Strategic foresight

The EESC:

• welcomes the planned inclusion of the foresight methodology, and that it is considered as an annual, cyclical, and continuous process. The resilience of the EU will be the first topic in the foresight exercise, and its four dimensions "social and economic", "geopolitical", "green" and "digital" are well chosen and developed, representing central megatopics of our time;
• considers that the report lacks the envisaged full foresight cycle and does not explain how it would link up with the Resilience and Recovery Facility and the European Semester process. It also falls short in explaining which of the megatrends are most probable and relevant for the EU, and does not enable policy makers to prioritise;
• sees some areas for improvement regarding the implementation of foresight in the decision-making process: the concrete modalities for the full integration of foresight remain unclear; the report falls short of the necessary quantitative assessment of rating the identified megatrends and strategic topics; the foresight process should offer a permanent monitoring and control mechanism; and it does not explain how the foresight process was used in arriving at the proposed topics;
• notes that foresight will only achieve its stated objectives if it is an open and pluralistic as well as a diverse, cross-disciplinary exercise, involving organised social partners and civil society; in particular the EESC, at all stages of the foresight process.

For more information please contact the INT Section Secretariat.