Brussels, Sept.15, 2015 Bruno Revellin-Falcoz Former Vice-Chairman, Dassault Aviation Member of the OPECST Scientific Council (French Parliamentary Office for Scientific and Technological Assessment) Honorary President, National Academy of Technologies of France (NATF) Vice-Chairman, European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) Members of the European Parliament, EC Commissioners, Ladies and Gentlemen, First of all, I would like to express my gratitude for this opportunity to share some thoughts with you about the relationship between ‘Science and Parliaments’. If I may also be allowed to make a suggestion – as an engineer who spent 45 years in an aircraft assembly company, as well as being Honorary President of the National Academy of Technologies of France – it would be that the title of today’s venue be changed, and read “Science and Technology meet Parliaments”. Science and Technology are of equal importance and cannot be separated, exactly as it is recognized at STOA, the European Parliament’s office for Science and Technology Options Assessment. In the early 1980s a number of debates such as the orientations concerning its nuclear, space or cable programmes, the French Parliament came to the conclusion that it was unable to assess the Government’s decisions as to the major directions of the country’s scientific and technological policies. It therefore decided to establish its own assessment structure: the Parliamentary Office for Scientific and Technological Assessment (OPECST). The French OPECST was enacted by law – following a unanimous vote in Parliament, July 8, 1983, “to inform Parliament as to the consequences of the choice of scientific and technological options, in particular, so as to enable it to make enlightened decisions”. To do so, “it collects information, launches study programmes and carries out assessments”. THE STRUCTURE OF OPECST An independent body The French OPECST is an unusual structure within Parliament: its Members, appointed so as to ensure proportional representation of the political groups, belong to either the National Assembly (the MPs) or the Senate and each of the 18 MPs or 18 Senators who together compose the OPECST can be appointed as a ‘Rapporteur’ in charge of writing a report on a given subject. OPECST is chaired alternately for a period of 3 years, by a Member of either House. Internal bye-laws stipulate that the First Vice-President shall be a Member of the other House. 1 Only MPs or Senators may refer matters to the OPECST A matter can be brought before the Office, in the first instance, by an internal Parliamentary body, this meaning by the Bureau of either House (at its initiative, or at the request of a spokesman of a parliamentary political group, or again by a grouped demand made by sixty MPs or forty Senators), or, finally by one of the special (or standing) Parliamentary committees. It should also be noted that certain Acts of Parliament make legal provisions for a study or an assessment to be entrusted to the Office. Until now, the topics addressed by the Office fall into four main categories: energy, the environment, new technologies and life sciences. Some matters referred to OPECST have been re-examined for several years, such as issues connected with the safety and security of nuclear installations. Others have required the updating of one of the OPECST's earlier reports (development of the semiconductor sector, television with digital high-definition, high-activity nuclear waste, biotechnology, bioethics, etc.). The renewal of these referrals allows the Office to follow up very closely the topics investigated. The Scientific Council The OPECST acts as an intermediary between the political world and the world of research. It listens to researchers and request authorized opinions. ln order to carry out its mission, the OPECST is assisted by a Scientific Council reflecting the diversity of scientific and technological disciplines in its very composition, comprising twenty- four leading figures selected on account of their expertise. THE STUDY PROGRAMMES The appointment of the “rapporteurs” Any matter referred to OPECST leads to the appointment of one or two “rapporteurs”, selected exclusively among the members of the OPECST. Most study programmes bring together one MP and one Senator. OPECST also tries to match ”rapporteurs” so that the left and the right wings are catered for in a balanced manner and both genders too. This is called "triple parity" matching. The feasibility study Once appointed, the “rapporteurs” first undertake a feasibility study, aimed at providing a snapshot of current knowledge on the topic, determining possible research avenues, assessing the possibilities of obtaining relevant results in the allotted time period and, last but not least, determining the necessary means to start a full study programme. The “rapporteurs” then submit their conclusions, as to feasibility, together with methodological remarks to the other members of the OPECST. At that stage, they suggest either that the study be abandoned (this happens very rarely), or that the scope of the study be modified (a study dealing at first with biofuels was extended to cover prospects for development of non-food agricultural products), or, much more frequently, a study programme is set up that leads to the drafting of a full report. 2 The drafting of a report The “rapporteurs” then organise and proceed with hearings enabling them to gather, without exclusion, all opinions from concerned persons and organizations. They may also travel throughout France or abroad in order to inspect installations and firms connected with the topic. Throughout their study, the “ rapporteurs” are assisted by a parliamentary civil servant and, if need be, by a study group made up of specialists from outside Parliament. He may aIso hire French or foreign free-lance experts and consultants for further investigations on specific items. They may likewise gather the opinions of trade unions, professional bodies and organizations for the protection of the environment or consumer-defence bodies. However, OPECST reports are not restricted to setting out the experts' points of view. Their conclusions are the work of Parliamentarians and may go beyond merely informing, by including suggestions and recommendations. If the “rapporteurs” deem it necessary, public hearings open to the press, are organized to gather and confront the opinions of leading figures and organizations wishing to express themselves on the subject under discussion and debate. The minutes of these public hearings may then be annexed to the report. The “rapporteurs” powers The OPECST Members have powers identical to those of the national budget rapporteurs, i.e., those who report for the standing public finance committees: they may therefore carry out direct investigations on any State Agency and have access to any available document, with the exception of those dealing with military matters or State security. ln addition, in the event of difficulties encountered in exercising their mission, the OPECST may request to be given the prerogatives granted to parliamentary committees of inquiry. The publication of reports At the end of their work, the “rapporteurs” formally submit their draft report and their conclusions to the other members of the OPECST. These conclusions are presented in such a way that they may be used directly for legislative work or budgetary discussions. Members of the OPECST must decide whether they publish these reports and all or part of the minutes of the public hearings and the contributions by the experts. ln this respect, the OPECST's decisions are mostly unanimous and the consensus of its decisions is one of the OPECST's main features. The documents from the OPECST, which constitute a special collection within all the Parliamentary reports, are on sale at both bookshops of Assemblée Nationale and the Senate and at the Journal officiel (State Editing Department); they are also available on each Assembly website. Since its creation, the OPECST has published more than 170 reports. 3 THE OPECST 'S INFLUENCE AND INTERNATIONAL ACTIVITIES The Office has progressively become an acknowledged instrument of Parliamentary action. Several laws make provisions either for it to be informed of, or to participate in the appointment of representatives of Parliament to various bodies, or for its representation, by its President or one of its members, on the board of directors of various organizations. As part of the control activity of Parliament, OPECST has become increasingly involved in French science policy, being asked for advice about national research strategy plan and encouraging a new policy organization based on five large "thematic alliances" (AVIESAN, ANCRE, ALLISTENE, AllEnvi, ATHENA). Once the Government incentive "investments for the future" programme was launched, OPECST first succeeded in connecting it to the "thematic alliances" organization, then assessed the first outcomes of this program. Every year, several conferences and seminars are organized by the OPECST, either in relation to one of its reports or on a scientific or technological subject. Finally, the OPECST also contributes to the development of international parliamentary relations and takes part in various congresses and events, in particular at a European level. Thus, over the last few years, we have seen the setting-up of an information and exchange network, the European Parliamentary Technology Assessment (EPTA), bringing together the European organizations responsible for conducting scientific and technological assessments for national Parliaments and the European Parliament. Next week in Paris, Sept.24 to be precise, we shall be celebrating both the yearly presidency of EPTA by France and the 30th anniversary of OPECST. This event – a public hearing co-organized by EPTA and OPECST – will be an occasion for attendees to share views about an important issue: “Innovation and climate change: Inputs from scientific and technological assessment” I hope a large fraction of today’s audience will able to attend this large gathering, aimed at preparing the COP 21 conference that will take place later this year in Paris.