EU needs chief scientist – NFU

The EU must step up its hunt to find a chief scientist to assist the European Commission on vital decisions relating to food security and climate change, says the NFU.

European Commission President Jose Manuel Barrosso pledged to create the high profile post more than 18 months ago but the position remains vacant – the UK and Ireland remain the only EU Member States to employ a chief scientific adviser.

According to President Barrosso, the chief scientist would have the power to deliver proactive and scientific advice to the Commission throughout all stages of policy development and delivery.

Katy Lee, assistant director in the NFUs Brussels office, said science was often ignored by EU policy makers and urged the President to fill the role as a matter of urgency.

We welcomed the intention to create a chief scientific adviser back in 2009 but we are disappointed the post has still not been filled, she said.

We are faced with huge global challenges to feed a growing world population sustainably and it is clear that the solutions from the EU must be underpinned by sound science and not destroyed by intransigent politics.

Governments chief scientific adviser Professor Sir John Beddington was in Brussels last week to present his Foresight Project on the future of food and farming to EU policy makers. He also used the opportunity to call for an EU chief scientific adviser.

Professor Beddington has been an instrumental voice in putting food security back on the political agenda and advising smart solutions based on science.

Research and development will be essential in our bid to tackle food security issues going forward and it is vital the European Commission receives the very best scientific advice, she added.