Industry groups call for a more efficient European Food Safety Authority to streamline regulations and foster innovation in the EU’s vital agri-food sector. A coalition of 24 European agri-food organizations has issued an open letter outlining sectoral challenges and proposing solutions to enhance sustainability.

A coalition of agri-food industry organizations, including the European Feed Manufacturers’ Federation (FEFAC) and the EU Association of Specialty Feed Ingredients (FEFANA), has issued an open letter urging the European Commission and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) to accelerate reforms to enhance the EU’s agri-food sector competitiveness. The letter, supported by groups like FoodDrinkEurope and CropLife Europe, emphasizes the need for a high-performing EFSA to support the sector, which employs over 30 million people and contributed EUR 900 billion to the EU economy in 2022.

The letter identifies key challenges, such as the complex EU regulatory regime under the Transparency Regulation, which increases administrative burdens and costs for feed and food businesses, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises. These hurdles discourage innovation and make the EU market less attractive compared to other regions, prompting companies to prioritize investments elsewhere. The signatories call for revisions to the Transparency Regulation to align with EU priorities on competitiveness and innovation.

NEED FOR REFORM IN EFSA PROCESSES

Another concern is the limited value of EFSA’s pre-submission advice, which often restates existing guidance without offering case-specific insights. The letter suggests expanding the scope of pre-submission advice, similar to practices at the European Medicines Agency, and increasing interactions during risk assessments to clarify regulatory expectations. It also highlights the growing complexity of EFSA’s guidance documents, which contribute to longer evaluation timelines and require more stakeholder input to ensure they are practical and science-based.

The letter critiques EFSA’s scientific panels for lacking sufficient expertise in EU agri-food legislation and practical industry knowledge, leading to sometimes theoretical assessments. It proposes allowing experts with industry experience to join panels, provided conflicts of interest are managed, and ensuring opinions use up-to-date, EU-relevant references. Additionally, the letter addresses excessive data requests and the uneven adoption of New Approach Methodologies (NAMs), urging EFSA to prioritize validated non-animal testing methods to reduce animal testing and streamline assessments.

The coalition calls for swift action on EFSA’s ongoing performance evaluation to address these issues, streamline administrative processes, and foster innovation in feed and food production. The letter underscores the urgency of creating a regulatory environment that supports sustainable and resilient agri-food chains, ensuring the EU remains a global leader in the sector.