Atomium - European Institute for Science, Media and Democracy

Atomium - European Institute for Science, Media and Democracy (Atomium-EISMD) is an international non-profit organisation based in Brussels, Belgium. It describes itself as a bridge builder for excellence that brings together leading European universities, businesses and media, and it convenes universities, media, businesses, policy-makers and governments to develop innovative initiatives and frontier thinking grounded on scientific research. Its stated purpose is to provide evidence-based analysis and advice in governmental and decision-making processes, to encourage frontier thinking based on scientific evidence, and to support Europe in the challenges ahead. The organisation was formally founded in 2006 under Belgian law as an international non-profit association (Association International Sans But Lucratif). During its start-up it involved more than forty leading European universities and businesses as members and built a network of political leaders. It was launched publicly in 2009 at the European Parliament in Brussels by the former French President Valéry Giscard d'Estaing and Michelangelo Baracchi Bonvicini, and its first Secretary General was Bruno Le Maire, later French Minister of Economy. Atomium-EISMD works on issues directly, or with strategic partners from business, government, media and the non-profit sectors, to foster innovation, promote evidence-based policy making, shape the social impact of new applications of AI, and inspire citizen engagement in science. Its activities have included the Report on European Research and Innovation 2020, the appeal "For a European Consciousness, For a More Competitive Europe", the REIsearch initiative connecting researchers and policy makers, and the AI4People forum on AI ethics. AI4People, launched by the Institute in 2018, was described as the first multi-stakeholder forum in Europe to shape the debate on AI ethics in the European Union. Founding members included Audi, Elsevier, Meta, Fujitsu, Google, Intesa SanPaolo, Johnson & Johnson and Microsoft. The forum produced the "AI4People's Ethical Framework for a Good AI Society", presented at the European Parliament, and the Institute states that this report is at the origins of the regulatory process that led to the EU AI Act. A newer spin-off, the AI4People Institute, continues this work, publishing reports such as "Towards an Ethics by Design Approach for AI" and an AI Ethics Toolkit. The Institute remains active, issuing statements on AI governance and the Paris AI Action Summit in 2025. It operates as a non-profit convening platform rather than a commercial vendor, and its influence rests on its network of universities, corporate partners, media and European institutions.

Atomium - European Institute for Science, Media and Democracy was formally founded in 2006 under the Law of Belgium as an international non-profit organisation (Association International Sans But Lucratif). During its start-up phase the institute involved more than forty leading European universities and businesses as members and built a large network of political leaders, including Valéry Giscard d'Estaing, Felipe González, Tony Blair, Esko Aho, Jerzy Buzek, Jean-Claude Juncker and Angela Merkel. Its first Secretary General was Bruno Le Maire, who later served as French Minister of Economy from 2017 to 2024. In November 2009 the institute was officially launched publicly at the European Parliament. On 9 November 2009, Giscard d'Estaing and Michelangelo Baracchi Bonvicini signed the European Manifesto of Atomium - European Institute for Science, Media and Democracy. The official website states that the Institute was launched in 2009 at the European Parliament by the former French President Valéry Giscard d'Estaing and Michelangelo Baracchi Bonvicini. On 18 May 2010, Giscard d'Estaing and Baracchi Bonvicini presented the Report on European Research and Innovation 2020 together with the President of the European Parliament Jerzy Buzek and the European Commissioner for Research, Innovation and Science Máire Geoghegan-Quinn. The report presented the proposal shared by the members of the Institute to address the European Commission's research and innovation policy. In September 2012, during negotiations on the EU budget for 2014–2020, Baracchi Bonvicini and Giscard d'Estaing, together with former Spanish prime minister Felipe González Márquez, jointly signed the appeal 'For a European Consciousness, For a More Competitive Europe', asking EU member states to increase the budget for research and innovation. The appeal was sent to all European prime ministers and heads of government and was published by numerous European newspapers, including Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, El País, Il Sole 24 Ore and The Irish Times. The institute also created REIsearch, a non-profit initiative co-funded by the European Commission, Nokia, Elsevier and other Atomium partners. Its aim is to connect researchers and policy makers on topics linked to scientific research in order to promote evidence-based policy making. After the launch, Jean-Claude Juncker declared that innovation and new scientific discoveries are improving people's lives and making the economy more competitive, and welcomed efforts such as REIsearch to inspire fresh ideas about solving society's most pressing problems. In its first three years of activity REIsearch focused on subject areas such as Chronic Diseases, in collaboration with the European Commission's DG Sante, and Next Generation Internet and Digital Skills, in collaboration with DG Connect, reaching hundreds of thousands of European citizens with its media campaigns and surveys. In 2018 the Institute launched AI4People, described as the first multi-stakeholder forum in Europe to shape the debate on AI ethics in the European Union and to prompt European institutions to act quickly to stem future AI risks. Founding members included Audi, Elsevier, Meta, Fujitsu, Google, Intesa SanPaolo, Johnson & Johnson and Microsoft. As a result of its first year of activity, AI4People presented at the European Parliament the 'AI4People's Ethical Framework for a Good AI Society: Opportunities, Risks, Principles, and Recommendations' during the 'Towards a Good AI Society Summit', opened by Tony Blair. The report is described as being at the origins of the regulatory process that led to the AI Act in the European Union, the world's first AI regulation. More recently, the Institute's newest spin-off, the AI4People Institute, has continued this work, publishing reports such as 'Towards an Ethics by Design Approach for AI' and developing an AI Ethics Toolkit. In 2025 Atomium-EISMD issued a statement on the Paris AI Action Summit titled 'Strategic Priorities for Democracies', reflecting its ongoing engagement with AI governance.

• 2025

  Published the report 'Towards an Ethics by Design Approach for AI' and a statement on the Paris AI Action Summit.

• 2018

  Launched AI4People, the first multi-stakeholder forum in Europe on AI ethics.

• 2009

  Officially launched publicly at the European Parliament in Brussels by Valéry Giscard d'Estaing and Michelangelo Baracchi Bonvicini.

• 2006

  Formally founded under Belgian law as an international non-profit organisation (AISBL).

• Giscard d'Estaing and Baracchi Bonvicini signed the European Manifesto of Atomium-EISMD.

• Presented the Report on European Research and Innovation 2020 with European Parliament President Jerzy Buzek and Commissioner Máire Geoghegan-Quinn.

• Signed the appeal 'For a European Consciousness, For a More Competitive Europe' with Felipe González during EU budget negotiations.

A non-profit, multi-stakeholder bridge between European academia, business, media and policy-makers, focused on evidence-based policy and AI ethics.

• AI4People

  A multi-stakeholder forum launched in 2018 to shape the debate on AI ethics in the European Union.

• AI4People Institute

  A spin-off of Atomium-EISMD continuing work on AI ethics, including reports and an AI Ethics Toolkit.

• REIsearch

  A non-profit initiative co-funded by the European Commission, Nokia, Elsevier and other partners to connect researchers and policy makers.

• Report on European Research and Innovation 2020

  A 2010 report presenting the Institute members' proposals on European research and innovation policy.

• AI4People's Ethical Framework for a Good AI Society

  A framework presented at the European Parliament covering opportunities, risks, principles and recommendations for AI.

1. 1Atomium-EISMD | European Institute for Science, Media and Democracyeismd.eu
2. 2About | Atomium-EISMDeismd.eu
3. 3Atomium - European Institute for Science, Media and Democracy (Wikidata)wikidata.org
4. 4Atomium – European Institute for Science, Media and Democracy (Wikipedia)en.wikipedia.org