Barroso’s advisers push public engagement up EU agenda

The European Commission president’s Science and Technology Advisory Council has said the EU must make responsible innovation—science in tune with public needs and wishes—an integral part of its research policy.

The council’s first policy paper, published in September, calls on the EU to create a programme for science communication and education under a “public contract for a smart, sustainable and inclusive knowledge society”. Anne Glover, chief scientific adviser to President José Manuel Barroso, says the paper is intended to convince the highest level of the Commission that the gap between members of the public and scientists needs to be reduced.

“It has been sent to all the commissioners and to the director-generals in the Commission,” says Glover. “We expect and hope that they will look at the contents and see how they can react to its recommendations.”