Scientific expertise for policy-making
The Swiss Academies of Arts and Sciences support political bodies with scientific expertise at the international level as well. Geographically, the focus is on Europe, because decisions taken there are also of relevance for Switzerland.
Europa
Transdisciplinary topics
The Scientific Advice Mechanism provides the European Commission with independent and transdisciplinary scientific knowledge. This mechanism relies on the collective expertise of the consortium Science Advice for Policy by European Academies (SAPEA) that brings together five networks with over 100 academies of all scientific disciplines from over 40 European countries. The Swiss Academies of Arts and Sciences support the work of SAPEA by delegating scientists to thematic working groups through their memberships in the networks ALLEA (All European Academies), EASAC (European Academies Science Advisory Council), Euro-CASE (European Council of Applied Sciences, Technologies and Engineering) and FEAM (Federation of European Academies in Medicine).
Biosciences and Public Health, Energy and Environment
In addition to its contribution to SAPEA, EASAC (European Academies Science Advisory Council) provides scientific expertise to the EU policy-making bodies on issues related to biosciences and public health, energy and environmental. EASAC associates science academies of the EU Member States, Great Britain, Norway and Switzerland. The Swiss Academies of Arts and Sciences support the work of EASAC by delegating scientists to its Steering Panels (Patrick Matthias, Friedrich Miescher Institute; Martin Patel, Uni Geneva), to working groups for the drafting of reports as well as for reviewing their drafts.
Technologiefolgenabschätzung
EPTA (European Parliamentary Technology Assessment) associates the European institutions that analyse the effects of new technologies on society, the environment and the economy, and make their conclusions available to policymakers, administrators and the public. For Switzerland, TA-SWISS is a member of this network.
Global
Transdisciplinary topics
The InterAcademy Partnership (IAP), with its more than 140 member academies, supports political efforts to tackle major global challenges. To this end, the IAP makes use of the available expertise among its members in the natural sciences, medicine and engineering. The Swiss Academies of Arts and Sciences participate in the work of IAP by delegating scientists to thematic working groups.