STOA Science and Technology Options Assessment

Transcription

1 STOA Science and Technology Options Assessment STOA Panel meeting Thursday, 16 March 2017, 10:00-11:00 LOW N1.4, Strasbourg Minutes The meeting started at 9:51 with Eva KAILI, MEP and STOA Chair, in the chair. 1. Adoption of the draft agenda The Chair announced that interpretation was available in Bulgarian, Croatian, Czech, English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Polish and Portuguese, and that the meeting was being web-streamed She then expressed her appreciation for the decision of Panel members to elect her as STOA Chair for the second half of the 8th legislative period, and committed herself to continuing the successful work of her predecessor, in close cooperation with all Panel members, especially those elected to the STOA Bureau, and maintaining the high standards and ambition that distinguished STOA s activities in the preceding 2½ years. The Chair recalled that the draft agenda was in the dossier and proposed that the following item be added as point 6.2. to the draft agenda: STOA participation in the EP delegation to the 11th Internet Governance Forum (IGF), 6-9 December 2016, Guadalajara, Mexico. In the absence of any objections to her proposal and of any other requests for changes or additions, the Chair announced that the agenda was deemed adopted with the above modification. 2. Approval of draft minutes - STOA Panel meeting of 16 February 2017 The Chair informed the meeting that the draft minutes of the STOA Panel meeting of 16 February 2017 were in the dossier and asked Panel members if anyone wished to introduce any changes or additions. 3. Overview of STOA mission and recent activities - presentation by the Scientific Foresight Unit The Chair underlined that STOA had a 30-year history and experience in Technology Assessment for the European Parliament (EP), to which it recently added Scientific Foresight as a methodological tool. She then proposed to the Panel to hold a discussion on the STOA activities over the next 2½ years. The Chair then gave the floor to Theo KARAPIPERIS, Head of the Scientific Foresight Unit (STOA), who explained that STOA provided Members with research based on scientific evidence and options for policy action scientific evidence was here meant in a wider sense, as it included input not only from the natural sciences and engineering, but also from the social sciences and humanities. STOA made science and technology more accessible for the purposes of Members work, looking specifically at opportunities and challenges that new technologies offered for policy-making. This gave Members the tools to make well-informed decisions, in committees and in plenary, on techno-scientific developments affecting European society. He then explained that STOA fulfilled its mission by STOA fulfils its mission via: Scientifically sound, independent and objective studies, which: included intensive contacts with experts and workshops, involving at important junctures the Members, as well as presentations to the STOA Panel and committees; explained in layman s language the state-of-the-art concerning the latest developments in science and technology, and their impact on people s lives; most importantly, identified and assessed options for policy action with respect to new science and technology, from various points of view (technological, economic, social, environmental, ethical etc.). Public information and dialogue events, which brought together policy-makers, scientists and society at large to take stock of recent developments in science and technology, and discuss and compare their impact and the options for policy response. Communication (studies published and events advertised on STOA website, but also intensive use of a wide range of new media) and networking (participation in international events, MEP-Scientist Pairing Scheme). 1

2 The floor was then given to Zsolt PATAKI, Head of Service responsible for the STOA Secretariat, who provided some insights into Technology Assessment projects. He explained that projects were proposed by Members or committees and were then approved by the STOA Panel, based on criteria such as relevance to Parliament s work, scientific interest and strategic importance, being in line with the STOA priorities, and finally the availability of scientific evidence covering the subject in question. He went on to say that, in general, Technology Assessment was investigating impacts of relatively known and understood scientific and technological developments, in order to try to identify mid to long-term challenges and opportunities. The main outcomes of these interdisciplinary STOA projects were evidence based policy options for responsibly promoting and deploying existing and emerging technologies. Mr PATAKI then gave examples of ongoing technology assessment studies: Impact and potential of collaborative Internet and additive manufacturing technologies; ICT in the developing world; Towards a circular economy - waste management in the European Union (EU); Impact of new technologies on the labour market & social economy. He then also gave examples of new/recent studies: Cybersecurity in the EU Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP); Challenges and opportunities of establishing a sovereign and trustworthy ICT industry in the EU; Decarbonisation and energy resilience in the EU; Language equality in the digital age. The floor was subsequently given to Lieve Van WOENSEL, Head of the Scientific Foresight Service, who spoke about how Scientific Foresight explored the uncertainties of the future caused by techno-scientific developments. She gave examples of Scientific Foresight projects that were completed, specifically on The Ethics of CyberPhysical Systems, where STOA along with the Committee on Legal Affairs (JURI) investigated the ethics of robotics and Artificial Intelligence (AI). Her service had also completed a Scientific Foresight project on Precision Agriculture, which could be of use to those responsible for revising the Common Agricultural Policy. She then explained the different steps of the Scientific Foresight approach developed for the EP: The first step was a technical horizon scan, in which scientific experts looked at a topic from all angles and examined how it might impact citizens in different ways, using the STEEPED method - standing for Social, Technological, Economic, Environmental, Political (and legal), Ethical and Demographic. This method provided seven different lenses to research when looking at the impacts of techno-scientific developments, therefore ensuring that STOA covered all possible areas of interest or concern. She then described the next steps, which were scenario development, scenario exploration, legal backcasting (looking at how the future opportunities and challenges could be addresses through current policy-making), and lastly providing Members with the necessary information for taking informed decisions. She finally referred to the ongoing Scientific Foresight projects: Assistive technologies for the inclusion of people with disabilities and 3D printing for medical recovery and human enhancement. The floor was the given back to Mr KARAPIPERIS, who presented the different kinds of events organised by STOA, starting with Panel presentations, which had been taking place regularly in Strasbourg since mid-2010, and were used to present interim or final results of STOA projects and build relationships with other organisations, or to provide expert insights into topics of interest to Members. Recently there had been presentations on a number of issues, including language equality in the digital age, Robotics, Precision Agriculture, waste management, and the impact of new technologies on the labour market and the social economy, but also presentations on the Council of Europe Conference Emerging Technologies and Human Rights, the EIT1 and ENISA2. Mr KARAPIPERIS then spoke about presentations given to EP committees which were important for keeping close to committees and explaining to them ongoing STOA studies (e.g. cutting food waste and new plant breeding techniques presented in November 2014, mass surveillance of Information Technology (IT) users in 2015, and ICT3 in the developing world in 2016). A recent example included language equality in the digital age presented in 25 January 2017, and cybersecurity in the CSDP to be presented on 23 March European Institute of Innovation and Technology EU Agency for Network and Information Security 3 Information and Communication Technologies 1 2 2

3 He then reported about STOA workshops, which could either be ad hoc or linked to projects, such as E-health in Europe and Protecting online privacy in 2015; the STOA - STS forum joint conference bringing together political, industrial and academic leaders from Europe and Japan, and Understanding the human brain in 2016; Ethical and social challenges of agricultural technologies in January 2017, and the upcoming event Future of science through citizens engagement to be c0-organised with STOA s Swiss counterpart on 28 March He went on to talk about the STOA Annual Lecture, usually taking place in November or early December and reaching out to a larger audience. Numerous notable speakers had addressed Annual Lectures, including Thomas Susan GREENFIELD (2007), Sir Tim BERNERS-LEE (2009), François ENGLERT and Peter HIGGS (2012), Thomas SÜDHOF (2014) and Serge HAROCHE (2015). The most recent topic, in 2016, was the importance of Space research for EU citizens. The 2016 event was co-organised with the European Space Agency (ESA) and introduced the concept of Space 4.0, which was intertwined with 4th industrial revolution, both of which were expected to transform lives of citizens, policy-makers and businesses. Mr KARAPIPERIS finally spoke about networking events, in particular delegation visits, where STOA Members went to important conferences or visited renowned institutions across the world, mentioning as examples the visit to Washington and Silicon Valley in May 2016 and the participation in the ESOF4 meeting in Manchester (July 2016), the 13th meeting of the STS forum (October 2016), the EPTA5 Council meetings (October 2016), the EP ad-hoc delegation to the Internet Governance Forum in Mexico, as well as the visit by the STOA Chair and First Vice-Chair to the AAAS6 Annual Meeting in Boston, combined with a visit to MIT and Harvard. Mr PATAKI was given the floor again to speak on the MEP-Scientist Pairing Scheme, whose main goals were to enhance knowledge-based decision-making, facilitate a better understanding of EU policies by scientists, foster a greater mutual understanding between scientists and parliamentarians, and contribute to closing the gap between researchers and policy-makers. He noted that 4th edition of the scheme in 2015 had attracted 326 scientists, who applied to participate. 108 were finally selected. They were from either public or private universities or research institutions from various EU Member States, selected on the grounds of being award winners who had demonstrated excellence in their field. 31 MEP-scientist pairs were finally formed and participated in a successful Brussels Week event in January Building on this success, the 5th round of the scheme (2016) was launched at the Science Meets Parliaments event in November 2016, jointly organised with the European Commission s JRC7. Unlike the previous round, there was no open call for scientists, due to the existing pool of scientists still available from the previous call. 16 MEP-scientist pairs were formed, who took part in the Brussels Week event in November The plan was to enhance the remaining scientist pool of 59 with scientists from various scientific organisations for the 6th round. The feedback from participating scientists and Members suggested that the Pairing Scheme was well received by participants. The Members gained an insight into specific areas of scientific research and developed their understanding of how scientists might support policy-making. Scientists gained a greater understanding on how to effectively interact with politicians and how to pro-actively inform them on areas of mutual interest. Ms Van WOENSEL was given the floor again, who explained how STOA communicated its research in a variety of ways and to audiences with a wide range of interests, backgrounds and technical understanding. STOA s communication tools covered mainly studies (detailed reports), along with summaries and Options Briefs, newsletters (two annually), the STOA website, as well as social media: videos illustrating project findings on the YouTube channel MySTOA and blog posts about studies and events, and about techno-scientific developments. She added that the European Parliamentary Research Service (EPRS), of which the Scientific Foresight Unit (STOA) was part, used channels such as LinkedIn and Twitter. In addition, individual staff members were encouraged to share the outcomes, while all was available for Members to share with their followers and constituencies. Recently STOA developed a first Animated Infographic on Robotics, providing information in a more accessible and interactive way, and was currently preparing another infographic on Precision Agriculture, which was relevant for future work related to the CAP. She further explained that, in addition to communication linked to STOA studies and events, some other EPRS publications were used for raising awareness on techno-scientific developments, such as What if? publications EuroScience Open Forum European Parliamentary technology Assessment network 6 American Association for the Advancement of Science 7 Joint Research Centre 4 5 3

4 and podcasts (two-page publications and three to four-minute podcasts that briefly introduced a technology and explored the impacts it could have and their policy implications) and short publications such as Ten technologies which could change our lives and How blockchain technology could change our lives. The Chair thanked the Administrators for their presentation and the work done, and proceeded to give the floor to Paul RÜBIG, MEP and First STOA Vice-Chair, to speak about his experience and vision within STOA. Mr RÜBIG congratulated and thanked Ms KAILI for her work and expressed his optimism for the upcoming half-term. He spoke about the need for a bridge between science and policy, and gave examples of the main areas that STOA focused upon, in order to help have a bigger impact: eco-mobility and modern energy solutions; sustainable management of natural resources; potentials and challenges of the Information Society; health and new technologies in the life sciences ('perfect life'); science policy, communication and global networking. Mr RÜBIG spoke especially about the issues associated with mobility and the need for energy solutions to reduce the use of fossil fuels and provide a cleaner environment for future generations. He emphasised that the world population was increasing and this would have an impact on the steps taken towards a cleaner earth. He then mentioned how careful STOA was in researching new technologies, by showing both their positive and negative effects, and their impact on society. He explained the silos and pipes strategy that he had initiated in order to improve communications to citizens and showcase what was done on a scientific level to better inform citizens about scientific advancements and scientific policy work. He argued that communication could still be improved and that through Facebook, Google and Twitter analytics one could have a better view of the state of various communication channels. He also expressed his concerns and suggested developing better instruments to keep citizens better informed and showcase the impact of decision-making. Mr RÜBIG then spoke about Food and feed and how they were vital in a world of 10 billion people: STOA was looking at climate change and how it was changing bio-diversity and water supplies, and what effects it had on renewable energy. He then argued that STOA should not make decisions, but rather put forward policy options, by organising brainstorming sessions and challenging existing ideas. Finally he urged people to educate themselves, which could be done by going to international fora, where they could create an atmosphere of better understanding each other and bridging the gap between science and policy. Taking the floor, the Chair explained how Europe could take the lead in presenting new strategies for new technologies, including notably the new digital skills required. Legislators needed to have a good insight into the consequences of new technologies (e.g. due to the progress in Robotics and AI research, there were concerns about the future of labour). Solutions could include utilising taxation and minimum wage to help those affected. She then briefly announced some of the main potentially controversial issues that came out of a horizon scan of techno-scientific trends recently conducted by STOA with the support of an external contractor (see Section 4): Fake news/impact of fake news in social media; Gene technology; AI and algorithms - how algorithms dictate what you see on the Internet (Chatbots); Big data and health - how big data can help health systems; Electric vehicles and autonomous cars; Reforestation and wood as carbon-storage solutions; FinTech. The Chair then gave the floor to Vice-President Ramón Luis VALCÁRCEL SISO, responsible for STOA within the EP Bureau, to present his vision of STOA for the period of his tenure. Mr VALCÁRCEL congratulated STOA for their work and expressed his enthusiasm about being part of the team. He believed in STOA s work and saw it as a very valuable and essential tool for the future, which he would reinforce by providing the political support that STOA needed. As technology became more and more relevant, and was constantly changing people s lives, there was a need for an entity like STOA to inform legislators about science and new technology. He stressed that he was especially interested in three key topics: fake news and the need to tackle it, knowledge economy and smart specialisation, and, finally, technology and agriculture. He was very well aware of the power technology had on agriculture and the economy, and he saw it as a vital instrument for boosting growth, jobs and European economies. Ms JAZŁOWIECKA, MEP and Panel member, congratulated the Chair on her election and on her work, and expressed her interest in the topic labour market and demographics, and related statistics, which could be useful for the work in the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs (EMPL). 4

5 4. Ongoing and new STOA projects The Chair informed Members that all ongoing STOA projects were running to schedule. In particular: Phase 1 of the Scientific Foresight study Additive bio-manufacturing: 3D printing for medical recovery and human enhancement was due for completion in April 2017 and Phase 2 in February 2018 (end of the project). Following the animated infographic created for the Scientific Foresight project on robotics, another animated infographic could be prepared, subject to the Panel s agreement, to guide Members through the findings of STOA's Scientific Foresight study Precision Agriculture and the future of farming in Europe. As there were no objections, the Chair announced that the Secretariat would take the necessary steps for creating this animated infographic by an external contractor, using the STOA expertise budget. The EP s Scientific Foresight approach was being evaluated by the Scientific Foresight Unit (STOA), based on the first two studies completed ( Ethics of Cyber-Physical Systems and Precision Agriculture and the future of farming in Europe ). An updated publication on the methodology was in preparation. A horizon scan of techno-scientific trends with possible implications for European policy was being conducted with the support of an external contractor. The results would cover a selection of relevant trends, aimed at helping Panel members decide on future STOA studies. The offers received for the new Technology Assessment project entitled Challenges and opportunities of establishing a sovereign and trustworthy ICT industry in the EU were being evaluated. The Chair announced that as there were no objections the projects would continue to be implemented as described STOA workshops and joint activities with external organisations 5.1. Forthcoming events The Chair referred Members to the table of forthcoming STOA events in the dossier STOA workshop on The future of science through citizens' engagement, 28 March 2017 The Chair explained that this event was being organised in cooperation with TA-SWISS, STOA s Swiss counterpart, and would explore how citizens could be more involved in shaping the scientific agenda. The workshop would be chaired by Mr RÜBIG and there would be two panel debates moderated by Lars KLÜVER, Director of the Danish Board of Technology Foundation. The Chair announced that, as there were no objections, the preparations would proceed as described STOA workshop on Opportunities & challenges of 5g in the EU, 25 April 2017 The Chair explained that preparations for the workshop were running to schedule. The event was being organised in cooperation with the European Commission, and would explore the challenges and opportunities arising from the potential deployment of 5G networks. The focus would be on the qualitative and quantitative socio-economic effects of 5G deployment, while addressing the associated technological, legal and economic challenges. The Chair announced that, as there were no suggestions, the preparations would proceed as described Second STOA STS forum high-level workshop, 30 May 2017 The chair announced that: this year s event would be thematically focussed on The future of mobility ; following the opening remarks and a number of keynote speeches by eminent policy-makers from the European Institutions and Japan, the workshop would feature two panels, one on Sustainable urban mobility and one on the Impact of autonomous vehicles with speakers from policy-making, academia and industry from the EU and Japan; Members were invited to express their possible interest for participation in one of the panels; so far it had not been possible to find a suitable venue within the Parliament for the planned date; efforts were ongoing to find one, but external options were also being considered. The Chair announced that, as there were no objections, the preparations would proceed as described. Visits / External activities 6.1. STOA delegation to the Croatia (Zagreb), May 2017 The Chair recalled that the Conference of Presidents deferred their decision about this delegation, requested for up to three Members, pending justification concerning the programme, which included visits to Zagreb and Dubrovnik. The programme had been revised so that the delegation would take place entirely in Zagreb. 5

6 The Chair announced that, as there were no objections, she would write to the President requesting the EP Bureau s authorisation of the delegation on the basis of the revised programme (in the dossier) STOA participation in the EP delegation to the 11th Internet Governance Forum (IGF), 6-9 December 2016, Guadalajara, Mexico. The Chair gave the floor to Ms JAZŁOWIECKA, who reported back from the EP delegation of 12 Members attending the 11th IGF meeting, which had taken place under the main theme Enabling Inclusive and Sustainable Growth. The delegation included members of the ITRE, IMCO, CULT, JURI and LIBE8 Committees. She informed Members that the forum included workshops covering Robotics, 5G and AI. As access to Internet was still an issue in many parts of the world, it was identified as a task for all to make it more available: new business models / forms of employment / skills in the field of programming / attitudes to new technologies, were all subjects addressed at the forum, where what mainly discussed was the need to prepare for changes ahead. 7. Any other business There were no issues Members wanted to raise or discuss. 8. Date and place of next meeting The Chair announced that the next Panel meeting was scheduled for Thursday, 6 April 2017, at 9:30 a.m. in the same room (LOW N1.4) and would feature a presentation by ENISA. The meeting ended at 11:03. ANNEX List of participants STOA Panel members Mr Valcárcel Siso, Ms Kaili, Mr Rübig, Mr Albrecht, Mr Coelho, Ms Giménez Barbat, Mr Grzyb, Ms Jazłowiecka, Ms Petir, Mr Sylikotis. Scientific Foresight (STOA) Unit Mr Karapiperis, Mr Pataki, Ms Van Woensel, Mr Plese and Ms Manirambona. Other participants Mr Hiller (DG EPRS), Mr Rodriguez Guillen (Assistant to Vice-President Valcárcel), Ms Giulia Carraro (Trainee to Ms Briano), Mr Meier (ALDE political adviser), Mr Michail (Assistant GUE/NGL), Mr Ide-Kostic (LIBE Secretariat), Ms Grahek (JRC). ITRE: Industry, Research and Energy; IMCO: Internal Market and Consumer Protection; CULT: Culture and Education; JURI: Legal Affairs; LIBE: Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs. 8 6