Scientific Steering Committee and Panels
The scientific panels together comprise about 123 independent experts. They are professionally independent and participate for their expertise in their specific field, and all have broad interdisciplinary competence.
The experts do not represent the institution by which they are regularly employed nor other interests. The Scientific Steering Committee and the panels are responsible for the risk assessments.
You can read more about the Scientific Steering Committee and the panels below.
The Scientific Steering Committee discusses guidelines and principles for the work in VKM, coordinates risk assessments that are being developed in more than one panel, and finalizes the most extensive risk assessments.
Animal Feed
The panel carries out risk assessments concerning feed for animals on land and in water.
Animal health and welfare
The panel carries out risk assessments on all aspects of animal health and welfare, including both terrestrial and aquatic animals.
Biodiversity
The panel assesses whether the import, keep and release of alien organisms may pose a risk to biodiversity in Norway. Other conditions that can affect biological diversity are also included in the group's work.
Biological Hazards
The panel assesses risks in the field of microbiology and hygiene, such as contamination and transmission of microorganisms that can cause disease in humans.
CITES
The panel evaluates applications for import/export and list proposals under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, CITES. Read more about VKM's work with CITES here .
Contaminants
The panel assesses the risk of environmental toxins and other pollutants, process-induced substances, natural toxins, and residues of veterinary and human medicinal preparations.
Food Additives, Flavourings, Processing Aids, Materials in Contact with Food and Cosmetics
The panel is responsible for assessing issues on safety in the use of food additives, flavourings, processing aids, materials in contact with food and drinking water, chemicals used for water treatment and residues from biocides.
Genetically Modified Organisms-Medicinal Products
The panel assesses environmental risks from using medicinal products that contain or consist of genetically modified organisms.
Genetically Modified Organisms-food and feed
The panel carries out health and environmental risk assessments of genetically modified organisms and processed food and feed from genetically modified organisms.
Microbial Ecology
The panel assesses the environmental risk when releasing/importing micro-organisms
Nutrition, Dietetic Products, Novel Food, and Allergy
The panel assesses benefits and risks in the fields of human nutrition, dietetic products and allergies.
Plant Health
The panel assesses the risk of quarantine pests and other pests that can reduce the yield, quality or value of plants and plant products, and that can have negative effects on ecosystems and natural diversity.
