Euroseeds, alongside a coalition of major business and agri-food industry stakeholders, has issued an open letter urging swift and targeted improvements to the performance of the European Food Safety Authority(EFSA). Representing thousands of food and feed operators across the agri-food value chain, the signatories emphasise that a high-functioning EFSA is essential for safeguarding the EU’s global competitiveness.
Published in the context of the European Commission’s ongoing Performance Evaluation of EFSA, the letter outlines key regulatory challenges — such as excessive administrative burdens, protracted timelines, and limited engagement with domain experts — that continue to hamper innovation and discourage investment in the EU market.
The coalition recognises recent progress by EFSA in enhancing transparency and stakeholder engagement but stresses the need for further reforms. These include streamlining risk assessment procedures, offering more tailored and actionable pre-submission advice, and ensuring stronger integration of scientific and industry expertise throughout EFSA’s processes. The letter also highlights the urgency of scaling up the adoption of New Approach Methodologies (NAMs) to reduce reliance on animal testing.
Echoing the goals of the Commission’s Vision for Agriculture and Food, the signatories call on EU policymakers to act decisively to align EFSA’s performance with the EU’s broader ambitions for sustainable, innovative, and competitive agri-food systems.
The open letter is posted on the Euroseeds website.
