Annual report of the Scientific Network on Microbiological Risk Assessment 2018

Abstract

Among the tasks of EFSA, according to its founding regulation (Regulation (EC) No 178/2002), there is the establishment of a system of Networks of organisations operating in the fields within EFSA's mission, the objective being to facilitate a scientific cooperation framework by the coordination of activities, the exchange of information, the development and implementation of joint projects, the exchange of expertise and best practices. Additionally, the EFSA Science Strategy 2012‐2016 set the objective of developing, together with Member States' competent authorities, multi‐annual work programmes focused on filling data gaps and on setting priorities for data collections. To implement the above provisions various Networks were established. The Scientific Network on Microbiological Risk Assessment (MRA Network) had its first meeting in 2007. Currently, 25 European Union Member States and two observer countries (Switzerland and Norway) are members of the MRA Network. The annual meeting was held on 24‐25 April 2018 in Parma. A wide range of topics related to microbial risk assessment were discussed, including risk assessments on Salmonella, quantitative risk assessments, and antimicrobial resistance.