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SOCRATES

SOcial multi CRiteria AssessmenT of European policieS

ΟtherIntegrated Assessmentdecision criteriaeconomic-environmental modelconflictsocio-economicPublic PolicyMulti-Criteria Evaluationex-ante Impact AssessmentMultiple-Criteria Analysis

policy support

policy role

SMCE, and with it its implementation SOCRATES, is a methodological framework for taking a plurality of impacts into account, e.g. socio-economic, environmental, cultural, etc. Indeed already today, most IA studies are based on a multi-criteria framework, but in a very broad sense. They use the general idea that an IA study is multidimensional in nature, but they are often based on a qualitative analysis of the various impacts. The importance of mathematical approaches in SMCE is their ability to allow a consistent aggregation of the diverse information.

In summary, why SMCE and why SOCRATES in IA studies? 

  • SMCE is a well-established methodology for impact assessments. It provides structured steps to build the impact matrix and rank all the feasible policy options. This second step is not present in many EC IA studies and this can be considered a weakness of the current practice.  SOCRATES aims at tackling this weakness.
  • By applying SMCE, it is possible to add consistency between the problem structuring and the selection of a desirable option, thus improving transparency too. 
  • By using SOCRATES, it is possible to assure repeatability of the calculation; which adds to the overall goal of transparency desired in the new BR COM.

policy cycle

This model contributes to the following phases of the policy cycle

policy areas

This model can contribute to the following policy areas

Agriculture and rural development
Banking and financial services
Borders and security
Budget
Business and industry
Climate action
Competition
Consumers
Culture and media
Customs
Digital economy and society
EU enlargement
Economy, finance and the euro
Education and training
Employment and social affairs
Energy
Environment
European neighbourhood policy
Food safety
Foreign affairs and security policy
Fraud prevention
Home affairs
Humanitarian aid and civil protection
Institutional affairs
International cooperation and development
Justice and fundamental rights
Maritime affairs and fisheries
Migration and asylum
Public health
Regional policy
Research and innovation
Single market
Sport
Taxation
Trade
Transport
Youth

impact assessments

Starting from July 2017, this model supported the ex-ante impact assessments of the European Commission listed below.

  1. 18 April 2024
  2. 14 July 2022