Stories from the EU Policy Lab 🟡 🔺 🟦 | INTERGENERATIONAL FAIRNESS | POLYCRISIS EXPLORATION | BEHAVIOURAL INSIGHTS FOR POLICYMAKING
Innovative policymaking through the lens of foresight, behavioural insights and design
Read the online version | ISSN 2812-3174
  EU Policy Lab: Foresight, Behavioural Insights and Design for Policy  

Stories from the EU Policy Lab
Issue 1, April 2025

The EU Policy Lab is the Joint Research Centre's space for cross-disciplinary exploration and innovation in policymaking

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Stories from the Lab

Welcome to the first EU Policy Lab newsletter!

Thank you for embarking on this exciting journey with us, as we set off to connect, inform, and inspire through the innovative work we do in the Lab. 

Here at the EU Policy Lab, we are passionate about helping European policymakers to prepare better for the world of tomorrow. In our Lab, foresight, behavioural insights, and design joins forces with the Joint Research Centre’s scientific expertise to prepare policies that can tackle the complex challenges the EU is facing, while grasping the opportunities that come its way. 

Our superpower is the ability to leverage our diverse methodologies for actionable insights, shaping robust and future-ready policies. Our goal is to foster interdisciplinary collaboration within the JRC and across the European Commission and other EU institutions to set a new standard for policy innovation, collaboration and anticipatory governance. 

So, what can you look forward to receiving a few times a year from us? 

  • Thought-provoking insights into our latest projects, tools, and methodologies.
  • Exciting opportunities for contribution, such as the open call for sharing your views on developing an intergenerational fairness strategy.
  • A front-row seat to witness how we're reshaping the design and implementation of policies across the EU. 

In a world that is constantly evolving, staying curious and connected is more important than ever. Let’s explore this new frontier together! 

I hope you enjoy reading about our activities, 

Thomas Hemmelgarn

Head of Unit of the EU Policy Lab

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Stories

Paving the way for an EU intergenerational fairness strategy

Learn about the process for designing a comprehensive EU strategy on intergenerational fairness. Find out more about the inclusive, crosscutting process we have created.

Contact
Contact Intergenerational Fairness team
 
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Unlocking the full potential of behavioural insights for policy

The crises and challenges we are facing are increasingly multi-faceted and complex: climate change, energy scarcity, social inequality, to name but a few. One major thing they all have in common is human behaviour. This is where behavioural insights (BI) come in: to bridge this gap and uncover behavioural interlinkages often not considered in policy.

 
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Discover the new Polycrisis Exploration Toolkit

Risks and crises rarely happen in isolation. The new Polycrisis Exploration Tool is helping policymakers navigate interconnected risks, anticipate crises, and strengthen EU policy resilience.

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See also Download the tool
 
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Navigating uncertainty: What strategic foresight can do for you

Earlier this year, we hosted an EU Policy Lab event for colleagues in the European Commission and especially the new Members of Cabinet to make a winning case for how policymaking can benefit from foresight in the new mandate, while also giving them the chance to test some of our foresight tools themselves. Here are some of the highlights.

 
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Have your say!

Join the debate on Intergenerational Fairness

The European Commission is inviting you to help co-create a strategy on intergenerational fairness. Use this platform to share what you want it to look like, what you think is important and what is currently missing.

Quote Envision an EU where generations unite for a flourishing society. What do you want it to look like? And what should happen now to make it come true?
Contact
Contact JRC-INTERGENERATIONAL-FAIRNESS@ec.e...
 
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Latest publications

Horizon Scanning

Take a look at our latest edition to discover our “signals of change” – emerging trends and issues – that may appear marginal today but could become important in the future...

 
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Water Resilience Experiment

The Water Resilience Experiment aims to contribute to the European Commission’s water resilience strategy through the lens of design for policy and behavioural insights.

 
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Eyes on the Future

Signals from recent reports on emerging technologies and breakthrough innovations to support European Innovation Council strategic intelligence - Volume 2

 
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Barriers to implementing EU green policies

Key barriers identified included lack of political will, insufficient resources and infrastructure, limited awareness and expertise, public resistance to change, governance complex...

 
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Foresight: our new guide to how it could work for you

Our foresight menu showcases the various goals and approaches of foresight in policy contexts, featuring tools and processes we use in our foresight projects.

 
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Unlocking the full potential of behavioural insights for policy

This report examines the transformative role of behavioural insights (BI) in EU policymaking, advocating for integrating BI early in the policy cycle to enhance policy effectivenes...

 
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Upcoming events

Anticipatory Governance - From reactive bureaucracy to anticipatory leadership (08-10/04/2025)

Join us in Trento where we will be presenting our multi-pronged approach to developing anticipatory policymaking at the European Commission.

 
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User Needs First International Conference (10/04/2025)

We are delivering a collective session to Envision European Design for Policy. Register and come meet us in Amsterdam!

 
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Register for our Behavioural Insights Seminars (08/05/2025)

This monthly series covers issues concerning both behavioural insights as a policy tool and implications for specific areas of EU policy.

 
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Futures4Europe Conference (15-16/05/2025)

Join us in Vienna where we'll be showcasing our foresight work!

 
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Creative Bureaucracy Festival (05/06/2025)

Join us in Berlin, where we will be addressing innovation in EU policymaking. We'll be presenting the "EU Policy Lab" approach and talk about intergenerational fairness!

 
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Futures of Technologies: Mutual Shaping of Socio-Technical Transformations (10-12/06/2025)

Come meet us in Turku, where our foresight and design teams will be hosting two sessions.

 
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This is the JRC Newsletter EU Policy Lab. This newsletter provides updates on the EU Policy Lab's activities, projects and events. If this Newsletter was forwarded to you and you are interested in receiving it directly, you can subscribe here

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Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union, 2025.

© European Union, 2025.

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ISSN: 2812-3174  | Catalogue number: KJ-01-25-209-EN-N

ISSN: 2812-3174 | Catalogue Number: KJ-01-25-209-EN-N