Stakeholder Focus Groups: Co‐creation of a toolkit for public consultations

Abstract Three online focus groups were convened as part of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA)'s initiative to enhance communication and engagement with EFSA's registered stakeholders participating in public consultations. The primary objective was to gather insights and feedback from EFSA's registered stakeholders regarding their experiences, expectations and challenges related to EFSA's consultation process. Additionally, the aim was to identify key areas for improvement and inform the development of a comprehensive communication toolkit. The chosen format, which included three focus groups following the same style and agenda, proved effective. The length of the focus groups and the number of participants in each group were well‐suited for this purpose, bringing the desired results and meeting the assignment objectives. The focus groups provided valuable insights into the stakeholders' perspectives on EFSA's public consultations. The findings underscore the importance of effective communication, transparency, and stakeholder engagement in facilitating meaningful participation and enhancing the quality of EFSA's decision‐making processes. Moving forward, the development and implementation of a comprehensive communication toolkit based on these insights will be instrumental in fostering greater collaboration and trust between EFSA and its stakeholders.