Climate change. New health threats. Regulating social media and the digital economy. All of the vexing policy issues of our time need a solid basis in science. That's why the European Union spends over 10 billion Euros annually on policy-relevant research, carried out by independent academic and industry researchers as well as in-house scientists at the European Commission.

Their work is used to inform the policies of the European Union and support Member States in their regulatory activities. This means not only that EU-funded research has a big impact, but also that EU policies, which affect almost 450 million people in Europe and many more around the world, are highly driven by evidence.

The same research is also a key resource for science journalists looking for stories that have an impact on the lives of their readers. This session will guide you through the basics of EU-funded research and how it is used to shape policies, and then introduce you to some of the online tools that help inform the public and the media of its results. These tools include databases of funding programs such as Horizon 2020 and their findings; reports and briefs providing policy-relevant summaries of scientific research; databases to track wildfires and other disasters; and knowledge centres that compile real-time, relevant data and insights on policy issues such as migration and demography, food security, or food safety.

Everyone is welcome, regardless of your geographical coverage and whether you prefer writing about science or policy. You will leave this session with a better understanding of where to look for important science and a number of invaluable resources at your fingertips.