Science meets Parliaments

Comprehensive scientific knowledge is an important basis for political decision-making. However, this requires close links between science and politics. In order to promote this scientifically based policy-making, it is of great importance that policy-makers are in regular contact with scientists. On November 20th , researchers from the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission and scientists from Saxony discussed the scientific perspective of socially relevant issues with interested members of the Saxon Parliament as well as other guests. Besides the topics “Structural Change and Sustainability” and “Mobility in the Digital Age”, the issue of “Health in an Aging Society” was intensively discussed. Experts in the latter discussion, which was focused on nutrition, were Dr. Stefan Storcksdieck, Department of Health in Society, Joint Research Centre of the European Commission as well as Prof. Dr. Andreas Birkenfeld, group leader at IPI/PLID. A first event "Science meets Parliaments" was organised in 2015 by the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission in the European Parliament. This initiative has now been extended to the EU's Member States and regions, such as Saxony.