Programme affiliate profiles
Speaker and Panellist
Bernhard Url
European Food Safety Authority (EFSA)
Short biography
Dr. Bernhard Url was appointed Executive Director of EFSA in June 2014, having served as Acting Executive Director for seven months. His mandate for a second term in office was extended in June 2019 for another 5 years. Dr. Url joined EFSA in June 2012 as Head of the Risk Assessment and Scientific Assistance Department. A qualified veterinarian by training, he brings high-level management experience from food-safety organisations to his role at EFSA.
Prior to joining the Authority, Dr. Url was Managing Director of the Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety (AGES), which represents Austria on EFSA’s Advisory Forum. From 2008 to March 2012, he also served as a member of EFSA’s Management Board.
During his 10 years at AGES, he was in charge of technical and scientific affairs with a remit that included the timely delivery of risk assessment and risk management services across a wide range of areas. This included ensuring effective risk communications during urgent food safety-related events.
Prior to AGES Dr. Url spent five years as an Assistant Professor at the Institute of Milk Hygiene and Milk Technology at the University of Veterinary Medicine in Vienna before running a food quality control laboratory from 1993 to 2002.
Dr. Url graduated from the University of Veterinary Medicine in Vienna in 1987 and became a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine in 1990. He has published in the field of veterinary medicine with a particular focus on listeria and milk hygiene.
21/06 - 14:00
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Opening address
21/06 - 14:00
Panellist
21/06 - 14:00
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Panel discussion moderated by Rose O' Donovan
21/06 - 16:20
Thematic session
Advancing engagement in an evolving food safety ecosystem: opportunities and challenges
See more22/06 - 09:00
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Opening and welcome
22/06 - 09:00
Speaker
23/06 - 09:00
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EU Agencies as transdisciplinary agents of change
23/06 - 09:05
Abstract of talk
The world is facing many challenges, including related to our primary need for food. Think how climate change, changing food habits and societal expectations impact food production systems. Our food policies and food systems will have to shift dramatically towards sustainability to achieve the ambitious goals of the EU Green Deal.
The challenges are complex and cannot be met by one sector alone – we need a One Health approach. Transdisciplinary collaboration is needed to consider all aspects of health for people, animals and the environment. The Commission and Member States need strong independent research and scientific advice that go beyond traditional boundaries between scientific disciplines and organisations. EFSA and its sister agencies have a key role to play in bringing together the knowledge generated by research, exploring scenarios and formulating fit-for-purpose scientific advice to policymakers. EU agencies have recently advocated for an enhanced inter-agency collaboration and for policymakers to capitalise on the collective value the agencies bring [1].
At EFSA, we are already strengthening regulatory science to support the necessary transition of food systems. EFSA organised its first Risk Assessment Research Assembly (RARA) 4 years ago, and has since become more engaged in external research activities. Upstream, we proactively inform research agendas by advising the Commission on regulatory research needs and priorities (for example, we published the Food Safety Regulatory Research Needs 2030 [2]). Downstream, we established a Research Platform [3] as a one-stop-shop for our community to find food-related research information and disseminate funding opportunities. We are also actively engaged in several research projects (e.g. OneHealth EJP and FoodSafety4EU) and European partnerships (e.g. PARC), utilising useful research outcomes in our work. EFSA is convening RARA again on 7 December 2022 to stimulate synergies among EU and national research activities and funding efforts.
In this session, case studies on the benefits that EU agencies already bring to the EU’s research agenda will be presented, and we discuss how the agencies can further make a difference to the science-policy interface. EU agencies that work together closely, including in the field of research, provide the EU with integrated solutions that are needed for our society and the environment.
1. 10.2903/sp.efsa.2022.e200101
2. 10.2903/j.efsa.2019.e170622
3. https://bit.ly/3Iw85FV
24/06 - 08:30
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Closing address
24/06 - 12:25