25/02/2010

As one of her first activities since taking office on 10 February, newly appointed European Commissioner for Research, Innovation and Science Máire Geoghegan-Quinn today visited the JRC Institute for Reference Materials and Measurement (IRMM) in Geel, Belgium.

"I am delighted to be today at the Joint Research Centre and have the opportunity to witness personally the superb quality of the scientific support provided by its staff. It is reassuring to know that the European Commission can count on the scientific expertise of the JRC during the policy making process", said the Commissioner. "In many areas, you cannot make good policy without good science and good science is exactly what the JRC provides. It works in all the areas most crucial to the daily lives of Europeans, such as safety and security, consumer protection and tackling climate change."

Apart from visiting the Food Safety and Quality laboratory and the Linear Accelerator at IRMM, the Commissioner also spoke to the JRC Board of Governors.