How can foresight help Europe stay ahead of tomorrow’s challenges? This question is at the heart of Futures Week, currently under way at the EU Drugs Agency (EUDA) in Lisbon. The agency is hosting a series of events over the coming days in its role as chair of the ‘futures cluster’ of the EU Agencies Network on Scientific Advice (EU-ANSA) (1). Meanwhile, in Brussels, the European Strategy and Policy Analysis System (ESPAS) is holding its annual European Foresight Days, co-hosted by the European Commission and the European Parliament.
12 November | Foresight publication — Activities kick off with the release of Foresight activities within the EU Agencies Network on Scientific Advice (EU-ANSA) 2019–2024, a joint report from the 13 members of the EU-ANSA futures cluster. The report will be presented in Brussels on the eve of the ESPAS conference (2) at a Foresight Practitioners Day workshop focused on foresight techniques and approaches. The new report reviews the status of foresight work within the agencies and identifies future opportunities. It shows that all 13 agencies are now engaged in foresight and that their technical expertise has grown since the last mapping exercise in 2018. The report also describes how agencies are actively expanding their use of foresight methods through training and capacity-building initiatives.
12 November | Foresight Framework Scenarios (multilingual) — Launched in English in April 2025, the EUDA Foresight Framework Scenarios are this week available in 25 languages. These scenarios explore the future(s) of drugs and addiction in the EU by 2040 and help to anticipate emerging opportunities and threats in a rapidly evolving global drug landscape. The scenarios present three alternative futures and provide a platform for reflection, dialogue and planning.
12–13 November | One Health and Futures Workshop — Led by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), this workshop will bring together European agencies from the ANSA futures cluster, and other institutions, to explore how foresight practices — supported by AI and participatory methodologies — can strengthen cross-agency cooperation and anticipatory governance under the 'One Health' paradigm. The workshop is designed as both a learning and co-creation event. It aims to foster mutual understanding among agencies, build shared future visions and generate concrete proposals for joint foresight initiatives aligned with European strategic priorities.
14 November | 10th meeting of the EU-ANSA futures cluster — This meeting, led by the EUDA, brings together agencies and partners to discuss how foresight can inform and strengthen evidence-based policymaking across Europe. Sessions will cover the topic of foresight from perspectives such as human rights and AI and the associated challenges and limitations. A practical session on integrating foresight insights into policy decisions will guide participants in translating foresight outcomes into policy action. The meeting also features insights from the EU-funded project ‘Foresight on demand in science, technology, and research and innovation policy’. It will end with updates from each of the cluster members and a debriefing from the ESPAS conference.
In a world shaped by disruptive events and rapid technological change, foresight helps EU agencies stay future-ready and deliver better-informed advice to policymakers, thereby enhancing preparedness for potential future developments.
