Two decades of Technology Assessement - celebration in Parliament

The 20th anniversary of the Office of Technology Assessment at the German Bundestag (TAB) was - as already reported - the occasion for a festive event on 29 September 2010 in the Paul-Löbe-Haus of the German Bundestag with more than 100 invited guests.

The event was opened by the President of the German Bundestag, Professor Dr. Norbert Lammert. He underlined the great importance of TAB as a scientific advisory institution for the Bundestag and its committees. In two further speeches and a panel discussion with parliamentarians and scientists, an extremely positive balance of 20 years of technology assessment at the German Bundestag was drawn.

The next day, a plenary debate on parliamentary technology assessment was held in the German Bundestag at a late hour. The representatives of the parliamentary groups once again took the opportunity to acknowledge the successful work of TAB on behalf of the German Bundestag.

That the money spent on TAB is "a worthwhile investment" is, incidentally, the conclusion that can now be read in a recent report by the Committee on Education, Research and Technology Assessment(Drs. 17/3010). The organisational model of parliamentary technology assessment - it is stated - enables both a need- and addressee-oriented as well as an "independent and balanced scientific policy advice". Technology assessment has long since arrived "in the middle of parliament", the report continues. The number of requests for scientific advice from committees and parliamentary groups has been increasing continuously for years. The great demand can no longer be met with the current structures and resources. For this reason, the rapporteurs intend to advocate an increase in the "budget rate, which has remained unchanged for almost two decades".

In the meantime, the parliamentary group BÜNDNIS 90/DIE GRÜNEN has demanded in a motion ("Strengthening technology assessment in the Bundestag and in society") that the Bundestag increase the funds for TAB "appropriately". Furthermore, technology assessment and independent accompanying research should be expanded as fixed components of public research(Drs. 17/3063).

The TAB birthday can be followed in moving pictures as avideo on the website of the German Bundestag. The "TA Balance Sheet" of the Committee on Education, Research and Technology Assessment and the speeches of the rapporteurs for TA can also be viewed there.

06.10.2010

Further information (only in German):

• Office of Technology Assessment turns 20. Video recording and report on the celebratory event (with numerous documents on the history of parliamentary technology assessment in the web archive of the German Bundestag)

• Scientific advice on opportunities and risks. Picture gallery and article on the commemorative event in the web archive of the German Bundestag

• Parliamentary groups praise the Office of Technology Assessment. Article on the commemorative event and the contributions of the rapporteurs in the Web Archive of the German Bundestag

• Balance of TAB 17/3010 - Report: Technology Assessment (TA) Technology Assessment at the German Bundestag - A Balance - 22.09.2010