European Academy Organisations’ statement on President Juncker’s announcement of the new mechanism for independent scientific advice

5 Akademien

The European Academy Organisations welcome President Juncker’s proposal for the academies to play an active part in the new mechanism for independent scientific advice in the European Commission. 

We very much welcome the proposal of European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker to more strongly involve the academies in Europe through their networks in the new mechanism for independent scientific advice for policy making in the European Commission.

With the resources of 90 academies across Europe assembling more than 10,000 eminent experts from all scientific disciplines we are well placed to provide objective independent evidence to the EU policy making process, and to contribute to debates about the benefits and risks of possible new and existing EU policies.

We recognise that the new approach seeks to better organise the demand and supply of scientific advice and welcome the opportunity to work with other sources and services providing scientific advice to the European Commission.

We are ready to work closely with the European Commission to finalise the details of the new mechanism and to ensure close and efficient interactions with the High Level Group of eminent scientists.

A Memorandum of Understanding was signed on 26 March 2015, confirming the preparedness of our five European academy organisations to deepen their already close and fruitful inter-academy cooperation in Europe.

Professor Sierd Cloetingh, President of Academia Europaea
Professor Günter Stock, President of ALLEA
Professor Jos van der Meer, President of EASAC
Professor Reinhard Hüttl, President of Euro-CASE
Professor Dermot Kelleher, President of FEAM


The European academy organisations include Academia Europaea, the pan-European Academy of Humanities, Letters and Sciences; ALLEA, the European Federation of Academies of Sciences and Humanities from the Council of Europe region; EASAC, the association of National Academies of Science of EU member states, Norway and Switzerland; Euro-CASE, the organisation of National Academies of Engineering, Applied Sciences and Technology in Europe; and FEAM, the European umbrella group of National Academies of Medicine and Medical Sections of National Academies of Science.

To download the Press Statement please click here.

For the European Commission press release on the new Science Advice Mechanism (SAM) please click here.