(1)

Article 28 of Regulation (EC) No 178/2002 sets up ten scientific panels responsible for providing the scientific opinions of the European Food Safety Authority (‘the Authority’), each within their own spheres of competence. Those panels include, among others, the Panel on food contact materials and enzymes and processing aids.

(2)

Due to continuous technical and scientific developments increasing the complexity of the risk assessment process combined with the need to adopt a high number of scientific opinions per year, the Panel on food contact materials and enzymes and processing aids faces difficulties in managing its workload, also in terms of expertise needed.

(3)

Accordingly, on 1 August 2023, the Authority submitted a request to the Commission to split the Panel on food contact materials and enzymes and processing aids into two newly created panels. The objective of this split is to address the pending requests for the provision of scientific opinions in the area of food enzymes in light of the increased workload as well as the scientific and technical complexity of the risk assessment process, for the purposes, amongst others, of supporting the work of the Commission in establishing the Union list of authorised food enzymes, while continue working on matters pertaining to food contact materials.

(4)

The creation of these two new panels is expected to improve the operational efficiency and effectiveness of the Authority’s scientific work reflecting the technical and scientific developments in the respective areas. The work of the new panels should become targeted to the fields of food enzymes and food contact materials, requiring for a more in depth expertise in the composition of the panels while supporting the efficient distribution of workload.

(5)

It is therefore appropriate and necessary to split the Panel on food contact materials and enzymes and processing aids into two newly created panels, named respectively ‘the Panel on food enzymes’ and ‘the Panel on food contact materials’. The assessment of processing aids could fall under the responsibility of both newly created panels, depending on the character of the processing aid under consideration and its intended use. Therefore, it is not necessary to specifically include the reference to processing aids in the titles of the newly created panels, for ensuring flexibility in assigning their assessment to the most relevant panel.

(6)

The current term of office of the Panel on food contact materials and enzymes and processing aids is to come to an end on 30 June 2024. The two new panels should start functioning from 1 July 2024. Therefore, this Regulation should apply as from 1 July 2024.

(7)

Regulation (EC) No 178/2002 should therefore be amended accordingly,

(1)

point (j) is replaced by the following:

(2)

the following new point (k) is added: