Political Figures European Commission President Axes Science Adviser Position

Abstract

The European Commission’s new president, Jean-Claude Juncker, has eliminated the post of chief science adviser to the commission, the executive branch of the European Union. But Juncker hasn’t yet established an alternative mechanism for getting science advice, which has left many wondering how the commission will ensure that science backs its policy decisions. Anne Glover, a molecular biologist who held the science adviser’s job since it was created in 2012, announced in an e-mail last week that her position no longer exists. She will remain on the payroll of the European Commission until next year. Although government science advisers are common in the U.S. and U.K., most European countries do not have an equivalent and instead rely on advisory committees or scientific societies. “President Juncker now needs to clarify with urgency what alternative structures for scientific advice he plans to put in place,” says James Wilsdon, a professor of science ...