Brussels,
10 November 2015
The
European Commission's new Scientific Advice Mechanism (SAM) is officially
launched today with the announcement of the seven leading scientists who will
form the first High Level Group of scientific advisors. Together with a six
million euro grant to European academies and learned societies, this marks a
new approach to the use of independent science advice in Commission policy
making.
The
mechanism is being launched six months after it was first announced by
Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker and Carlos Moedas, the Commissioner
for Research, Science and Innovation, on 13 May 2015 (IP/15/4970). It draws on experience in Member
States and worldwide and is based on a High Level Group of independent science
advisors and a stronger relationship with national academies and other bodies.
Carlos
Moedas, Commissioner for Research, Science
and Innovation, said: "I am delighted that the Scientific Advice Mechanism
(SAM) announced by President Juncker just a few months ago is now up and
running. The support from the scientific community has been tremendous with
many eminent scientists coming forward to help. The seven exceptional
scientists I have appointed to the group will take the use of independent
science advice in Commission policy making to a new level. The European
Commission will rely on their independent advice on a range of complex policy
issues where high-level scientific input is needed".
The
seven members of the High Level Group were selected following an open call for
nominations and the recommendations of an independent identification committee.
They are:
- Janusz M. Bujnicki
Professor, Head of the Laboratory of Bioinformatics and Protein Engineering, International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Warsaw - Pearl Dykstra
Professor of Sociology, Erasmus University, Rotterdam - Elvira Fortunato
Professor, Materials Science Department of the Faculty of Science and Technology, NOVA University, Lisbon - Rolf-Dieter Heuer
Director-General, European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) - Julia Slingo
Chief Scientist, Met Office, Exeter - Cédric Villani
Director, Henri Poincaré Institute, Paris - Henrik C. Wegener
Executive Vice President, Chief Academic Officer and Provost, Technical University of Denmark
Background
The
objective of the Scientific Advice Mechanism is to ensure that the Commission
has access to the best possible scientific advice, independent of institutional
or political interests. It will bring together evidence and insight from
different disciplines and approaches, take into consideration the specificities
of EU policy making, and ensure transparency. It will complement the in-house
scientific services of the Joint Research Centre and existing specialist
committees. The first meeting of the Group will take place in January 2016.
A
grant of €6 million for European networks of academies and learned societies is
included in the 2016 work programme for Horizon 2020. The grant will support academies
to collaborate across Europe in providing science advice for policy. The
independent Identification Committee that recommended membership of the Group
was composed of three members: Prof Rianne Letschert, Prof David King and
António Vitorino. A new secretariat for the High Level Group has been
established in the European Commission's Directorate General for Research and
Innovation.
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