In September 2009 the European Union Commission President José Barroso announced plans to appoint a top scientist to advice the EU executive on controversial, science-based policy decisions. Until recently it was unknown whether the chief scientific advisor would be independent of political institutions, or whether the scientist would be a direct counselor to Barroso – the latter now seems more likely, given that it has recently been decided that the chief scientist will be part of the Board of European Policy Advisors (BEPA) and will have an office in the Commission's Berlaymont Building. Thus suggests that the scientific view will have a more prominent role in the decision making process in the future.

Several EU scientific committees, scientific agencies and the Commission's in-house research facilities also advice the European Commission on science issues, related primarily to consumer safety, public health and environment.

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