SAPEA - Science Advice for Policy by European Academies#

OFFICIAL SITE: https://scientificadvice.eu

The Scientific Advice Mechanism to the European Commission#

The Scientific Advice Mechanism (SAM) provides independent scientific evidence and policy recommendations to the European institutions by request of the College of Commissioners.

The SAM consists of three parts:

The Group of Chief Scientific Advisors#

The Group of Chief Scientific Advisors is a key part of the Scientific Advice Mechanism. Their role is to provide independent scientific advice and policy recommendations to the College of European Commissioners to inform their decision-making, and thus contribute to the quality of EU legislation.

The Group is composed of up to seven Advisors. They are chosen for their outstanding level of expertise, covering a wide range of scientific fields.

The goal is to have a broad vision which collectively reflects an understanding of important scientific developments, including interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary research.

SAPEA#

SAPEA’s role in the Scientific Advice Mechanism is to provide independent, high-quality reviews of the evidence to inform the policy recommendations made by the Group of Chief Scientific Advisors.

SAPEA is a consortium of Academy Networks, funded by Horizon Europe, representing over 120 academies from more than 40 countries. Through these Networks, theybring together outstanding expertise from natural sciences, engineering and technology, medical, health, agricultural and social sciences, and the humanities.

The Academia Europaea is involved in the SAPEA project through its headquarters in Munich, and its Knowledge Hub in Cardiff.

The Secretariat#

The Scientific Advice Mechanism is supported by the SAM secretariat, established within the Directorate-General for Research and Innovation of the European Commission.

This secretariat:

• acts as a liaison between the Advisors, SAPEA, and the European Commission
• analyses the policy background to the requests for advice
• supports the Group of Chief Scientific Advisors in their work
• works with SAPEA and the Advisors to communicate about the work of the SAM

• Titles of Advisors
  • Nicole Grobert MAE - Chair of the Group of Chief Scientific Advisors
    Professor of Nanomaterials, University of Oxford
  • Nebojša Nakićenović - Deputy Chair of the Group of Chief Scientific Advisors; Director of The World In 2050; Former director-general of the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis
  • Naomi Ellemers MAE - Member of the Group of Chief Scientific Advisors
    Distinguished Professor of Social and Behavioural Sciences, Utrecht University
  • Maarja Kruusmaa - Member of the Group of Chief Scientific Advisors
    Professor of Biorobotics, Vice-rector for Research, Tallinn University of Technology (TalTech)
  • Eric Lambin MAE - Member of the Group of Chief Scientific Advisors
    Professor of Geography and Sustainability Science, Université catholique de Louvain and Stanford University
  • Alberto Melloni - Member of the Group of Chief Scientific Advisors
    Professor of History of Christianity, University of Modena/Reggio Emilia
  • Eva Zažímalová MAE - Member of the Group of Chief Scientific Advisors
    Professor of Plant Anatomy and Physiology, Czech Academy of Sciences

• Names of Academy Networks
  • Academia Europaea - a European non-governmental association acting as an academy
  • ALLEA - The European Federation of Academies of Sciences and Humanities
  • Euro-CASE - The European Council of Academies of Applied Sciences, Technologies and Engineering
  • FEAM - The Federation of European Academies of Medicine
  • YASAS - the Young Academies Science Advice Structure
  • EASAC, which brings together the National Academies of Science of the EU Member States, Norway, Switzerland and UK

Spanning the disciplines of engineering, humanities, medicine, natural sciences and social sciences, SAPEA (Science Advice for Policy by European Academies) brings together the outstanding knowledge and expertise of Fellows from over 100 Academies, Young Academies and Learned Societies in over 40 countries across Europe.

Working closely with the European Commission Scientific Advice Mechanism High Level Group of Scientific Advisors (HLG), SAPEA provides timely, independent and evidence-based scientific expertise for the highest policy level in Europe and for the wider public.

SAPEA is part of the European Commission Scientific Advice Mechanism (SAM) which provides independent scientific advice to the College of European Commissioners to support their decision making. Academia Europaea and SAM.

The project is funded through a grant from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 programme running from November 2016-October 2020.

The coordination of Academia Europaea's involvement in the SAPEA project is managed by the Cardiff Knowledge Hub.

PAST EVENTS, ACTIVITIES AND STATEMENTS#

• 2024 Strategic Development Plan published. Academia Europaea has overseen the production of the Plan, with AE President, Marja Makarow, as Chair of the Working Group.

• Are we Ready for the Next Cross-Border Health Crisis? Webinar, May 8, 2023.

• Apocalypse Tomorrow: What Should Scientists Do to Prepare for the Next Major Crisis?

• Be prepared - can we forecast the next crisis and be ready to manage it? SAPEA Webinar, April 17, 2023.

• Energy efficiency: A science advice perspective. Webinar, Monday 28 March 2022.

• Biodegradable plastics: how do we engage with consumers and society? Webinar organized by the Cardiff Knowledge Hub. 21st May 2021.

• Taking action on plastics pollution: Are biodegradable plastics the answer? Webinar, 4th February 2021.

• Food policy at a time of crisis: what should the future look like? 16th October 2020.

• Science Advice – What works in a Crisis? In this webinar, chief science advisors, experts and staff of the European Commission reflect on how effectively Europe is rising to the challenge of Covid-19 and what lessons can be learned for the future. September 16, 2020.

• Sustainable food system webinars
  • Covid-19 and our food: How is the current crisis affecting how we eat? July 2, 2020.

• Sustainability Plan published. The plan outlines SAPEA’s achievements since the consortium‘s inception in 2016, as well as establishing objectives for the future, highlighting four strategic priorities. June 2020.

• A Sustainable Food System for the EU, SAPEA Evidence Review Report, published. 9 April 2020.

• Making Sense of Science for Policy - panel discussion at University of Cambridge, Magdalene College Cambridge, United Kingdom, 30 January 2020

• Evidence in policymaking, 27 September 2019

• Evidence Review Report: "Making sense of science for policy under conditions of complexity and uncertainty", press release, 9 July 2019

• Transforming the Future of Ageing Report, 27 June 2019

• Scientific advice on the topic Transforming the Future of Ageing, July 2018

• Microplastic Pollution and its Impacts - SAPEA Call for Experts, 18 June 2018

• SAPEA provides evidence for the European Commission on Food from the Oceans, press release, Thursday 30 November 2017

• Food from the Oceans, February 2017

• European academy networks launch Horizon 2020-funded SAPEA project: Science Advice for Policy by European Academies, December 13, 2017

• Joint conference of the European Commission and International Network for Government Science Advice (INGSA), 29th-30th September 2016, Brussels