Values to be defended” “

“Europe is a community of values, to be defended, but also to be re-interpreted in a rapidly changing scenario. In this sense EU legislation and policies are called to come to terms with ethics”, says EMMANUE L Agius. He is one of the 15 members of the European Group for Ethics in Science and the New Technologies (Ege), whose composition was recently renewed by the President of the European Commission, José Manuel Durao Barroso (see SirEurope, no.75/2005). After its inaugural session on 25 October, the Ege will meet again in London on 16-17 November. The first point on the order of the day is the question of nanotechnologies applied to medicine. SIR discussed it with the professor of ethics and philosophy at the state University of Malta Emmanuel Agius, who after completing his theological and philosophical at Louvain (Belgium) and in the USA now coordinates the Euro-Mediterranean programme on “Intercultural dialogue, human rights and future generations”. During the first session of Ege you nominated the Swede Goran Hermerén as chairman and the Protuguese Paula Martino da Silva vice-chairman. What atmosphere have you encountered within this committee? “Of course it’s a rather heterogeneous group in terms of nationality, professional skills and cultural sensibilities. But what I have especially encountered in it is a sense of respect, mutual esteem and the manifest will to openly discuss, in an unprejudiced manner, the questions submitted to us. The agenda of EGE depends, in fact, on the solicitations that may come from the President of the European Commission, by which the members of EGE are nominated. He in turn will seek guidance from it on the problems by which he is faced or on the directives he has to draw up. It should be said, however, that the EGE itself may undertake discussions on all the issues which it believes to be of particular importance in the life of the Union”. In London the ethical group will discuss nanomedicine… “Exactly. It’s the first point on the agenda we have to tackle, immediately followed by that of research on stem cells. But there are also other problems that need to be tackled: we may think of cloning. The agenda is as huge as that of the developments of European legislation in relation to the great principles on which the ‘common home’ is founded, ranging from respect for life to the natural environment and so on. In Great Britain we will also have a series of important meetings with foundations and organizations involved in fields related to our own, with a view to an enriching exchange”. Can you make any comments on your method of work? “So far we have met only once. First we need to get to know each other. But we will of course perform an interdisciplinary task: that’s why the committee consists of a mix of scientists, jurists, and experts in social and cultural phenomena. I would also recall that EGE is an independent group, one, that is, that must reason, debate and express its views without depending on those who nominated it or on external groups, associations or organizations. Each member represents himself and brings with him his own personality and his own personal endowment of knowledge and skills”. So your discussion won’t be a kind of abstract reasoning? “Far from it. Reason must be essential in our operation. But reason, ethical principles and science must be placed in the context of the history and life of Europe today. It will also be important to consider the views of public opinion. It is this Europe as a community of values that we must support in its integration process”. In this period the European Union seems to be in a phase of stalemate. Will your task be useful in reviving progress towards a united Europe? “I think that the citizens of Europe aspire to an EU founded on values, on rights, and on great projects. The EGE for its part should help to translate particular values into daily practices, and suggest opinions that concern the legislative process or the practical decisions of the EU institutions. Europe in fact asks for ethical responses to people’s needs and to the challenges of the future”.