SVC-014 / Specialist intake
Register a long-duration human study
Decision owner: Bioethics & Future Generations Council
ETHauthorityUnion-wide competence
Public decisions with future people in view
Bioethics and Future Generations represents interests that ordinary procurement or operating schedules can overlook: research participants, vulnerable communities and people who will inherit long-lived burdens. It serves independent reviewers, public deliberation bodies, researchers and project sponsors seeking an ethical finding.
Choose your route
Office output: Future-generation finding
Research and civic organisations
SVC-058 / Specialist intake
Review a century-scale public obligation
Decision owner: Bioethics & Future Generations Council
SVC-036 / Competent referral
Propose a Mars engineering trial
Decision owner: Planetary Engineering & Terraforming Commission
SVC-045 / Competent referral
Request public records
Decision owner: Archives, Libraries & Memory Commission
SVC-041 / Competent referral
Obtain legal aid remotely
Decision owner: Justice & Legal Cooperation Commission
People and households
SVC-045 / Competent referral
Request public records
Decision owner: Archives, Libraries & Memory Commission
SVC-041 / Competent referral
Obtain legal aid remotely
Decision owner: Justice & Legal Cooperation Commission
Companies and cooperatives
SVC-014 / Specialist intake
Register a long-duration human study
Decision owner: Bioethics & Future Generations Council
SVC-058 / Specialist intake
Review a century-scale public obligation
Decision owner: Bioethics & Future Generations Council
SVC-036 / Competent referral
Propose a Mars engineering trial
Decision owner: Planetary Engineering & Terraforming Commission
SVC-045 / Competent referral
Request public records
Decision owner: Archives, Libraries & Memory Commission
SVC-041 / Competent referral
Obtain legal aid remotely
Decision owner: Justice & Legal Cooperation Commission
Public administrations
SVC-014 / Specialist intake
Register a long-duration human study
Decision owner: Bioethics & Future Generations Council
SVC-058 / Specialist intake
Review a century-scale public obligation
Decision owner: Bioethics & Future Generations Council
INT-024 / Specialist intake
Request future-generation review
Decision owner: Bioethics & Future Generations Council
SVC-036 / Competent referral
Propose a Mars engineering trial
Decision owner: Planetary Engineering & Terraforming Commission
SVC-045 / Competent referral
Request public records
Decision owner: Archives, Libraries & Memory Commission
Dissent, reversible alternatives and successor burdens
Teams examine human research consent, future obligations, biotechnology, enhancement, public scenario deliberation and retained dissent. A proposal states who benefits, who bears risk, which alternatives remain and who funds later care or maintenance. Consent is reviewed in its social context, including dependence on an employer or essential-service operator.
The powers we hold and the powers we refer
The Council cannot substitute its finding for Planetary Protection Authority protection, Health & Biomedical Commission clinical competence or democratic authorisation. Ethical approval has a bounded scope and may require renewed consent after a material change. A future-generation finding preserves uncertainty and disagreement instead of issuing a decorative endorsement.
A case in practice
Illustrative case / ETH
A sponsor proposes a century-scale infrastructure obligation. The review identifies successor duties, funding assumptions and reversible alternatives. A dissenting community's burden is retained in the record. Approval of a limited preparatory stage does not imply consent to every later irreversible commitment.
Responsibilities and programmes
Human Research Ethics
Human Research Ethics brings together consent review, vulnerable participants and long-duration studies.
Explore this programme →Future Generations
Future Generations brings together century-scale obligations, intergenerational equity and unborn population interests.
Explore this programme →Biotechnology
Biotechnology brings together gene editing governance, synthetic life review and biofabrication ethics.
Explore this programme →Enhancement & Adaptation
Enhancement & Adaptation brings together low-gravity adaptation ethics and cognitive enhancement review.
Explore this programme →Public Deliberation
Public Deliberation brings together ethics assemblies and public scenario workshops.
Explore this programme →Ethics Records
Ethics Records brings together decision rationales and dissenting opinions.
Explore this programme →Where our powers stop
Advises and can trigger review; courts and legislatures make final contested decisions.
Public records and accountability
ETH/REGRecords and reasoned determinations
ETH/CONTACTAnnual service plan; public decisions; performance and expenditure report.
Contact the competent office
Accessible assistance, evidence alternatives, institutional handoffs and review.