Underpinning EFSA’s ongoing commitment to openness and transparency, the Authority will give access to Scientific Panel meetings and its Scientific Committee either in total or in part spanning the next 10 months. Obliged by the confidentiality of certain regulated product application dossiers and the need to respect proprietary data, EFSA informs interested Observers from the outset that not all agenda items of all meetings will be discussed in their presence. However, the Authority will make efforts to ensure that Observers gain a better understanding of how scientific risk assessment works at EFSA and endeavour to provide new opportunities for interaction with EFSA’s scientific experts.

The next Plenary meeting that Observers may attend is that of the Biological Hazards Panel (BIOHAZ) taking place on 24-25 October 2012 (Deadline for registration: 10 October 2012* - Extended deadline: 15 October 2012**). Thereafter the tentative planning is as follows:

• Plenary meeting of the Panel on Plant Protection Products and their Residues (PPR), 28-29 November 2012;
• Plenary meeting of the Panel on Animal Health and Welfare (AHAW), 4-5 December 2012;
• Plenary meeting of the Panel on Plant Health (PLH), 30-31 January 2013;
• Plenary meeting of the Scientific Committee, 5-6 February 2013;
• Plenary meeting of the Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies (NDA), 20-21 March 2013;
• Plenary meeting of the Panel on Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO), 17-18 April 2013;
• Plenary meeting of the Panel on Contaminants in the Food Chain (CONTAM), 15-17 May 2013;
• Plenary meeting of the Panel on Food Contact Materials, Enzymes, Flavourings and Processing Aids (CEF), 28-30 May 2013;
• Plenary meeting of the Panel on Additives and Products or Substances used in Animal Feed (FEEDAP), 18-20 June 2013;
• Plenary meeting of the Panel on Food Additives and Nutrient Sources Added to Food (ANS), 2-4 July 2013.

Registration for the above tentative meetings will be gradually opened at the latest 1 month before the respective plenary meetings.

Those interested in attending one of these plenary meetings as an Observer, should consult the information about how to register: Observers attending EFSA scientific meetings: guidelines

*It should be noted that although the Guidelines for Observers states that the registration form should be received 20 days before each of the selected meetings, an exception is made for the Plenary meeting of the Panel on Biological Hazards (24-25 October 2012). **Updated: 9 October 2012