In 2014, the Norwegian Board of Technology (NBT) holds the presidency of EPTA – the network for European Parliamentary Technology Assessment.

Parliaments across Europe face the same choices and questions concerning important technological issues, and the potential for cooperation and learning across borders is great.

“There is a great interest in international cooperation on technology related policy issues” says Tore Tennøe, director of NBT.

“Technology develops quickly in many important areas, and provides us with new opportunities and challenges within for instance the fields of health, climate, national security and openness” he continues.

The presidency of EPTA involves, among other things, the responsibility for shared projects, and facilitating EPTA’s Directors’ Meeting and parliamentary conference.

The Directors’ Meeting took place in Ålesund in April, where the directors of the different technology advisory boards among other things were introduced to world leading maritime business clusters and research in the Norwgian region Sunnmøre.

NBT will, in cooperation with the Norwegian Parliament, host a conference in October gathering Members of Parliament from several countries.