EPSC

It has been the honour of a lifetime to serve you, @JunckerEU. Thank you, Mr President, for everything and all the very best for the future 🇪🇺

Which will prevail? Data for good or #data for evil? Our new paper, '10 Trends Shaping Democracy in a Volatile World', singles out key threats, challenges & opportunities facing liberal #democracy today. Read more: ec.europa.eu/epsc/publicati…

After 13 consecutive years of decline in #democracy and #freedom around the world, it is necessary to take a closer look at the trends underpinning this troubling development – and to challenge some long-held assumptions. Read more here: ec.europa.eu/epsc/publicati…

Last week, we gathered #foresight experts & thought leaders in Brussels to discuss #GlobalTrendsTo2030. Check out this recap of #ESPAS19 and visit our website for recordings of all the panels and presentations: ec.europa.eu/epsc/espas-ann… #ESPAS

#EUconnectivity requires quality infrastructure, both physical and digital. But just as important is the human element: people-to-people connections. @EU_ScienceHub has created a useful tool to explore metrics of #EU-#Asia connectivity. Check it out now: composite-indicators.jrc.ec.europa.eu/asem-sustainab…

ICYMI: @paragkhanna with an eye-opening video message for #ESPAS19: 'The future is Asian - Are we ready for it?' #EU needs to be prepared and build on its strengths, esp #EUConnectivity. Visit our website for more videos and pictures: ec.europa.eu/epsc/events/es… #ESPAS

#ESPAS19 concluding session is on the future of #ESPAS itself. Speakers reiterate need for structural #EU approach that allows cross-silo, forward-looking anticipatory governance & #foresight. No space for self-censorship, but need to develop an appetite for shaping the future.

Now at #ESPAS19: 'From Foresight to Action' chaired by @AnnMettler, discussing how insights about future trends can translate into policy responses. What are the structural challenges preventing #EU and Member States' institutions to act more strategically and forward-looking?

Demographics of #ageing intricately linked with #futureofwork #migration and #automation choices. #ESPAS2019 At @ECThinkTank we’ve looked at some of the intersections in our latest 10 Trends Shaping the Future of Work: ec.europa.eu/epsc/publicati…

We're back at #ESPAS19 day 2, where our very own @rainermnz is speaking on the 'Future of Aging' panel. A double-edged sword: most of us welcome longer life expectancies for ourselves but are concerned about the pressures on welfare state that follow from ageing societies.

.@AnnMettler calls for the creation of a ‘European Policy Design Board’ that on the very beginning of the Policy discussion, analyses global trends, Europe’s role in the world and offers strategic #foresight to the #EU decision-makers. #ESPAS19

Wrapping up the day, @Kristelvde from @PolicyHorizons together with our very own @ricbdc draw conclusions from the discussions at #ESPAS19 and the wider #ESPAS journey. More exciting talks and debates to follow at @Europarl_EN tomorrow!

Even better #foresight requires to build new, diverse narratives about the future. But futures for all cannot be imagined by a select few. @BishtPupul's powerful questions: who imagines the future & who gets to tell it? #ESPAS19

Good #foresight is about challenging orthodoxies. @BishtPupul, a young Futurist from India, explains how #DecolonizingFutures initiative re-articulates hegemonic ideas through #storytelling, a tool for inclusion of marginalised voices in futures work. See decolonizingfutures.org

#Foresight cannot shut its eyes from undesirable developments. That’s why our last #ESPAS19 panel of the day is called ‘Eyes Wide Open: Democracy, Free Societies and Their Enemies.'

Lastly, focus will also be on participatory governance. #EU policies have to be designed at all relevant levels and with all relevant stakeholders. Indeed, getting many different voices involved in policy debates is key for well-informed decisions. #ESPAS19

Will continue to ensure that #EU policies are evidence-based and future-oriented. New, joint-up #foresight network of Member States' foresight/strategic planning units & #ESPAS could add a lot of valuable insights to that effort.

How can we put foresight at the heart of #EU policymaking? Whom better to address this question than @MarosSefcovic, Vice-President-designate on #foresight at @EU_Commission. His #ESPAS19 keynote is an exemplary exercise in horizon scanning & strategic, geopolitical thinking.

#EU needs to reflect more on potential risks and lock-in effects when dealing with new technologies, warns @MareikeOhlberg. But #5G risk assessment and other developments show that policymakers are increasingly aware, leaving her more optimistic than before.

We want to see technology as an equaliser, but there are legitimate concerns that it will increase the divide between haves and have-nots, states Hans-Christian Hagmann from @SweMFA

The struggle for tech superiority is increasingly shaping geopolitics. Our 2nd #ESPAS19 panel on Horizon Scanning grapples with this new paradigm. Energised discussions bring a sober outlook on what’s ahead: #EU faces tough choices that will have long-term implications.