “71st Management Board meeting: Board adopts multi-annual work programmes and 2017 budget, considers independence policy review and stakeholder engagement.

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