République Française THE PARLIAMENTARY OFFICE FOR SCIENTIFC AND TECHNOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT The Parliamentary Office For Scientific and Technological Assessment (OPECST) A Presentation The OPECST, which was set up by Law n° 83-609 of July 8, 1983, following a unanimous vote of Parliament, aims, within the terms of the Law, "to inform Parliament of the consequences of the choice of scientific and technological options, in particular, so as to enable it to make enlightened decisions”. To do this, it "collects information, launches study programmes and carries out assessments." Science has been spurred on by mankind's so as to ensure proportional representation of basic desire to always better understand the the political groups, belong both to the Na- mechanisms governing nature and the universe. tional Assembly and to the Senate. It is com- Over the centuries, it has also become a lever in posed of eighteen M.P.s and eighteen Sena- transforming living conditions, helping better to tors; each member may be appointed as a control the scourges of famines and epidemics, « rapporteur ». A « rapporteur » is an M.P. or ensuring ever greater daily comfort for the bur- a Senator in charge of writing a report on a geoning middle class, and helping realise eternal given subject. dreams such as that of travelling into air, sailing The OPECST is chaired alternately for a under the sea, or transmuting matter. period of three years, by a member of either The ever growing presence of science in daily assembly. Internal rules stipulate that the First life could not fail to make it a subject of political Vice-President shall belong to the other As- interest. The idea gradually arose of a need to sembly. assess technology so as better to master its pro- gression by anticipating the consequences. Only M. P.s or Senators may refer matters to the In the early 1980's, during a number of de- OPECST bates such as the orientations concerning nucle- A matter can be brought before the ar, spatial or "cable" programmes, the French Office, in the first instance, by an internal par- Parliament came to the conclusion that it was liamentary body, in other words either by the unable to assess Government decisions on the Bureau of either chamber (on its initiative, on major directions of scientific and technological request by the chairman of a political group, policy. It therefore decided to establish its own or else on request by sixty deputies or forty structure of assessment: the Parliamentary Office senators), or by a special or standing com- for Scientific and Technological Assessment mittee. Also, since 1991, some Acts have also (OPECST). directly entrusted a study or assessment mis- The OPECST, which was set up by Law n° 83- sion to the Office. Until now, the topics dealt 609 of July 8, 1983, following a unanimous vote with have belonged to four main areas: ener- of Parliament, aims, within the terms of the Law, gy, environment, new technologies and life "to inform Parliament of the consequences of the sciences. choice of scientific and technological options, in Some matters referred to the OPECST particular, so as to enable it to make enlightened have been reexamined for several years, such decisions." To do this, it "collects information, as problems connected with the safety and launches study programmes and carries out as- security of nuclear installations. Others have sessments." required the updating of one of the OPECST's previous reports (development of the semi- THE STRUCTURE OF THE OPECST conductor sector, television with digital high- definition, high-activity nuclear waste, bio- An independent body technology, bioethics, etc.). The renewal of The OPECST is an unusual structure with- these referrals allows the Office to follow up in Parliament: its members, who are appointed very closely the topics concerned. Office parlementaire - Assemblée nationale 101, rue de l’Université - Bât. F - 75355 Paris 07 SP - tél : 01 40 63 70 65 - fax : 01 40 63 70 95 Sénat 15 rue de Vaugirard 75291 Paris Cedex 06 - tél : 01 42 34 25 58 - fax : 01 42 34 46 04 - www.opecst.assemblee-nationale.fr - http://www.senat.fr/opecst/index.html The French Parliamentary Office - 2 - for Scientific and Technological Assessement free-lance experts and consultants for further The Scientific Council investigation into specific items. He may like- The OPECST acts as an intermediary wise gather the opinions of trade unions, profes- between the political world and the world of sional bodies, and organizations for the protec- research. It must listen to researchers and re- tion of the environment or consumer-defence. quests authorized opinions. In order to carry However, the OPECST reports are not out its task, the OPECST is assisted by a Sci- restricted to setting out the experts' points of entific Council reflecting the diversity of sci- view. Their conclusions are the work of Par- entific and technological disciplines in its lamentarians and may go beyond merely in- very composition, as it is made up of twenty- forming, by including suggestions and recom- four leading figures selected on account of mendations. their expertise. If the « rapporteur » deems it necessary, public hearings, open to the press, are organised THE STUDY PROGRAMMES to gather and confront the opinions of leading figures and organisations wishing to express The appointment of the « rapporteur » themselves on the subject in discussion. The Any matter referred to the OPECST minutes of these hearings may then be annexed leads to the appointment of one or more to the report. « rapporteurs », exclusively selected amongst the members of the OPECST. Several study The « rapporteurs »' powers programmes have brought together an M.P. The OPECST « rapporteurs » have identi- and a Senator. cal powers to financial « rapporteurs »: they may therefore carry out direct investigations on The feasibility study any State Agency and have access to any availa- Once appointed, the rapporteur first ble document, with the exception of those deal- makes a feasibility study. This study aims at ing with military matters or State security. In providing a snapshot of knowledge on the addition, in the event of difficulties encountered topic, determining possible research avenues, in exercising their mission, the OPECST appreciating the possibilities of obtaining rel- « rapporteurs » may request to be given the pre- evant results in the required time period and, rogatives granted to parliamentary committees last, determining the necessary means to start of inquiry. a study programme. The « rapporteur » then submits the The publication of reports conclusions of his feasibility study together At the end of their work, the with methodological remarks to the members « rapporteurs » submit their draft report and of the OPECST. At that stage, he suggests ei- their conclusions to the members of the ther that the study should be closed, (this OPECST. These conclusions are presented in happens very rarely), or he proposes to modi- such a way that they may be used directly for fy the extent of the study (a study first deal- legislative work or budgetary discussion. Mem- ing with biofuels was thus extended to pro- bers of the OPECST must decide whether they spects for development of non food agricul- publish these reports and all or part of the tural products), or, much more frequently a minutes of the hearings and the contributions by study programme is set up that leads to the the experts. In this respect, the OPECST's deci- drawing-up of a report. sions are mostly unanimous and the consensus of its decisions is one of the OPECST’s main fea- The drafting of a report tures. The « rapporteur » then goes ahead The documents from the OPECST, which with hearings enabling him to gather, with- make up a special collection within all the par- out exclusion, all opinions from concerned liamentary reports, are on sale at the « Boutique persons and organisations. He may also trav- de l’Assemblée Nationale », at the « Espace Librairie el in France or abroad in order to inspect in- du Sénat » and at the Journal officiel, and are stallations and firms connected with his available on each Assembly website. Since its work. creation, the OPECST has published more than Throughout his study, the 90 reports. « rapporteur » is assisted by a parliamentary civil servant and, if need be, by a study group THE OPECST ’S INFLUENCE AND INTERNATION- made up of specialists from outside Parlia- AL ACTIVITIES ment. He may also hire French or foreign The Office has progressively become an Office parlementaire - Assemblée nationale 101, rue de l’Université - Bât. F - 75355 Paris 07 SP - tél : 01 40 63 70 65 - fax : 01 40 63 70 95 Sénat 15 rue de Vaugirard 75291 Paris Cedex 06 - tél : 01 42 34 25 58 - fax : 01 42 34 46 04 - www.opecst.assemblee-nationale.fr - http://www.senat.fr/opecst/index.html The French Parliamentary Office - 3 - for Scientific and Technological Assessement acknowledged instrument of parliamentary Every year, several conferences and action. Several laws make provision either for seminars are organised by the OPECST, either it to be informed of, or to participate in the in relation to one of its reports or on a scientific appointment of representatives of Parliament or technological subject. to various bodies, or for its representation, by Finally, the OPECST also contributes to its President or one of its members, on the the development of international parliamentary board of directors of various organisations. relations and takes part in various congresses As part of the control activity of Parlia- and events, in particular at a European level. ment, OPECST has been more and more in- Thus, over the last few years, we have seen the volved in French science policy, being asked setting-up of an information and exchange net- for advice about national research strategy work, the European Parliamentary Technology plan and encouraging a new policy organiza- Assessment (EPTA), bringing together the Eu- tion based on five large “thematic alliances”.