Draft decree submitted to Cabinet on 25 April 2001

Establishment of a National Ethics Council

§ 1

A National Ethics Council shall be established as a national forum for dialogue on ethical issues in the life sciences.

§ 2

(1) The National Ethics Council shall be the central organ for interdisciplinary discourse between the natural sciences, medicine, theology and philosophy, and the social and legal sciences. It shall organize the social and political debate and ensure that all the relevant groups are involved. It shall provide citizens with information and material for discussion (e.g. exhibitions, publications, Internet forums, etc.). Every year the National Ethics Council shall hold at least one public conference on ethical issues.

(2) The National Ethics Council shall express views on ethical issues relating to new developments in the field of the life sciences and on their consequences for the individual and society.

The National Ethics Council shall also draw up Opinions at the request of the Federal Government or of the Lower House of the Federal Parliament (the Bundestag).

(3) The National Ethics Council shall submit recommendations for political and legislative action.

(4) The National Ethics Council shall work together with the national ethics committees and comparable institutions of other States, in particular European States, and of international organizations.

(5) The National Ethics Council shall report to the Federal Chancellor at least once a year, on 1 October, on the situation of the social debate.

§ 3

(1) The National Ethics Council shall be composed of up to 25 members, who shall be prominent representatives of the scientific, medical, theological, philosophical, social, legal, ecological and economic worlds.

(2) The members of the National Ethics Council shall belong neither to the Federal or a Land government nor to a Federal or Land legislative body.

(3) The members of the National Ethics Council shall be appointed by the Federal Chancellor for a term of four years. They shall be eligible for reappointment once.

(4) Members may resign from the National Ethics Council at any time by giving notice in writing to the Federal Chancellor.

(5) If a member resigns before the end of his or her term, a new member shall be appointed for the duration of the period of office of the resigning member.

(6) The National Ethics Council shall elect a chair and a deputy chair from among its members by secret ballot for a period of four years. The chair and the deputy chair shall be eligible for re-election once.

(7) The National Ethics Council shall provide itself with Rules of Procedure.

§ 4

(1) The National Ethics Council shall be bound solely by the function laid down in this decree and its activity shall be independent.

(2) Its Opinions, recommendations and reports shall be published.

(3) If a minority takes a dissenting view in the drafting of Opinions, recommendations and reports, it shall have an opportunity of expressing that view.

§ 5

The National Ethics Council shall be assisted in the conduct of its work by a General Secretariat, which shall be located in the premises of the Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences.

§ 6

Upon request the members of the National Ethics Council shall be reimbursed with their expenses, including travel expenses in accordance with the provisions of the Federal Travel Expenses Law.

§ 7

The costs of the National Ethics Council and of its General Secretariat shall be borne by the Federal Government.

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