EMCDDA´s Scientific Committee Henk Garretsen, 14 February 2008, Palmela

Role of the Scientific Committee SC advises MB and director May deliver an opinion on any scientific aspect of the EMCDDA activities Henk Garretsen, 14 February 2008, Palmela

Henk Garretsen, 14 February 2008, Palmela Structural tasks Formal opinion on three year and annual work programmes Reviewing Annual report package to check its scientific quality Risk assessment of new psychoactive substances Henk Garretsen, 14 February 2008, Palmela

Henk Garretsen, 14 February 2008, Palmela “Voluntary” tasks Participation in (thematic) expert meetings, working groups Bilateral advice in his/her field of expertise Old SC - In some countries SC members advised National Focus Points for example on national reports. Henk Garretsen, 14 February 2008, Palmela

Henk Garretsen, 14 February 2008, Palmela Personal note: we did all that but, not all members were very active Henk Garretsen, 14 February 2008, Palmela

Meetings of the Scientific Committee “Obligatory”: Twice a year regular SC meetings Ad hoc risk assessment meetings In general a high attendance rate “Voluntary”: Expert meetings/working groups Just some SC members attended more than one meeting Henk Garretsen, 14 February 2008, Palmela

The role of the Chair and Vice chair Also MB meetings, selection-committees senior staff, ad hoc committees (for instance steering group EMCDDA evaluation,Horizontal Drug Group (Chair: Last two years 10 visits to Lisbon and 6 to Brussels) Henk Garretsen, 14 February 2008, Palmela

Henk Garretsen, 14 February 2008, Palmela Recent external evaluation: SC is underused by the EMCDDA Henk Garretsen, 14 February 2008, Palmela

Henk Garretsen, 14 February 2008, Palmela Possible reasons (personal view): Not all SC members were very active/gave the impression that they want to be used MB asked for the “formal opinions”, was not active in searching for more EMCDDA staff are humans too: not all gave the impression that they want to have feedback. For some feedback may be seen as inconvenient Henk Garretsen, 14 February 2008, Palmela

New composition of the ScC, new start Old – New ScC Old situation: 27 members (1 from each member state) New situation: 15 members independent experts Henk Garretsen, 14 February 2008, Palmela

Henk Garretsen, 14 February 2008, Palmela Advantages: Members are independent EMCDDA appoints the members and can decide on required expertise EMCDDA may even discharge members if they don’t attend (enough) meetings Henk Garretsen, 14 February 2008, Palmela

Henk Garretsen, 14 February 2008, Palmela Role SC in the past (and future?): Role of “critical friend” Understanding the evolution of EMCDDA – sense of reality – don’t always judge EMCDDA activities by comparing them with a golden standard but work towards a situation that it is actually possible to do so in the future Henk Garretsen, 14 February 2008, Palmela

Henk Garretsen, 14 February 2008, Palmela Informal interactions Old SC: Sometimes dinner all together (if so on initiative of EMCDDA) Some interaction in subgroups New SC? Henk Garretsen, 14 February 2008, Palmela