P RINCIPLES AND G UIDELINES FOR THE T ASK F ORCE The Task Force process is one of structured dialogue among experts,(former) politicians, diplomats, policy-makers, representatives from industry, NGOs, academia and/or think tanks who are brought together for several meetings. Task Force reports are the final output of the research carried out independently by SIEPS and CEPS in the context of the Task Force. Participants in a Task Force • The Chair is an expert who steers the dialogue during the meetings and advises SIEPS and CEPS as to the general conduct of the activities of the Task Force. • Members provide input as independent experts. • Rapporteurs are SIEPS and CEPS researchers who organise the Task Force, conduct the research independently and draft the final report. • Observers are any policy-makers or stakeholders who are invited to attend the Task Force meetings and provide oral and/or written input. Objectives of a Task Force report • Task Force reports are meant to contribute to policy debates by presenting a balanced set of arguments, based on available data, literature and views. • Reports seek to provide readers with a constructive basis for discussion. They do not seek to advance a single position or misrepresent the complexity of any subject matter. • Task Force reports also fulfil an educational purpose and are drafted in a manner that is easy to understand, without jargon, and with any technical terminology fully defined. Drafting of the report • Task Force reports reflect members’ views. • For any element or recommendation to be featured in the report, there needs to be consensus or broad agreement among Task Force members. • Where consensus on a recommendation coexists with a significant minority view, the report will feature this minority view next to the relevant recommendation. • Task Force reports feature data that are considered both relevant and accurate by the rapporteurs. After consultation with other Task Force members, the rapporteurs may decide either to exclude data or to mention these concerns in the main body of the text. | 33