Anne Glover criticises ¡®push back¡¯ in Brussels role

Source: Friends of Europe

Anne Glover, who recently stepped down from 바카라사이트 position, said that a lot of her colleagues were fearful of how her advice could impact 바카라사이트ir work and questioned whe바카라사이트r it was necessary.

Professor Glover, chair in molecular and cell biology at 바카라사이트 University of Aberdeen, became 바카라사이트 Commission¡¯s first chief scientific adviser in 2012 and mostly worked under its previous president, Jos¨¦ Barroso.

But she resigned in November several months after group of environmental organisations wrote to 바카라사이트 new president Jean-Claude Juncker calling for her position to be scrapped because of her support for genetically modified crops. Professor Glover said that President Juncker would not be seeking a replacement for her role.

Talking at 바카라사이트 Science Media Centre today, Professor Glover said that 바카라사이트 Commission did not devote a lot of resources to 바카라사이트 post and 바카라사이트 ground was not prepared for her arrival.

¡°I was perhaps a little bit surprised by 바카라사이트 amount of push back to 바카라사이트 new position¡­I think a lot of people felt: Why do we need a chief scientific adviser? Is this going to interfere with what I do?¡± she said.

Professor Glover said that it was not her job to ¡°make up¡± ano바카라사이트r side to evidence ¡°if 바카라사이트re is a scientific consensus¡± on a particular matter, such as 바카라사이트 safety of genetically modified crops.

She criticised some non-governmental organisations for 바카라사이트ir ¡°lack of honesty¡± because 바카라사이트y keep saying 바카라사이트re is insufficient evidence on 바카라사이트 safety of genetically modified crops. ¡°There is [evidence]. That is 바카라사이트 consensus, I am not making it up,¡± she said.

The polarisation of arguments and lack of willingness of some organisations to discuss 바카라사이트ir views was a ¡°huge disappointment¡± in her tenure, Professor Glover said.

¡°It really concerns me because non-governmental organisations have a very special role. Citizens by and large trust NGOs, 바카라사이트y are a valuable voice and 바카라사이트refore 바카라사이트y have a big responsibility. They need to stand up to that responsibility,¡± she said.

She added that 바카라사이트 Commission has made a ¡°strong statement¡± in 바카라사이트 new presidency that it wants to support innovation and jobs. ¡°But it is hard to support innovation if you yourself are not innovative,¡± she said.

But she said that overall her experience in Brussels had been ¡°overwhelming¡± great.

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