A new TAB report sheds light on the challenges and opportunities of near-natural forest conversion in Germany – from ecological principles to innovative technologies and funding models

From 18 to 20 November in Berlin, experts in the field of technology assessment will discuss how advice can be made transparent, independent and efficient in times of AI and social upheaval.

The Committee for Education, Research and Technology Assessment of the German Bundestag has decided on TAB's work programme for 2024/2025. Security policy issues are given high priority.

Policy makers are increasingly called upon to prepare for possible future systemic crises. A new TAB study identifies options for better early warning and preventive resilience policies.

The 2024 Foresight Report identifies trends and systemic risks for the critical infrastructure systems of energy, agriculture and food, and transport and mobility. The findings are available from today on our new microsite.

The new study provides an overview of areas of technological innovation that can contribute to a more climate-friendly aviation. It also outlines measures that play an important role in the future of climate-neutral aviation.

With the presentation of the Activity Report 2023 to the Committee for Education, Research and Technology Assessment, Armin Grunwald presented innovations and extensions of TA in the German Bundestag for the new mandate period.

Recent advances in plasma physics have raised hopes of a new era in energy production. In addition to technological issues, the focus is on the economic, environmental and social aspects of potential fusion power plants.

This year's conference of the European Parliamentary Technology Assessment Network (EPTA) for scientists and MPs in Barcelona on 9 October focused on the challenges that generative AI poses to policymakers, civil society and regulators. 

New topic profiles from horizon scanning provide a concise overview of the opportunities and risks of new technologies and concepts, and stimulate future research and innovation.

Bacteriophages are viruses that can specifically attack and destroy certain bacteria. A new TAB report provides a comprehensive overview of the applications and innovation potential of bacteriophages in medicine, agriculture and food management, and identifies options for their wider use. The corresponding Policy brief is now available in English.

Sustainable cooling is a complex task that requires cooperation between politics, society, industry and science. The TAB study highlights the interaction between climate change and cooling demand and shows how sustainable technological and non-technological innovations and cooling strategies can look like.

A new report provides a comprehensive factual basis for policy-making as well as options for a socially sustainable approach to the health and technology issue of mobile radiation. Key findings available in English.

A new report addresses issues of good governance in exploratory experiments using the three research areas of green genetic engineering, fracking and ocean fertilisation with iron as examples.

The focus of the study for the German Bundestag is on educational processes in schools, universities, and vocational education and training.

The TAB short study analyses promoting and inhibiting factors in the various spheres of influence: Society, economy, technology, politics and law, and environment.

A new TAB report on the influence of algorithms in digital media explains contexts, highlights challenges, scientific findings and the legal framework.

A new TAB report offers a sound factual basis for political opinion-forming and shaping options for a target-oriented and socially viable approach to observation technologies in the area of civil security. The corresponding Policy Brief is now available.

On 17 October 2022, members of parliament and scientists met for the international EPTA conference in Berlin to discuss the political and social handling of disruptions and the role of TA for parliament.

The societal as well as technological dimension of so-called disruptions is the topic of the EPTA Conference on 17.10.2022 in Berlin and the new EPTA Report 2022.

New topic profiles from horizon scanning offer compact answers to current questions and impulses for future research and innovations.

TAB report on changes in traditional banking and payment systems and changes in its power structure provides an overview of developments in the payment traffic and changes in its power structure. 

The results of a population-representative survey on this question are the focus of the fifth issue of the TAB-Sensor.

On the occasion of World Malaria Day, technological approaches to combating malaria were the focus of a moderated panel discussion on 25 April 2022 as the start of the new event series "TA in dialogue" in the German Bundestag.

As part of a dialogue event between scientists from the Rathenau Institute and the TAB with members of the German Bundestag, the EPTA presidency 2022 was handed over from the Netherlands to Germany.

In two newly published reports TAB sheds light on development trends in digital agricultural technologies and analyses the opportunities and risks of a systemically integrated agriculture. The corresponding Policy Briefs are now available in English.

A new TAB report gives an overview of potential applications of human genome editing, ethical and regulatory aspects are discussed. The corresponding Policy Brief is now available in English.

The new report of the Network of European Parliamentary TA Agencies (EPTA), presented at the annual EPTA conference on 9 November2021  in The Hague, Netherland, highlights important issues for the political agenda

Which type of land management is most sustainable ecologically, socially and economically? TAB report examines the possibilities of a comparative sustainability assessment of agricultural systems and shows the need for action for the (further) development of a more differentiated assessment. 

The German Bundestag has approved the further work programme of the Office of Technology Assessment at the German Bundestag.

Commercial players are creating a momentum of innovation in space exploration by developing new technologies and business models. Our Short Study no. 1 and policy brief TAB-Fokus no. 29 provide an overview of current developments and future prospects for German space research and industry, taking particular account of new development and start-up dynamics.

TAB report explores the question of whether algorithmic decision-making systems make (un)fairer decisions than humans and what can be done to prevent algorithm-based discrimination.

On the occasion of the new TAB study, a public expert discussion took place in the German Bundestag on November 4, 2020 on technical and ethical aspects as well as on international policy issues in the context of autonomous weapons systems.

The compact review of activities and research results in 2019 is available online.

The interim results of the brief study »World without Cash« on current trends and developments in the payment traffic ecosystem was discussed with experts at a public expert meeting in Parliament on 18 June 2021.

Even under the current conditions, the TAB team is working intensively together with its consortium partners. Short-term or even day-to-day issues are not provided for in TAB's commissioning modalities, but future work will certainly take up questions resulting from the current exceptional situation.

Against the backdrop of a steadily increasing consumption of medicinal products, the TAB has published a detailed report on »Pharmaceutical residues in drinking water and water bodies«.

TAB's policy brief TAB-Fokus no. 21, which is now available in English features the key findings of the monitoring project.

Policy brief TAB-Fokus no. 20 on 3^rd generation algae-based biofuels provides a quick overview of the topic – from the production of algae-based biomass and fuels to their potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in transport and approaches to the further use of algae.

The event on 25.09.2019 in the foyer of the Paul-Löbe-Haus provided an opportunity for numerous members of the Bundestag and their staff to engage in conversation.

Applications of virtual reality and augmented reality have become increasingly important in many private and professional contexts in recent years. Policy brief TAB-Fokus no. 19 »Virtual and augmented reality« provides a quick overview of development paths, application potential and technological implications as well as policy options and research needs in the field.

The Bundestag has adopted TAB's work programme for 2019/2020. In preparation, TAB has commented on almost 50 research proposals from the Bundestag committees and parliamentary groups.

The summaries of the experts' contributions and the video recording of the TAB event are now available.

On 20 February 2019, the German Bundestag hosted an expert dialogue on robotics in care and the associated societal challenges.

A new TAB project provides an overview of developments and perspectives in German space research and industry, particularly against the background of current innovations and start-up dynamics.

Policy brief TAB-Fokus no. 17 »Robots in the care sector - challenges for society« provides a quick overview of the topic as well as options for action.  The underlying TAB Working Report pays special attention to the clarification of normative questions and the possibilities for the prospective design of technology development.

TAB presented tasks, working methods and results in the Committee for Education, Research and Technology Assessment.

In the newly published book »Online-Bürgerbeteiligung an der Parlamentsarbeit« (Online Citizen Participation in Parliamentary Work), five services of the German Bundestag are examined and options for further development are discussed.

TAB report discusses the experiences of the German Bundestag with its different participation offers and identifies conditions and options for the future organisation of online citizen participation. Policy brief in English available.

New publication series provides important impulses for TA(B) studies of tomorrow via brief topic profiles from our »Horizon scanning«

The TAB report no. 175 analyses the application potentials and possible economic and social impacts of industrial additive manufacturing technologies and 3D printers for private users – English policy brief available.

The TAB Background paper no. 21 discusses the key question how flexibly nuclear power plants can be operated and if their operation complies with a high share of fluctuating electricity feed from renewable energies – English summary now available.

This is the key question of the report »The Future of Labour in the Digital Era. Ubiquitous Computing, Virtual Platforms, and Real-time Production«, which TAB has published in cooperation with 17 member institutions of the European Parliamentary Technology Assessment Network (EPTA).

The TAB report no. 166 analyzes current scientific findings and experience in the area of »new electronic media and addictive behaviour – risks, prevention and coping strategies« – English policy brief now available.

By the end of 2015, the Office for Technology Assessment at the German Bundestag (TAB) has been commissioned by the Committee on Education, Research and Technology Assessment (ABFTA) to implement six new projects.

TAB report no. 164 investigates state of the art and future implications of synthetic biology - English summary of main results now available

The German Bundestag has approved the new TAB work programme for 2014/2015

The first two issues of TAB-Fokus cover the most recently published work reports on remote sensing and modern postal services.

TAB's new contract period brings new cooperation partners, additional analysis concepts and new forms of reporting and communication.

The EPTA network has compiled a brochure in which its members who carry out technology assessment for the respective parliaments in Europe introduce themselves.

The book version of the TAB report on »Pharmacological Interventions for Performance Enhancement as a Societal Challenge« is now available in English translation.

The annual conference was hosted by the Catalan Parliament's Science and Technology Advisory Board (CAPCIT), which held the EPTA presidency in 2012.

The TAB and the Committee on Education, Research and Technology Assessment (ABFTA) of the German Bundestag jointly hosted this year's EPTA Council on 19 and 20 October as part of the German EPTA Presidency and organised a high-level international conference.

On October 20, 2011, renowned representatives of science and politics will discuss on »Hope-, Hype- and Fear-Technologies – the Role of Science and Politics«.

TAB report analyses the national and international framework conditions, the scientific and technical progress as well as the intended and unintended consequences of assisted reproductive technology.

TAB presents project results on reproductive medicine in a public meeting of the Committee on Education, Research and Technology Assessment

A TAB report on »Ubiquitous Computing« has been published as volume 31 of the "Studies of the Office of Technology Assessment at the German Bundestag". English summary available.

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