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The Netherlands Scientific Council for Government Policy is an independent advisory body.
The council is also known under the Dutch abbreviation WRR.
Our task is to advise the Dutch government and parliament on longer term strategic issues…
that are likely to have important societal and political consequences.
The WRR is part of a rich Dutch advisory landscape,
in which several councils and other bodies have their own particular task.
Within this landscape the WRR has to tackle issues that are not tied to any one policy sector,
and are concerned with the overall direction of government policy for the longer term.
The WRR comprises a council of eight members and an academic staff,
which work together closely in project teams.
Advisory reports are always discussed extensively in staff and council meetings,
and are therefore a product of the collective council.
Council members hold academic chairs in diverse fields, covering natural and social sciences and humanities.
With this range of expertise,
they collectively reflect the different dimensions of society and policy.
Since its establishment in 1972 the WRR has written reports on a wide variety of topics.
It has built up a rich portfolio covering area’s such as economic development,
the labour market, migration, health, climate policy, digitalisation and the future of Europe.
The WRR is organisationally part of the Ministry of the Prime Minister.
However, it has its own Act of Establishment,
with a number of stipulations that confirm its independent position.
The council determines its own work programme, and what and when we publish.
The act of establishment also safeguards…
the reception of our work.
The government is obliged to respond publicly to our reports,
in the form of a Memorandum to Parliament. The WRR is independent but not isolated.
During a project we consult a wide range of experts from both academia and practice.
Our craftsmanship focuses on the translation to and from science.
We are experts in translating a societal issue into a policy problem,
followed by a scientific question.
But also, in explaining the policy relevance of scientific findings…
and actually formulating policy advice that works, and is acceptable.
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