The European Science Advisors Forum (ESAF) is an independent platform of European science-based strategic advisors that promotes and facilitates the use of evidence-based science. ESAF is committed to sharing relevant information, enhancing the exchange of best practices and building sustainable capacity and capability across a range of different national science advisory organizations and systems in Europe.

The focus for ESAF is science for policy and not policy for science, in the belief that an accurate, unbiased synthesis of the available evidence is one of the most valuable contributions a research community can offer democratic decision-makers. Science-for-policy advice is a common need in evidence-based policymaking, and scientific expertise and evidence play a significant role in preparing policy decisions.

ESAF’s mission is to foster cooperation, knowledge exchange and mutual learning between its Members and Associate Members, and to enhance the uptake of scientific advice into legislative, executive and judicial processes.

ESAF is guided collectively by the adherence to universal and European values and principles of science, by the commitment to affirm evidence-informed policy-making and decision-taking, by the ambition to provide best-quality, independent scientific advice produced in a transparent manner and by the appreciation for the European diversity of national science-based advisory models.

• ESAF Statute
• Associate Membership

Background

ESAF was set up as a Europe-wide network of government science advisors in June 2014 by Professor Anne Glover, then Chief Scientific Advisor (CSA) to the president of the European Commission, Jose Manuel Barroso. ESAF was intended to allow European and national science advisors to discuss the scientific evidence on topics of pan-European relevance ahead of political decisions by national governments, to share best practices and to promote evidence-informed policymaking in the EU.
The third ESAF meeting in Amsterdam in 2017 agreed on the structure and organisation of the Forum and published its Terms of Reference.
In September 2023, the Annual Meeting, held at the West University of Timișoara, represented the first useful opportunity for the General Assembly to meet in person after the Covid-19 emergency and led to two crucial results: the election of Prof. Maria Chiara Carrozza, President of the CNR, as the new Chair of the Forum and the start of the process of drafting the new Statute by a dedicated Working Group.
The Working Group carried out a long and meticulous work with the aim of producing a document that could support a more incisive role for ESAF in Europe, while at the same time providing a space for more structured internal discussion. This appeared particularly urgent following the mention of ESAF in the EU Council Conclusions of 8 December 2023, which mentioned the potential role of ESAF “in bringing together researchers and policymakers” and in presenting “policy options based on evidence to support policy development”.

Membership

Membership is currently based on country representation, however members do not formally represent their country. Members have to be in a formal and active position to provide science-based strategic advice to their democratic governments. Members are one individual for each of the European Union member states, nominated by the respective government. Scientific advisors of the European Union candidate states and those representing scientific advisory bodies of the European Union institutions and of specific strategic countries can be invited to join ESAF as Associate Members. Members and Associate Members are committed to ensure an inclusive exchange with other relevant actors that provide scientific advice within their respective countries. Members and Associate Members are committed to engage in the ongoing discussions within ESAF and to contribute in good faith to the general advancement of the science-based advisory process in Europe, particularly in situations of crisis.

Structure and organisation

ESAF is structured as follows:

• The Assembly is composed of all Members and Associate Members and represents the highest governance authority of ESAF.
• The Chair is elected by a majority of the Members from among their number for a term of three years, renewable for one year. The Chair has representative responsibilities as primus inter pares, as spokesperson of ESAF, and as chair of the Assembly and the Committee. The Chair cannot delegate the chairmanship to its Permanent Representative.
• The Deputy Chair is held pro tempore by the Member from the state holding the incumbent Presidency of the European Council; if such Member is not available, the Member representing the state of the subsequent European Council Presidency takes over this function until the end of the latter semestrial Presidency of the European Council.
• The Committee is composed of: three Members or their Permanent Representatives from the European Union member states designated by the Assembly, one representative designated by the European Commission, the Chair, the Deputy Chair and the Executive Secretary. The Committee is responsible for steering ESAF’s day-to-day business and preparing proposals and decisions for the Assembly. The Committee seeks consensus.
• The Secretariat is composed of the staff supporting the Chair and the Committee. In principle, the Secretariat is hosted by the host institution of the Chair. The Chair appoints an Executive Secretary to run the Secretariat.
• A limited number of Task Forces can be established by the Members with a precise mandate and for a specific period, and with two Co-Chairs designated by and from within the Assembly. The Committee oversees the work of the Task Forces. The Task Forces can invite external experts to join pro bono.

The Assembly convenes physically at least once a year in one of the states represented in ESAF. In addition, the Assembly convenes in hybrid form at least once a year. The ESAF Chair, in agreement with the Committee, may invite additional individuals from the states represented in ESAF to attend meetings of ESAF if this is in the strategic interest of ESAF. The same applies to individuals from other institutions and countries. Coordination and the secretariat are provided by an ESAF member country for a period of three years. Italy is the coordinating country of ESAF for the October 2026 – 2023 period and provides the secretariat.