The German Ethics Council is an independent council of experts composed in a pluralistic manner, consisting of qualified scientists from various disciplines and persons who are particularly familiar with ethical issues in the life sciences (Section 4 (1) and (2) Ethics Council Act). A transparent handling of its members’ interests and possible conflicts of interest is therefore particularly important.
The members of the German Ethics Council declare existing interests at the time of appointment and regularly every two years thereafter. These declarations are published on the website of the German Ethics Council. Furthermore, relevant interests are asked about before work on specific topics begins.
The Chair and Vice-Chairs of the German Ethics Council shall examine whether a relevant conflict of interest exists and how to proceed with it. The Chair and Vice-Chairs as well as the member concerned may submit the matter to the plenary of the German Ethics Council.
A conflict of interest may exist if interests from another activity might interfere with the dutiful exercise of the mandate as a member of the German Ethics Council. It may arise, for example, from:
- professional positions and profession-related tasks in institutions (e.g. membership in professional associations);
- expert and advisory activities (e.g. membership in expert committees);
- economic interests (e.g. membership in a pharmaceutical company’s board of directors);
- political/societal interests (e.g. membership in non-governmental organisations).
As a matter of principle, existing conflicts of interest have to be disclosed in the relevant publications of the German Ethics Council. In addition, depending on the specific circumstances, it may be decided that the respective Council member should assume no prominent role in the work on an issue, abstain from the relevant votes, or not participate at all in the work on the issue.
Standard operating procedure
- Each member of the German Ethics Council provides information to be published on the website of the Ethics Council on
- professional activities;
- activities in executive and supervisory bodies, advisory boards and comparable bodies in public organisations (e.g. corporations, institutes and foundations) and in private organisations and companies in Germany and abroad;
- regular or longer-term advisory or expert activities for public bodies and for private organisations and companies at federal or state level;
- executive activities and regular or longer-term advisory activities for German and foreign interest groups operating in the public sphere (e.g. non-governmental organisations).
- When a member is appointed to the German Ethics Council, and every two years thereafter, the administrative office shall ask for this information.
- Each member shall immediately notify the administrative office of any changes during their term of office.
- Before the Council begins work on a topic, the administrative office shall ask all Council members what further interests they may have with regard to the topic in question.
- The Chair and Vice-Chairs of the German Ethics Council shall examine whether a relevant conflict of interest exists and how to proceed with it. The Chair and Vice-Chairs as well as the member concerned may submit the matter to the plenary of the German Ethics Council.