22.11.2005

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

CA 289/1

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CALL FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST IN MEMBERSHIP OF THE SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE AND SCIENTIFIC PANELS OF THE EUROPEAN FOOD SAFETY AUTHORITY

(2005/C 289 A/01)

This call is addressed to scientists wishing to be considered for membership of the Scientific Committee or a Scientific Panel of the European Food Safety Authority, established by Regulation (EC) 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 (EFSA) and laying down procedures in matters of food safety (1). The Authority has its permanent seat in Parma, Italy.

According to Article 28 (5) of the Regulation, the Authority's Scientific Committee and Scientific Panels are renewable every three years. Since the Scientific Committee and Scientific Panels have been operational since May 2003, renewal is due in May 2006. This call is aimed to identify Europe's best scientists for EFSA's Panels and Scientific Committee with specific expertise in the areas mentioned below. The list of current experts can be found on http://www.efsa.eu.int/science_en.html. The call is open for experts from all European Union (EU) Member States, European Free Trade Association (EFTA) countries, EU accession and candidate countries and other European States. Current members of EFSA's Scientific Committee and Scientific Panels may also apply for re-appointment. Experts from non-European countries may also apply but will be considered only when the required level of expertise cannot be found among European experts.

The European Food Safety Authority

One of the main roles of the Authority is to provide scientific opinions and advice in support of Community legislation and policies in all fields likely to have a direct or indirect impact on the safety of foodstuffs and animal feed, as well as closely related issues in the fields of health and welfare of animals and of plant health. It will provide independent information on these issues and give warning of emerging risks. Its tasks also include providing scientific opinions and advice on nutrition, with particular reference to Community legislation, genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and new food technologies. By ensuring a high degree of independence, transparency and scientific quality, the Authority should be the accepted point of reference in the field. In addition to having its own specialised staff, the Authority will also manage networks of competent organisations within the EU to support its activities.

The role of the Authority's Scientific Committee and Scientific Panels

The Scientific Committee is responsible for the provision of scientific opinions and advice on multi-sectorial issues falling within the competence of more than one panel, and on issues which do not fall within the competence of any of the panels. The Scientific Committee is also responsible for the general coordination necessary to ensure the consistency in the scientific opinions of the different panels.

Expertise required: risk assessment, food consumption and exposure assessment, environmental risk assessment, microbiology, toxicology, human nutrition, epidemiology, animal health, animal welfare, human medicine, veterinary medicine, food hygiene, food technology, chemistry, biology, biochemistry, life sciences.

The Scientific Panels are responsible for providing the scientific opinions of the Authority and other advice as appropriate, each within their own spheres of competence.

The competence of the Scientific Panels and the respective expertise sought through this call are as follows:

The Panel on food additives, flavourings, processing aids and materials in contact with food (AFC Panel) deals with questions of safety in the use of food additives, flavourings, processing aids, food enzymes and materials in contact with food; with associated subjects concerning the safety of other deliberately added substances to food and with questions related to the safety of processes. Further details can be found at: http://www.efsa.eu.int/science/afc/catindex_en.html Expertise required: toxicology and risk assessment, chemistry, biochemistry, food consumption and exposure assessment, safety and bioavailability of nutrient sources, food technology and microbiology, within the area of the panel as described above.

The Panel on animal health and welfare (AHAW Panel) deals with questions on all aspects of animal health and animal welfare, primarily relating to food producing animals including fish. Further details can be found at: http://www.efsa.eu.int/science/ahaw/catindex_en.html Expertise required: veterinary medicine, risk assessment in animal health and welfare, bacteriology, virology, parasitology, epidemiology, pathology, zootechnics, animal production, immunology, animal behaviour, ethology, physiology.

The Panel on biological hazards (BIOHAZ Panel) deals with questions on biological hazards relating to food safety and food-borne disease, including food-borne zoonoses and transmissible spongiform encephalopathies, microbiology, food hygiene and associated waste management. Further details can be found at: http://www.efsa.eu.int/science/biohaz_en.html Expertise required: food microbiology, food technology, food hygiene, microbiological risk assessment, quantitative risk assessment, public health, veterinary public health, animal health, virology, parasitology, zoonoses, epidemiology, meat inspection, transmissible spongiform encephalopaties, neuropathology, TSE exposure assessment, TSE testing, epidemiology..

The Panel on contaminants in the food chain (CONTAM Panel) deals with questions on contaminants in food and feed, associated areas and undesirable substances such as natural toxicants, mycotoxins and residues of non-authorised substances not covered by another panel. Further details can be found at: http://www.efsa.eu.int/science/contam_en.html Expertise required: toxicology, risk assessment, chemistry, food consumption and exposure assessment, epidemiology, analytical and environmental chemistry, biochemistry, food technology, natural toxicants, veterinary toxicology, animal nutrition, toxicokinetics (modelling and metabolism).

The Panel on additives and products or substances used in animal feed (FEEDAP Panel) deals with questions on safety for the animal, the consumer of products of animal origin, the user and the environment and with the efficacy of additives, products or substances intended for use in animal nutrition.. Further details can be found at: http://www.efsa.eu.int/science/feedap_en.html Expertise required: animal nutrition, toxicology, biochemistry, microbiology, metabolism and residues of feed additives, exposure assessment, environmental assessment of feed additives, animal production, feed technology.

The Panel on genetically modified organisms (GMO Panel) deals with questions on genetically modified organisms (plants, micro-organisms and animals) as defined in Directive 2001/18/EC. The GMO Panel assesses GMO applications submitted under Regulation (EC) 1829/2003 and/or Directive 2001/18/EC, and deals with more general questions related to the risk assessment of GMOs and derived products. Further details can be found at: http://www.efsa.eu.int/science/gmo/catindex_en.html Expertise required: plant molecular biology, microbiology, biochemistry, toxicology, immunology, allergenicity, human/animal nutrition, statistics, bioinformatics, plant/animal breeding, plant/animal physiology and/or metabolism, plant/soil ecology and ecotoxicology, entomology; (environmental) risk assessment of genetically modified plants/animals/micro-organisms, risk assessment of genetically modified food/feed products, food and feed safety, nutritional assessment, comparative analysis, post market environmental monitoring.

The Panel on dietetic products, nutrition and allergies (NDA Panel) deals with questions on dietetic products (i.e. foodstuffs intended to satisfy particular nutritional requirements of specific groups of the population, as defined in Community legislation), human nutrition and food allergy, and other associated subjects such as novel foods. Further details can be found at: http://www.efsa.eu.int/science/nda_en.html Expertise required: human nutrition, human medicine, food allergy, toxicology, food consumption and exposure assessment, biochemistry, epidemiology, food technology.

The Panel on plant protection products and their residues (PPR Panel) deals with questions on the risk of plant protection products for humans (including user/worker and consumer) and the environment. Further details can be found at: http://www.efsa.eu.int/science/ppr_en.html Expertise required: pesticide risk assessment; toxicology, occupational health; residues of pesticides in food, food consumption and exposure assessment; ecotoxicology (aquatic/terrestrial), fate and behaviour of pesticides in all environmental compartments (water, soil), including modelling; analytical methods, physical-chemical properties of pesticides.

The new Panel on plant health (PLH Panel) deals with questions on organisms harmful to plants or plant products posing a threat to the Community crop production and/or biodiversity. It will also carry out peer-review of pest risk assessment at the European level. Expertise required: virology, bacteriology, mycology, botany/weed science, phytopathology, plant disease epidemiology, nematology, entomology, population ecology/population genetics, environmental factors and responses, plant quarantine, pest risk assessment.

Composition of the Scientific Committee and Scientific Panels

The Scientific Committee is composed of the Chairs of the Scientific Panels and six independent experts.

The Scientific Panels are composed of an adequate number of independent scientific experts. The number and names of the Scientific Panels may be adapted in the light of technical and scientific development by the Commission, at the Authority's request, in accordance with the procedure referred to in Article 58(2) of Regulation (EC) 178/2002 as amended.

Eligibility

Applicants must have:

—	a university degree in a relevant scientific area, preferably at post-graduate level,

—	at least 10 years professional experience at a level to which these qualifications give admission,

—	adequate knowledge of the English language as this is the working language of all scientific expert groups.

Selection criteria

Preference will be given to applicants who possess:

—	experience in carrying out scientific risk assessment and/or providing scientific advice in fields related to food and feed safety in general and, in particular in the areas of competence and expertise of the Scientific Committee or the Scientific Panel preferred,

—	proven scientific excellence in one, or preferably several fields linked to the area covered by the Scientific Committee or the Scientific Panel preferred,

—	experience in peer reviewing scientific work and publications, preferably in fields related to the area covered by the Scientific Committee or the Scientific Panel preferred,

—	the ability to analyse complex information and dossiers, often from a wide range of scientific disciplines and sources and to prepare draft scientific opinions and reports,

—	professional experience in a multidisciplinary environment, preferably in an international context,

—	experience in project management related to scientific matters,

—	proven communication skills.

An ability to use modern, electronic means of document exchange and communications would be an advantage, given the Authority makes best use of these techniques.

Independence and declarations of commitment and interest

The members of the Scientific Committee and Scientific Panels are appointed on a personal basis. Applicants are required to include a declaration that they will undertake to act independently of any outside influence and a declaration of interests which may be deemed to be prejudicial to their independence.

Selection process, appointment and term

Applications meeting the eligibility requirements will be submitted to a comparative evaluation carried out by the Authority on the basis of the selection criteria given above.

The Authority reserves the right to consult third parties on the professional experience of applicants in the context of their application for the Scientific Committee or a Scientific Panel.

Members of the Scientific Committee and the Scientific Panels will be appointed by the Management Board acting upon a proposal from the Executive Director. The Scientific Committee and Scientific Panels are to be renewed every three years and will be renewed in May 2006. Committee and Panel members who wish to be considered for reappointment, have to reapply.

Applicants can apply for up to three Scientific Panels/Scientific Committee, but can only be appointed to one of the Scientific Panels or the Scientific Committee. Applicants may, with their prior consent, be assigned to a Scientific Panel even if they did not specifically apply for that Panel. Applicants meeting the requirement for membership but who are not appointed may be invited to be placed on a reserve list in case vacancies occur or may be invited to contribute to the activities of a Scientific Panel as ad hoc expert of a panel's working group.

Equal opportunity

EFSA takes great care to avoid any form of discrimination in its selection procedures and actively encourages applications from women.

Attending meetings

Members should be prepared to attend and contribute to all meetings of the Scientific Committee and/or the Scientific Panel. It is estimated that the Scientific Committee and the Scientific Panels meet between five and 10 times per year (depending on the workload) in two-day meetings normally in Parma, Italy. Panel members are also expected to participate, as appropriate, in working groups and this will mean attending more meetings. Meetings are conducted in English and most documents are also in English. Applicants should take into account that meetings generally involve a considerable amount of preparatory work.

The members of the Scientific Committee and the Scientific Panels are not remunerated but will be entitled to an indemnity of EUR 300, which is likely to rise to EUR 450 in the near future, for each full day meeting. Members will also receive travel and subsistence allowances in accordance with the scales laid down by the Authority's rules of procedure.

Application procedure

The Authority strongly encourages the use of its online web-based facility to submit application forms, however applications by post are acceptable.

Online application forms are available from the Authority's website www.efsa.eu.int and should be submitted through that site. Forms for paper application are equally available from the Authority's website www.efsa.eu.int, or by post from the following address:

European Food Safety Authority (EFSA)

Anja Van Impe

Call for expression of interest — Committee and Panel experts 2006

Largo Natale Palli 5/A

I-43100 Parma

If not registered online, the application forms should be submitted by registered post to the same address.

Supporting documents may be requested at a later stage.

While applicants may apply in any of the official languages of the European Community, it is highly desirable to submit an application in English in order to facilitate the selection procedure.

All applications will be treated as confidential.

Closing date

Applications should be sent electronically online to www.efsa.eu.int, or by registered letter to the above address not later than 7 January 2006 (date of postmark).

The Authority reserves the right to disregard any expressions of interest received after that date.

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(1)  OJ L 31, 1.2.2002, p. 1. Regulation as amended by Regulation (EC) No 1642/2003 (OJ L 245, 29.9.2003, p. 4).

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