The challenges of consulting the public on science policy: examining the development of European risk assessment policy for genetically modified animals

Hartley, Sarah; Millar, Kate M.

Abstract

With the growing importance of public engagement in science policy-making and declining levels of public trust in food production, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has attempted to embed ‘good governance’ approaches to strengthen scientific independence and open-up risk decision-making, which include the use of public consultations. However ‘opening-up’ of risk assessment policies reveals some tensions, namely: balancing the goals of scientific excellence and transparency; protecting science from interests; addressing value judgments; limited opportunities to debate ethical and social issues. EFSA’s development of risk assessment policy for genetically modified animals is used as a case study to analyse these tensions. This analysis suggests that in order to fulfil good governance commitments and maintain trust in risk governance closer cooperation between EFSA and the European Commission is required to provide ‘space’ for debating the broader risk management issues. This publically-accessible space may be needed alongside rather than instead of EFSA’s consultation.

Citation

Hartley, S., & Millar, K. M. (2014). The challenges of consulting the public on science policy: examining the development of European risk assessment policy for genetically modified animals. Review of Policy Research, 31(6), https://doi.org/10.1111/ropr.12102

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Jun 20, 2014
• Online Publication Date: Oct 27, 2014
• Publication Date: Nov 1, 2014
• Deposit Date: Jul 20, 2016
• Publicly Available Date: Jul 20, 2016
• Journal: Review of Policy Research
• Print ISSN: 1541-132X
• Electronic ISSN: 1541-1338
• Publisher: Wiley
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 31
• Issue: 6
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/ropr.12102
• Keywords: biotechnology; international governance; civil society; developed countries; risk; risk assessment; GMO; genetically modified organisms; food safety; Europe; European Commission; public engagement
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/993936
• Publisher URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/ropr.12102
• Additional Information: This is the peer reviewed version of the following article: Hartley, S. and Millar, K.M. (2014), The Challenges of Consulting the Public on Science Policy: Examining the Development of European Risk Assessment Policy for Genetically Modified Animals. Review of Policy Research, 31: 481–502, which has been published in final form at doi: 10.1111/ropr.12102. This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with Wiley Terms and Conditions for Self-Archiving.
• Contract Date: Jul 20, 2016