Glover: EU chief scientist should stay in the shadows

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Series Details 06.08.14
Publication Date 06/08/2014
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The question of whether the new European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker would maintain his predecessors' creation of a post of Chief Scientific Advisor (CSA) aroused interest amongst Brussels watchers during the summer of 2014.

EurActiv suggested in an article on the 6 August 2014 that Mr Juncker might be sympathetic to the idea of keeping the CSA post, which provides evidence-based and non-political scientific advice to the European Commission President.

EurActiv interviewed the existing CSA Anne Glover, who argued that keeping science away from politics was essential to the role.

However, the CSA's role had drawn criticism from transparency campaigners such as the Corporate Eurooe Observatory, who called on Mr Juncker to scrap the position for reasons of transparency. According to CEO, the role of Chief Scientific Adviser had been 'unaccountable, intransparent and controversial'.

Source Link http://www.euractiv.com/sections/science-policymaking/glover-eu-chief-scientist-should-stay-shadows-307768
Related Links
ESO: Background information: The new European Commission 2014 - 2019 : Nominations for European Commissioners [Part 2] http://www.europeansources.info/record/the-new-european-commission-2014-2019-nominations-for-european-commissioners-part-2/
EurActiv, 28.02.14: New group to advise Barroso on science, technology http://www.euractiv.com/science-policymaking/new-group-advise-barroso-science-news-518116
ESO: Background information: Appointment of Chief Scientific Advisor http://www.europeansources.info/record/press-release-appointment-of-chief-scientific-advisor/
ESO: Background information: Chief scientific adviser to be in Barroso's team http://www.europeansources.info/record/chief-scientific-adviser-to-be-in-barrosos-team/
European Commission: The Commissioners (2010-2014): President: Chief Scientific Adviser http://ec.europa.eu/commission_2010-2014/president/chief-scientific-adviser/index_en.htm
EurActiv, 12.08.14: Mr Juncker, do not scrap science! http://www.euractiv.com/sections/science-policymaking/mr-juncker-do-not-scrap-science-307785
EurActiv, 19.08.14: NGO backlash to Chief Scientific Advisor position grows http://www.euractiv.com/sections/science-policymaking/ngo-backlash-chief-scientific-advisor-position-grows-307823
Corporate Europe Observatory: Press Release, 19.08.14: NGOs call for debate on how to put science at the heart of EU politics http://corporateeurope.org/pressreleases/2014/08/ngos-call-debate-how-put-science-heart-eu-politics

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