Busquin to head Parliament's scientific assessment panel
Former EU Research Commissioner Philippe Busquin has been elected as Chairman of the European Parliament's Scientific and Technology Options Assessment (STOA) panel. Many of the issues discussed by the European Parliament have a scientific element. The Parliament defines its position on these issues through reports prepared by its Committees. If Committees decide that it would be helpful to their policy making role to seek out expert, independent assessments of the various scientific or technological options in the policy sectors concerned, then they have STOA at their disposal: the Parliament's own Scientific and Technological Options Assessment unit. Mr Busquin will head the 15 member panel and the three member bureau within the panel. The panel carries the political responsibility for STOA's work and decides on all of STOA's activities. Members meet at least six times every year in order to review progress and the results of ongoing and recently completed projects.