PRAGUE EVENT 2019

Working at the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment since 2006 Vera Ritz is head of the Unit ‘Steering and Overall Assessment Biocides’ in the Department ‘Pesticides Safety’. 
Her expertise is especially in the field of toxicological evaluation of biocides and plant protection products as a European Registered Toxicologist.

She is a member of different OECD Groups, i.e. the Task Force on Biocides, the Working Group on Pesticides and the Biopesticides Steering Group and adviser to the Biocidal Product Committee at the European Chemicals Agency.

Her background is a diploma in biology and a PhD in toxicology and genetics.

Dr. Andrea Zikova studied environmental sciences at Mendel University in Brno (Czech Republic). After receiving Ph.D. in aquatic ecotoxicology she got a post doc scholarship by Alexander von Humboldt foundation to continue research concerning endocrine disruptors in aquatic vertebrates and moved to Germany. In 2017 she started to work as a scientific employee at German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment being responsible for Union authorisation of biocidal products and in 2018 she became a core member of the Working Group of the Biocidal Products Committee (Human Health).

Maria Luisa González Márquez  has a bachelor’s degree in Pharmacy by Complutense University of Madrid, specialty Biochemistry. Master’s degree in Toxicology, and Master’s degree in Methodology for Research in Health Sciences. She joined the Spanish Ministry of Health in 2007, where she has worked in the areas of biocides and plant protection products. She is currently Head of the Biocides Area.

She has been a member of the BPC since 2013, although with a discontinuity period between 2015 and 2018.

Rafael Gozalbes has a PhD in Pharmacy (University of Valencia, Spain), and after a post-doctoral position in CNRS and the Faculté de Médecine (University Paris VII) he has developed his career in the application of computational approaches in drug discovery, both in the academic and industrial sides. In 2012 he founded ProtoQSAR SL, a computational chemistry company specialized in the development and optimization of active compounds in diverse areas, like pharmacy, cosmetic or functional food. He has authored more than 30 publications in national and international scientific journals.

Maria Amon has worked since 1992 as a legal expert for the Austrian Federal Ministry and since 2014 for the Austrian Biocidal Authority. She is responsible for CA meetings, all legal matters, presubmission meetings and fees. She lives in Vienna.

Peter Kugel is a partner at VVGB and heads the firm’s Environmental, Health & Safety Risk Regulation Practice. He has a broad EU and (trans) national regulatory and litigation experience. Peter is a specialist in the area of market access requirements concerning chemicals at large and biocides and plant protection products in particular. He advises and represents clients in various compliance strategies and enforcement procedures, data sharing negotiations or disputes, task force/consortia formation and handling etc. He also is actively involved in supporting clients in chemical control or pollution prevention procedures and advocacy projects under diverging European, international or domestic legal frameworks. Peter is member of the bar in the Netherlands and in Brussels (EU-list). He studied at Leiden University and at the College of Europe (Bruges) and also at the Institut des Etudes de Sciences Politiques in Paris.

Saulius Majus graduated at the Faculty of Medicine of Vilnius University in 1987. Between 1987 and

 2002 Saulius has worked in the Toxicology Laboratory. Since 2002 is active as Head of the division dealing with biocidal and cosmetic products and poisonous substances. He is representing Lithuania in the EU Council working and Commission expert groups for biocide products, restrictions of dangerous chemicals and cosmetics products. He is author and co-author of more than 30 drafts of national legal acts. During this time, he was member of the negotiation team for Lithuania joining the EU. In 2013, during the Lithuanian EU presidency, Saulius was president of the EU Council Environment Working Group. 

Dr. John Harrison has worked extensively in the biocides Regulatory sector in the EU. After graduating from the University of Oxford University, he completed a PhD in glaciology, climatology, hydro- and geo-chemistry at the University of Salford in Manchester. Between 2003 and 2008 John was involved in assessment and regulation of pesticides within DAFM. Within Irish competent authority John has represented Ireland I Standing Committee for Biocidal Products, the Biocidal Products Committee at ECA and was active participant at the EU competent authority and Co-ordination Group meetings on biocides. Today John is active as Regulatory Manager for biocides in Syngenta company.  John has developed a strong background in the EU political and biocide regulatory systems gained from over 17 years’ experience in both the public and private sectors.

Dr. Lonne Gerritsen has a background in plant protection research. From 2007 till 2018 she worked for the Dutch competent authority, Ctgb, as an efficacy expert for biocides. She was a member of the ECHA BPR Working Group on efficacy and was involved in the preparation of efficacy guidance over the years.
In 2018 she started working for Knoell in the Netherlands as a consultant in regulatory affairs and efficacy expert for biocides. In her current role at Knoell, Lonne is part of Knoell’s efficacy expert team and supports clients with her expertise in the efficacy and regulatory area.

After graduating from the University of Latia, Faculty of Chemistry Kristine Krafte completed a Master degree in Natural Sciences Chemistry. Currently she is active as Chemist at the Latvian Environment, Geology and Meteorology centre in the Division of Chemical and Hazardous Waste. She is Competent Authority representative of Latvia in BPR matters and is attending CA meetings, SCBP and Coordination Group meetings. At the national level she is involved in the evaluation of applications for BP mutual recognition procedures and is performing BPR Helpdesk duties.

Daniele Ape

Master Degree in Environmental Science

Daniel worked on regulatory compliance in private sector before moving to the EU institution. He has 10 years of experience in implementation of EU chemicals legislation with ECHA where he was involved in different areas of REACH, CLP and Biocides Regulations, spanning from more scientific (chemical safety assessment, exposure scenarios) to more regulatory aspects (interpretation of the legal text and provision of guidance to industry and Authorities on, e.g., SDS, waste and recycled substances, downstream users, data sharing). Currently he is working on the implementation of Annex VIII to CLP.

Katarzyna Szymankiewicz has been working for several years in the Polish Competent Authority for Biocides. During this time she cooperated with EU experts in developing rules for European registration and authorization procedures, represented Poland in Competent Authority and Coordination Group meetings and during Polish Presidency participated in the Working Party in the Environment meetings working on the draft of the Biocidal Product Regulation no 528/2012. Since 2014 she is working in European Chemicals Agency in Helsinki and chairing the Efficacy Working Group.