New website for 'new SCAR'
SCAR, the Standing Committee on Agricultural Research, has launched a new website to accompany its new mandate, which was revised by the European Council at the end of 2004. SCAR was first established in 1974, and acted as a programme committee for DG Agriculture when it was responsible for managing the agricultural research programmes of the first EU framework programmes. In 2004, under former Research Commissioner Philippe Busquin, SCAR was transferred to DG Research, and charged with improving the coordination of agricultural research efforts across Europe. Today, SCAR members represent 32 countries in Europe - the 25 EU Member States as full members, and three candidate countries (Bulgaria, Romania and Turkey) and four associated countries (Iceland, Israel, Norway and Switzerland) as observers. Croatia will also be invited to become an observer. Each country is asked to nominate two high-level national representatives in charge of the public agricultural research portfolio to SCAR. The committee's new website defines its updated mandate, which includes defining a common research agenda for Europe that looks beyond the narrow definition of agricultural production to encompass the 'farm-to-fork' concept. SCAR is also charged with carrying out mapping and foresight activities, as well as preparing a report for the European Parliament and Council on the coordination of agricultural research in Europe. The website also gives details of the various instruments for coordination and cooperation of agricultural research at EU level, including FP6 projects, Technology Platforms and COST actions, a thorough overview of national agricultural research systems, as well as links to the major agricultural research portals.