February 19, 2026
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) today, strengthening their cooperation and affirming their joint commitment to advancing sound regulatory science for the protection of public health.
The agreement reflects a common objective: ensuring that innovation drives competitiveness while maintaining the highest standards of safety. Amid rapid technological change and increasing complexity, the three-year partnership will promote science-based solutions for safe, sustainable, and resilient food systems, aligned with One Health principles.
Under the MoU, cooperation will cover areas such as plant and animal health, pesticide risk assessment and sustainable agricultural practices, nutrition and cross-cutting work on data, as well as methodologies and communication. The partnership will also promote joint efforts on emerging issues and fields such as novel food , biotechnology, artificial intelligence and microbiome research.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, which was attended by H. E. Ambassador Martin Selmayr, Head of Delegation of the European Union in Rome, EFSA’s Executive Director, Nik Kriz, underlined the importance of the agreement: “I am very proud to see this partnership with FAO take shape. By combining our expertise, we will be better prepared to face emerging challenges and strengthen safe, innovative, and sustainable food systems. I am confident that, together, we can deliver real benefits for public health”.
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