Mettler steps in as head of the EU’s foresight system

30 Jul 2015 | News
The European Strategy and Policy Analysis System (ESPAS) will continue its mission under new leadership, with plans to increase its global standing in policy analysis and foresight

The European Strategy and Policy Analysis System (ESPAS), EU’s five-year old foresight body, has a new head, with Ann Mettler taking over this week as her predecessor, James Elles MEP, was named honorary president. 

Mettler, who is also the Head of the European Political Strategy Centre, said she is, “delighted to carry forward the work of this inter-institutional project […] focused on enhancing foresight and anticipation.”

ESPAS was set up in 2010 after an amendment to the EU’s budget was tabled in 2009 by Elles. The idea was to emulate the US National Intelligence Council, the strategic thinking body of the US government, and to create an independent body that would provide evidence-based insights on long-term trends to decision-makers in Brussels.

As part of its mission, ESPAS recently published its 2015 Strategic Report, “Global trends to 2030: Can the EU meet the challenges ahead?” which identifies three revolutions in economics, society and geopolitics that confront the EU.

The report weighs in on the big issues that policy makers should consider in the next decade and a half: economic inequality, climate change and energy security, digitisation, resource scarcity and weak global governance in a fragmented but increasingly interdependent global scene. Mettler said this will form the basis of ESPAS’ work in the period ahead.

Plans for enhanced global networking will be reinforced by a ‘recruitment’ programme aimed at engaging more and more young leaders in foresight exercises. Young officials will be recruited to the ESPAS Young Talent Network, a new programme for “cultivating foresight capabilities in future policy-makers,” said Mettler. 

The think-tank will also revamp its online presence and rebuild its website to “reflect the programme of the new cycle,” said Mettler.

About ESPAS

ESPAS is under the guidance of four EU institutions: the European Parliament, the General Secretariat of the Council of the European Union, the European Commission and the European External Action Service (EEAS). The Committee of Regions and the European Economic and Social Committee have recently joined ESPAS as observers.

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