European Food Safety Authority web site, March 2002

The Regulation underpinning the establishment of the European Food Safety Authority was only adopted in January 2002 and though the agency is not yet fully operational it already has a web site in place at http://www.efsa.eu.int. The organisation's temporary home is in Brussels and in the meantime the existing scientific committees will continue their remit to provide continuity. The agency's responsibility is to provide independent scientific advice on anything which affects food safety, either directly or indirectly, from production to supply - no mean task in view of recent major issues causing concern to consumers. The web site content covers information about the organisation, its structure, publications, speeches, procurement, recruitment and links. It also provides information about the Interim Scientific Advisory Forum and its work. This committee was already established in May 2001 with a web presence at http://europa.eu.int/comm/food. It will continue to meet informally until full arrangements can be put in place for formal representation from each member state. Though the content of the European Food Safety Authority site is currently, understandably, limited, it will no doubt prove a valuable source once its work gets properly underway.