Parma, Italy
April 25, 2006
 Following her unanimous appointment by the EFSA
Management Board, Ms Catherine Geslain-Lanéelle will take up the
post of Executive Director of the European Food Safety Authority
(EFSA) on 1 July 2006 for a 5-year term.
Stuart
Slorach, chair of the Management Board, said: “I am very pleased
to announce the appointment of Ms Catherine Geslain-Lanéelle to
the position of Executive Director. EFSA is at a critical stage
in its development and I am confident that Catherine has both
the professional and personal qualities required to lead the
Authority through this important phase. Involved with EFSA since
its creation, committed to the EU food safety system and
experienced in managing food safety policy at EU and national
levels, Catherine will consolidate and build on the Authority’s
achievements in years to come.”
According
to Catherine Geslain-Lanéelle “independence does not mean
absence of dialogue”. The European Commission, the European
Parliament and Member States need to rely on an independent and
transparent risk assessment process as a basis for taking
informed risk management decisions. Communications and
co-ordination between risk assessors and risk managers are key
to achieving this goal.
Commenting
on her appointment, Ms. Catherine Geslain-Lanéelle affirmed: “I
very much look forward to joining EFSA and to help this young
organisation consolidate its strengths and build a successful
future. I will seek to encourage dialogue at all levels.
Streamlining the Authority’s work will also be a key focus: much
can be gained for the European public by networking with Member
States to handle the heavy scientific workload and face
potential budgetary constraints. I am committed to enhancing the
transparency of the Authority’s working processes and to keeping
the public informed through effective risk communications.”
Catherine Geslain-Lanéelle is currently Regional Director of
Agriculture and Forestry for the Ile de France region and one of
the two Vice-Chairs of EFSA Management Board.
Prior to this, she was
Director-General of Food of the French Agriculture
Ministry where she was responsible, from 2000 to 2003,
for the management of health risks related to food,
animal health and welfare and plant protection as well
as risk communications.
She has also worked for
the European Commission in the area of risk management
and risk assessment from 1991 to 1993. Active at the
international level, she has served as Chair of the
Codex Alimentarius Committee on General Principles in
2001 and 2002.
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