COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE COUNCIL AND THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT Renewal of the Arrangement between the European Commission and the Office of Science and Technology Policy of the United States of America establishing a Task Force on Biotechnology Research
Date: 2011-06-22
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: United States, biotechnology, research and development, research programme, scientific cooperation

EUROPEAN COMMISSION 

Brussels, 22.6.2011 
COM(2011) 366 final 

COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE COUNCIL AND THE 
EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT 

Renewal of the Arrangement between the European Commission and the Office of 
Science and Technology Policy of the United States of America establishing a Task Force 
on Biotechnology Research 

 
 
 
 
  
 
In  its  Communication  of  the  SEC(90)1661  final  of  6  September  1990,  the  Commission 
informed  the  Council  of  its  intention  to  sign  the  abovementioned  Arrangement.  On  7 
September 1990, Vice-President Filippo M. Pandolfi and Dr David Allan Bromley, Assistant 
to  President  George  H.W.  Bush  for  Science  and  Technology,  signed  the  document 
establishing  the  Task  Force  for  a  period  of  five  years.  The  Arrangement  has  since  been 
renewed three times, in 1996, 2001 and 2006. 

The  Arrangement  for  the  Task  Force  concerns  different  forms  for  exchange  of  information 
and coordination regarding the scientific aspects of biotechnology research. Through the years 
this  Task  Force  has  played  a  key  role  in  establishing  a  diverse  range  of  emerging  scientific 
fields,  including  systems  biology,  marine  genomics,  applications  of  biotechnology  to 
sustainable energy and synthetic biology. Major societal concerns have also been addressed, 
such  as  emerging  infectious  diseases,  nutrition,  obesity,  biotechnology  for  cleaning-up 
pollution,  as  well  as  bioethics,  the  role  of  women  in  science  and  public  perception  of 
biotechnology.  

In June 2010, the Task Force celebrated its 20th anniversary with the high-level conference 
"Biotechnology Research for a Complex World", organised under the Spanish Presidency of 
the  EU.  A  joint  publication1  between  the  European  Commission  and  the  U.S.  Government 
highlights the role of the EU-U.S. Task Force in bringing together researchers from both sides 
of the Atlantic to anticipate the needs of tomorrow’s science today. 

The need for transatlantic collaboration in this unique forum in the near future shows no sign 
of  receding,  and  the  activities  of  the  Task  Force  on  Biotechnology  Research  may  become 
even more important. The strategic plan on what the Task Force wants to deliver over the next 
five  years  includes  a  series  of  cooperative  activities  on  important  scientific  fields  such  as 
synthetic biology, marine genomics, environmental biotechnology, animal health, sustainable 
biobased products and plant biotechnology, and bioinformatics. 

For these reasons, the Commission intends to renew the Arrangement between the European 
Commission  and  the  Office  of  Science  and  Technology  Policy  of  the  United  States  of 
America a fourth time. 

The  Commission  will  inform  the  Council  and  the  European  Parliament  of  the  effective 
renewal and of future work carried out under the proposed renewal. 

1 

The US-EC Task Force on Biotechnology Research 1990-2010: Biotechnology Research for a Complex 
World. 

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ANNEX  

IMPLEMENTING ARRANGEMENT BETWEEN THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION 
AND THE OFFICE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY POLICY OF THE UNITED 
STATES OF AMERICA  

FOR THE EU-U.S. TASK FORCE ON BIOTECHNOLOGY RESEARCH 

The  Office  of  Science  and  Technology  Policy  of  the  United  States  of  America  and  the 
European Commission (hereinafter referred to as “the Sides”): 

Acting  in  accordance  with  the  Agreement  for  Scientific  and  Technological  Cooperation 
between  the  Government  of  the  United  States  of  America  and  the  European  Community, 
signed in Washington on 5 December 1997, as extended and amended, (hereinafter referred to 
as “the Agreement”) and  

Building  on  the  Administrative  Arrangement  between  the  European  Commission  and  the 
Government of the United States of America, for the EU-U.S. Task Force on Biotechnology 
Research,  signed  on  September  7,  1990,  and  renewed  in  1996,  2001  and  2006  (hereinafter 
referred to as “the Arrangement”), 

Have reached the following understandings: 

Purpose 

This  Implementing  Arrangement  is  to  serve  as  a  renewal  of  the  Arrangement  and  is  to  be 
established  as  an  implementing  arrangement  under  Article  5  of  the  Agreement.  This 
Implementing Arrangement is intended to be consistent with the provisions of the Agreement.  

The  purpose  of  the  EU-U.S.  Task  Force  on  Biotechnology  Research  is  to  increase  mutual 
understanding  of  EU  and  U.S.  activities  and  programs  related  to  biotechnology  research.  In 
this  framework,  the  Task  Force  is  intended  to  serve  as  a  mechanism  for  exchange  of 
information and coordination regarding the scientific aspects of biotechnology and research in 
other disciplines that supports the development of biotechnology. 

Functions 

The EU-U.S. Task Force on Biotechnology Research should: 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

review  research  and  development  programs  in  the  field  of  biotechnology,  and  in 
other related scientific fields; 

facilitate communication and collaboration in biotechnology research; 

plan  joint  symposia,  workshops  and  other  non-confidential  information  sharing 
activities on high priority issues of mutual interest regarding biotechnology research; 

study jointly possible activities to inform the public about biotechnology; 

identify  and  define  research  needs  in  order  to  promote  the  safe  development  of 
biotechnology; 

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• 

• 

address  specific  programmatic  and  operational  scientific  issues  which  affect  the 
development of biotechnology research; and  

provide  reviews,  analyses,  advice,  and  suggestions  to  the  Biotechnology  Steering 
Committee  (BSC)  of  the  European  Commission  and  the  National  Science  and 
Technology Council (NSTC) of the United States. 

Structure 

The EU component of the EU-U.S. Task Force is to include a Chairperson and representatives 
of the interested Commission services. 

The U.S. component is to include selected members of U.S. Government agencies interested 
in biotechnology research. Appointments to the U.S. Side, and a Chairperson for the United 
States, should be made by the Director, Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP).  

The  office  of  Chairperson  of  the  Task  Force  should  alternate  annually  between  the  EU  and 
U.S. Chairpersons. 

Membership on subcommittees and working groups of the Task Force should not be restricted 
to permanent representatives to the Task Force, and is to be established as the Chairpersons of 
each side may deem appropriate. 

Task  Force  activities  are  to  be  coordinated  by  an  Executive  Secretary  for  the  European 
Commission and an Executive Secretary for the United States who are to be appointed by the 
respective Chairpersons. Additional staff assistance, if necessary, should be requested by the 
Chairpersons from the Directorates General and Agencies represented on the Task Force. 

Responsibilities of the Chairpersons 

The responsibilities of the Chairpersons are to: 

• 

• 

• 

• 

develop  an  annual  workplan  including  topics  to  be  discussed,  information  to  be 
exchanged, and joint activities to be planned; 

hold regular meetings (at least one per year) of the Task Force; 

approve  the  establishment,  continuation  or  termination  of  subcommittees,  and 
working groups as necessary to achieve the goals of the annual workplan; and 

prepare  a  report  and  present  it  to  the  BSC  and  OSTP  at  the  conclusion  of  each 
meeting of the Task Force. 

Funding 

Each Side should bear the respective costs of its representatives’ participation in all meetings 
and activities of the Task Force. 

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Other Provisions 

The Task Force should not deal with confidential business information, nor should the Task 
Force undertake activities that generate intellectual property. 

Private Sector Interface 

At the discretion of the Chairpersons, the Task Force may seek ad hoc advice from various 
non-governmental  individuals.  At  the  request  of  the  Chairpersons,  non-governmental 
individuals may participate in meetings and other activities of the Task Force. 

Documentation 

Agendas and reports of the Task Force meetings are to be prepared and disseminated by the 
Executive Secretaries to members of the Task Force and, if authorized by the Chairpersons, to 
other  interested  persons  upon  request.  Proceedings  of  Task  Force  workshops  and  scientific 
meetings are to be made available to the public.  

Duration 

This Implementing Arrangement is intended to commence upon signature by both Sides. It is 
to remain operative for as long as the Agreement remains in force or until a Side discontinues 
its participation in this Arrangement. If a Side intends to discontinue its participation in this 
Arrangement, it should endeavor to provide 90 days’ advance notice of its intent to the other 
Side.  

FOR THE EUROPEAN 
COMMISSION: 

FOR THE OFFICE OF SCIENCE 
AND TECHNOLOGY POLICY 
OF THE UNITED STATES OF  
AMERICA: 

Date: 

Date: 

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