Advice of the Scientific Committee of the Belgian Food Safety Agency regarding the independent and transparant functioning of the scientific committee and the management of conflicts of interests

The Scientific Committee has assessed, on its own initiative, two proposals of law which are made up by the Chamber of representatives’ Commission for Public Health, Environment and Social Renewal. These proposals of law deal with the prevention of conflicts of interest in regard to public health and to assure that opinions in regard to public health are issued by “truly independent experts”. 
On one hand, the Scientific Committee subscribes the concern of the Commission and supports the necessity to guarantee, as maximally as possible, independent expert advice to support public health policy and more specifically in regard to public health and food safety. On the other hand, the Scientific Committee is aware of the necessity to dispose at all times and in an uncomplicated way of the best possible expertise. Hereby it is crucial that top-scientists are encouraged to share their expertise for public policy preparation rather than being frightened by the creation of legal insecurity due to the unclear definition of the terms ‘interest’ and ‘conflict of interest’, the application of severe sanctions and a complex administrative procedure threatening moreover to paralyze the efficient functioning of advisory bodies.