ANSES executive bodies
ANSES has a novel system of governance which ensures the impartiality of the expert assessments provided as well as its openness to society and to the stakeholders concerned with the issues it addresses. The Agency is led by a Board of Administrators and a Scientific Board. Ethics also has a prominent role in its governance structure, with the establishment of a special body: the committee for ethical standards and prevention of conflicts of interest.
The Board of Administrators
The Board decides on the general policy of the Agency, including its multi-year strategy, its annual work programme and its Goals and Resources Contract with the State. It deliberates on the Agency's general organisation, including the creation of Expert Committees and the establishment of agreements with external organisations, and is involved in setting ethical standards.
In addition to the Chairman and the staff representatives, ANSES's Board consists of five colleges bringing together representatives of the State, various associations, professional bodies, trade unions and elected officials. Half of the voting rights are attributed to the members of the college of State representatives and half to the other members.
Thematic steering committees
A unique characteristic of the ANSES Board is that it can rely on thematic steering committees made up of the Agency's management, members of the Board who are particularly knowledgeable about the subject in question, and non-ANSES experts who are highly involved in and/or strongly identified with specific trends in society as a whole.
These committees assist the Board of Administrators and help it to:
- express needs in relation to risk assessment and reference/research topics;
- define the Agency's strategic guidelines by integrating the major concerns of society as a whole into its sphere of competence;
- promote the Agency's work among stakeholders and choose subjects for public debate.
Four committees have been created to cover environmental health, occupational health, food safety, and animal health and welfare. They will help to define ANSES's policies for these major themes and oversee the use of the resources allocated to each one.
The Board may also establish ad hoc working groups to examine in depth a particular issue or one of general interest, which may also involve external experts.
The five colleges of the Board of Administrators
- state Representatives (8 individuals representing the Ministries of Health, the Environment, Labour, the Budget, Agriculture, Consumer Affairs, Research, and Industry);
- representatives of approved environmental protection associations (2 individuals), approved associations active in the field of healthcare and patient care (1 individual), approved consumer protection associations (2 individuals), approved associations of victims of occupational accidents and diseases (2 individuals);
- representatives of professional bodies whose activities fall within the Agency's sphere of competence (6 individuals);
- representatives of inter-professional employer organisations (3 individuals) and trade unions representing employees at the national level (5 individuals);
- elected officials appointed by the Association of Mayors of France and the Assembly of the départements of France (2 individuals) and one qualified person selected for his/her expertise in the areas relating to the Agency's missions.
Composition of the Board of Administrators (PDF) (in French)
View the Public Declarations of Interests (PDI) of the members of the Board of Administration (in French)
The Scientific Board
An independent Scientific Board, composed exclusively of scientists, and giving a considerable number of seats to foreign scientists, guarantees the scientific quality and independence of the expert assessment (by choosing experts, reviewing public declarations of interest, conducting expert assessment). The balance between the Agency's main spheres of competence is ensured on this Board. It also oversees the evaluation of the Agency's research activities.
Make-up of the Scientific Board (PDF) (in French)
View the Public Declarations of Interests (PDI) of the members of the Scientific Board (in French)