L 1/8 Official Journal of the European Union 5.1.2010 DECISIONS COMMISSION DECISION of 23 December 2009 on the renewal of the mandate of the European Group on Ethics in Science and New Technologies (2010/1/EU) THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION, Having regard to the Treaty on European Union and the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, Whereas: (1) In November 1991, the European Commission decided to incorporate ethics into the decision-making process for Community research and technological development policies by setting up the Group of Advisers on the Ethical Implications of Biotechnology (GAEIB). (20 The Commission decided on 16 December 1997 to replace the GAEIB by the European Group on Ethics in Science and New Technologies (EGE) extending the Group’s mandate to cover all areas of the application of science and technology. (3) The EGE's mandate, with a slightly modified remit, was renewed by Commission Decision of 26 March 2001 for a four-year period (C(2001) 691). (4)  The current EGE's mandate was decided on 11 May 2005 (Commission Decision 2005/383/EC (1)), and extended by Commission Decision 2009/757[EC (3). (5) It is now appropriate to renew the mandate for a period of five years and thus to appoint the new members; the present Decision, however, does not prejudice the possi- bility for the new Commission to review the substance of the mandate. (6)  The following decision replaces Decision 2009/757/EC, HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION: Article 1 The Commission hereby decides to renew the mandate of the European Group on Ethics in Science and New Technologies (EGE) for a five-year period. () O] L 127, 20.5.2005, p. 17. () O] L 270, 15.10.2009, p. 18. Article 2 Mission The task of the EGE shall be to advise the Commission on ethical questions relating to sciences and new technologies, either at the request of the Commission or on its own initiative. The Parliament and the Council may draw the Commission’s attention to questions which they consider to be of major ethical importance. The Commission shall, when seeking the opinion of the EGE, set a time limit within which such an opinion shall be given. Article 3 Composition — Nomination — Appointment 1. The EGE members are appointed by the President of the Commission. 2. The following rules will apply: — members are nominated ad personam. Members serve in a personal capacity and are asked to advise the Commission independently from any outside influence. The EGE shall be independent, pluralist and multidisciplinary, — the EGE shall have up to 15 members, — each member of the EGE shall be appointed for a term of five years. Such appointment may be renewable for a maximum of two further terms, — the identification and selection of the EGE members will be made on the basis of an open call for expressions of interest. Additional applications received through other channels will also be taken into consideration in the selection procedure, — the list of EGE members shall be published by the Commission in the Official Journal of the European Union, — suitable candidates who are not nominated members shall be placed on a reserve list,