Recognized as a comprehensive and inclusive tool to advocate the sector’s research needs, FTP’s Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda can also play a role in providing input to future foresight studies carried out by the Standing Committee on Agricultural Research (SCAR). To investigate potential cooperation between FTP and the Strategic Working Group (SWG), the subgroup SCAR Forest was the objective of a meeting that took place on 8-9 June 2017, in Helsinki, where Johan Elvnert, FTP Managing Director, introduced the activities of the technology platform, particularly those related to the Horizon 2020 Work Programme on Societal Challenge 2, to members of the group. FTP’s collaboration on a SCAR expert study on forest bioeconomy research is currently being arranged. 

Established in 1974 and relaunched in 2005, SCAR is a source of advice on European agricultural and wider bioeconomy research, and a major catalyst for the coordination of national research programmes. The Committee plays an important role in coupling research and innovation and in removing barriers to innovation. SCAR currently represents 37 different countries, the members being ministries (or other organizations such as research councils) from all EU Member States, with Candidate and Associated Countries as observers.