RIVM was delighted to welcome a delegation from ANSES (French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety) in Bilthoven on April 10th. The partnership between ANSES and RIVM is important to both parties. The continuance and reinforcement of the collaboration on topics as infectious diseases, environmental risks and food safety were discussed during the visit. 

There was much recognition from our French guests for RIVM’s recently formulated new strategic themes, in particular themes as exposome, circular economy and integral food policy. ANSES indicated to be interested in collaborating on these themes in the future. RIVM and ANSES shared experiences 
regarding ethical aspects of science and the dialogue with society. 

Fostering collaboration

The organisations explored further collaboration on issues for which new collaboration would be welcome, or current collaboration that could be extended, for example human exposure to chemical mixtures (the EuroMix project),  computer modelling for estimation and exposure to substances from consumer products (ConsExpo) and One Health. ANSES and RIVM collaborate intensively in the One Health European Joint Programme (EJP Cofund) which started January 2018. 

Laboratory facilities

Both organisations have laboratory infrastructure for research and for crisis or incident management. RIVM shared its strategy towards a new laboratory infrastructure.  The delegation visited the tobacco lab, which is part of the WHO Collaborating Centre for Tobacco product Regulation and Control, hosted by RIVM. ANSES and RIVM are collaborating in the European Joint Action on Tobacco Control (JATC). The delegation also visited two labs at the Centre for Infectious Disease Control.