European NGOs question role of EC chief science advisor - the responses

Much of the furor seems to be over the EC science advisor’s support of genetically modified crops. Photo by BASF

Battle lines are being drawn in scientific communities across Europe after an open letter from NGOs earlier this week called into question the need for a chief scientific adviser working for the president of the European Commission.

On Friday the NGO call for the role’s abolition provoked several open letters supporting the post from major scientific organisations and a slew of media coverage.

Here is the original letter:

Corporate Europe Observatory: A letter to Jean-Claude Juncker, President-elect of the European Commission RE the position of Chief Scientific Advisor to the President of the European Commission

Here are the responses (will be updated as new information becomes available):

Open Letter: Scientific scrutiny in Europe is essential

European medical organizations write open letter to Juncker

BBC Radio 4 (skip to 1:10): Sile Lane (Sense about Science) and Doug Parr (Greenpeace)

The Guardian: War of letters over call to abolish EC scientific adviser role

Sile Lane from Sense about science in New Scientist: Don’t scrap Europe’s chief scientific adviser

Roger Pielke Jnr in the Guardian: Science advisers should be supported, not sacked

The Times: Greens turn on academic over GM crops

European Plant Science Association Endorses Position of Chief Scientific Adviser to the President of the European Commission

Alice Bell in the Road to Paris: European NGOs fight about the future of science advice to the EU

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