The European Commission's Scientific Advice Mechanism

http://ec.europa.eu/research/sam/index.cfm

Dr Johannes KlumpersScientific Advice Mechanism

International Network for Government Science Advice

Hungarian Academy of Sciences, 4th November 2015

Why?

"In line with the Commission's Better Regulation Agenda, policy decisions taken with the support of independent scientific advice will be decisions our citizens can trust. They will be decisions we can all have confidence in".

Commissioner Moedas, European Parliament, 15 September 2015

How?

Applying principlesEight ways to improve expert advice (Sutherland, Burgman in Nature, 15 oct 2015):• Use groups• Choose members carefully• Don't be starstruck• Avoid homogeneity• Don't be bullied

Science Advice to Governments: Diverse systems, common challenges (Wilsdon, Allen, Paulavets, Aug 2014)• Distinguishing between 'Science for Policy' and 'Policy for Science'• Improving quality through multi- and interdisciplinary expertise

However, serving the dishes is not the problem, but the dish itself might be….

Impartial, no career interests, damn quick with text and data mining, ….

The ideal science advisor

Mandate

• RESPONSIVE: • Provide independent scientific advice to EU policy and

legislation (not duplicating existing advice)

• PROACTIVE: • Identify policies where advice required

• Recommend improvements to interaction between policy and advice

Challenges and solutionsInternal organisational

Ensure synergyEnsure buy-in

• President's priority• Close working relationship in college

and at services level• JRC • EU-ANSA

External organisational • HLG - Academies and other science advice providers - MS

Scope • Long, medium, short• Critical to EU policy development or

legislation• Pro-active

Go beyond the HLG

Timeline• Nov 2015 Press release announcing the 7

members of the High Level Group

• Nov 2015 High Level Group will start working

• Dec 15/Jan 16 First meeting of High Level Group

• 2016 First work programme of SAM/High Level Group