Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
objectives can be profiled into categories of necessary risk/benefit assess-
ments and rank the policy-making decisions requiring various numbers
of participating actors.
69,70
This process is intended to reach consensus
on these matters and expedite policy-making by shaping the questions
that specialists will be expected to deal with in the risk benefit step that
follows. The mechanisms of potential threats in rapidly emerging tech-
nologies are often unknown to experts and society, which means that
this or another process will contain uncertainty. However, this participa-
tory framing step will contribute to a public understanding of the gov-
ernment's food safety objectives and help to build public confidence in
food safety governance.
A Formal and Documented Risk/Benefit Assessment Step
This stage includes a conventional adverse effect assessment performed
by Dutch specialists at research institutes or EFSA's GMO panel. As
part of the broader EU regulatory scheme, EFSA reviews this assess-
ment and compares the Dutch approach to similar risk assessments by
other countries. These independent specialists analyze the impacts of the
GMO being considered on human and animal health. Other specialists
may be commissioned by the Office staff to perform additional assess-
ments on, for example, consumer attitudes, economic impact analysis,
and ethics. Then, the Office of Risk Assessment and interdisciplinary
groups of experts study the adverse health effects assessment and pro-
vide consultations on economic impact, perceptions, ethical, and politi-
cal values, risk-benefit distribution, and social benefit distribution. This
transparent review allows subjective perceptions and values to enter the
science-based risk assessment as performed by EFSA.
69
Renn, O. (2004).
Deliberative Approaches to Manage Systemic Risks
. ESOF,
Stockholm, 24-29 August, Sweden, http://www.esof2004.org/pdf ppt/session material/
ortwin renn 2.ppt.
70
Klinke A, Renn O. (2002). A new approach to risk evaluation and management: risk-
based, precaution-based, and discourse-based strategies.
Risk Analysis
22, 1071-94.
