Fulfilling the Authority’s mandate on risk communications and implementing its dedicated communications strategy, presents a number of challenges, not least due to the range and breadth of the audiences with which EFSA communicates. The messages EFSA delivers not only have to be understood by specialist audiences, such as policymakers, the scientific community and industry but also, on a broader level, to be made relevant to the 500 million consumers of the European Union. It is essential that both these groups have confidence in the decision-making processes underpinning food law, its scientific basis and the structures and independence of the institutions protecting health and other interests.

EFSA cooperates with Member States through its Advisory Forum. The Forum is made up of representatives from each Member State as well as Iceland and Norway and its members advise the Authority on scientific matters, its work programme and priorities and also address emerging risk issues as early as possible. In addition to scientific risk assessment issues, the Forum also has an important role to play in co-ordinating risk communications and messages. This particular aspect of its work is carried out by the Advisory Forum Communications Working Group (AFCWG), which comprises communications professionals from across Europe with expertise in food-related issues.

Established in 2003, the AFCWG promotes coherence in risk communications and provides a mechanism for exchange of information and experiences between EFSA and the Member States. Members meet regularly to discuss topical or emerging food safety issues. Importantly, it enables EFSA to tailor its messages to the specific needs of European Member States and regions.

Recently, the network identified the need for a common framework to guide food safety professionals in the area of risk communications. EFSA’s AFCWG launched an initiative to develop its own risk communications guidelines. The aim of the guidelines is to provide a framework to assist decision-making about the most appropriate approach to communicating food-related risk. The guidelines have been welcomed by AFCWG members and, as a practical resource and tool, are expected to make an important contribution to the work of European risk communicators.

Another important EFSA network in this area is the Advisory Group on Risk Communications (AGRC). The AGRC is made up of experts in the areas of sociology, consumer science, stakeholder relations, psychology and communications. One of the issues addressed by this group is consumer perception of food and food-related risks. In understanding this more, EFSA is able to tailor communications appropriately to different target audiences to ensure their needs and concerns are met.

To this end, in the last 10 years, EFSA has commissioned two Eurobarometer surveys on risk perception in the EU. The findings of the reports show that most Europeans view national and European food safety agencies as reliable sources of information on possible risks associated with food. The surveys have proved invaluable in guiding and informing EFSA’s communications. They underpin the approach we take to communicating on certain issues and the manner in which we seek to engage with our different target audiences.