Identifying an appropriate role for the European Commission's Joint Research Centre (JRC) has long been one of the thorniest science-related issues facing the European Union (EU).

Created in 1957 to support the development of nuclear power, the JRC now consists of eight institutes in five countries. But with nuclear power falling from political favour, the centre has increasingly lacked a clear sense of purpose. Today, only 30% of the JRC's Euro1.02 billion ($950 million) budget is used for nuclear research.

The latest proposal, from an independent panel set up by EU research commissioner Philippe Busquin, is to turn the JRC into a single scientific advice and service institution directly serving the EU's three separate pillars: the European Commission in Brussels, the European Parliament and the Council of Ministers (representing member states).

Davignon: wants unified advice for Europe. Credit: EPA

“The primary function of the JRC should be to facilitate the gathering and fair assessment of information on science and technology matters to inform the EU institutions on a given scientific subject,” says the panel, chaired by former industry commissioner Etienne Davignon.

Set up in January, the panel says the JRC should focus on developing monitoring systems or measurement tools in areas relevant to the security of European citizens, including health, food, environment and privacy issues.

Knowledge gathered at the JRC should be the main source of scientific information for all EU institutions, says the report. But activities should be demand-led: “The JRC should be given a remit that is related to delivering what the [EU] institutions say they need, not what the JRC thinks they need, as has been the case in the past.”

It proposes that the JRC's non-nuclear activities should no longer be funded within the EU's Framework programmes. After 2002, it adds, the JRC's budget should reflect the needs of the three pillars of the EU.

The panel suggests that the Institute for Prospective Technological Studies in Seville, the smallest and youngest JRC institute, be responsible for providing “support and guidance” to the EU's Framework programmes for research, including the development of the sixth Framework programme for 2002–2006.

The report is being seen as a bid to start reform before the arrival of the successor to the JRC's current director Herbert Allgeier, who retires in October.