Atomium – European Institute for Science, Media and Democracy

The Institute convenes European universities, global businesses and policymakers to develop innovative initiatives and frontier thinking based on scientific evidence to provide evidence-based analysis and advice in governmental and decision-making processes.

[1][2] The organisation was launched publicly in 2009 at the European Parliament in Brussels[3] by the former French President Valéry Giscard d'Estaing and Michelangelo Baracchi Bonvicini.

During its start-up, the institute involved more than forty leading European universities and businesses as its members, building a large network of political leaders such as Valéry Giscard d'Estaing, Felipe González, Tony Blair, Esko Aho, Jerzy Buzek, Jean-Claude Juncker, Angela Merkel.

The report presented the proposal shared by the members of the Institute to address the European Commission's research and innovation policy [14] In September 2012, during the negotiations regarding the EU budget for 2014–2020, Baracchi Bonvicini and Giscard d'Estaing together with the former prime minister of Spain 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.

After the launch Jean-Claude Juncker declared: "Innovation and new scientific discoveries are improving people's lives and making our economy more competitive.