Brussels, 24/01/2001 (Agence Europe) - Robert Goebbels, Luxembourg Socialist and former Minister for Scientific Research, was selected as President of the temporary parliamentary Committee on human genetics and other new technologies in human medicine, which held its inaugural meeting in mid-January (see EUROPE of 18 January, p.15). Francesco Fiori (Christian Democrat, Italy) will take on the duties of rapporteur. "I invite all the members of the committee to show the greatest tolerance, to examine without prejudice all the problems, and I undertake to protect to effective representation of all the political groups", added Mr Goebbels, with his entry into duties. The working programme, adopted on his proposal, will enable the temporary committee to carry out the hearing of the European Commission, the European science and technology ethics group (Chaired by Mrs Noelle Lenoir) as well as the High Level group responsible for enlightening and steering the work of the European Commission. The temporary committee will establish links with each of the national parliaments of the EU Member States and will lay the foundations of a open dialogue with both the experts and civil society and the non-governmental organisations concerned. The creation of a website should facilitate the direct dialogue with the European citizen.
The mission entrusted to the 36 European parliamentarians (14 Christian Democrats, 11 Social Democrats, 3 Liberals and 3 Greens) which are working within the temporary committee until next 11 December, is as follows: 1) draw-up an inventory, as complete as possible, of the new and potential developments in human genetics and their use to provide the Parliament with a detailed analysis enabling it to assume its political responsibilities; 2) examine the ethical, legal, economic and social problems presented by these new and potential developments as well as their use; 3) examine to what extent public interest requires a resolute action in the face of such development and uses, and formulate recommendations in the relation to them; 4) provide the Parliament and other Community institutions with guidelines with regards to research in the field of human genetics and other new technologies and modern medicine, as well as their uses, by taking into account the opinions already expressed in the Parliament's resolutions.
The first working meeting will take place on 29 January (as of 14: 30pm).