Expertise, and more specifically scientific expertise, is increasingly becoming an element of critical importance in the design, implementation and assessment of public policies. As a result, policy-makers must be in a position to consult the scientific community effectively and give scientists the opportunity to share their concerns and knowledge. Consulting and listening under time pressure to an ever-larger number of experts, on issues of growing complexity, is difficult.

It is towards this end that the European Commission has, as foreseen in its Science and Society Action Plan, developed the SINAPSE e-Network (Scientific INformAtion for Policy Support in Europe). The main objective of this web-based communication platform is to offer a set of essential tools to promote and encourage the effective exchange of information between all stakeholders concerned with the use of science in European governance.

SINAPSE will help to implement new forms of governance, by facilitating the involvement of actors who are currently hard to consult, and enabling them to share their knowledge and viewpoints. The network will also contribute to improving the breadth and scope of the information available to the public.

The current membership consists of universities, national academies of science, scientific associations, several national research/health/ethics councils, various research organisations and advisory bodies covering different policy areas, as well as other organisations interested by the use of science in politics and policy-making (NGOs, industrial companies/associations – e.g. UNICE – etc.).

Examples of registered scientific organisations at European/international level so far include: ESF (European Science Foundation), ICSU (International Council for Science), ALLEA (All European Academies), FEAM (Federation of the European Academies of Medicine), Academia Europaea, EASAC (European Academies’ Science Advisory Council), EUA (European University Association), UNICA (Network of Universities from the Capitals of Europe), EURO-CASE (European Council of Applied Sciences, Technologies and Engineering), EMBO (European Molecular Biology Organisation), COST (European Co-operation in the field of Scientific and Technical Research), EARTO (European Association of Research and Technology Organisations), EARMA (European Association of Research Managers and Administrators), EIRMA (European Industrial Research Management Association), EUROHORCS (European Union Research Organisations Head of Research Councils).

SINAPSE is open and freely accessible on http://europa.eu/sinapse

Building the European Yellow Pages of Scientific Expertise

The widest possible membership and, therefore, knowledge reservoir, is an essential factor in achieving the objectives of SINAPSE. Although a substantial part of the scientific community is directly or indirectly represented in the network, the building of the SINAPSE community remains a priority. It is not only important that umbrella and individual organisations are registered, but, in particular, that their members with specific and general expertise are registered in the system as well.

Registering in the SINAPSE directory brings the following benefits:

• On the basis of the information provided during the registration, members have the possibility of being notified of new documents, early warnings, discussions or consultations, compatible with their preferences (scientific and policy domains of interest or expertise)

• Since their expertise is referenced in the system, members can be contacted by other members who might be looking for such competencies, giving them the opportunity to share their opinions (e.g. in the case of consultations/debates launched by the EC or other public authorities)

• The content of the registered organisations’ websites (web sources) will be more visible and easily accessible by an interested public

• The possibility to create or join, as they develop over time, SINAPSE Communities made up of sub groups of members sharing a common interest

Increasing the capacity to communicate and exchange information whenever necessary, between the experts and the users of expertise, is crucial. Through the active participation of its members, SINAPSE aims at becoming a useful interface between the scientific community and policy-makers. It is not foreseen that during this initial registration phase the site will host many active debates and consultations, or contain large amounts of information and documents. However, activities and content will progressively increase and members will be promptly notified according to their profile and notification preferences.