European Political Strategy Centre

The European Political Strategy Centre (EPSC), formerly known as Bureau of European Policy Advisers (BEPA), is a Directorate-General of the European Commission.

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The European Political Strategy Centre is a department of the European Commission, reporting directly to the President of the European Commission and under his authority. The Centre is composed of a professional staff of advisers, policy analysts and support staff with appropriate experience and attainments, in order to provide professional and well-informed advice to the President and the European Commissioners and to formulate recommendations on issues regarding the policy of the European Union. The Centre is headed by a Director General (Ann Mettler, as of June 2016) designated by the President. The Director General is responsible for establishing the positions taken by the European Political Strategy Centre.

History

Forward Studies Unit of the European Commission

The origins of what is today known as EPSC go back to 1989, when the Forward Studies Unit was established by the European Commission as a small 'think tank' staffed with EU officials reporting directly to President Jacques Delors.

The Unit's primary task was to monitor and evaluate European integration by studying long-term prospects and structural tendencies, basing itself particularly on a network of external contacts with research institutes specialised in long-term forecasting and planning.

Members of the Forward Studies Unit of the European Commission

Group of Policy Advisers (GOPA)

In May 2000, Romano Prodi changed the Forward Studies Unit into the Group of Policy Advisers (GOPA) and entrusted it with four specific domains: economics, social affairs, foreign affairs, and dialogue with religions.

Bureau of European Policy Advisers (BEPA)

With the arrival of José Manuel Barroso as President of the European Commission in 2004, GOPA was restructured and rebranded as the Bureau of European Policy Advisers (BEPA).