Commission opens debate on science and governance
Getting science policy relations right is key to restoring trust both in science and in the policy making process. So said a number of influential figures in the area of science policy when they met in Brussels at the end of March. Following their discussions, the European Commission is opening a debate on the issue of science and governance. The international seminar focused on the way that institutions and individuals handle their common affairs. 'Recent crises concerning food or environmental safety have illustrated the need for a re-examination of the way policy-makers use science and technology to underpin their decisions,' say the conference organisers from the European Commission's Joint Research Centre (JRC). The workshop gathered together 75 high-level participants from the USA, Canada, Japan, Switzerland and the EU, including policy makers, industrialists and academics. The European Commission's proposal to establish a common system of scientific and technical reference to support the policy making process - as part of the proposed European Research Area - was at the heart of the debate. 'Besides curiosity or innovation driven research, a third motivation for science and technology is gaining ground: precautionary research' said Professor Popp, president of the Forschung Zentrum Karlsruhe. 'It calls for different approaches and structures, for instance interdisciplinary work in areas where uncertainty is high and policy makers are anxious to get responses, independence and institutional stability.' According to Prof. Vidal Quadras, Vice President of the European Parliament, governments must be able to call on permanent, stable and multi-disciplinary bodies for scientific advice and support. He went on to cite the JRC as a good example of the support needed, coupling technical ability with an understanding of policy development. Participants also agreed that setting a common European system would facilitate trading on a global scale and that action was needed on several fronts: - identifying more clearly who does what in the Member States and at EU level among the various committees, agencies, technical support bodies, research centres, regulating authorities, norms and standard setting organisations and intergovernmental organisations; - agreeing at European level on common guiding principles such as applying the precautionary principle where appropriate, ensuring the transparency and openness of the process, and involving all stakeholders in S&T reference; - organising network(s) of centres of excellence that would form, with the JRC, the stable core of the S&T reference system. Such a network could provide an 'early alert' to decision makers on risks and uncertainties revealed by scientific discoveries. - developing the proper communication channels with the public, very early on in the process e.g. through 'consensus conferences' in which lay people establish a dialogue with scientists on key issues such as GMOs. A follow-up international conference will be organised at the end of the year to identify other good practices and continue the exchange of experience.