1. The PACITA Project Dr. Pierre Delvenne, Chargé de recherches FNRS University of Liège, SPIRAL Research Centre Liège, Salle des Professeurs, 25 June 2012

2. Last decades at a glance Rise of internet and mobile technologies Birth of emerging technologies such as geoengineering, nano- and bio-technology, renewables Society looks to new technology when confronted with challenges such as terrorism, climate change, ageing society and sustainable consumption Technology is the strongest force of change in society today

3. The challenge The intensity and complexity of technological change challenges both individuals and societies Responsible and innovative policies on technology rest on understanding how science, technology and society interacts To ensure optimal, informed and legitimate decisions policymakers need the advice of science, civil society, public and private sector As the number of lobbyists and interest groups grow, policymakers across Europe urgently need unbiased and balanced advice on the technological challenges ahead PACITA is a response to this challenge

4. The Initiative The aim of the PACITA is to strengthen the institutional foundation of European technology assessment by helping countries that are interested in establishing a new PTA institution. Parliamentary Technological Assessment (PTA) are national/regional institutions that provide analysis and advice to politicians about issues related to the interplay of technology and society. PTAs are already established in The United Kingdom, Netherlands, France, Germany, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Switzerland, Austria and Italy and in the regions of Flanders and Catalonia. PACITA is a four year pan-European project, funded by the EU Commission.

5. General objective of PACITA “Increasing the capacity and enhancing the institutional foundation for knowledge-based policy-making … … on issues involving science, technology and innovation… … mainly relying on the diversity of practices of Parliamentary Technology Assessment”.

6. Particular objectives Documenting TA: producing knowledge on TA (book, portal…) Training TA: 2 summer schools (Liège 2012, Dublin 2014) and 4 practitioners training sessions (added value of TA) Debating TA: debates in non-PTA countries with the objective to expand the TA landscape in Europe (Parliament debates, 2 European TA conferences, Newsletters, VolTA magazine…) Learning TA: 3 cross-European TA projects to address “grand challenges” (public health genomics, ageing society, sustainable consumption) relying on various methodologies

7. The Partners Danish Board of Technology (Denmark) Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (Germany) The Rathenau Institute (Netherlands) Norwegian Board of Technology (Norway) The Institute of Technology Assessment (Austria) Applied Research and Communications Fund (Bulgaria) Institute of Technology of Biology and Chemistry (Portugal) Institute Society and Technology (Flanders, Belgium) Catalan Institution Foundation for Research Support (Catalonia, Spain) Swiss Centre for Technology Assessment (Switzerland) Knowledge Economy Forum (Lithuania) Technology Centre ASCR (Czech Republic) University of Liège, SPIRAL Research Centre (Wallonia, Belgium) University College Cork (Ireland) Hungarian Academy of Sciences (Hungary).

8. Thank you very much More information available on www.pacitaproject.eu Pierre.Delvenne@ulg.ac.be