LIAISE (Linking Impact Assessment Instruments to Sustainability Expertise) is a Network of Excellence in the field of Impact Assessment (IA), that is funded within the 7th EU-Framework Program. The LIAISE biannual innovation report aims to synthesize and analyse recent research and new publications in the field of Impact Assessment (IA). The aim is to provide overview information on the latest developments in IA research to IA researchers, IA practitioners and other interested persons. There is a steadily growing proliferation of academic contributions in the field of IA. This indicates that there is an evolving research community. The innovation report has a twofold purpose: on the one hand, it should allow a quick overview on recent publications. On the other hand, by taking up and reflecting streams of research, the report should contribute to the further development of IA related research communities: Researchers can position themselves against contributions of their peers, categorize, typify, quote or challenge contributions of their peers - in short: stimulate additional research.

This is the 6th issue of the LIAISE ('Linking Impact Assessment Instruments to Sustainability Expertise') Innovation Report. The aim of this series is to shed light on the science-policy interface of policy Impact Assessment (IA). The application of analytical tools in policy IA is a means to include scientific knowledge in IA exercises and the policy process. Tools are used to capture the causal relationship between planned policies and its likely social, economic and environmental impacts and hence inform the analytical process of the assessment. The development of analytical tools which are readily applicable for IA is an emergent field of research. The European Commission, in its Framework Programmes (FP) on research funding, has also invested in research promoting those tools.