TRIGGER · Project

Tools to Track Global Regulation Trends and Gauge Public Sentiment for Policy Decisions

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Imagine trying to run a business that operates across borders, but the rules keep changing and nobody has a single map of who regulates what. TRIGGER built exactly that map — an atlas of global governance rules — plus an AI tool that reads public opinion to help decision-makers understand what citizens actually want. They also created a public engagement toolkit so governments and organizations can involve real people in shaping policy, rather than guessing what the public thinks.

By the numbers

consortium partners across disciplines

countries represented in the research consortium

research sub-groups covering governance, technology, foresight, and communication

total project deliverables produced

month project duration

non-EU countries included in the consortium

The business problem

What needed solving

Companies operating across borders face a maze of overlapping regulations from different governments and international bodies, with no single source showing who regulates what and how rules are changing. At the same time, organizations making policy-sensitive decisions lack reliable tools to understand what the public actually thinks — leaving them guessing about political and regulatory risks.

The solution

What was built

TRIGGER built three main tools: AGGREGATOR, an atlas mapping global governance regulation and EU influence; COCTEAU, an AI-enabled sentiment analysis and public engagement platform; and PERSEUS, a comprehensive toolkit for public engagement in EU strategy. They also developed a database on measuring global governance instruments with open data access software, producing 58 deliverables in total.

Audience

Who needs this

Public affairs and government relations consultancies tracking EU regulationRegTech companies building compliance monitoring platformsCorporate strategy firms offering regulatory foresight servicesInternational trade associations monitoring cross-border policy changesLarge multinationals with dedicated EU regulatory affairs teams

Business applications

Who can put this to work

Public affairs and government relations consulting

mid-size

Target: Mid-size public affairs consultancy advising multinational clients on EU regulatory strategy

If you are a public affairs consultancy struggling to track which global regulations affect your clients — TRIGGER developed the AGGREGATOR atlas, an open database mapping governance instruments across sectors and regions. This could help your analysts cut research time and deliver faster regulatory intelligence briefs. The project covered 9 countries and involved 13 research partners across Europe and beyond.

RegTech and compliance software

SME

Target: Regulatory technology company building compliance monitoring tools

If you are a RegTech firm looking for structured data on transnational regulation — TRIGGER created a database for measuring global governance instruments with open data access. This could feed your compliance monitoring products with curated regulatory mapping data. The project produced 58 deliverables over 36 months, including software development for open data access.

Corporate strategy and foresight

enterprise

Target: Strategy consulting firm offering foresight services to large enterprises

If you are a strategy consultancy helping clients anticipate regulatory shifts — TRIGGER developed COCTEAU, an AI-enabled sentiment analysis and public engagement tool for understanding citizen priorities. This foresight methodology, tested across 4 non-EU and 9 consortium countries, could strengthen your scenario planning offerings with real public opinion data.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

What would it cost to access TRIGGER's tools and databases?

The project's database on measuring global governance instruments was developed for open data access, suggesting free availability. However, any commercial licensing or integration support would need to be discussed with the coordinating institution, CENTRE FOR EUROPEAN POLICY STUDIES in Belgium.

Can these tools work at industrial scale for a global company?

TRIGGER's tools were designed for policy analysis, not industrial operations. The AGGREGATOR atlas and COCTEAU engagement tool were tested across 9 countries with 13 partners, but scaling for commercial use would likely require additional development and infrastructure investment.

What is the IP situation — can we license or build on this?

The project was publicly funded under Horizon 2020 as a Research and Innovation Action (RIA). The open data access approach for the governance database suggests permissive access terms, but specific IP arrangements for tools like COCTEAU and PERSEUS would need clarification from the coordinator.

How current is the data in the governance database?

The project ran from December 2018 to May 2022, so the database reflects governance instruments mapped during that period. Any use today would require checking whether the data has been maintained or updated since the project ended.

Can the sentiment analysis tool be adapted for private sector use?

COCTEAU was designed for public engagement in EU governance decisions, using AI-enabled sentiment analysis. Based on available project data, adapting it for corporate reputation monitoring or market research would require custom development beyond the original scope.

Is there ongoing support or a team maintaining these tools?

The project is closed as of May 2022. The coordinating partner, CENTRE FOR EUROPEAN POLICY STUDIES in Belgium, is a well-established think tank, but ongoing maintenance of the tools is not confirmed from available data.

Consortium

Who built it

The TRIGGER consortium of 13 partners across 9 countries is heavily weighted toward research and academia, with 5 universities and 4 research organizations making up the bulk. Only 1 industrial partner is included (8% industry ratio), with 2 SMEs in total. The coordinator, CENTRE FOR EUROPEAN POLICY STUDIES in Belgium, is a prominent policy think tank rather than a commercial entity. This composition is typical of a governance research project and signals that business application was not the primary objective. Companies interested in these tools should expect to invest in commercialization or integration work, as the consortium lacked the commercial partners who typically drive market readiness.

CENTRE FOR EUROPEAN POLICY STUDIESCoordinator · BE
ISTITUTO DI STUDI PER L'INTEGRAZIONE DEI SISTEMI - SOCIETA'COOPERATIVAparticipant · IT
SOCIEDADE PORTUGUESA DE INOVACAO CONSULTADORIA EMPRESARIAL E FOMENTO DA INOVACAO SAparticipant · PT
TECHNISCHE UNIVERSITAET MUENCHENparticipant · DE
EUROPEAN UNIVERSITY INSTITUTEparticipant · IT
ECOLE POLYTECHNIQUE FEDERALE DE LAUSANNEparticipant · CH
ELINKEINOELAMAN TUTKIMUSLAITOKSEN KANNATUSYHDISTYS RYparticipant · FI
POLITECNICO DI MILANOparticipant · IT
FREIE UNIVERSITAET BERLINparticipant · DE

How to reach the team

CENTRE FOR EUROPEAN POLICY STUDIES (CEPS) in Brussels, Belgium — a leading EU policy think tank

Order a report on this consortium See CENTRE FOR EUROPEAN POLICY STUDIES profile →

Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want to explore whether TRIGGER's governance mapping tools or public engagement methods could benefit your organization? SciTransfer can arrange an introduction to the research team and help assess commercial viability.

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