92002E1659

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1659/02

by Emmanouil Bakopoulos (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(11 June 2002)

Subject: Recruitment to the European Food Safety Authority

In April 2002, the Commission presented the 30 individuals selected to serve on the Management Board of the European Food Safety Authority.

Of those 30, five are from consumer organisations and six from industry, agriculture and commerce. Unfortunately, there are no candidates from the food industry despite the contribution they could make to the service. Will the Commission say on what criteria the 30 candidates were selected and whether this omission will be rectified?

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(19 July 2002)

Article 25 of Regulation (EEC) No 178/2002 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 28 January 2002 laying down the general principles and requirements of food law, establishing the European Food Safety Authority and laying down procedures in matters of food safety(1) provides that The Management Board shall be composed of 14 members appointed by the Council in consultation with the European Parliament from a list drawn up by the Commission which includes a number of candidates substantially higher than the number of members to be appointed, plus a representative of the Commission.

The Commission adopted the said list on 5 April 2002 following a selection process based on the criteria provided for by Regulation (EEC) No 178/2002. The Regulation provides that members should be appointed in such a way as to secure the highest standards of competence, a broad range of relevant expertise and, consistent with these criteria, the broadest possible geographical distribution within the Union. The Regulation also provides that four of the members of the Management Board shall have their background in organisations representing consumers and other interests in the food chain.

In the list adopted by the Commission, six candidates have backgrounds in organisations representing consumers and six others in organisations representing other interest groups in the food chain. Of these latter six, two have backgrounds in organisations representing the food industry, two in organisations representing farmers and two in organisations representing commerce.

Consequently, the Commission list does indeed include candidates with backgrounds in the food industry.

Finally, it should be emphasised that the members of the Management Board are not appointed as representatives for a particular interest group but as individuals, and they must undertake to serve the public interest and operate in a spirit of independence.

(1) OJ L 31, 1.2.2002.