As European Commissioner, I encounter fantastic Science every day, more often than not while meeting the scientists who produce it. That is why I am particularly looking forward to the Euroscience Open Forum (ESOF) 2012 in Dublin (11 to 15 July). Scientists' passion for their work is infectious and has driven me to give them all the support I can. I am not a scientist, although I have gained a deeper appreciation for science in recent years. What I am is a politician. That means that what I understand well is the business of using scarce resources in the best way possible.