SPEECH/07/537
Janez Potočnik
European Commissioner for Science and Research
European Research: Towards
Highest Standards of Integrity
World Conference on Research Integrity
Lisbon, 17 September 2007
the
Minister Gago, Secretary-General Gurría, distinguished guests, ladies and
gentlemen,
I would like to congratulate the European Science Foundation and the Office for
Research Integrity for organising this first world conference on Research Integrity
and to express my thanks to the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation for hosting it. I
also pay tribute to the Portuguese Presidency of the European Union which has put
this event on its agenda, thereby providing this critical issue the spotlight it
deserves.
It is welcome to see such a diverse and international gathering at this event. The
range and depth of expertise and nationalities present will certainly be necessary to
tackle the numerous and complex issues to be raised here over the next three days.
It was the writer, Samuel Johnson, who said that "Integrity without knowledge is
weak and useless, and knowledge without integrity is dangerous and dreadful". To
my mind, this statement about the application of knowledge is equally true about the
generation and portrayal of knowledge. That is why I believe this event is so
significant and appropriate.
As the European Commissioner for Science and Research, I am acutely aware of
the responsibility that policymakers in Europe have to the public:
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to make certain that the policies we pursue and the actions we take are based
on sound science and safe products;
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to ensure that our technologies and innovations are socially responsible and
respect the values of the citizens we serve;
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and to guarantee sound stewardship of the resources entrusted to us by our
taxpayers.
Europeans citizens are optimistic about the contribution of new technologies to our
way of life. We are positive about science and technological progress that promises
tangible benefits. We rely on scientific experts, commercial industries and
policymakers to honestly represent the risks and benefits associated with these
activities in order to make informed choices
Therefore we want to know that the regulation and oversight in place is sufficient for
the protection of individuals, animals and the environment. And we expect that our
ethical standards will be upheld.
In the face of concerns over food crises, possibilities of major epidemics,
controversial new technologies and recent widely-publicised cases of scientific fraud
and plagiarism, we must have positive answers to the following questions:
Are the sources of the information we are given credible? Are the actors involved
competent? And are they sufficiently motivated by the public interest?
Concerning the expectations of citizens as taxpayers, European research funding
through the 7th Framework Programme for Research will average about 7 billion
euros per year for collaborative and individual research projects. Based on past
experience, during 2007 to 2013 about 100,000 researchers from 50,000
organisations will be involved annually in some 10,000 projects. These activities are
aimed at the creation of a European Research Area, are in fulfilment of the Lisbon
Agenda on Jobs and Growth and support our contributions to global sustainable
development. Many of these activities will also be in co-operation with our partners
outside Europe.
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So the stakes are high and there is no room for complacency in this issue. Thus, I
hope it is clear why the European Commission is pleased to be giving its moral and
material support to this first World Conference on Research Integrity and why I am
pleased to address you.
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Ladies and Gentlemen,
Professor Steneck focussed on definitions and goals during his opening remarks,
and before saying more about the challenges associated with maintaining the
integrity of research activities in an international environment, I'd like to take a
moment to define what Research Integrity means to me.
The word 'Integrity' in most European languages has two meanings:
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One relates to the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles.
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The second meaning is defined as completeness, soundness or being
undivided. Here, we are referring to the quality of something that possesses all
its parts, allowing it to function effectively. In this second meaning, we talk about
bodily integrity, for example.
Both meanings have their importance in this debate. The challenges lie not only with
the behaviour of individual researchers and their institutions, but on the soundness
of the system of scientific governance as a whole.
I am aware of the current debate concerning the relative importance of these
aspects. They are not mutually exclusive, but complementary. I suggest that twin
tracks of action are required for robust, fair and proportionate systems of
governance.
The issues are numerous and complex because we must address not only
misconduct (in the form of fabrication, falsification and plagiarism) and questionable
research practices, but also ethics, financial fraud and misrepresentation in the
publication and interpretation of data and information.
And since regulations, practices and cultures vary, it also includes how we can
establish and maintain the necessary activities in a consistent manner across
scientific disciplines and across national borders.
As worldwide scientific collaboration continues to expand and research becomes
increasingly borderless, the international dimension of Research Integrity holds
important questions for us, such as:
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Do we share a common understanding of the problems?
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What is required to encourage the convergence of definitions, guidelines and
standards?
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How can we ensure swift and decisive action in a joint fashion between
countries for investigations and sanctions?
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What particular assistance can and should be provided to developing countries
with limited capacities in scientific governance?
And these are only a few of many considerations.
Here in the European Union, our Member States organise their national frameworks
for Research Integrity, in relation to their national research systems and
stakeholders. The European Commission concerns itself with the structure of the
European system itself, including co-operation between Member States, and the
optimum way to deal with trans-national issues.
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The Commission is responding to the common challenges in Research Integrity in
at least the following four ways:
Firstly, we are committed to ensuring that the research supported under the
Framework Programmes is conducted within an environment where integrity issues
are to the fore. This extends from the setting of research priorities through the
selection of proposals and down to the monitoring of outputs and reporting of
projects. We continue to actively reflect on ways to improve.
Secondly, we will support transparency and access to scientific information and
methodologies in order to make research activities and results more accessible and
understandable and to facilitate publication. This will be done through "co-ordination
and support actions" for the scientific publishing system, to be launched next year.
Thirdly, we will support networking between European national offices in charge of
Research Integrity. This will deal with information exchanges, comparisons of best
practices on standards, and co-ordination on sanctions and responses to transnational breaches of Research Integrity. And we will not neglect the crucial role of
education and training of our young scientists.
Lastly, we will support the reflections on global norms and standards with third
countries and international organisations, notably the OECD. As ever, we maintain
our commitment to share our experiences and best practices with developed and
developing countries.
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Ladies and gentlemen,
The role of scientific expertise in the preparation and monitoring of public decisions
is large and growing. The responsibility on all of us, as individual researchers, as
scientific institutions, as publishers, and as commercial and public organisations is
correspondingly huge.
If we are to make wise choices as a society, the risks and benefits of scientific
research and its resulting innovations and policies must be clearly and reliably
presented.
I thank you for this opportunity to provide the perspective of a European
policymaker. The European Commission is eager to make its contribution to this
vital worldwide debate and I look forward to the outcomes of this worthwhile and
interesting event.
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