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Published online by Cambridge University Press: 20 January 2017
The start of a new European Commission represents a unique opportunity to build on successful regulatory reforms and to create the institutional architecture needed to ensure that high quality scientific evidence is used effectively in EU decision–making. The appointment by President Barroso of a Chief Scientific Adviser (CSA) in 2011 constituted an important springboard in this respect. The CSA Office has made a considerable and positive difference to the regulatory environment. This article argues for embedding the CSA Office into the institutional and procedural arrangements of the Commission by re–defining its organisational role and responsibilities as well as the resources allocated to it. The institutionalisation of the CSA Office and the creation of a fully–fledged risk regulation regime would provide a robust element of the EU's response to the demands for better governance by its citizens, as expressed in the recent European elections.
1 This issue has been highlighted in a series of ERF meetings over the past decade and encompasses sectors such as metals, pharmaceuticals, speciality chemicals, consumer products, and agriculture.
2 Certainly a good practice in this respect is the initiative by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) to open some of its plenary meetings to “observers”, i.e. interested individuals who can observe how risk assessment is conducted by EFSA's Scientific Committee and its Scientific Panels, and at the same time interact with and put questions to EFSA's scientific experts. See http://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/stakeholders/observers.htm.
3 Prof. Glover has addressed these issues at ERF events and in several of her public speeches.
4 Wildavsky, A. (1979), “Speaking Truth to Power. The Art and Craft of Policy”, Transaction Publishers; Lentsch J. and P. Wiengart (eds.) (2011), “The Politics of Scientific Advice. Institutional Design for Quality Assurance”, Cambridge University Press; and Ballantine, B. (2005), “Enhancing the Role of Science in the Decision–making of the European Union”, European Policy Centre.
6 For instance, in February 2013 (see http://www.easac.eu/home/easac-news/detail-view/article/meeting-of-e-1.html).