European Group on Ethics in Science and New Technologies
European Union · Governance body · European Commission
Our summary
An independent advisory panel that offers guidance to the European Commission on matters where scientific and technological development raises ethical, social or human rights concerns. It comprises experts across disciplines including law, sciences, philosophy and ethics, and works to embed ethical considerations across Commission activities and international partnerships. The group produces opinions and statements on emerging issues such as artificial intelligence, climate transition and democratic resilience.
Written by the Index in our own words. It is not legal advice; the official text is the authority.
Inside this policy
Every section of this policy in order. Our notes summarise each one in plain language and do not quote the official text, which is the authority.
Drafted by the Index An automated summary of the official text, not yet reviewed by a person.Reviewed Checked by a person against the official text.
15 sections
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Article 1 Subject matter
Establishes the European Group on Ethics in Science and New Technologies.
Article 2 Task
The EGE provides independent advice to the Commission on ethical, societal and fundamental rights issues connected to science and technology development. It identifies and examines ethical questions arising from scientific and technological advances, and provides analyses and recommendations to guide Union policymaking in accordance with fundamental rights.
Article 3 Consultation
The Commission may consult the EGE on matters related to its tasks, including those flagged by the European Parliament and Council as ethically significant. Other Commission expert bodies must consult the EGE on matters within its remit.
Article 4 Membership
The EGE consists of up to 15 individuals selected for relevant expertise, who serve in personal capacity and must act impartially while disclosing potential conflicts of interest to the responsible Commission department. Members may be removed if unable to participate effectively, if they breach the independence requirements set out in EU treaty provisions, or if they resign, and replacements may be appointed from a reserve list.
Article 5 Selection process
The EGE membership selection is open to the public through a call for applications published on the Register of expert groups and potentially other channels, with a minimum four-week application deadline and clear criteria for required expertise. Applicants must disclose conflicts of interest by submitting a standard declaration of interests form and curriculum vitae, which are mandatory for eligibility. An Identification Committee of three members assesses eligible candidates against selection criteria and recommends candidates to the responsible Commission member, who appoints members with expertise in EGE work areas.
Article 6 Chair
The EGE elects its leadership through simple majority vote, choosing one or two deputy leaders alongside a chief from its membership for their full term.
Article 7 Operation
The responsible Commission department coordinates the EGE's work, provides its secretariat, agrees the Work Programme and ethical analyses with the EGE, sets time limits for analyses, and ensures relevant services receive EGE recommendations, while other Commission officials may attend meetings. The EGE operates collegially by consensus where possible or by simple majority vote if needed, with dissenting members able to attach named minority opinions. The department organises a public round table for each EGE opinion to promote dialogue and transparency, the EGE maintains links with relevant Commission departments, and the group may issue short statements or other analyses when faster advice is needed than full opinion-adoption would allow, followed by fuller analysis if necessary, with all outputs and opinions published on the EGE website and updated if necessary as part of the Work Programme and by agreement with the department.
Article 8 Sub-groups
The responsible Commission department may establish sub-groups to examine specific questions with defined terms of reference. Sub-group members not already on the EGE are selected through public calls following the same procedures as main EGE appointments. Sub-groups dissolve once their mandate is completed.
Article 9 Invited experts
The responsible Commission department may invite external experts and representatives of relevant organisations to participate in EGE or sub-group work on an ad hoc basis to provide specific expertise or perspectives, or to cover the breadth of ethical questions in science and technology.
Article 10 Rules of procedure
The EGE adopts its rules of procedure by simple majority based on standard expert group procedures, in agreement with and on proposal from the responsible Commission department.
Article 11 Professional secrecy and handling of classified information
Members of the EGE, its sub-groups, invited experts, and the Identification Committee are bound by confidentiality obligations under the EU Treaties and Commission security rules on classified information. The Commission may take appropriate action if these obligations are breached.
Article 12 Transparency
The EGE and its sub-groups must be registered with member names published in the expert groups register. Agendas, minutes, and submissions shall be publicly available on the register or via dedicated websites without user restrictions, though disclosure may be withheld where it would harm protected interests under EU transparency rules.
Article 13 Meeting expenses
Participants in EGE activities and sub-group work receive no payment for their involvement. The Commission reimburses travel and subsistence costs for participants and Identification Committee members according to Commission rules and available budget allocations.
Article 14 Repeal
An earlier decision establishing the EGE is cancelled as of 28 May 2021.
Article 15 Applicability
This decision takes effect on 28 May 2021, except for specific provisions on expenses and personal data handling which apply from other specified dates.
Controls
What this policy requires, forbids, grants or penalises, one control at a time and in our own words. Each control links to the official text, which is the authority. This is not legal advice.
Drafted by the Index Drafted automatically from the official text, not yet reviewed by a person.Reviewed Checked by a person against the official text.
Themes covered 5 of 35
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Risk and scope 0 of 4
- Risk classification, not covered
- Prohibited practices, not covered
- Risk management system, not covered
- Impact assessment, not covered
Data and privacy 0 of 4
- Data governance and quality, not covered
- Data subject rights and consent, not covered
- Cross-border data transfer, not covered
- Copyright and training data, not covered
Transparency and records 2 of 4
- Labelling of synthetic content, not covered
- Technical documentation, not covered
Technical safeguards 0 of 4
- Human oversight, not covered
- Accuracy, robustness and cybersecurity, not covered
- Bias and non-discrimination, not covered
- Testing and evaluation, not covered
Assurance and lifecycle 0 of 4
- Conformity assessment and certification, not covered
- Registration and notification, not covered
- Incident and breach reporting, not covered
- Post-market monitoring and corrective action, not covered
Rights and protected groups 0 of 4
- Automated decision-making rights, not covered
- Children and vulnerable groups, not covered
- Biometric identification and surveillance, not covered
- Whistleblowing, complaints and redress, not covered
Roles and organisation 2 of 6
- Supply chain and provider-deployer duties, not covered
- General purpose and foundation models, not covered
- Public sector use and procurement, not covered
- Innovation support and sandboxes, not covered
Enforcement and sectors 1 of 5
- Sector rules: health, not covered
- Sector rules: finance and insurance, not covered
- Sector rules: employment, not covered
- Sector rules: education, not covered
The full list of controls could not be loaded, so only the first 34 are shown.
Article 2 3 controls
- ObligationApplies to: OthersDrafted by the Index
The EGE should furnish independent guidance to the Commission on matters at the intersection of ethics, societal concerns and fundamental rights with scientific and technological progress.
- ObligationApplies to: OthersDrafted by the Index
The EGE should examine ethical concerns arising from developments in science and emerging technologies.
- ObligationApplies to: OthersDrafted by the Index
The EGE should present analyses and recommendations through opinions and statements that promote ethical policymaking by the Union in line with the Charter of Fundamental Rights.
Article 3 2 controls
- Applies to: Public authorityDrafted by the Index
The Commission may request advice from the EGE on any matter related to its tasks.
- ObligationApplies to: Public authorityDrafted by the Index
Other Commission expert bodies must consult the EGE on matters within the EGE's remit.
Article 4 3 controls
- ObligationApplies to: OthersDrafted by the Index
EGE members must have competence relevant to the group's tasks.
- ObligationApplies to: OthersDrafted by the Index
EGE members must act independently and in the public interest, and must inform the responsible Commission department of any conflict of interest in a timely manner.
- Applies to: Public authorityDrafted by the Index
EGE members who are no longer able to contribute effectively, who breach independence requirements under EU law, or who resign may be replaced by the Commission President from a reserve list.
Article 5 4 controls
- ObligationApplies to: Public authorityDrafted by the Index
Member selection shall occur through a public call requiring a minimum four-week application period.
- ObligationApplies to: OthersDrafted by the Index
Applicants for membership shall declare any conflicts of interest, submit a declaration of interests form and provide an updated curriculum vitae.
- ObligationApplies to: Public authorityDrafted by the Index
The Commission President shall appoint EGE members from specialists with relevant expertise who responded to the call, based on a proposal from the responsible Commission department.
- ObligationApplies to: Public authorityDrafted by the Index
An Identification Committee of three members shall assess eligible candidates against stated selection criteria and make a recommendation to the responsible Commission department.
Article 6 1 control
- ObligationApplies to: OthersDrafted by the Index
The EGE shall elect a leader and one or two deputy leaders from its own membership by simple majority vote for the length of their term.
Article 7 6 controls
- ObligationApplies to: Public authorityDrafted by the Index
The responsible Commission department shall coordinate the EGE's work and furnish secretariat support.
- Applies to: Public authorityDrafted by the Index
Officials from other Commission departments interested in the proceedings may attend EGE meetings and sub-group sessions.
- ObligationApplies to: Public authorityDrafted by the Index
The responsible Commission department shall agree the EGE work programme, including self-initiated ethical analyses, and shall set time limits when seeking the EGE's advice.
- ObligationApplies to: OthersDrafted by the Index
EGE opinions shall include recommendations grounded in current scientific knowledge and thorough examination of ethical considerations.
- ObligationApplies to: OthersDrafted by the Index
The EGE shall operate collaboratively, adopting opinions by consensus where possible and by simple majority if a vote occurs, with dissenters permitted to attach a minority opinion.
- ObligationApplies to: OthersDrafted by the Index
Each opinion shall be transmitted to the Commission President, published on the EGE website and shared with the European Parliament and Council after adoption.
Article 8 2 controls
- Applies to: Public authorityDrafted by the Index
The responsible Commission department may establish sub-groups to examine specific questions with defined terms of reference.
- ObligationApplies to: Public authorityDrafted by the Index
Sub-groups that include members not already on the EGE shall select those members via a public call for applications following Article 5 procedures.
Article 9 2 controls
- Applies to: Public authorityDrafted by the Index
The responsible Commission department may invite external experts and representatives of relevant organisations to participate in EGE or sub-group work on an ad hoc basis to provide specific expertise or perspectives.
- Applies to: Public authorityDrafted by the Index
The responsible Commission department may enlist external experts to participate in EGE work on an ad hoc basis to cover the broad range of ethical questions related to science and technology advances.
Article 10 2 controls
- ObligationApplies to: OthersDrafted by the Index
The EGE must establish its rules of procedure through a majority vote, on the basis of standard expert group procedures and in line with horizontal rules.
- ObligationApplies to: Public authorityDrafted by the Index
The responsible Commission department must propose and agree to the EGE's rules of procedure.
Article 11 2 controls
- ObligationApplies to: OthersDrafted by the Index
Members of the EGE, sub-groups, invited experts and the Identification Committee are subject to professional secrecy obligations under EU Treaties and Commission rules on classified information protection.
- Applies to: Public authorityDrafted by the Index
The Commission may take all appropriate measures if members, invited experts or the Identification Committee fail to respect professional secrecy or classified information obligations.
Article 12 4 controls
- ObligationApplies to: OthersDrafted by the Index
The EGE and its sub-groups must be registered with member names published in the Register of expert groups.
- ObligationApplies to: OthersDrafted by the Index
The EGE must make agendas, minutes and participant submissions publicly available through the Register of expert groups or through a linked dedicated website.
- ProhibitionApplies to: OthersDrafted by the Index
Dedicated websites displaying EGE documents must not require user registration or impose other access restrictions.
- ObligationApplies to: OthersDrafted by the Index
The EGE must publish agendas and background documents before meetings and minutes shortly after meetings.
Article 13 2 controls
- ProhibitionApplies to: OthersDrafted by the Index
Participants in EGE activities and sub-group work must not receive payment for their involvement.
- ObligationApplies to: Public authorityDrafted by the Index
The Commission should reimburse travel and subsistence expenses for EGE participants and Identification Committee members according to Commission rules and available budget.
Article 14 1 control
- ObligationApplies to: Public authorityDeadline was Drafted by the Index
Decision (EU) 2016/835 establishing the previous EGE is cancelled as of 28 May 2021.
Change history
No changes recorded since we began monitoring this policy.