Activities of Michèle RIVASI related to 2022/2104(DEC)
Shadow opinions (1)
OPINION on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Food Safety Authority for the financial year 2021
Amendments (10)
Amendment 4 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Notes certain limitations in the application of the recent rules proposed by the European Commission on teleworking, which EFSA applies by analogy, in particular when it comes to partial teleworking outside the country of employment; is concerned about the fact that current limited rules on teleworking abroad may impact on EFSA’s attractiveness when recruiting candidates from the different EU Member States wishing to join EFSA; calls for more flexibility in the application of these rulesa review of those rules in order to allow for more flexibility, which would help increasing EFSA’s attractiveness and leading to a better nationality balance of its staff.;
Amendment 5 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Notes that the corrective actions to follow the Court of Auditors' observations of 2020 have been completed; recalls the necessity to complete the corrective actions to follow the Court of Auditors' observations of 2017, in particular to strengthen the accounting officer’s independence by making them directly responsible to EFSA’s Director;
Amendment 7 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 10 a (new)
Paragraph 10 a (new)
10 a. Recalls that in 2021 the Parliament adopted six objections to the import of genetically modified crops for food and feed; highlights that one reason for these objections are gaps in the risk assessment undertaken by the Authority's Panel on Genetically Modified Organisms; urges the Authority to address and close these gaps as a matter of urgency;
Amendment 8 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 10 b (new)
Paragraph 10 b (new)
10 b. Recalls the judgment of the Court of Justice of 1 October 2019 in Case C- 616/17 stating that “it is the duty of the competent authorities, in particular, to take account of the most reliable scientific data available and the most recent results of international research and not to give in all cases preponderant weight to the studies provided by the applicant”;
Amendment 9 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 10 c (new)
Paragraph 10 c (new)
10 c. Deplores that despite Regulation 1107/2009 and Regulation 396/2005 ruling that known cumulative and synergistic effects need to be taken into account in the assessment of pesticides, the Authority still does not have an operational and science-based methodology to assess and prevent such effects; insists that the assessment of cumulative and synergistic effects must be a precondition for any pesticide approval; underlines that the protection of European citizens and the environment from cocktail effects is a core commitment of the with the Chemical Strategy for Sustainability; further stresses that the strategy proposes the establishment of a Mix Assessment Factor (MAF) as the appropriate tool to assess these effects; calls for the immediate implementation of a Mix Assessment Factor (MAF) to pesticides;
Amendment 10 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 10 d (new)
Paragraph 10 d (new)
10 d. Calls on the Authority to publicly commit to carry out an independent and transparent risk assessment of glyphosate, taking into account all available scientific evidence from peer-reviewed independent literature reporting adverse effects of the substance on human health and the environment;
Amendment 11 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 10 e (new)
Paragraph 10 e (new)
10 e. Considers that four years after the updating of the Authority’s independence policy, its limits in addressing properly the main independence loopholes have become evident; notes with concern that continuous controversies around conflicts of interest undermine the scientific reliability and credibility of the Authority; regrets that the new independence policy has not led to any tangible change in the Authority’s policy to select experts and in the working groups composition;
Amendment 12 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 10 f (new)
Paragraph 10 f (new)
10 f. Calls for a post 5-year independent review of the Authority's independence policy and for appropriate action to be taken on the basis of the conclusions drawn; recommends in this context the evaluation of all the industrial interests (in the remit of EFSA and beyond) of board members and experts, the extension of the cooling-off period to 10 years, the implementation of the 25% threshold of tolerated research funding to expert’s all cumulated funding and for the extension of the scope of private funding to the public-private partnerships; considers the Authority’s independence policy should also apply to all hearing experts and speakers in open conferences;
Amendment 13 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 10 g (new)
Paragraph 10 g (new)
10 g. Calls on EFSA to ensure that all management and advisory members, their alternates and other experts have dutifully submitted the annual declarations of interest; calls on EFSA to ensure a high level of compliance with conflict of interest and transparency rules throughout all of its activities;
Amendment 14 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. RecommendConditions, based on the facts available, that discharge be grantede granting of discharge to the Executive Director of the European Food Safety Authority in respect of the implementation of the Authority's budget for the financial year 2021 to new commitments in terms of independence policy and management of conflict of interests.