Ten years of controversy at EFSA: time to tackle industry bias and reclaim food safety!

Brussels, 5 November 2012

Media Invitation from Corporate Europe Observatory, the Italian anti-GMO Task Force, the European Coordination Via Campesina and FIRAB

A farmers and citizens conference marking the 10th anniversary of EFSA
WHEN:  12 November 2012 – from 16.00 till 19.30
WHERE: Aula Magna Economy Faculty – University of Parma
Via Kennedy 6, Parma, Italy
Manifestation and press conference, 13 November – from 10.30h-12.00 in front of EFSA,
Via Carlo Magno 1A, Parma

As the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) celebrates  its 10th anniversary with several events, experts, farmers, food campaigners, MEPs and members of the public are gathering  in a farmers’ and citizens’ conference to examine the question of industry’s influence over EU food safety rules, and ask how to better protect public health and the environment.

In several cases, scientific advice delivered by EFSA has been dogged by controversy. This conference will look at ongoing concerns about industry influence, the science used for food safety and environmental risk assessment, and will ask what steps can be taken to prevent regulatory capture by industry.

Case studies on aspartame and GM will be presented.  Fiorella Belpoggi from the Fondazione Ramazzini will talk about worrying studies done on the food additive aspartame which were ignored by EFSA.  Christoph Then from TestBiotech will focus on the flawed GMO risk assessment process as designed by EFSA. Nina Holland, from Corporate Europe Observatory, Andrea Ferrante, from the European Coordination Via Campesina and Monica Frassoni, co-president of the Green European Party, will address the problems surrounding EFSA, conflicts of interest and industry science.

José Bové, from the Green Group of the European Parliament,  Christophe Morvan, from Fondation Sciences Citoyennes, Cinzia Scaffidi for the Italian anti-GMO Task Force and Jose Manuel Benitez, from COAG, will take part in a political roundtable on solutions for a sustainable food system.
Translation will be provided from and into Italian, English, French and Spanish.
RSVP to nina@corporateeurope.org
On 13 November from 10.30, a manifestation will be organised in front of the EFSA building with photo opportunity and press conference.

Ø  For more information about the conference,  please contact:
Luca Colombo, FIRAB, l.colombo@firab.it , tel: +39 348 39 88 618
Nina Holland, CEO, nina@corporateeurope.org, tel: +31 630 285 042

Ø  For more information about manifestation, please contact:
Andrea Ferrante, European Coordination Via Campesina , a.ferrante@aiab.it , tel:+393480189221