COST participation in JRC workshop series ‘Science for policy across the EU’

07/05/2021

As part of the online workshop series ‘Strengthening and connecting eco-systems of science for policy across Europe’, on 6 May 2021 the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC) organised a virtual workshop on ‘Science for policymaking: EU financing programmes’.

The financing workshop focused on funding instruments of relevance to finance prospective science for policy capacity building projects in EU Member States. Presentations about funding programmes were complimented by beneficiary statements. Together with representatives of the European Commission services responsible for a particular funding programme and organisations that received the funding for science for policy activities, COST was invited to share information and experiences with the participants.

 

Judith Litjens, Policy Officer at COST, presented opportunities that COST offers to researchers and innovators across Europe and beyond. In the context of the science for policy focus of the workshop, the COST policy brief ‘Actions to Actions’ was promoted as a useful source for running Actions seeking advice and guidance on how to achieve policy impact. Highlighting science for policy activities, Vice-Chair Prof. John McNamara had prepared a presentation giving participants an insight into the achievements of COST Action ‘Safety Culture and Risk Management in Agriculture – SACURIMA’. The presentation explained how SACURIMA’s structured and effective approach in conveying key messages and recommendations to (high-level) EU policy makers has facilitated the Action’s successful contribution to establishing new EU policy initiatives, including the set up of the Horizon Europe thematic network ‘Assessing and improving labour conditions and health and safety at work in farming’, a Eurostat Farm Injury Survey, and CAP policy inclusions at national level.

The Commission services that participated in this workshop included:

  • DG REFORM – Technical Support Instrument;
  • DG REGIO – European Regional Development Fund, Cohesion Fund;
  • DG RESEARCH & INNOVATION – Policy Support Facility;
  • DG JRC – Preparatory action “Advancing evidence for policy at Union, regional and local level;
  • DG EMPL – European Social Fund.

JRC online ‘science for policy’ workshop series

The European Commission’s Joint Research Centre is organising an online workshop series “Strengthening and connecting eco-systems of science for policy across Europe”. The series aims to take stock of institutions and processes supporting evidence-informed policymaking and to facilitate collective capacity building processes within EU Member States. The workshop series benefits from the active participation of 500+ professionals working at the science-policy interface that have joined one or more of the eight previous workshops. Please feel free to join this community and learn about the latest developments in the field of science for policy institutions and processes.

The next workshop in the series will focus on “Science for policymaking in Latvia”, and will take place on 19 May 2021 (13h30-16h30 CET – register here).

Invitation to fill out JRC survey on your country’s science for policy ecosystem

The COST community is warmly invited to fill out the short survey on the “Qualities of your country’s science for policy eco-system”. This survey helps to obtain and share with the workshop community a broad overview of science for policy institutions and processes in place in Europe’s Member States.

Further reading

  • JRC Workshop Programme here
  • JRC online workshop series here
  • More on COST Action ‘Safety Culture and Risk Management in Agriculture – SACURIMA’ here
  • COST Action SACURIMA powerpoint slides presented at the JRC workshop here
  • COST Policy brief ‘Actions to Actions’ here
  • JRC survey on the “Qualities of your country’s science for policy eco-system” here