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European Commission nominates high-level advisory group on research and science

Reference: IP/08/565 Event Date: 11/04/2008 Export pdf PDF word DOC
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IP/08/565

Brussels, 11 April 2008

European Commission nominates high-level advisory group on research and science

The European Commission announced today the names of 22 personalities who will make up the European Research Area Board (ERAB). These persons come from the fields of science, academia and business and will provide independent and authoritative advice to the European Commission on European research and science policy, whose objective is to realise a European Research Area.

Janez Potočnik, Commissioner for Science and Research said: "The debate on the Green Paper on the future of science in Europe has shown that there is strong need and support for making research in Europe more European. This can only be done in partnership with Member States, the research community, business and many other stakeholders. I count on the new ERAB to advise me and the Commission services on how we can facilitate the development of a true European Research Area."

ERAB is expected to play a key role in helping to develop, promote and evaluate policy initiatives and actions to meet the goals of the European Research Area. It underlines the importance the Commission attaches to drawing on independent expertise and advice in a policy area that is set to further climb on the EU's political agenda. One of ERAB's key tasks will be to provide the Commission with an annual report on "the state of the European Research Area".

ERAB succeeds and builds on the European Research Advisory Board (EURAB), whose mandate ran from 2001 to 2007. In its Green Paper "The European Research Area: New Perspectives[1]" the Commission announced a reform of EURAB in order to enhance its role. Over the course of six years EURAB issued over 30 reports and recommendations including on:

  • Research and societal engagement
  • Research management in the European Research Area
  • Scientific publication: policy on open access
  • International research cooperation
  • The social sciences and humanities in the 7th Framework Programme
  • Stimulating the regional potential for research and innovation


The members of ERAB have been appointed in a personal capacity. The list of members was proposed to the Commission by an independent high-level committee, established for this purpose in 2007 and consisting of Ms Vaira Vike-Freiberga, former President of the Republic of Latvia, Dr Andrew Dearing, Secretary General of the European Industrial Research Management Association, and Ms Claudie Haigneré, former French Minister of Research and New Technologies (2002-4) and European Affairs (2004-5).
List of 22 Nominees to the European Research Area Board

  • Dr. Reinhold ACHATZ, Vice-president, Siemens Corporate Research and Technologies (DE)
  • Dr. Robert AYMAR, Director General, European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN)(CH)
  • Prof. Lajos BALINT, Director of International Relations , National Information Infrastructure Development Institute (HU)
  • Dr. Jean J BOTTI, Chief Technical Officer, EADS (DE)
  • Dr. Adelheid EHMKE, President, European Platform of Women Scientists EPWS (BE)
  • Mr Frank GANNON, Director General, Science Foundation Ireland (IRL)
  • Dr. Barbara HAERING, Chief Executive Officer , ECONCEPT (CH)
  • Prof. David KING, Director, Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment (UK)
  • Dr. Leif KJAERGAARD, Chief Technology Officer Danisco A/S  (DK)
  • Prof. Marja MAKAROW, Chief Executive Officer, European Science Foundation (FR)
  • Prof. Karol MUSIOL, Rector, Jagiellonian University, Krakow (PL)
  • Prof. Zaneta OZOLINA, University of Latvia (LV)
  • Prof. Maria Cristina PEDICCHIO, Faculty of Sciences, Università di Trieste (IT)
  • Prof. Alain POMPIDOU, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) (FR)
  • Dr. Carlos Maria ROMEO-CASABONA, Director, Inter-University Chair in Law and the Human Genome, University of Deusto (ES)
  • Dr. Unni STEINSMO, President, Chief Executive Officer, SINTEF (NO)
  • Prof. Lena Treschow TORELL, President, Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences (SE)
  • Dr. Jan VAN DEN BIESEN, Vice-president , Philips Research (NL)
  • Dr. Georg WINCKLER, President, European University Association (BE)
  • Prof. John WOOD, Principal, Faculty of Engineering, Imperial College London (UK)
  • Dr. Ingrid WÜNNING TSCHOL, Head of Science and Research, Robert Bosch Stiftung (DE)
  • Prof. Nüket YETIS, acting President, TÜBITAK (TR)

For additional information on ERAB: http://ec.europa.eu/research/erab/

[1] COM(2007) 161 final, 4.4.2007

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