2007/134/EC: Commission Decision of 2 February 2007 establishing the European Research Council (Text with EEA relevance )
Date: 2007-02-02
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: EU programme, European organisation, research project, scientific research, technological change

L 57/14

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

24.2.2007

COMMISSION

COMMISSION DECISION

of 2 February 2007

establishing the European Research Council

(Text with EEA relevance)

(2007/134/EC)

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

(4)

Having regard to the Treaty
Community,

establishing the European

The Scientific Council should be composed of scientists,
engineers and scholars of the highest repute, appointed
by the Commission, and acting in their personal capacity,
It should act
independent of any outside influence.
according to the mandate provided for it in Article 5
of Decision 2006/972/EC and exclusively
in the
interest of achieving the scientific,
technological and
scholarly objectives of the Specific Programme ‘Ideas’.

seventh

Having regard to Decision No 1982/2006/EC of the European
Parliament and the Council of 18 December 2006 concerning
European
the
Community
and
demonstration activities
and in particular
Articles 2 and 3 thereof,

programme
of
technological development

framework
research,

(2007-2013) (1)

the

for

Having regard to Council Decision 2006/972/EC of 19
‘Ideas’
December 2006 concerning the Specific Programme:
implementing the
(2007-
2013) of the European Community for research, technological
development and demonstration activities (2), and in particular
Article 4(2) and (3) thereof,

seventh framework programme

Whereas:

(1)

(2)

(3)

Under the seventh framework programme, the Specific
Programme ‘Ideas’ has the objective of supporting inves-
tigator-driven frontier research across all fields of science,
engineering and scholarship carried out by researchers on
subjects of their choice.

Decision 2006/972/EC provides that
the Commission
should establish a European Research Council (hereinafter
referred to as the ERC) which should be the means for
implementing the Specific Programme ‘Ideas’.

According to Article 4(3) of Decision 2006/972/EC the
ERC should consist of an independent Scientific Council
(hereinafter referred to as the Scientific Council), to be
supported by a dedicated implementation structure.

(5)

(6)

(7)

(8)

The Scientific Council should independently select a
Secretary-General who will act under its authority. The
Secretary-General will,
the Scientific
liaison with the
Council
dedicated
and with the
Commission, an in monitoring the effective implemen-
its strategy and positions as carried by the
tation of
dedicated implementation structure.

inter alia, assist
effective

implementation structure

in ensuring its

The Scientific Council should operate according to the
principles of scientific excellence, autonomy, efficiency
and transparency. The Commission should act as the
the Scientific Council's autonomy and
guarantor of
integrity and should ensure its proper functioning.

Rules on disclosure of information by members of the
Scientific Council
should be provided for, without
prejudice to the rules on security annexed to the
Commission’s
by Decision
2001/844/EC, ECSC, Euratom (3).

Procedure

Rules

of

Personal data relating to members of Scientific Council
should be processed in accordance with Regulation (EC)
No 45/2001 of
the
Council of 18 December 2000 on the protection of
individuals with regard to the processing of personal
data by the Community institutions and bodies and on
the free movement of such data (4).

the European Parliament and of

(1) OJ L 412, 30.12.2006, p. 1.
(2) OJ L 400, 30.12.2006, p. 243.

(3) OJ L 317, 3.12.2001, p. 1. Decision as last amended by Decision

2006/548/EC, Euratom (OJ L 215, 5.8.2006, p. 38).

(4) OJ L 8, 12.1.2001, p. 1.

24.2.2007

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

L 57/15

(9)

An independent high level expert committee was set up
to identify the founding members of
the Scientific
Council. Following wide consultation within the scientific
and scholarly community, this committee made recom-
mendations first on the factors and criteria to be applied
in the identification of the Scientific Council members
and second on the founding members themselves.

(10) A dedicated implementation structure should be set up as
an external structure in the form of an executive agency
to be established by a separate act in accordance with
Council Regulation (EC) No 58/2003 of 19 December
2002 laying down the statute for executive agencies to
be entrusted with certain tasks in the management of
Community programmes (1).

(11)

(12)

establishment

Pending the
executive agency,
executed by a dedicated service of the Commission.

this
its implementation tasks should be

and operability of

The budgetary impact of this decision will be taken into
account in the financing decision in the framework of
the Specific Programme ‘Ideas’ and in the Legislative
Financial Statement of
for
the external structure,

the Commission proposal

HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:

CHAPTER 1

EUROPEAN RESEARCH COUNCIL

Article 1

Establishment

The European Research Council
is hereby established for the
period from the date of entry into force of this decision to
the Specific
31 December 2013 for the implementation of
Programme ‘Ideas’.
shall be composed of a Scientific
Council and a dedicated implementation structure as set out
hereinafter.

It

CHAPTER 2

SCIENTIFIC COUNCIL

Article 2

Establishment

The Scientific Council is hereby set up.

Article 3

Tasks

The Scientific Council shall be entrusted with the tasks

1.
provided for in Article 5(3) of Decision 2006/972/EC.

(1) OJ L 11, 16.1.2003, p. 1.

The Scientific Council shall, inter alia, establish an overall
2.
scientific strategy, have full authority over decisions on the type
of research to be funded in accordance with Article 6(6) of
Decision 2006/972/EC and act as a guarantor of the quality
Its tasks shall
of the activity from the scientific perspective.
cover,
the annual work
the establishment of
programme, the establishment of the peer review process, as
well as the monitoring and quality control of the implemen-
tation of the Specific Programme ‘Ideas’, without prejudice to
the responsibility of the Commission.

in particular

Article 4

Membership

The Scientific Council shall be composed of up to 22

1.
members.

2.
The Scientific Council shall consist of representatives of
the European scientific community of the highest repute and
with appropriate expertise, ensuring a diversity of research areas,
who shall act
independently of
political or other interests.

in their personal capacity,

The founding members of

3.
the Scientific Council, who
have been designated, based on the factors and criteria set
out
in the Annex I and who are listed in Annex II, are
hereby appointed.

Future members shall be appointed by the Commission
4.
based on the factors and criteria set out
in Annex I and
following an independent and transparent procedure for their
including a
identification, agreed with the Scientific Council,
consultation of
to
Parliament and Council. The appointment of future members
shall be published in accordance with Regulation (EC) No
45/2001.

the scientific community and a report

5. Members shall carry out their tasks independently of any
outside influence. They shall inform the Commission in good
time of any conflict of interests which might undermine their
objectivity.

6. Members shall be appointed for a term of four years,
renewable once on a basis of a rotating system, which shall
ensure the continuity of the work of the Scientific Council.
However, a member may be appointed for a period of less
than the maximum term to allow a staged rotation of
membership. Members shall remain in function until they are
replaced or their term expires.

7.
Upon resignation of a member or on the expiry of a term
that cannot be renewed, the Commission shall appoint a new
member.

In exceptional circumstances,

in order to maintain the
8.
integrity and/or
the
Commission may terminate on its own initiative the term of
a member.

the Scientific Council,

continuity of

L 57/16

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

24.2.2007

The Scientific Council members shall not be remunerated

9.
for the tasks they perform.

The Scientific Council shall adopt its rules of procedure
3.
which shall include detailed provisions for the elections referred
to in paragraph 1, as well as a code of conduct for addressing
potential conflicts of interest.

Article 5

Principles and methods

The Scientific Council shall operate in an autonomous and

1.
independent manner.

The Scientific Council shall meet in plenary as often as

4.
required by its work.

2. Where appropriate,
with the scientific, engineering and scholarly community.

the Scientific Council shall consult

The Chairperson of the Scientific Council may decide to

5.
hold restricted meetings.

3.
The Scientific Council shall exclusively act in the interest
of achieving the scientific, technological and scholarly objectives
of the Specific Programme ‘Ideas’. It shall act with integrity and
probity and shall carry out its work efficiently and with the
greatest possible transparency.

Article 7

ERC Secretary-General

The Scientific Council

4.
to the
Commission, maintain continuous close liaison with it and
the dedicated implementation structure, and establish any
necessary arrangements for this.

accountable

shall be

shall

The Scientific Council

a
1.
Secretary-General, who shall act under
its authority. The
Secretary-General will, inter alia, assist the Scientific Council in
ensuring its effective liaison with the Commission and the
dedicated implementation structure.

independently

select

Information obtained in the performance of tasks shall
5.
not be disclosed if, in the opinion of the Commission or the
Chairperson of the Scientific Council, that information is related
to confidential matters.

2.
The tasks of the Secretary-General shall be defined by the
include monitoring the
Scientific Council. These tasks shall
effective implementation of the strategy and positions adopted
by the Scientific Council, as carried out by the dedicated imple-
mentation structure.

6.
The Commission shall provide information and assistance
necessary for the work of the Scientific Council allowing it to
operate under conditions of autonomy and independence.

7.
The Scientific Council regularly reports to the Commission
and shall provide information and assistance necessary for the
Commission's obligatory reporting tasks (i.e. Annual report,
Annual Activity Report).

Article 6

Operation

shall elect

The Scientific Council

its
1.
from amongst
in
members a Chairperson and two Vice-Chairpersons, who,
accordance with its rules of procedure, shall represent it and
who shall guide and assist it in the organisation of its work,
including the preparation of the agenda and documents for
meetings.

2.
the
The Chairperson and the Vice-Chairpersons of
Scientific Council may also hold the title of President and
Vice-President of the European Research Council respectively.

for

Support

3.
the
Secretary-General shall be ensured by the Specific Programme
‘Ideas’.

the establishment and activities of

The term of

4.
period of 30 months, renewable once.

the Secretary-General shall not exceed a

Article 8

Meeting expenses

The Commission shall reimburse travel expenses and,
1.
where appropriate, subsistence expenses for the members of
the Scientific Council necessary for carrying out its activities
in accordance with the Commission’s rules on the compen-
to prior approval of the
sation of external experts. Subject
Commission, travel and subsistence expenses related to other
meetings necessary for the conduct of the Scientific Council’s
work may be also covered by the Commission; this shall apply
to meetings between members of the Scientific Council and
external experts and stakeholders.

24.2.2007

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

L 57/17

2. Meeting expenses shall be reimbursed on the basis of the
annual request of the Scientific Council, without prejudice to
the responsibility of the Commission.

CHAPTER 4

GENERAL PROVISIONS

Article 10

Entry into force

CHAPTER 3

Article 9

This Decision shall enter into force on the day of its adoption.

Dedicated implementation structure

Done at Brussels, 2 February 2007.

The dedicated implementation structure shall be set up as an
external structure; pending the establishment and operability of
the external structure, its implementation tasks shall be executed
by a dedicated service of the Commission.

For the Commission

Janez POTOČNIK
Member of the Commission

L 57/18

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

24.2.2007

ANNEX I

Factors and criteria for identification of the Scientific Council members

The composition of the Scientific Council must demonstrate that the Council can exercise scientific leadership which is
authoritative and absolutely independent, combining wisdom and experience with vision and imagination. The credibility
of the Scientific Council will be built on the balance of qualities amongst the men and women who make it up, and they
should collectively reflect the full breadth of the research community across Europe. Members of the Scientific Council
must individually have an undisputed reputation as research leaders and for their independence and commitment to
research. Generally, they must be current or recent research practitioners, as well as those who have exercised scientific
leadership at European or world level. Consideration should also be given to younger next-generation leaders.

Members must reflect the broad disciplinary scope of research, embracing the exact sciences and engineering, as well as
the social sciences and the humanities. However, they should not be considered as representatives of a discipline or of a
particular line of research and should not perceive themselves as such; they should have a broad vision which collectively
reflects an understanding of important developments in research, including inter- and multi-disciplinary research, and the
needs for research at European level.

Beyond their proven reputation as scientists and researchers, the membership should collectively bring a broader range of
experience, acquired not only across Europe but also in other research-intensive parts of the world. This could include
experience in areas such as the support and promotion of basic research, organisation and management of research and
knowledge transfer in universities, academies and industry, an understanding of national and international research
activities, relevant research funding schemes and the wider political context in which the European Research Council
is situated.

The membership should reflect the various components of the research community and the range of scientific institutions
which carry out research; it should include those with experience in universities, research institutes, academies, funding
bodies, research in business and industry, for example. Members should include those who have experience in more than
one country, and some should be drawn from the research community outside Europe.

24.2.2007

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

L 57/19

ANNEX II

List of the 22 founding members of the Scientific Council

Dr Claudio BORDIGNON, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan

Prof. Manuel CASTELLS, Open University of Catalonia

Prof. Paul J. CRUTZEN, Max Planck Institute for Chemistry, Mainz

Prof. Mathias DEWATRIPONT, Université Libre de Bruxelles

Dr Daniel ESTEVE, CEA Saclay

Prof. Pavel EXNER, Doppler Institute, Prague

Prof. Hans-Joachim FREUND, Fritz-Haber-Institute, Berlin

Prof. Wendy HALL, University of Southampton

Prof. Carl-Henrik HELDIN, Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research

Prof. Fotis C. KAFATOS, Imperial College London

Prof. Michal KLEIBER, Polish Academy of Sciences

Prof. Norbert KROO, Hungarian Academy of Sciences

Prof. Maria Teresa V.T. LAGO, University of Porto

Dr Oscar MARIN PARRA, Instituto de Neurociencias de Alicante

Prof. Lord MAY, University of Oxford

Prof. Helga NOWOTNY, Wissenschaftszentrum, Wien

Prof. Christiane NÜSSLEIN-VOLHARD, Max-Planck-Institute for Developmental Biology, Tübingen

Prof. Leena PELTONEN-PALOTIE, University of Helsinki & National Public Health Institute

Prof. Alain PEYRAUBE, CNRS, Paris

Dr Jens R. ROSTRUP-NIELSEN, Haldor Topsoe A/S

Prof. Salvatore SETTIS, Scuola Normale Superiore, Pisa

Prof. Rolf M. ZINKERNAGEL, University of Zurich