Two decades of Technology Assessement - celebration in Parliament

Review and outlook on the occasion of the successful commemorative event "20 years of scientific policy advice - technology assessment at the German Bundestag".
tab 20 Jahre festveranstaltung, norbert lammert DBT/Achim Melde
President of the Bundestag Prof. Dr. Lammert opens the festivities
Ulla Burchardt DBT/Achim Melde
The Chairwoman of the Committee on Education, Research and Technology Assessment, Ulla Burchardt (SPD)
Armin Grunwald DBT/Achim Melde
Prof. Dr. Armin Grunwald
In der Podiumsrunde von li nach re: Hans-Josef Fell (Bündnis 90/Die Grünen), Dr. Petra Sitte (Die Linke), Sylvia Canel (FDP), René Röspel (SPD), Dr. Thomas Feist (CDU/CSU) DBT/Achim Melde
In the panel from left to right: Hans-Josef Fell (Bündnis 90/Die Grünen), Dr. Petra Sitte (Die Linke), Sylvia Canel (FDP), René Röspel (SPD), Dr. Thomas Feist (CDU/CSU)

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):

Recording of the ceremony