Website: Scientific and Technical Research Committee (Crest)

Crest (Comité de la recherche scientifique et technique; in English: Scientific and Technical Research Committee) is an advisory body whose function is to assist the European Commission and the Council of the European Union in performing the tasks given to these Institutions in the sphere of research and technological development.

Crest was set up in the early nineteen-seventies by a Resolution of the Council of the European Communities. In the mid nineteen-nineties, the legal basis for the Committee's work was replaced by a new Resolution (of 28 September 1995) from the Council of the European Union.

Crest's remit is fourfold:

1. To identify strategic priorities for EU policy in the field of research and technological development, thereby helping the European Commission to draw up and focus the EU research programmes.

2. To promote coordination by the EU and Member States of their research activities in order to ensure mutual consistency between EU policy on the one hand and national policies on the other hand.

3. To keep under review the independent assessment of the EU Framework Programmes for research and their so-called Specific Programmes.

4. To contribute to the formulation of an EU strategy for international cooperation in the sphere of research.

Crest's activities have gained increased importance because of the greater prominence of research and technological development in Europe, which is nowadays acknowledged to be an important element of Europe's competitiveness and economic growth.