About us

EUREC is committed to shaping the future of ethical review and research across Europe. By connecting research ethics bodies and experts, EUREC fosters a culture where ethical considerations are at the forefront.

We promote cooperation and capacity building among RECs, partnering with organisations that support ethics governance to raise awareness, share knowledge, ensure consistent reviews, and tackle emerging ethical challenges. Additionally, EUREC is involved in pioneering research projects focused on research ethics, research integrity, and responsible research and innovation.

For more information see the EUREC Statute

Our objectives

  • Foster sustainable infrastructure: Develop a robust infrastructure for European RECs that encourages exchange and international cooperation.
  • Information gathering: Compile comprehensive data on RECs across Europe, creating a solid foundation for mutual exchange.
  • Enhance the quality of review: Collect and assess training materials for REC members across various disciplines, improving the quality of ethical reviews.
  • Capacity building: Facilitate the development of national REC networks through targeted capacity-building efforts.
  • Identify emerging ethical issues: Address new ethical challenges posed by technological advancements and scientific methodologies in diverse fields.
  • Promote ethics in all research areas: Support and advance ethical considerations in bioethics, medical ethics, social sciences, humanities, and emerging technology research.
  • Harmonise ethical reviews: Assist in the standardisation of multidisciplinary ethical reviews for research involving human participants and related data or materials.
  • Support research quality: Enhance the quality of research at the European level across various disciplines.

Our history

EUREC was established as an EU-funded project in 2005 with the mission to promote cooperation and capacity building among RECs. Since its inception, EUREC has partnered with organizations dedicated to supporting ethics governance. Through these collaborations, we work to raise awareness, share knowledge, ensure consistent ethics reviews, and address emerging ethical challenges.

A significant milestone in our history was the development of the European Network of Research Ethics and Integrity (ENERI). This EU-funded project brought EUREC into close collaboration with key organizations such as All European Academies (ALLEA) and the European Network of Research Integrity Offices (ENRIO) creating a strong alliance that enhanced our collective impact on research ethics and integrity across Europe.

Our involvement in the development of the Embassy of Good Science further exemplifies our commitment to advancing ethical standards in research. Today, EUREC continues to be actively engaged in EU-funded projects, where we bring together all the crucial stakeholders in research ethics, research integrity, and responsible research and innovation.

Through these ongoing efforts, we continue to strengthen the network of RECs across Europe, ensuring that ethical principles remain at the forefront of research practices.

Our vision

The primary role of RECs is to navigate ethical challenges in health-related research, particularly in drug trials and medical device trials. These ethics reviews ensure that research is conducted ethically, safeguarding the rights and well-being of participants.

Recognising the evolving nature of research, European RECs are expanding their focus beyond the biomedical field. They are now actively engaging with ethical considerations in the social sciences, humanities, and emerging technology research.

EUREC fosters collaboration and knowledge exchange among RECs overseeing diverse research disciplines. We envision a future where ethical oversight adapts to the multifaceted challenges of contemporary research. To achieve this vision, EUREC is committed to broadening its scope beyond health-related research, acknowledging that ethical review can be considered in all types of research.