Governance

The clear need for an infrastructure of barcodes to ‘revalidate’ critical biosystematic specimens has been recognized under the EU 6th framework.  Recently ranked as a top proposal was one from a number of members of CETAF (Consortium of European Taxonomic Facilities) and other partners to establish an EU Network of Excellence for biodiversity and ecosystem research. The plan is to start a process leading to the European Distributed Institute of Taxonomy (EDIT). The participants in the present proposal belong to the leading core members of the network with the responsibility to lead the joint infrastructural ambitions. This proposal prominently included a mandate for “Organisation of the European contribution to the international DNA barcoding efforts.”  It should be noted that funding available from this framework is principally for coordination and not for the barcode infrastructure itself. The ECBOL initiative is a logical follow-up and extension of EDIT and proposes to have Europe assume a leading role in the DNA barcoding movement by establishing a European network of high throughput DNA barcoding laboratories that will be able to identify and monitor biodiversity and improve the quality of life.