At first, governments did not see the convincing advantages of such a laboratory over national ones. EMBO scientists had to persuade their governments of the importance of the project. Finally, after years of lobbying, the governments agreed to create a European Laboratory for Molecular Biology. The Conference met in 1974 and affirmed that a laboratory should be built in Heidelberg. John Kendrew, who had been at the centre of all the diplomatic network, became the first Director General.
Molecular biologists can be proud of what they have accomplished in three decades.
The three successive Directors General, John Kendrew, Lennart Philipson, and Fotis Kafatos, as well as the scientists who have worked there, have established the EMBL as a world centre for molecular and cell biology. This laboratory has spawned a remarkable school of young biologists who are now leaders all over the world. At a time when political Europe is not in very good shape, EMBO and EMBL, like CERN, provide very good examples of what Europe can achieve when European countries agree to pool their resources and work toward a common goal.