PACITA

Parliaments and Civil Society in Technology Assessment

 Partecipanti

Mappa

 Word cloud

Esplora la "nuvola delle parole (Word Cloud) per avere un'idea di massima del progetto.

 Obiettivo del progetto (Objective)

'The PACITA Mobilisation and Mutual Learning Action Plan will distribute capacity and enhance the institutional foundation for knowledge-based policy-making on issues involving science, technology and innovation, mainly based upon the practices in Parliamentary Technology Assessment (PTA). PTA supports the processes of democratic policy-making on issues involving science, technology and innovation, by providing comprehensive insight into knowledge on opportunities and consequences, by facilitating democratic processes of debate and clarification, and by formulating policy options. PACITA will a) document these practices, b) describe schemes for using them nationally and at European level, c) establish a set of training schemes for users and practitioners, d) establish a Web Portal to European TA expertise e) create a debate on such practices in countries, which do not have them formally established, f) involve experts, societal actors and politicians in European debates on these practices, g) provide three large example-projects on expert-based praxis, stakeholder involvement and citizen consultation, h) support this with a strong dissemination strategy towards the policy-makers, the scientific community, media and countries, which can favor from the mobilization and mutual learning created by the Action Plan, and i) have an independent evaluator monitor the progress and results. The consortium has 15 partners from: National/regional parliamentary offices for science and technology; Science academies; Research institutions; Universities; Civil Society Organisations. The Coordinator is a PTA institution, highly experienced in project managing, which has taken part in more than 10 EU projects including an ERA-Net, and has coordinated two FP projects and a global citizen consultation project involving 55 partners in 38 countries.'

Introduzione (Teaser)

Improved and unified practices with respect to technology assessment will help governments make better decisions concerning key societal issues such as genomics, health and sustainability.

Descrizione progetto (Article)

Sound policymaking in science, technology and innovation (ST & I) represents an important aspect of promoting European competitiveness as well as stoking the economy. The EU-funded project 'Parliaments and civil society in technology assessment' (PACITA) is strengthening knowledge-based policymaking on issues involving ST & I.

In the main, the project is drawing on the diversity of practices in Parliamentary Technology Assessment (PTA), involving expert studies, citizen participation, parliamentary discussion and stakeholder input. It is consolidating different knowledge streams and raising communication among actors through a number of dynamic activities. These include documenting PTA institutions, as well as conducting training for scientists, civil servants, government representatives and other stakeholders to enhance PTA in different countries.

Already, the project team delivered the first of three evaluation reports, giving an overview of existing practices and institutions in PTA across Europe.

It also launched the technology assessment portal, which makes available information about the institutions, projects, experts and publications related to the topic.

Currently, the project is conducting parliamentary debates on institutionalising PTA by investigating relevant historical, political and cultural aspects.

It is also organising conferences on technology assessment that will be particularly beneficial for new and upcoming EU countries.

Moreover, PACITA is undertaking cross-European example projects on three technology assessment-related challenges, namely public health genomics, ageing society and sustainable consumption.

Through these actions and activities, the project is expected first and foremost to encourage interactive parliamentary assessment in countries without institutionalised PTA. This will help create awareness among parliamentarians to take the right decisions related to economy, health, welfare, environment and resources based on European collaboration. With such mechanisms in place, the continent will be better placed to move towards an even better quality of life and a higher standard of living.