On 6 October 2023, the European Commission (EC) launched a call for expressions of interest to join one of five 'Science Diplomacy Working Groups'. These informal groups aim to develop elements of a future European Union (EU) framework for science diplomacy. The goal is to bring together diverse stakeholders from both the science and diplomacy communities to jointly co-create and develop recommendations.
The five working groups are as follows:

1. Using science diplomacy strategically to tackle geopolitical challenges in a fragmented, multipolar world (WG1)
2. Making European diplomacy more strategic, effective, and resilient through scientific evidence and foresight (WG2)
3. Strengthening science diplomacy in Delegations and Embassies and fostering the EU's global science diplomacy outreach (WG3)
4. Building capacity for European science diplomacy (WG4)
5. Cross-cutting group on definition, principles, and EU added value of European science diplomacy (WG5)

Why does it matter?

As announced in the Global Approach Implementation Report from the EC to the Council and the Parliament, the EU is forming informal groups from both the science and diplomacy communities. Each 25-member working group is co-chaired by one scientist and one diplomat and will run from December 2023 to June 2024.

Working group members will not receive remuneration and will contribute in their individual capacities and not as representatives of their respective institutions or affiliations. The call for expressions of interest closed on 31 October 2023, and after evaluation, the EC published the list of retained experts and appointed co-chairs.