First meeting of new group of ethical advisers
The first meeting of the new European Group on Ethics in Science and New Technologies took place in Brussels, on 19 February 1998. The Group has been set up to provide the Commission with advice on ethical aspects of all areas of science and research, and may adopt opinions on the request of the Commission, Council or Parliament, or on its own initiative. The inaugural meeting was addressed by Jacques Santer, President of the European Commission, reflecting the importance attached by the Commission to ethical questions in the field of science. Three major considerations necessitated the creation of the European Ethics Group, he said: - Whilst technological progress can improve the quality of living and Europe's economic competitiveness, it may also threaten fundamental values, in particular the respect for human dignity; - The speed of technological progress often calls into question the capacity of man and society to adapt to change. Those in government must take account of citizens' attitudes to the development of new technologies. Wide-ranging discussion needs to be encouraged, since too often, public fears stem from a lack of knowledge of new technologies; - Globalization means that new technologies have an impact throughout the world, and therefore demand coordinated responses. The EU must be able to define positions on such issues, with the aim of stimulating international cooperation. The fundamental nature of the Group is it's independence, according to Jacques Santer. Being independent from the Commission, Member States, and from industrial interests, it will be able to carry out its work to its own timetable and agenda. The Group replaces the old Group of Advisers on the Ethical Implications of Biotechnology, set up in 1992. Of the twelve members of the new Group, seven have opted to continue their work on the previous Group, demonstrating the importance and the interest in ethical questions. The twelve members cover a variety of scientific disciplines and the humanities, as well as legal experts. At the first meeting, Mrs. Noelle Lenoir, a French lawyer, was elected to chair the Group for its three-year mandate. It is expected that most issues addressed by the Group in the coming years will be in the fields of modern biotechnology and information technology. The Group will also pay particular attention to ethical issues relating to the upcoming Fifth RTD Framework Programme.