Evidence-informed policymaking : a pathway to increasing trust in democratic institutions and boosting competitiveness

The project 'Building capacity for evidence-informed policymaking in governance and public administration in a post-pandemic Europe' was inspired by the need of Member States to respond to complex policy issues requiring specialised knowledge, such as the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic led to a widespread recognition in governments that the use of evidence in advising policy is vital but has not been as effective as necessary. Meanwhile political agendas have shifted in the past two years towards geopolitical threats, competitiveness, misinformation and democratic upheaval. Societal challenges are huge, while trust in national governments has declined in many countries over recent years. This erosion of trust leads to a decreased ability to deal with these problems in a publicly supported way. Evidence Informed Policymaking (EIPM) is not a silver bullet, but it appears to have significant potential as a key driver. It improves the ability of governments to solve problems directly, by supporting better design and implementation of policies. EIPM also can increase trust more indirectly, as citizens strongly support the use of science in policymaking, and that translates into increased trust in institutions that use evidence. Ensuring effective uptake of evidence in the policy process can only be achieved if two conditions are met. A technical one: the ability to provide the best available relevant evidence to the decision-maker at the right time in the right format; and a political one: willingness to seriously consider, ask for and use evidence in policymaking and public communication. The EIPM project has delivered seven national roadmaps with a range of recommendations to strengthen both conditions, by focusing on technical aspects such as the need to strengthen EIPM skills of individual scientists, policymakers and knowledge brokers, as well as on the need for a supportive 'tone at the top', to create a culture in which evidence is actively requested and used, even if it challenges prevailing assumptions. This project provides lessons that are helpful for the continuation of this mission. These are presented in this publication, followed by a future agenda for evidence-informed policymaking.