FLIServices expert meeting 25-26 November 2013, Copenhagen

1. FLIServices expert meeting25-26 November 2013, Copenhagen FLIServices update Anita PircVelkavrh

2. FLIServices definition FLIServices is a web-based platform for knowledge sharing in the forward-looking information domain, developed to support workflow and publication, with the following characteristics: • it is demand driven, • controlled by network, • IT facilitated and technologically independent. • It will deliver services that make quality assured forward looking information easily accessible to the Network and eventually to users outside the EIONET. • Technologically independent

3. Which services will we develop in 2013-2014-2015? Group of services that supporttrends detection and description (horizon scanning, incl GMTs) will support process of identification of trends relevant for European Environment, their continuous management, updating and identification of new trends from the countries and EEA. Live Catalogue of needs and offers for FLI will support sharing of skills, good practices, methodological tips and other activities (like projects development). Another group of services will be linked to USe of Forward-Looking Information for Policy(USFLIP). They will support activities developed under the project Blossom (Bridging long-term scenario and strategy analysis: organisation and methods) and other approaches and processes when identification of use of FLi in policy cycle is collected, evaluated and reported. It will cover countries studies and collate in European wide crosscutting assessment. Glossary: is a basic service which will support definition of terms to be used by NRC FLIS (and in EIONET) and also enable visibility and comparison with other existing definitions.

4. Meetings 2013 FLIS Blossom meeting, 17-18 June 2013, Copenhagen: Involvement and communication to policy makers, trainings, exchange of practices workshops FLIServicesmeeting, 19-20 June 2013, Copenhagen Further structuring of FLIS tools, software/IT capacity building, importance of glossary FLIServices meeting, 25-26 November 2013, Copenhagen

5. Long term interest of countries for development of FLIServices Answers received: • Austria – Ana Jakil • Hungary – SzandraSzomor • Netherlands – Ed Dammers • Portugal - Miguel Guerra • Belgium – Marleen Van Steertegem • FYR of Macedonia – RistoJordanovski • Czech Republic- Miroslav Havranek • Kosovo*- AfrimBerisha *under the UN Security Council Resolution 1244/99

6. Long term interest of countries for development of FLIServices

7. Purpose and structure of the questionnaire on FLIS tool • Questionnaire on the structure and fields description of FLIS tools (July-August 2013) • Purpose: • to identify functionalities for each tool according to needs, workflow and input-output elements • to be enhance development process (faster and more to the point of the needs) • to identify common elements • Structure: For each tool to suggest: • Registration part: • Fields to be filled in: • mandatory ones, • needs for search/filtering issues • description of fields • Restrictions needs • Attachments types • Outputs/results part • Key products/elements, • Restrictions needs • Type of documents to be uploaded (graphs, text box, files, photos..)

8. Answers to questionnaire on FLIS tools • 15 questionnaires completed • 6 on BLOSSOM (Austria, Hungary, Portugal, Czech Republic, Romania, Slovakia ) • 4 on Horizon scanning (GMTs, trends, wild cards..) and other tools (indicators, scenarios and methods/tools(Czech Republic, Portugal, Belgium, Slovakia) • 5 on LivCat(Czech Republic, Hungary, Belgium, Slovakia, Romania)

9. Answers to questionnaire on FLIS tools Comments are based on the country experience and expert judgement: • Tools clusters to be rechecked (HS, indicators, methods/tools..) • DPSIR framework was accepted, but STEEP needs to be supplemented with wider range of possibilities • Crosschecking of fields – to avoid overlaps and adjust to agreed concept/structure framework • Descriptions of fields - commented but not given proposals • Some countries provided very good and detailed comments which will be taken up in the development phase • Some answers were conflicting and decision has to be made which line to take • Very little on description of the field • Name of Blossom tool was questioned (to include also non-Blossom studies) • Some fields on application for policy makers were proposed • More comments received on Liv Catalogue and Blossom as there is more current expertise • Some misunderstandings (probably because of unclear questionnaire)

10. Answers to questionnaire on FLIS tools

11. Latest developments of FLIServices Prioritised tools Decisions made on the level of details and level of functions needed for different tools Technological concept adapted (improved from previous thinking) Why FLIServices are not appropriate to be to be moved to NRC IT

12. Answers to questionnaire on FLIServices • Comments are based on the country experience and expert judgement:

13. Blossom meeting 17-18 June 2013, Copenhagen Informing about the practice in using FLI in policy making (Austria, UK) Informing about the practice in implementing current (2012/2013) Blossom studies and lessons learned (Hungary, Romania, Portugal) Informing about the state of the BLOSSOM service and first round of testing (EEA)

14. Blossom meeting - conclusions • There is the need for more knowledge on the impact of forward-looking information (FLI) for policies and its management, coordination mechanisms and exchange of practices to better tackle trade offs, capacity building and training measures, networking database. • Workshops/seminars on impacts to policy making –case studies (incl Blossom), approaches.. • Blossom shows application potential for strategic coordination ie. policies, strategies, regulation and for ex ante policy mechanisms, ie. SEA, EIA • FLI is a vehicle to improve dialogue between actors in policy making. Communication aspect is very important: • Workshop on how to engage policy makers (how to accommodate language, prevent misunderstanding, cultural differences, engage academia, linearity perceived by policy makers, understanding uncertainty, power of FL projects – overcome mentality “I will if you will”…)

15. Blossom meeting - conclusions, continu. • Examples of national situations in using forward looking information in State of the environment reporting showed diversity of needs and current practices in countries and opened many issues for discussion. • FLIServices can offer to improve the current practices and respond to the needs of countries.(the means for keeping continuity and enhancing institutional memory..) • Countries expressed the need for a “cook book” to serve countries when starting the process of inclusion of outlooks in SoE report. • Planning: we are lagging behind the schedule which we set in December 2012. Not to continue with the same approach, more stable, dedicated and operational commitment is needed, also in longer term • 5 country studies will be ready for testing Mid-September (Switzerland, Romania, Hungary, Check Republic, Portugal?) • BLOSSOM services tool: clarification of the purpose of the tool and needs from the users were collected

16. FLIServices meeting 19-20 June 2013, Copenhagen Sharing of experience within the FLIServices project and other experiences from countries (Slovakia, Switzerland, Portugal) Informing about state of development of FLIServicestools (EEA) Collecting comments from countries on tools development Deciding on elements which are of crucial importance for functioning of tools for countries

17. FLIServices meeting –conclusions • Current development of FLIS tools was presented and results of the first test. Discussion showed the need to improve structuring of forward-looking information to apply for tools. • It was concluded that a questionnaire will be sent to countries after the workshop to provide EEA with their needs and comments for steering further development of tools • Importance of glossary was pointed out again (some terms are almost impossible to translate in national languages) and the need for scenarios catalogue to collect available future studies in the country. • The first set of 10 definitions for glossary was prepared by Muguel Guerra (Portugal) • Capacity building (IT related and non- IT) was again stressed as it is obvious that experts can’t respond to the needs of policy makers if they themselves don’t have capacities.

18. FLIServices meeting –conclusions • The role of countries in FLIServices development would be • to participate at the respective meetings • comment on the outcomes and tools developed, • test the tools, i.e. introducing countries specific information in the tool (testing does not mean in any way publishing the information) • offering best practice or ideas on how to enhance the quality and usability of the tools. • The EEA will bear the costs for development of tools, manage development process and will coordinate activities.

19. FLIServices meeting 25 November pm -26 November pm 2013, Copenhagen, 1,5 days • exchange of countries practices (Belgium/Flanders, Romania) • shaping the content of Blossom analyses (countries vs. crosscutting) • practising prioritised FLIServices tools, preparing and deciding on operational phase in 2014 (LivCat, Blossom, GMT- trends-indicators)