of Bern Matthias Mahlmann, Chair of Legal Theory, Legal Sociology and International Public Law at the Faculty of Law, University of Zurich Jean-Marc Neuhaus, Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Neuchâtel Otto Schäfer, Responsible for theological and ethical questions at the Federation of Swiss Protestant Churches (SEK/FEPS), Bern Markus Wild, Professor of Theoretical Philosophy at the Philosophy Department, University of Basel Secretariat The Committee is assisted by a scientific secretariat, which reports to the Chair of the Committee and is administratively attached to the Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN). Publications The most important statements issued by the Committee The Dignity of Animals, A joint statement by the Federal Ethics Committee on Non Human Biotechnology (ECNH) and the Swiss Committee on Animal Experiments (SCAE), concerning a more concrete definition of the dignity of creation with regard to animals, 2001. Patents on Animals and Plants – A contribution to discussion, 2001. Gene Technology for Food - Ethical considerations for the marketing of genetically modified foodstuffs and animal feed, 2003. Gene Technology and Developing Countries - A contribution to the discussion from an ethical perspective, 2004. Research on Primates - an Ethical Evaluation, Report by the Swiss Committee on Animal Experiments (SCAE) and the Swiss Ethics Committee on Non Human Biotechnology (ECNH), 2006. The Dignity of Living Beings with regard to Plants. Moral consideration of plants for their own sake, 2008. Synthetic biology. Ethical considerations, 2010. Release of genetically modified plants – ethical requirements, 2012. Ethical treatment of fish, 2014. Freedom of research and biosecurity – Ethical considerations by the example of dual use research of concern, 2015 (in German and French only). New Plant Breeding Techniques – Ethical Considerations, 2016. "Beiträge zur Ethik und Biotechnologie" series Expert reports commissioned by the ECNH which are of interest to a wider audience are published (in the original language) in a series entitled „Beiträge zur Ethik und Biotechnologie“ (Contributions to Ethics and Biotechnology). These reports provide a basis for consideration of the ethical aspects of biotechnology and serve as working papers for the ECNH. Volume 1: Andreas Bachmann, Nano(bio)technologie – Eine ethische Auslegeordnung (Nano(bio)technology – An ethical review), 2006. Volume 2: Jürg Stöcklin, Die Pflanze – Moderne Konzepte der Biologie (The Plant – Modern biological concepts), 2007. Volume 3: Andreas Brenner, Leben – Eine philosophische Untersuchung (Life – A philosophical investigation), 2007. Volume 4: Benjamin Rath, Ethik des Risikos – Begriffe, Situationen,