Science, governance, and the European Research Area Alan Cross European Commission

1
Science, governance, and the European Research
AreaAlan CrossEuropean Commission

• Science and Society Forum
• London, 25 September 2001

2
Outline

• Governance and the relationship between science
  and society
• The White Paper on European Governance
• The use of expertise
• The European Research Area
• Translating worthy aims into practical actions

3
Governance

• The rules, processes and behaviour that affect
  the way in which powers are exercised at European
  level, particularly as regards openness,
  participation, accountability, effectiveness and
  coherence.

4
Science and Governance

• Embraces the functioning of policy-making and
  decision-making processes using scientific
  contributions.
• It includes questions of risk analysis,
  uncertainty, the Precautionary Principle,
  scientific reference systems and the relationship
  between decision-makers, experts, organised civil
  society and the public.

5
Worrying indicators?

• Expectation that science and technology can help
  solve societal problems and improve our quality
  of life.
• growing public unease about scientific endeavour
• what is being researched,
• how its conducted,
• how the results are used by policy-makers
• (BUT, picture varies across Europe, and across
  different groups)

6
White paper on European Governance26 July 2001

• Why Reform European Governance?
• Paradox
• People expect Union to take effective action
• They are losing confidence in institutions
• Goal involve people more

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• Openness
• actively communicate
• use understandable
• language

• Coherence
• complex issues
• crossing boundaries,
• enlargement
• political leadership,
• consistency

• Participation
• wide involvement
• throughout
• policy chain
• inclusive approach

• Accountability
• clearer roles
• clarity and responsibility
• for actions

• Effectiveness
• timely policies,
• clearer objectives,
• impact
• proportionate

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Proposals

• 38 Action points for
• Commission (21)
• Member States (6)
• Council and Parliaments (6)
• Economic and Social Committee (1)
• Committee of the Regions (1)
• EU Institutions (1)

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Key action points

• Set up a dialogue with associations of regions
  and cities
• Structure relationship with civil society
• Adopt minimum standards for consultation
• Build public confidence in expert advice
• Use legislation with non-legislative and
  self-regulatory tools
• Set out conditions for establishing EU
  regulatory agencies
• Introduce greater flexibility to improve
  implementation
• Promote discussion on the reform of global
  governance
• Refocus the roles and responsibilities of each
  Institution

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On expertise...

• White Paper Preparatory work
• Democratising expertise and scientific reference
  systems
• A more complete understanding of the expertise
  used at the EU level
• Develop guidelines for the selection and use of
  expertise for policy-making
• More openness of expertise and greater
  opportunity for informed participation by society
  in policy-making
• Broadening and integrating the expertise used in
  policy-making
• Greater integration in risk governance

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On expertise(White paper - 4th action line)

• The Commission will publish from June 2002
  guidelines on collection and use of expert advice
  in the Commission
• to provide for the accountability, plurality and
  integrity of the expertise used.
• This should include the publication of the advice
  given.
• Over time these guidelines could form the basis
  for a common approach for all Institutions and
  Member States.

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Co-decisionInteractions Commission-Parliament-Cou
ncil
Commission opinion on EP amendments
Direct approval if agreement with EP
New !
Consultations
Council
2
4
5
CREST
(approval within 6 weeks)
(within 3 months)
Conciliation joint text
Common position
Commission
Proposal
Opinion
Adoption
Amendments
(absolute majority of members)
(approval within 6 weeks)
(within 3 months)
Advice and proposals received
5
1
3
4
European Parliament
FP4 and FP5 evaluations
Qualified majority F, D, I, UK 10 votes E 8
votes B, GR, NL, P 5 votes A, S 4 votes DK,
IRL, SF 3 votes L 2 votes
Council decides by qualified majority (62 out of
87 votes) except on EP amendments not approved by
the Commission
1- Institutions
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The EUs budget
2001
? ? ? ?
Total value of commitments EUR 96.239 billion
1- Institutions
14
Stake-holders of European research (without the
Union)

• Improve competiti-
• veness
• Better public
• policies
• Quality of life

FIN
S
CERN, EMBL, ESA, ESO and other international
organisations
UK
NL
IRL
DK
A
B
LUX
D
Enterprises, universities and research centres
Programme- cadre
Candidate and associated countries
F
IT
P
EL
ES
3 - Research
15
The European research areaEU contribution
integrating research (in red)
I. Integrating research
Evaluation and benchmarking

• Improve competiti-
• veness
• Better public
• policies
• Quality of life

Unions support for research and development
Common research priorities and frontier
technologies
Results from research and innovation new
products, new ideas
Emerging priorities
New ideas
FIN
S
CERN, EMBL, ESA, ESO and other international
organisations
UK
NL
IRL
DK
A
LUX
B
D
Enterprises, universities and research centres
Candidate and associated countries
F
IT
P
EL
ES
Support to make Europe more attractive
3 - Research
Europe open to the world
16
The European research areaEU contribution
structuring research (in red)
I. Integrating research
Evaluation and benchmarking

• Improve competiti-
• veness
• Better public
• policies
• Quality of life

Unions support for research and development
Common research priorities and frontier
technologies
Results from research and innovation new
products, new ideas
Emerging priorities
New ideas
Support for SMEs
II. Structuring the European research area
FIN
S
CERN, EMBL, ESA, ESO and other international
organisations
UK
NL
IRL
DK
A
LUX
B
D

• Strengthening the cohesion of the European
  research area
• mobility
• infrastructures
• innovation
• science-society
• networking of national programmes

Enterprises, universities and research centres
Candidate and associated countries
F
IT
P
EL
ES
Support to make Europe more attractive
Europe open to the world
17
The European research areaEU contribution
strengthening the foundations (in red)
I. Integrating research
Evaluation and benchmarking

• Improve competiti-veness
• Better public policies
• Quality of life

Common research priorities and frontier
technologies
Unions support for research and development
Results from research and innovation new
products, new ideas
Emerging priorities
Nouvelles idées
III. Strengthening the foundations of the
European research area
Support for SMEs
II. Structuring the European research area
FIN
S
CERN, EMBL, ESA, ESO and other international
organisations
UK
NL
IRL
DK

• benchmarking
• open co-ordination
• mapping of excellence (Lisbon/Stockholm Councils)

A
B
LUX
D

• Strengthening the cohesion of the European
  research area
• mobility
• infrastructures
• innovation
• science-society
• networking of national programmes

Enterprises, universities and research centres
Programme- cadre
Candidate and associated countries
F
IT
P
EL
ES
Support to make Europe more attractive
Europe open to the world
18
Evolution of the European Unions framework
programmes
3 - Research
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Framework programme 2002-2006
Budget proposed (EUR million)
3 - Research
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Structuring the European Research Area

• Science and Society
• Bringing research closer to society
• science and governance
• scientific advice and reference systems
• Responsible research and application ofScience
  and Technology
• ethics
• uncertainty, risk and implementing the
  precautionary principle
• Stepping up the Science / Society Dialogueand
  Women in Science
• public understanding
• young peoples interest in scientific careers
• women in science

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An Action Plan

• Requested by the Council at its June 2001 meeting
• On agenda of next Council, 10 December!
• A suite of initiatives with a common goal
• Scientific agenda reflecting public concerns and
  aspirations
• ethics
• women and science
• public awareness
• science education
• participation and involvement
• opening up the use of expertise
• risk governance, and crisis management
• scientific reference systems

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Some questions

• Expert advice and stakeholder dialogue do we
  need to distinguish?
• How transparent should we be?
• How can we engage the public at the European
  level?
• What about the cost?

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Process for securing using scientific advice
Responsibility of
Emerging issues
Decision-taker
Detect the issue
Policy-maker
Take the decision
Scientific adviser
Engagement with stakeholders
Establish the policy context options
Consultation on actions
Seek agreement on policy issues
Define what the policy- maker needs to know
Prepare advice on policy options
Second opinion if needed
Publication of draft scientific advice
Choose the scientific advisory mechanism
Communicate the advice
Seek agreement on process
Choose the scientific adviser(s)
Prepare the scientific advice
Source OXERA Report 2000Policy, Risk and
Science
Agree confirm the brief