Stuart Slorach, Chair of the EFSA Management Board said: “The approval of the budget for 2006 of EUR 46.6 million represents a nearly 25% increase with respect to 2005. This increased budget, along with the projected staff needs laid down in the 2006 Establishment Plan endorsed today by the Board, will enable EFSA to face another challenging year of growth and development.” EFSA’s Management Plan will be submitted for final adoption by the Board in January.

Strengthening its Scientific Expert Services and expanding its communications activities will be key themes for 2006. Next year the Authority will consolidate the scientific thematic work started in 2005 and expand the range of information provided in the Register of Scientific Questions published on EFSA’s website. The developing of databases to support EFSA’s risk assessment work (e.g. European food consumption patterns, exposure data and other information) will be another focus area.

Flexibility will be even more important in 2006 in view of a growing workload and in anticipation of new European legislation, for instance on topics such as health claims and the fortification of foods, novel foods (in addition to GMOs) and the new framework regulation on food additives.

2006 will also be a year of significant organisational change for EFSA with: partial renewal of the Management Board; reconstitution of EFSA’s Scientific Committee and Panels; and importantly, the appointment of a new Executive Director. Maintaining recruitment of staff at appropriate levels of seniority and in step with the Authority’s workload will also be a key objective for 2006.

Finally, the Board announced that EFSA will be inviting comments on behalf of the Board from all interested parties with regard to the evaluation of the Authority carried out by an external evaluator. The evaluation, required by EFSA’s Founding Regulation, will be published shortly on the Authority’s website. Subsequently, the Board will make recommendations concerning the outcomes, taking into account comments received following public consultation.