The ethics of technologies with high socio-economic impact

This work aims at complementing the work started in the context of SwafS-18-2016 call that addressed three areas: genomics, human enhancement and man-machine interactions (project SIENNA[[http://www.sienna-project.eu/ http://www.sienna-project.eu/]]. The action should conduct a similar analysis and refine the model and guidelines produced by the project funded under the above call. In order to do so, the action should carry out a thorough scanning of the technology horizon to identify three or four different technologies (or family of technologies) with an equivalent socio-economic impact.

This horizon scanning constitute an important part of the action since it aims at selecting the technologies that have or are likely to have the most significant ethics dimension and societal impact while best complementing the work already carried out by SIENNA. Cooperation and synergies with SIENNA[[http://www.sienna-project.eu/ http://www.sienna-project.eu/]] and other relevant projects (notably PANELFIT, SHERPA, EnTIRE, I-CONSENT, ENERI, PRINTEGER, and TRUST) will be established, via a dedicated horizontal coordination work package. This work package should also pay particular attention to the cooperation with the project(s) resulting from call SwafS-28-2020.

For each (family of) technology, the action should explore the attitudes of the various stakeholders, including the research community and the broader public, towards this type of research and innovation and its ethical implications.

The action should also examine the impact of these technologies notably with a view to identifying the necessary elements that could best support the research community in integrating the ethics dimension into their research protocols.

A comparison within the EU and with other regions of the world, on both the legal/regulatory and procedural framework (existing or under development) as well as on the level of societal awareness and acceptance, constitutes an important element of the work. This analysis should integrate the role of ethics committees and other advisory and regulatory structures.

The work undertaken should result in (A) operational guidelines for the research and innovation conducted in each of the studied fields. The guidelines should ensure “ethics by design” and be drafted to support the work of the research community, research ethics committees and integrity bodies. They must be in line with the new European code of conduct for research integrity[[European Code of Conduct for Research Integrity of ALLEA (All European Academies) http://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/data/ref/h2020/other/hi/h2020-ethics_code-of-conduct_en.pdf .]].

The action should also propose (B) a code of responsible conduct for researchers (in academia and industry), taking into account the expectations of the different stakeholders. This should be achieved by actively involving civil society organisations and panels of citizens from different socio-economic groups including vulnerable populations, taking into consideration gender aspects.

Considering the rapid scientific evolution of the field, ways to enhance existing ethics and normative frameworks (C) should be proposed.

As regards the research integrity aspects per se, the need to complement the above mentioned European Code with specific guidelines should be assessed. If needed, a proposal for (D) short documents complementing the Code should be made.

The extension of the analysis to other new or emerging technologies, initiated by SwafS-18-2016, should be used as a basis to develop a detailed ethics framework for new and emerging technologies which should go through a validation process (e.g. using case studies involving key stakeholders).

The action should also assess the possible need for dedicated legislation at EU level. This tasks should be covered by the horizontal coordination work package mentioned above.

The action should include relevant expertise on ethics and research integrity as well as scientific and technical expertise. Furthermore, in line with the strategy for EU international cooperation in research and innovation (COM(2012)497), international cooperation is encouraged.

Publicly available results from relevant other EU funded research projects (the projects covered by the horizontal coordination work package should be taken into account.

The Commission considers that proposals requesting a contribution from the EU of the order of EUR 4.00 million would allow this specific challenge to be addressed appropriately. Nonetheless, this does not preclude submission and selection of proposals requesting other amounts.

Technologies with potentially high socio-economic impact[[ http://www.technopolis-group.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/2171 D3.2.pdf (Table 3.2)]] raising complex ethical issues must be analysed from an ethical perspective to maximise their societal benefit and minimise harm. The exponential scientific progress resulting in the mushrooming of these new technologies (e.g. gene editing, DNA digital data storage, Artificial Intelligence, etc.), calls for a coherent research and innovation ethics approach at EU level

The proposed action will address the growing ethics challenges and expectations vis-à-vis new technologies to ensure the highest ethics standards at EU and at an international level. It will provide an ethics framework, which should enable the effective ethics governance of these technologies.

The work undertaken will help reconciling the needs of the research teams and the legitimate concerns of the citizens, while stimulating innovation and contributing to the reduction of socio-economic inequalities including, in health treatment, social status and social inclusion and gender equality. It will support the work of the field actors confronted with these issues. Overall, the action will lead to reducing the risks while proving an enabling framework for researchers and innovators.

Overall, it will contribute to the development of new approaches in addressing ethical issues of new and emerging technologies, promoting research integrity and responsible conduct of research.