It’s already been 15 years! In 2009, the Agency was one of the first to sign the French Charter on openness to society, intended for public agencies tasked with research, expert appraisal and risk assessment for health and the environment. Mathieu Baudrin, in charge of relations with stakeholders at ANSES, takes stock of our practices as regards dialogue and openness with organised civil society, and explains how they help to enhance the Agency’s scientific output and its mission to keep the public informed.

On 12 June, ANSES and the ANSM signed a new framework agreement to reinforce their partnership across the entire field of human and veterinary medicinal products. This new agreement between the two health agencies also provides for cooperation to be extended to all possible synergies according to the "One Health" approach.

Over the last few months, ANSES and Santé publique France have been actively finalising the launch of Albane. This major national survey will collect data on health, chemical exposure, food consumption and physical activity over two-year cycles, based on representative samples drawn from the population, from birth to 79 years of age. Funded by the Ministries of Health, the Environment, Agriculture and Labour, Albane will support both agencies’ missions and generate useful indicators for monitoring the effectiveness of public policies in the fields investigated.

Matthieu Schuler Managing Director General of the Science for Expertise Division about the phytopharmacovigilance : "With this phytopharmacovigilance scheme, we have taken a real step forward in capturing data on plant protection products as used and their residues in the environment."

With the renewal of its Scientific Board in April 2023, ANSES wanted to give it an international dimension by bringing together scientists, researchers and experts from France and other countries. The Agency’s Scientific Board functions as an independent body, to guarantee the excellence of its expert appraisals and the consistency of its scientific work. Human food and nutrition, environmental health, occupational health, animal health and welfare, animal nutrition, veterinary medicinal products, plant health and protection: the Board’s work covers all of the Agency’s missions, while respecting the pluralism and independence of its expert appraisals. On 7 December 2023, Marta Hugas was appointed Chair of the Scientific Board.

Benoit Vallet, Director General, and Patrick Dehaumont, Chair of the Board of Administrators, analyse the challenges ANSES is facing in light of its activities over the last 18 months, along with its outlook.