Maintaining close links with European Union agencies
There are currently more than 30 European agencies that help implement European Union (EU) policies, in conjunction with national bodies in Member States. ANSES maintains relations with all EU agencies with similar areas of expertise
In general, ANSES seeks to collaborate on an ongoing basis with EU agencies while ensuring the consistency and dissemination of information to other French authorities working with these agencies.
The type and frequency of this collaboration varies depending on the roles and goals of each EU agency: either ANSES is the French focal point, or its experts participate in the working groups of these agencies, or ANSES represents France within their entities.
Read about the relations ANSES maintains with each of the EU agencies within its field (PDF)
ANSES: EFSA National Focal Point
Since 2008, ANSES has been the national focal point for the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA).
EFSA is responsible for assessing risks to food and feed safety, nutrition, animal health and welfare, and plant health and protection, at EU level. In carrying out this role, EFSA works closely with partners and stakeholders across Europe and the world, including with EU Member States.
In this context, EFSA has a national focal point in each EU Member State (as well as in Iceland and Norway). The main role of a focal point is to act as connecting hub between EFSA and its relevant national actors and actors of the EU/EEA Member States and observer countries. On behalf of its country, the focal point supports the EFSA Advisory Forum member, and shares and disseminates information.
ANSES fulfils this role for France under a multi-annual agreement specifying the activities required of the focal points, grouped since the 1st of January 2023 into five broad categories: Knowledge and information management and support to scientific production, Engagement, collaboration and partnerships, Capacity building, Data, Risk Communication.
France collaborates with EFSA in various ways:
- national representation: representative in the EFSA Advisory Forum, focal point, participants in the scientific networks and in the communication experts network, and since July 2022, representative in EFSA’s Management Board;
- at institutional level: priviledged interaction with the competent organisations under Article 36 of EFSA’s founding regulation;
- cooperation on an individual basis: participation in expert groups, such as scientific panels and working groups.
There is a wide range of collaborative approaches, including submissions to funded calls for scientific projects, calls for data, public consultations, information sharing, data collection, and participation in or co-hosting of scientific events, calls for individual expertise, etc.
The French focal point continuously engages with the national representatives within other entities and with the EFSA representatives of the French competent organisations, and manages an active network of collaborating partners on food safety. This is reflected in a dynamic to disseminate information and support the establishment of collaborative projects, contributing to the practical implementation of the cooperation policy.
To contact the French EFSA focal point: pointfocal@anses.fr
Focus on
EFSA National Focal Points: a new working framework
Since 1 January 2023, the National Focal Points have been working within a new multi-annual, flexible and tailor-made framework. It is formalised by a framework partnership agreement for the years 2023-2027 covering 5 areas in which principal activities and tailor-made activities selected by the Focal Points are included. See the infographic document: Focal Point Network | EFSA (europa.eu)
Participation in European and international expert groups and networks
ANSES staff are represented in many European and international groups and committees relevant to its themes and work, especially those ANSES shares with EU agencies. They may represent ANSES or France, or be individually involved on the basis of their scientific and technical expertise. This individual participation on a personal basis (intuitu personae) contributes to increasing the wider influence of ANSES and France. It is also of great value for ANSES’s work since it allows staff to develop their work within the Agency further, while complying with ethical and confidentiality requirements in the context of their participation in expert groups, and to take ANSES’s methodological approaches to a European or international level.