This chapter explores socio-political opportunities for and barriers to introducing TA as a support for science and technology (S&T) policy making in seven of the new European member states. Based on interviews with national S&T actors and document studies, the study shows that any attempt to promote and establish TA has to take account of the situations in the countries explored, which differ in many respects from the situation during the 1980-90s when a first wave of TA institutionalization

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... ok place at national parliaments in Europe. Elements of 'civic epistemologies' such as a lively public debate on S&T policies are missing in some of the countries explored, and S&T policy making is busy modernizing the R&D system in order to keep up with global competition.