12 Oct 2009 --- The European Food Safety Authority’s Management Board has renewed EFSA’s Stakeholder Consultative Platform, readopting 24 organisations as full members for one year and finalising the list of bodies of Associated Members of the Platform. The appointment of members will be further considered taking into account EFSA’s growing and diversified remit. The Board also heard initial proposals for an upcoming review of EFSA’s communications strategy.

The Stakeholder Platform, composed of EU-wide organisations working in areas related to the food chain, meets three times a year to assist Europe’s scientific watchdog for food safety in the development of its overall relations and policy with stakeholders.

All 24 original organisations (link to list) were reconfirmed as full members and 21 other groups were approved as Associated Members for one year.

The Board also discussed a paper outlining the approach towards a review of EFSA’s communications strategy first adopted in 2006. EFSA has a clear mandate for communications laid down in its Founding Regulations and it is one of the key priorities in its 2009-2013 Strategy Plan.

While EFSA’s fundamental mandate in risk communications has not changed, the paper proposes a methodology for carrying out the review of the strategy, including a public consultation, and reflects on new developments, such as the strengthening of cooperation with communicators in Member States, increased scientific work and the ever-changing public perception of risk.