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  • 31-May-2023

    English, PDF, 682kb

    Technology deep dives: Synthetic biology (policy brief)

    From alternative protein sources to rapid vaccine development, synthetic biology can address global challenges and transform industries. But are current governance frameworks up to the task?

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  • 26-April-2023

    English

    Technology assessment for emerging technology - Meeting new demands for strategic intelligence

    The rapid pace of technological change, coupled with a pressing need for solutions to address grand societal challenges and global crises, heightens the challenge for policy makers to develop science, technology and innovation policies at speed, in situations of high uncertainty and, in some cases, around potentially controversial technology fields. Technology assessment (TA) has a long history of providing decision-makers with timely strategic intelligence on emerging technologies. Current demands are pushing TA to evolve in order to fulfil diverse functions: to illuminate the societal, economic, environmental and other consequences of new technologies; to inform public opinion; and to guide research and development. Drawing on nine case studies, this report analyses the response of TA practices to these changing drivers and demands to support policies for new and emerging technologies. It also identifies a set of principles to guide good contemporary TA practice.

  • 4-November-2022

    English

    Key nanotechnology indicators

    Indicators include nanotech firms, nanotech R&D, public sector R&D expenditure and nanotechnology patents.

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  • 4-November-2022

    English

    Key biotechnology indicators

    Statistics on biotechnology firms, biotechnology R&D (including public sector expenditures), biotech applications and patents.

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  • 12-April-2022

    English

    Brain-computer interfaces and the governance system - Upstream approaches

    Brain-computer interface (BCI) systems are in a period of rapid development and offer significant potential for the promotion of health and well-being. At the same time, they raise a range of unique ethical, legal, and policy questions, and few BCI-specific rules exist in a fragmented regulatory landscape. This report aims to help develop a responsible and anticipatory governance approach to promote innovation while shaping the trajectory of technology through a set of mechanisms, including (i) soft law, (ii) standardisation and ethics-by-design approaches, (iii) corporate self-governance, and (iv) participatory experiments for upstream governance.

  • 6-December-2021

    English

    Technology in and for society: Innovating well for inclusive transitions

    This conference on 6-7 December seeks to develop a policy agenda to pair the transformative potential of emerging technology with the necessity of good governance: how we can innovate more and innovate better, i.e. within inclusive processes with values at the centre and lasting positive impact.

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  • 9-November-2021

    English

    Neurotechnologies and human rights framework: Do we need new rights?

    Major breakthroughs in neurotechnology have the potential to advance biomedicine and healthcare, but uncertainty exists about the impact and direction of these developments. This round table on 9 November, co-organised by the Council of Europe, will discuss human rights issues raised by the applications of neurotechnologies.

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  • 19-May-2021

    English

    Neurotechnology in and for society: Deliberation, stewardship and trust

    This workshop on 19-20 May 2021 focused on enabling societal deliberation on neurotechnology and promoting cultures of stewardship and trust in neurotechnology across the public and private sector in the context of the OECD Recommendation on Responsible Innovation in Nanotechnology.

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  • 23-April-2021

    English

    Collaborative platforms for emerging technology - Creating convergence spaces

    Governments, together with partners in industry and civil society, are developing experimental forms of collaborative platforms to provide better linkages between research and innovation, and to promote the development and use of emerging technology. This report analyses 33 case studies from key fields of emerging technology – genomics, advanced materials and engineering biology – and finds that collaborative platforms are most effective when they act as 'convergence spaces' for the fusion of diverse disciplines, actors and technology. It also shows how governance mechanisms shape platform operations and act as policy levers for ordering what amounts to a common pool resource: they aim to maximise tangible and intangible value, realise sustainability models, foment collaboration, and promote technological integration. After presenting cross-cutting and comparative findings on key components of governance, the report concludes with policy implications for the design of existing and future collaborative platforms.

  • 1-March-2021

    English

    Building and sustaining collaborative platforms in genomics and biobanks for health innovation

    Genomic and biobank collaborative platforms hold significant promise for the development of new discoveries and therapies. This paper explores the complex technical, legal and business challenges arising from genomics and biobanks, and brings together ideas and best practices from major national and international platforms, and from a diverse range of experts. The global sharing of biological samples and genomic data has been critical for accelerating our understanding of the biology and spread of COVID-19, and for the development of vaccines and diagnostics. Although some of the policy challenges in the field are well known, they have been reconfigured by the digitalisation of health innovation combined with the increasing complexity and volume of data, the push for global collaboration, and the growing awareness of ethical, legal, and social implications.
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