The Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA Programme) came into force on 1 January 2007 bringing all Pre-Accession support into a single, focused instrument. Under the IPA, EFSA is implementing the Programme entitled: “Preparatory Measures for the Participation of IPA beneficiaries in EFSA (IPA III)" currently, financed by the European Commission (EC). In the scope of the Programme, EFSA is working with the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry in Türkiye and with the food safety authorities in the other countries (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia) on food and feed safety issues within the EFSA's remit.

The program, established for 2023-2026, includes preparatory measures for the participation of IPA beneficiaries in EFSA's activities, and it was intended to target the competent authorities for food and feed safety, the scientific community, and the general public in these countries. The main goals of IPA III Action are to strengthen the capacities for risk assessment and communication, increase the scientific cooperation and networking activities between IPA beneficiaries and member states, and promote the harmonisation risk assessment and data collection methodologies with those in EFSA.

The target groups are the competent authorities for food and feed safety in the Pre-Accession countries, in particular those with a similar remit as EFSA`s. Therefore, coordination institution of the Programme in Türkiye is General Directorate of Food and Control under the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry.

The Programme activities are focused on the organisation of series of seminars/workshops/ trainings, and involvement of the Pre-Accession institutions and their experts.

Participation in the Programme activities provide the experts of our country with an overall knowledge on EFSA and the EU food safety system, primarily within the area of risk assessment and risk communication. It is expected that the Programme would enable our Ministry's experts to be involved in all mechanisms for information sharing established between EFSA and MSs. Furthermore, participation of the experts in scientific and technical events organised by EFSA improves their knowledge on risk assessment and risk communication works.

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