Introductory text

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,

Whereas:

In November 1991, the European Commission decided to incorporate ethics into the decision-making process for Community research and technological development policies by setting up the Group of Advisers on the Ethical Implications of Biotechnology (GAEIB).

The Commission decided on 16 December 1997 to replace the GAEIB by the European Group on Ethics in Science and New Technologies (EGE) extending the Group’s mandate to cover all areas of the application of science and technology.

The EGE’s mandate was renewed by the Commission Decision of 26 March 2001 for a four-year period and its remit was slightly modified to improve the Group’s working methods.

The EGE requires new working methods in order to respond to more rapid science and technology developments in a timely manner and requires new competences in order to address a greater range of science and technology applications.

The Communication from the Commission on the collection and use of expert advice by the Commission: principles and guidelines (COM(2002) 713), states that ‘open calls may be particularly appropriate when dealing with sensitive issues and when groups are liable to stand for a reasonable period of time’.

The current EGE remit comes to an end on 25 March 2005 and the following decision shall therefore replace the remit annexed to the Communication to the Commission of 26 March 2001 (C(2001) 691),

HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS: