EU Science and Technology Foresight in FP7

Online consultation is now closed (deadline 15 November 2004)

EU Science and Technology Foresight (indirect activities) implemented in FP6

Foresight activities in FP6 have been developed under 3 layers through the setting up of a “European Foresight Knowledge Sharing Platform” aiming at ensuring systematic use and optimum benefit of Foresight and enabling EU-wide networking and capacity building:

1. Provide the foresight community and the policymakers with information on foresight initiatives in Europe and beyond (through a project dedicated to monitoring foresight),
2. Develop mutual learning (best practices) between Member and associated States and regions (through a Web-based system project for foresight methodologies consolidation),
3. Initiate EU wide approaches on issues of EU relevance (two calls for tender and two experts groups were launched in 2003/2004).

More information on Science and Technology Foresight can be found at the following address: cordis.europa.eu/foresight

The European Commission has published a communication on the future EU research policy: Science and Technology, the key to Europe’s future - guidelines for future European Union policy to support research (COM (2004) 353, 16 June 2004) (also in: ; more information and other languages are available via Prelex).

In the communication, the Commission proposes to focus EU research activities on six major objectives:

• Creating European centres of excellence through collaboration between laboratories
• Launching European technological initiatives
• Stimulating the creativity of basic research through competition between teams at European level
• Making Europe more attractive to the best researchers
• Developing research infrastructure of European interest
• Improving the coordination of national research programmes

Following consultation and wider debate, and based on a thorough assessment of evidence and impacts, the Commission will present its legislative proposals for the Seventh Framework Programme for R&D in the course of 2005.

An open consultation on EU Science and Technology Foresight in FP7

The Commission would welcome views and comments from all regarding EU Science and Technology Foresight activities in FP7. Contributions would be particularly welcome from the foresight community, policy-makers at national and regional level, but also from research organisations including public institutes, universities, industry, international organisations and associations.

This consultation does not concern the EU direct activities of the Joint Research Centre (Institute for Prospective Technological Studies).

The contributions were made through an online questionnaire.

Written comments can also be sent via a comments form, or to:

EU Science and Technology Foresight consultation
Directorate-General for Research
European Commission
Unit K2
Office SDME 11/34
B-1049 Brussels, BELGIUM.