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SCAR History

The SCAR was established half a century ago, in 1974, through a Regulation of the Council of the European Communities (Regulation (EEC) No 1728/74 of the Council of 27 June 1974), with the aim of coordinating agricultural research among Member States (MSs).  

The Committee was tasked with helping and advising the EC in carrying out the tasks devolved upon it in this field, including: 

  • Reporting on the national organisation of agricultural research; 
  • Reporting on advancements in agricultural research, measures adopted under the Regulation;
  • “Forward study of developments which would be desirable in agricultural research in the Member States and in the coordination of that research at Community level, with reference to the aims of the common agricultural policy”. 

In 2005, the Council gave SCAR a renewed mandate to play a major role in the coordination of agricultural research efforts in Europe. The “new” SCAR included a wider and more up-to-date definition of the term ‘agricultural research’, looking beyond the narrow confines of research relating to production and embracing the so-called ‘fork-to-farm’ concept (COM(2008)862 final).

Key milestones of SCAR development over time (Adapted from an image by pikisuperstar on Freepik)

(Adapted from an image by pikisuperstar on Freepik)

The need for research for sustainable agriculture was emphasised, including non-food uses, biodiversity, forestry and rural development within the concept of a European Knowledge-Based Bioeconomy. Collaborative Working Groups (CWGs) were established and the first of these met in September 2005.   

The SCAR Secretariat also moved from the EC’s Directorate-General (DG) for Agriculture and Rural Development (DG AGRI) to the Directorate-General for Research and Innovation (DG RTD).   

A further revision took place in 2012 to widen the scope of SCAR (without a Council decision). Thus, SCAR’s mandate was extended to also include coordination in forestry, fishery and in the wider bioeconomy field, as it stands today (*). In other words, in the new mandate, agricultural R&I remains at the core of SCAR’s business, but under the broader bioeconomy umbrella. 

 

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(*) SCAR (2015): Reflection paper on the role of the Standing Committee on Agricultural research. 

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