This public consultation is closed

The input we received will be incorporated in our proposals that will be submitted to the European Commission. 

Who can give input to the public consultation?

The consultation is public -- anyone who is interested in human enhancement can give input.

What should I do?

Please read one or both documents listed below. Each aims to promote ethics in human enhancement, and they are related. The first document offers ethics guidelines for human enhancement, and the second is a proposal for the creation of an expert working group to oversee research, development and the application of human enhancement technologies. You can then answer the questions designed to collect your feedback. There is only one place to give your feedback, regardless of whether you want to respond to just one or both of the documents. Note that the majority of the questions relate to the guidelines, while five questions at the end relate to the proposals for an expert group. Where possible, please try to keep your feedback on topic and as specific as possible. You might find it helpful to keep a copy of the documents open when answering the questions, so that you can refer to specific guidelines or proposals, as well as page numbers.

What happens next?

We will use the feedback we receive to revise the two texts. The final versions of these proposals will then be submitted to the European Commission as a deliverable. It will also be made publicly available, including on the SIENNA website.

What if I am uncertain or have questions?

If you have any questions about the proposals, including about the questions themselves, or about the process, email Yasemin at y.j.erden@utwente.nl   -- Please note that any feedback, including comments on the proposals, should be submitted to the online form as above, and not via email. Comments sent via email will not be recorded.

SIENNA proposals for promoting ethics in human enhancement

Following extensive research and consultation with stakeholders, The SIENNA project now proposes guidelines for promoting ethics in human enhancement, along with the formation of an expert working group on human enhancement. We want your input on both documents.

Ethics guidelines for human enhancement

This document is intended for anyone who is interested in human enhancement. It offers ethics guidelines for research in, as well as development and application of human enhancement technologies and procedures. The guideline document consists of seven sections in which guidelines are presented (sections 1 – 7). These are preceded by a preamble that defines scope and key terms, describes the status of human enhancement as a new type of practice, and provides moral and legal foundations for the guidelines. The guidelines are followed by a section which discusses the use and implementation of the guidelines (section 8). A glossary follows at the end.  The aim of these guidelines is to ensure that there is a systematic inclusion of ethical values and principles in the design and development processes of human enhancement, as per the Ethics by Design approach promoted by SIENNA. This is the first time that extensive guidelines for human enhancement have been proposed. The guidelines aim to be international in scope and are based on key values with universal appeal: well-being, autonomy, informed consent, equality, justice, and (moral and social) responsibility.

Download the guidelines

Proposals for the creation of an expert working group on human enhancement

The second text concerns the proposal for an appropriate European body to be created who can: oversee and analyse trends towards human enhancement; assess moral and social consequences; provide information and advice. The proposal includes details about the identity of the working group, their primary activities, and their role in the maintenance of the SIENNA ethics guidelines for human enhancement.

Download the proposal