July 2012

“Brussels in Brief”:
Highlights on EU policies and funding programmes related to the knowledge-based economy: The “Lisbon Strategy”

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  • General EU Information

    General EU Information

    • Council of the EU

      2012-07-02 - Here comes Cyprus! First shot at EU Presidency for Mediterranean Member State

      July is typically characterised by long school holidays, balmy evenings and, for the lucky ones, a few days break from the daily grind. But July also signals the changing of the guard at the Council of the European Union, with a new Member State taking over the six-month rotating Presidency. And this time it's Cyprus' turn to take the reins, leading and organising the work of the Council until the end of the year, before in turn handing over the role to another island nation: Ireland. The main objective of the Cyprus Presidency is to work 'Towards a Better Europe', one that is more relevant to its citizens and closer to its neighbours. The hope is to both make Europe more efficient and sustainable, at the same time as fostering growth and job creation. Admittedly no mean feat amid the ongoing economic crisis. To this end a key focus will be on implementing the new enhanced framework of economic governance and reinforcing budgetary surveillance so as to ensure fiscal stability.

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    • European Parliament

      2012-07-05 - 2012-07-02 - Plenary Session - Strasbourg

      Parliament postponed its scrutiny of a draft EU patent law, in a surprise vote prompted by the Council's last-minute wish to delete three key articles. The rapporteurs argued that this would "emasculate" the proposal. President Schulz voiced Parliament's concern at the dismissal of Paraguay's directly elected President Fernando Lugo and announced that it would send a delegation to investigate.

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  • EU policies and funding programmes for Research, Innovation, Training and Competitiveness

    EU policies and funding programmes for Research, Innovation, Training and Competitiveness

    • Research Policy

      • General points
        2012-07-05 - Scientists claim to have found 'God particle'

        Two teams of scientists claim to have discovered a new particle consistent with the Higgs boson particle, after a 45-year hunt to explain how matter attains its mass. The claims were made during a seminar held at the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) in Geneva, Switzerland on Wednesday at which scientists presented the latest preliminary results from two experiments involved in the search for the long sought Higgs particle. Both experiments - namely the Compact Muon Solenoid (CMS) and the ATLAS projects, two general purpose detectors - said they had observed a new particle in the mass region around 125-126 GeV. These findings match the elusive Higgs boson.

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        2012-07-26 - Focusing in on European research in central and eastern Europe

        European research, technology and development has long been at the forefront of many breakthroughs but, according to the European Science Foundation (ESF), a rethink needs to occur to identify the challenges of the future and new agendas being developed. In addition to this, attention is needed on how these pan-European research agendas can blend with the specific dynamics of change occurring in various regions, and in particular, central and eastern Europe (CEE). This rethink is outlined in the ESF's new report titled 'Central and eastern Europe Beyond Transition: Convergence and Divergence in Europe'. The report aims to identify new themes for social science research in and on the CEE, to be promoted and endorsed by national and European funding institutions.

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      • European Research and Innovation projects
        • ICT
          2012-07-02 - Laser-ing in on brain surgery

          Medical operations have become almost commonplace, but the delicacy of medical procedures involving the brain and the spinal cord force physicians and patients to consider other alternatives. European researchers, however, could change this following their development of a laser for minimally invasive brain surgery. The achievement is a result of an interdisciplinary EU project that involved partners from seven European countries, creating a table-top solid-state laser system that can cut brain tissue with unprecedented precision. These results are an outcome of the MIRSURG ('Mid-infrared solid-state laser systems for minimally invasive surgery') project, which secured almost EUR 2.8 million in funding under the 'Information and communications' (ICT) Theme of the EU's Seventh Framework Programme (FP7).

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          2012-07-04 - New technology slashes data centre energy consumption

          A team of experts from industry and academia have found a way to slash the energy consumption of data centres used by information and communications technologies (ICT) by more than 20%. ICT from telephone lines to computers and audio-visual systems, in short the devices that make our lives easier and more flexible in the 21st century, were responsible for about 2% of global carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions in 2008. This means that CO2 emissions from ICT were just under 1 billion tonnes, a figure equivalent to the fuel consumption of the aviation sector. But while governments, industry and regulators argue over the need and ways to bring emissions from aviation under control, much less is heard about the necessity of reducing CO2 from ICT in the fight against climate change.

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          2012-07-11 - EU project helping meet IT requirements of science sector

          An EU-funded project that was set up to create a cloud computing market for the public sector in Europe and support the massive information technology (IT) requirements of European scientists has just announced the initial deployment of its first flagship applications in high energy physics, molecular biology and natural disaster risk management. The HELIX NEBULA ('Helix Nebula - the science cloud') project, which kicked off in January and runs until 2014, brings together scientists from Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. It receives EUR 1,800,000 of funding under the 'Research Infrastructures' Theme of the EU's Seventh Framework Programme (FP7).

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          2012-07-13 - Social media gives helping hand to fall-prone elderly

          When an elderly person suffers a fall it is in their best interests that help arrives as soon as possible, and for this reason most elderly people wear some form of alarm system that lets them contact emergency services directly when the worst happens. Therefore, with an ever ageing population, taking care of the elderly is a huge societal challenge and a priority for the EU, particularly considering injuries suffered by the elderly put a huge burden on heathcare services. Now researchers are working on a way to connect fall alarms to the latest communications method: social media. FARESEEING is an EU-funded project that brings together 11 project partners with the aim of getting to the bottom of how we discover when elderly people have fallen and how we can make cost savings in this area.

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          2012-07-13 - Increasing Internet access

          The Internet has become so ubiquitous it has pervaded our daily life to such an extent that we tend to forget it is there and take it for granted. What is also taken for granted is the ease with which we access sites. But less well known are the people behind the sites who make sure those sites are accessible to everyone, including the otherwise able, the elderly. Generally ensuring a certain standard for sites is also important. In a fine example of cooperation between corporations and research institutions across Europe, researchers have combined their efforts to test web compliance. The study is an outcome of the I2WEB ('Inclusive future-internet web services') project, which is funded with almost EUR 1.9 million under the 'Information and communication technologies' (ICT) Theme of the EU's Seventh Framework Programme (FP7).

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          2012-07-16 - Could the computer mouse become obsolete? Controlling cursers with... your eyes!

          A new device developed by European researchers could soon help millions of people who suffer from conditions such as Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinson's and muscular dystrophy interact with their computers and surroundings using just their eyes. The device could also help amputees and people with spinal cord injuries. The nifty piece of technology, designed by researchers from Imperial College London in the United Kingdom, can cleverly work out exactly where a person is looking by tracking their eye movements, thus allowing them to control an on-screen cursor in the same way it can be controlled with a computer mouse.

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        • Health
          2012-07-02 - Scientists uncover why human sense of smell is so poor

          A European team of scientists has discovered that the olfactory bulb, a structure in vertebrate brains that processes sensory input from the nose, has something completely unique in humans. It differs from all other mammals because no new neurons develop in this area after birth. This finding could shed light on why humans lack the heightened sense of smell that animals have. Presented in the journal Neuron, the study was funded in part by the European Research Council (ERC) under the EU's Seventh Framework Programme (FP7). This project was led by the Karolinska Institutet in Sweden, in collaboration with researchers in France, Austria and Sweden.

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          2012-07-09 - Scientists investigate why people remain anxious

          Is it easy to forget about anxiety after you face a traumatic event? Researchers in Germany have discovered it is not likely. In a new study, published in The Journal of Neuroscience, scientists at the Universities of Bonn and Berlin, in Germany identified a mechanism able to halt the process of forgetting anxiety after a stressful event. Feelings of anxiety do not diminish if not enough dynorphin is released into the brain, they said. Their findings could lead to the development of new therapies for trauma patients. Anxiety helps keep people out of trouble. This is even more obvious in people who have already encountered a stressful experience, compelling them to avoid fearful situations. However, the symptoms of fear usually subside when no other oppressive situation emerges.

          Further information
          2012-07-10 - Space travel good for health?

          An international team of scientists has shown that travelling into space can help a microscopic worm live longer. Experiments carried out by researchers from Canada, France, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States show that when the Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) worm is sent into space the accumulation of toxic proteins, that normally accumulate within ageing muscle, was suppressed. Writing in the journal Scientific Reports, the team also discovered a group of genes that are expressed at lower levels during spaceflight, and when the expression of these same genes is lowered in worms back on Earth the worms tended to live longer.

          Further information
          2012-07-12 - Increased sensitivity for better detection

          A group of European scientists from Imperial College London in the United Kingdom and the University of Vigo in Spain has made a technological breakthrough with its development of an ultra-sensitive test with the capacity to detect signs of a disease in its earliest stages. This study, presented in the journal Nature Materials, was funded in part by two European Research Council grants and a Marie Curie Action grant under the EU's Seventh Framework Programme (FP7): NATURALE ('Bio-inspired materials for sensing and regenerative medicine'), which has received EUR 1.6 million in financing and PLASMAQUO ('Development of plasmonic quorum sensors for understanding bacterial-eukaryotic cell relations'), which has clinched EUR 2.25 million in support.

          Further information
          2012-07-17 - Scientists find key protein in embryo cardiac development

          Two main problems impact the development of the heart in the embryo: it is no easy process and errors are bound to surface. Scientists in Germany may have succeeded in solving the mystery behind why babies are born with congenital heart defects. The Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research researchers have discovered a molecule that helps regulate the function of stem cells in the heart. Their finding could help researchers curb the number of heart defects in the future but it could also lead to novel methods of stimulating the regeneration of damaged hearts in adults.

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          2012-07-17 - Elderly not getting treatment they need, study says

          New European research shows that many patients aged 75 and over don't have access to the treatment they require to help lower their risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Writing in the British Medical Journal, the team from the United Kingdom report that as the population continues to age, greater use of prescribed drugs could reduce disability and prolong healthy life expectancy. Drugs that help to lower blood pressure (antihypertensives) and cholesterol levels (statins) are safe and effective, yet many current guidelines for preventing cardiovascular disease only focus on people in the 40-74 years age bracket. Cardiovascular diseases such as strokes and heart failure are among some of the biggest killers worldwide; according to the World Health Organization (WHO) by 2030 almost 23.6 million people will die from cardiovascular diseases.

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          2012-07-19 - Study shows fruit flies avoid bad experiences too

          The brain is without a doubt an amazing and complex organ. And we use it to help us remember positive events and avoid negative ones. For example, sharing a bowl of ice cream with a best friend is a good experience while taking a bite of a too-hot slice of pizza is a bad one. But humans are not the only ones with the ability to do this. The fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster can also learn to seek good events and dodge the bad ones.

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          2012-07-20 - Researchers use thermal imaging to fight obesity

          People exercise, follow diets and even pop pills in order to lose weight. But researchers in the United Kingdom say there may be a new way to fight the battle of the bulge. Their method? Thermal imaging. Presented in the Journal of Pediatrics, this innovative technique traces people's reserves of brown fat, a special tissue that experts call 'brown adipose tissue', i.e. the 'good fat'. Brown fat helps bodies quickly burn calories as energy. The University of Nottingham scientists say brown adipose tissue generates 300 times more heat than any other tissue in the body. Basically, a person has a smaller chance of laying down excess energy or food as white fat if they have more brown fat. The thermal imaging process can give researchers the information they need to evaluate how much brown fat a body has and how much heat it generates.

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          2012-07-23 - EU-funded scientists hone their superparasite detection skills

          An international team of EU-funded scientists has made a significant breakthrough in molecular biology research on microbial pathogens. Writing in the Journal of Infectious Diseases, the researchers, from Belgium, Germany, India, Nepal, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States, report on their successful completion of the genome of Leishmania donovani, a parasite that causes leishmaniasis, one of the most important tropical diseases after malaria.

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          2012-07-24 - Researchers seek better understanding of blood disorders

          Researchers from Finland and the United States have shed light on the mechanisms at play in certain devastating haematological disorders, paving the way for the development of new disease-specific treatments. The team, who present their findings in the journal Nature Structural & Molecular Biology, uncovered mutations in a protein structure in enzymes that convert the cell-signalling molecules that regulate blood cell formation. These small cell-signalling protein molecules are called cytokines and they regulate blood cell formation and activity via a signal pathway mediated by Janus kinases (JAKs), a family of enzymes.

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          2012-07-25 - Getting intimate: scientists get closer to individual cells thanks to smarter analysis

          Sometimes you need to get up close and personal to really see something clearly, and in this vein biologists and geneticists have long dreamt of being able to analyse profiles of genes at the single cell level, but limitations of the available technology have meant they had to content themselves with viewing them from further away. But now a research team from Sweden and the United States has shown that a novel genomic sequencing method called 'Smart-Seq' can help scientists conduct in-depth analyses of clinically relevant single cells. Writing in the journal Nature Biotechnology, the researchers present the potential applications of Smart-Seq, which include helping scientists better understand the complexities of tumour development. The work was supported by the EU-funded project SINGLE-CELL GENOMICS ('Single-cell gene regulation in differentiation and pluripotency'), which was funded to the tune of EUR 1,654,383 by the European Research Council (ERC).

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          2012-07-26 - How does anxiety affect our decision making

          The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 450 million people worldwide have a mental health problem and that mental health accounts for almost 20% of the burden of disease in Europe. One in four people will be affected by a mental health problem at some time in their life, and anxiety is one of the most common conditions, affecting our ability to go about everyday life and sustain relationships with those around us. Now two researchers have published their findings from a study into how anxiety and the intense fear and dread that accompany the condition have a direct impact on everyday decision-making processes.

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        • Environment
          2012-07-03 - How ants fight zombie-ant fungus

          An international team of researchers has discovered what gives ants the means to fight infestations by the zombie-ant fungus: a hyperparasitic fungus. The zombie-ant fungus attacks the ant's brain and forces it to die at a mass grave near the ant colony. There, the fungus spores erupt out of the ant's head. The study, presented in the journal PLoS ONE, was funded in part by the ANT FUNGI EP ('From ecology to mechanisms of the extended phenotype') project, which clinched a Marie Curie Action grant worth more than EUR 214 000 under the EU's Seventh Framework Programme (FP7).

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          2012-07-04 - Sounding out bubbles in pipes

          Pipes and pipelines, these have become the veins of modern society. They transport precious fuels like oil and gas from the ocean floor depths, across country borders, through cities and into homes like yours. But that first step, to bring oil and gas through pipes from the seabed, is a complex procedure fraught with dangers due to the changing pressures involved. An international team led by European researchers has come up with a new method of measuring gas bubbles in pipelines, enabling workers to avoid bubble "blow outs" like that in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010. The study was presented in the Royal Society journal Proceedings of the Royal Society A.

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          2012-07-06 - New seismic knowledge of tectonic tremors

          Every month the earth is shaken by approximately 80,000 earthquakes; in fact, at a rate of 2 earthquakes a minute, there is an earthquake taking place somewhere while you read this article. However, thankfully many of these go undetected because they hit remote areas or have such small magnitudes that they are practically imperceptible. Now new European research, headed by the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) in Germany, is investigating these subtle seismic rumblings, in the hope that they will give us clues about the behaviour of all types of earthquakes, including the more destructive earthquakes that occur at shallower depths.

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          2012-07-06 - Crickets sing their virtue

          When it comes to finding that someone special to be their partner, it is most common to brag about one's suitability. Birds may show of their plumage, like the peacock, while other species may show off their new fancy car to attract a mate. A new study conducted by an international team of researchers led by the University of Bristol in the United Kingdom, has discovered how male crickets use similar tactics to attract a mate through the use of song. Presented in the journal PNAS, the study was funded in part by a Marie Curie Actions grant under the EU's Seventh Framework Programme (FP7).

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          2012-07-10 - Scientists reconstruct millennia-old climate

          Dendrochronology (tree-ring dating) offers researchers key information about certain aspects of past ecologies, such as the climate. Taking advantage of the opportunity to evaluate tree-rings, an international team of researchers has reconstructed the climate in northern Europe over the last 2,000 years. The findings, presented in the journal Nature Climate Change, reveal that the long-term trend over this period has been towards climatic cooling. Led by Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU), researchers from Finland, Germany, Switzerland and the United Kingdom used tree-ring density measurements from Lapland (Finland)-based sub-fossil pine trees to reconstruct the climate as far back as 138 BC.

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          2012-07-12 - The sounds of... lights

          Our planet's polar regions are renowned for ice, snow and blustery cold. But these regions are also home to some of the world's most amazing phenomena, such as the aurora borealis, also known as the northern lights. Occurring mostly in a belt of radius 2,500 kilometres centred on the magnetic North Pole, the northern lights materialise over Alaska (United States), Canada, the southern tip of Greenland, Iceland, northern Scandinavia and the northern coast of Siberia. But what do we know about the sounds that are linked to these lights? Folklore and wilderness wanderers have long alluded to the auroral sounds, but no one has ever set the record straight. A team from Aalto University in Finland provides fresh, interesting answers in a never-before-performed study. They identified the location of where the sounds are created, around 70 metres above ground level in the measured case.

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          2012-07-16 - Biodiesel can cut greenhouse gas emissions: study

          Researchers in Spain have discovered that greenhouse gas emissions can be reduced through the use of biodiesel. The group from Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM) in Spain investigated the benefits of using biodiesel by analysing and quantifying primary and fossil energy consumption on urban buses, as well as by analysing greenhouse gas emissions. The findings, said the researchers, could help decision makers introduce policies on environmental matters related to road transport. The UPM's University Institute for Automobile Research (INSIA) researchers, who applied a life-cycle analysis for this study, found that besides fuelling greenhouse gas emissions, the road transport industry makes a huge impact on the environment because its growth has triggered the depletion of fossil energy resources, including natural and petrol gases, in recent years.

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          2012-07-17 - Global study takes stock of the 2011 weather report

          A major new international study has shown that 2011 was the coolest year on record since 2008, despite the fact that the year was among the 15 warmest since records began in the late 19th century. Three-hundred and seventy-eight scientists from 48 countries around the world participated in the '2011 State of the Climate' report, which is published by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in the United States in cooperation with the American Meteorological Society (AMS). The report updates presents data collected by environmental monitoring stations and instruments situated on land, sea and ice as well as several in the sky too.

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          2012-07-17 - Novel material used to capture carbon

          Carbon capture, combined with alternative renewable energy sources, has the potential to change the face of the energy market and ensure a better future for all. This is because carbon capture could mitigate the impact that traditional fossil fuels have on the environment. The concept of carbon capture is not new, as it happens naturally every day in the environment. But a team of researchers, led by the University of Nottingham (UK), has developed a novel porous material that has unique carbon dioxide (CO2) retention properties. This material can be used in the fight to minimise the levels of CO2 entering the atmosphere. The study was funded in part by the COORDSPACE ('Chemistry of coordination space: extraction, storage, activation and catalysis') project, which received a European Research Council (ERC) grant worth EUR 2.5 million under the EU's Seventh Framework Programme (FP7).

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          2012-07-19 - Alien species play havoc with fish

          Researchers in Italy suggest that one of the main limits of spatially explicit forms of marine conservation, such as Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), is that they cannot protect areas from major threats, including coastal modifications and changes in hydrodynamic and sedimentary regimes, as well as the spread of exotic species. Alien species, in particular the green algae Caulerpa racemosa, have invaded the Mediterranean Sea and other MPAs, significantly impacting the feeding habits of demersal species, and in turn potentially affecting fish populations. The study, presented in the journal PLoS ONE, was funded in part by the PERSEUS ('Policy-oriented marine environmental research in the southern European seas') project, which has received almost EUR 13 million under the Environment Theme of the EU's Seventh Framework (FP7).

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          2012-07-19 - Rainforests in northern climes - yes, they exist!

          When we think of rainforests we don't usually think of extreme northern climes, but in reality rainforests are also found in northern regions where temperatures are far cooler than in the equatorial zone where their tropical counterparts can be found. And while you might be hard pushed to spot a brightly coloured bird or a monkey swinging through the trees, these forests are every bit as diverse as their southern cousins and are also worryingly endangered. Now, a new study from Norwegian researchers, published in the journal Molecular Genetics, explores this genetic diversity that is protected in the remaining fragments of these northern rainforests.

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          2012-07-30 - Global warming transforming Arctic shrubs into forest

          Researchers in Finland and the United Kingdom suggest that the warming Arctic climate could turn existing shrubs into trees in the coming years. The finding, presented in the journal Nature Climate Change, reveals that patches of forest can emerge across the tundra, which in turn could speed up the planet's warming. The study was funded in part by the ECOCHANGE ('Creating conditions for persistence of biodiversity in the face of climate change') project, which has received a Marie Curie 'Promoting sciences' grant worth EUR 173 400 under the EU's Seventh Framework Programme (FP7).

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        • Agriculture
          2012-07-09 - Growing fresh lettuce with less irrigation - it can be done!

          Lettuce growers could safely reduce the amount of irrigation water used on their fields by 25 %, so say researchers working on an ongoing EU-funded project into how climate change and globalisation affect the production of fresh produce. The Veg-i-Trade ('Impact of climate change and globalisation on safety of fresh produce governing a supply chain of uncompromised food sovereignty') project, which runs until 2014, receives EUR 5,999,997 of support under the 'Food, agriculture and fisheries, and biotechnology' Theme of the EU's Seventh Framework Programme (FP7).

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        • Transport
          2012-07-05 - Severe weather proving costly for the EU

          Results from a new EU-funded project show that extreme weather conditions cost the EU's transport system at least EUR 15 billion every year. The EWENT ('Extreme weather impacts on European networks of transport') project, which ran from December 2009 until May 2012, was supported by the 'Transport' Theme of the EU's Seventh Framework Programme (FP7) to the tune of EUR 1,478,981. Led by researchers at the VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, the project also brought together partners from Austria, Cyprus, Germany, Norway and Switzerland. The team calculated the costs incurred as a result of extreme weather for the transport system and its users in all 27 Member States.

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        • Nanosciences
          2012-07-30 - Scientists researching graphene stumble upon surprising result

          Researchers from the United Kingdom have uncovered an unexpected characteristic of graphene by demonstrating a method that uses graphene as a building block to create new three-dimensional (3D) crystal structures which are not confined by what nature can produce. Set out in the journal Nature Materials, their method involves sandwiching individual graphene sheets between insulating layers in order to produce electrical devices with unique new properties. The hope is that this new method will open up a whole new dimension of physics research.

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        • Space
          2012-07-02 - Space tornadoes may hold key to solar mystery

          A team of European scientists has discovered super-hot and super-fast tornados on the Sun, which may help answer a number of outstanding questions in the realm of physics. Writing in the journal Nature, they report that these `magnetic¿ tornadoes reach speeds of up to 10,000 kilometres per hour, completely dwarfing anything found on Earth. In fact the fastest recorded tornado on Earth only reached speeds of approximately 486 km per hour, and was by no means an example of a common occurrence. These magnetic tornadoes on the Sun, created by rotating magnetic field structures which force plasma to move in spirals, are not only common but may hold the answer to a long-standing physics conundrum: why the surface of the Sun is cooler than its outermost atmospheric layer.

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          2012-07-02 - EU scientists find Earth's oldest crater in Greenland

          European scientists have found a 100 kilometre-wide crater in Greenland, the result of a massive asteroid or comet impact a billion years before any other known collision on Earth. Only around 180 impact craters have ever been discovered on Earth, but finding them can reveal hidden treasures - around 30% of them contain important natural resources of minerals or oil and gas, explained the international team led by Adam A. Garde, a senior research scientist at the Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS) in Copenhagen. The findings have just been published in the journal Earth and Planetary Science Letters.

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          2012-07-11 - An extraterrestrial collision of international importance

          An 18-member international team of researchers has found exciting new evidence that supports the theory of an extraterrestrial impact that occurred nearly 13 000 years ago. Their evidence lies in material found in a thin layer of sedimentary rock in Pennsylvania and South Carolina in the United States and in Syria. This material stands out because at the time it was created it could only have been formed at 1 700 to 2 200 degrees Celsius and as a result of a cosmic body impacting Earth. All together this points to evidence that could strongly support the controversial Younger Dryas Boundary (YDB) hypothesis. The finding was published in the journal PNAS.

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          2012-07-12 - Getting closer to distant dark galaxies

          An international team of scientists has finally spotted far off dark galaxies, the small, gas-rich galaxies in the early Universe that are very inefficient at forming stars. As they are devoid of stars, these dark galaxies don't emit much light, making them very hard to detect. Although small absorption dips in the spectra of background sources of light have hinted at their existence, astronomers have long sought to develop effective techniques that could once and for all confirm their existence. But now, the team, made up of astronomers from Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States, has confirmed the existence of these galaxies using a special technique. Their study, published in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, marks the first time that such objects have been seen directly.

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          2012-07-27 - Fingers crossed for Curiosity: dramatic Mars landing set for early August

          If you happened to find yourself on Mars early in the morning on 6 August you'd be about to witness something extraordinary: the arrival of the largest planetary rover ever to reach the Red Planet's surface. The craft, named Curiosity, will land in Gale Crater and its landing will mark the beginning of NASA's Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) project whose aim is to study Mars' habitability, climate and geology, and to collect data for a future human mission to the planet. However, scientists remain on the edge of their seats as the hardest part of Curiosity's journey is yet to come, and one small landing error could throw off the whole mission.

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        • Energy
          2012-07-03 - Scientists create 'trophy molecule' that could revolutionise nuclear industry

          Researchers have created a stable version of a 'trophy molecule' that has eluded scientists for decades and could lead to the production of cleaner nuclear energy. Writing in the journal Science, the team, made up of scientists from the universities of Nottingham and Manchester in the United Kingdom, show that they can prepare a terminal uranium nitride compound which is stable at room temperature. Moreover, they prove that the compound can be stored in jars in crystallised or powder form. The study was supported in part by the EU-funded project UNCLE ('Uranium in non-conventional ligand environments'), which received a EUR 999,996 Starting Grant from the European Research Council (ERC).

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          2012-07-10 - EU-funded project helping keep radioactive waste safely stored

          The safe disposal of radioactive waste is a challenge that requires significant research and analysis. With components that still pose significant dangers to humans and the environment even after thousands of years, there is little room for error. Research efforts are ongoing around the world, with various standards and methodologies being developed. During its three-year run, the EU-funded PAMINA ('Performance assessment methodologies in application to guide the development of the safety case') project investigated the creation of a standardised methodology for one of the most popular methods of radioactive waste disposal - storing it deep underground.

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          2012-07-11 - Europeans driving renewable energy research

          The need to grow renewable energy sources is important for Europeans. Ensuring a more secure supply and boosting competiveness in the regional market makes this need even more compelling. Helping drive this effort is the SCALENANO ('Development and scale-up of nanostructured based materials and processes for low cost high efficiency chalcogenide based photovoltaics') project, which has clinched more than EUR 7.5 million under the 'Energy' Theme of the EU's Seventh Framework Programme (FP7). The SCALENANO partners are working on developing photovoltaic (PV) electricity generation, specifically using solar cell panels to convert solar radiation into electricity based on advanced thin film technologies.

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          2012-07-17 - Study probes energy supply security

          Electricity prices are rising and more and more people are becoming concerned about what the future holds for energy security. What is responsible for these increases? Higher water temperatures and reduced river flows, in both Europe and the United States. A new study shows that even more worrisome is the drop in production or temporary shutdown of various thermoelectric power plants, which also trigger higher prices. The study, published in the journal Nature Climate Change, was funded in part by two EU projects: WATCH and ECLISE. WATCH ('Water and global change') received almost EUR 10 million under the 'Sustainable development, global change and ecosystems' (SUSTDEV) Thematic area of the EU's Sixth Framework Programme (FP6) and ECLISE ('Enabling climate information services for Europe') is supported under the Environment Theme of the EU's Seventh Framework Programme (FP7) to the tune of EUR 3.4 million.

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        • Maritime Affairs
          2012-07-03 - Shipping: an environmentally friendly end to barnacle build-up?

          It only takes a few months for an underwater boat hull to become completely covered and overgrown with organisms such as barnacles, bacteria and algae, and fighting this phenomenon, known as marine fouling, is a constant battle with heavy costs for both the environment and industry. Now, a team of EU-funded scientists has made a discovery that could lead to a more environmentally friendly method of tackling the problem. The team, made up of researchers based in Germany and the Netherlands, carried out experiments that showed steel plates that had been coated in vanadium pentoxide nanoparticles could be exposed to seawater for weeks without deposits of barnacles, bacteria and algae forming. In contrast, plates that were coated with the ship's normal paint exhibited massive accumulation of these unwanted materials after exposure to seawater for the same period of time.

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          2012-07-06 - Further proof that rising temperatures lead to more algal blooms

          Researchers from Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden have shown that for the Baltic ecosystem, further global warming could lead to the development of more blue-green algal blooms amid the onset of lower oxygen conditions. Algal blooms are already a huge problem in many parts of the Baltic, linked to the increase in large areas characterised by deoxygenated conditions, void of any life forms. In very high densities, algal blooms can discolour the water and outcompete, poison or asphyxiate other life forms in the sea.

          Further information
          2012-07-13 - Understanding the impact of renewables on the marine environment

          As Europe moves ever closer to its renewable energy targets, increasing attention is being placed on wave and tidal energy as a source of renewable energy. Indeed, wave energy is an abundant renewable resource, and is starting to be exploited by several European countries. What is especially attractive about sea waves is their high energy density, which is estimated to be amongst the highest renewable energy sources. While we may know about the benefits, little is known in general of the impact that they have on the marine environment. A scientific team has gathered leading experts from across the British Isles to begin work investigating the impact that these renewable energy sources have on the marine environment. Their vital research work will be conducted at three marine renewable energy test sites, the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC), WaveHub (a grid-connected offshore facility in south-west England) and Strangford Lough. Their research falls under the auspices of the Flow and Benthic Ecology 4D (FLOWBEC) project which will run for 3 years and costs GBP 1.2 million.

          Further information
        • Socio-economic sciences and Humanities
          2012-07-05 - Repopulating Europe after the Ice Age

          The world was gripped in an Ice Age around 19 000 years ago, leaving large tracts cold, dry and inhospitable. Much of northern Europe was covered by ice, northern areas of what is now the United Kingdom were covered in ice, while its south was little more than a polar desert. The Ice Age, however, eventually came to an end and as the ice retreated, Europe once again began to be populated by human beings. New research drawing in expertise from the Czech Republic, Estonia, Italy, Russia and the United Kingdom is giving us rare insight into how Europe became repopulated as the Ice Age ended. The findings were published in the American Journal of Human Genetics.

          Further information
          2012-07-16 - Bringing works of art to light

          The history of Europe is not only recorded in history books but also in its great works of art. People from all over the world travel to various cities across Europe to gaze in wonderment at these works of art, created by the likes of Hogarth, Brandl or El Greco. While experts try their utmost to protect them, time has not been so kind, resulting in the need for restoration. During this process, lasers are often used to passively peer behind the dust and dirt that has accumulated over the ages. Digital scans have also been used and scientists have even managed to see the eyebrows of Mona Lisa, painted by Leonardo da Vinci. Now a team of Italian researchers has developed a novel imaging tool that can capture features not otherwise detectable with the naked eye or current imaging techniques, refining the restoration process even further.

          Further information
      • Seventh Framework Programme for Research and Development 2007- 2013 (FP7)
        • News
          2012-07-09 - €8.1 billion investment in research and innovation to create growth and jobs

          The European Commission has today announced the final and biggest ever set of calls for proposals for research under its Seventh Framework Programme (FP7). In total, €8.1 billion will support projects and ideas that will boost Europe's competitiveness and tackle issues such as human health, protecting the environment and finding new solutions to growing challenges linked to urbanisation and managing waste. The funding – which is open to organisations and businesses in all EU Member States and partner countries - makes up the lion's share of the EU's proposed €10.8 billion research budget for 2013. This announcement comes just days after EU leaders emphasised the importance of research and innovation in the Compact for Growth and Jobs.

          Further information
          2012-07-24 - EC consultation on 'Integrating Activities'

          The European Commission is launching a consultation to prepare future EU activities in order to achieve further integration and the opening-up of national research infrastructures. These activities come as a follow-up to successful initiatives supported by the Seventh Framework Programme (FP7) and are entitled 'Integrating Activities'. The aim was to provide wider and more efficient access to, and use of, research infrastructures existing in EU Member States, FP7-associated countries and, occasionally, at the international level. The consultation is a call for suggestions on topics that should be proposed by research infrastructures stakeholders, e.g. operators of research infrastructures and user communities. This will help identify potential topics for future Integrating Activities.

          Further information
          2012-07-24 - European Institute of Innovation and Technology: Commission appoints 12 new board members

          Twelve new members of the governing board of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) were appointed today by the European Commission. The new members (see curriculum vitae in annex) will officially take up their positions on July 31. Androulla Vassiliou, European Commissioner for Education, Culture, Multilingualism and Youth, said: "I would like to thank the outgoing members of the EIT governing board for their hard work and dedication and to welcome the new team. I am delighted with the composition of the new board and I am sure that the new members will make a lasting contribution to attaining the EIT's objectives. Now, more than ever, we need talented people like them to steer the direction of innovation in Europe." All the EIT board members have a strong reputation in their respective fields and have shown a genuine interest in innovation.

          Further information
        • European Technology Platforms
          Advanced Engineering Materials and Technologies (EuMaT)

          No events planned

          Further information
          Advisory Council for Aeronautics Research in Europe (ACARE)

          No events planned

          Further information
          European Technology Platform for Wind Energy (TPWind)

          No events planned

          Further information
          European Technology Platform on Smart Systems Integration (EPoSS)

          8-10 May 2013, Dublin - Future Internet Assembly 2013
          14-16 May 2013, Nuremberg - Sensor+Test 2013
          15-17 May 2013, Cambridge - Applied Bioinformatics & Public Health Microbiology 2013
          19-20 May 2013, Copenhagen - Third International Conference on Environment and Industrial Innovation (ICEII 2013)
          3-24 May 2013, Bassel - Swiss NanoConvention 2013
          29 May 2013, Brussels - Mission Growth Conference: Innovation for the Competitiveness of European Industry
          2-7 June 2013, Chemnitz - Graphene week 2013
          5-7 June 2013, Cork - WIRE IV
          6-8 June 2013, Gdansk - 6th International Conference on Human System Interaction 2013
          12 June 2013, Geneva - The Microtechnics Alliance meets at EPMT Fair
          16-19 June 2013, Helsinki - 2013 SPIM Conference – Innovating in Global Markets: Challenges for Sustainable Growth
          16-20 June 2013, Helsinki - IoT Week 2013
          17-18 June 2013, Berlin - AMAA 2013 - "Smart Systems for Safe and Green Vehicles"
          18-20 June 2013, Dublin - EuroNanoForum 2013
          18-20 June 2013, Bucharest - ECOSUD 2013
          26-28 June 2013, Tallinn - pHealth 2013
          1-3 July 2013, Postdam - MEMSWAVE 2013
          3-5 July 2013, Lisbon - FuNeMS 2013
          18-19 July 2013, Athens - Ninth International Conference on Intelligent Environment (IE'13)
          29-31 July 2013, Reykjavík - 10th International Conference on Wireless Information Networks and Systems (WINSYS 2013)
          25-28 August 2013, Enschede - COMS 2013 - 18th edition of the annual international conference on commercializing micro- and nanotechnology
          8-11 September 2013, Krakow - Federated Conference on Computer Science and Information Systems (FedCSIS) 2013
          8-13 September 2013, Sevilla - European Congress and Exhibition on Advanced Materials and Processes (EUROMAT 2013)
          24-27 September 2013, Cork - Joint event MNBS 2013 & EPOSS Annual Forum 2013
          7-10 October 2013, Calgary - Workshop on Smart Materials and Structures, SHM1
          4-16 October 2013, Aachen - Microsystemtechnik-Kongress
          16-18 October 2013, Tampere - ITST 2013
          27-31 October 2013, Freiburg - MicroTAS 2013 - 17th International Conference on Miniaturized Systems for Chemistry and Life Sciences
          6-8 November 2013, Vilnius - ICT 2013 - Create, Connect, Grow
          2-4 July 2014, Brenen - SysInt 2014 - 2nd International Conference on System-Integrated Intelligence: New Challenges for Product and Production Engineering

          Further information
          European Technology Platform Food for Life (Food)

          19-20 June 2013, Lille - NutrEvent

          Further information
          Forest Based Sector Technology Platform (Forestry)

          6-8 May 2013, Hannover - LIGNA 2013
          15-16 May 2013, Riga - Invest in Forest
          16-21 May 2013, Estoril - 3rd International Congress on Planted Forests
          3-6 June 2013, Copenhagen - 21st European Biomass Conference & Exhibition
          4-6 June 2013, Brussels - Green Week 2013
          18-20 June 2013, Dublin - EuroNanoForum 2013 & FTP wood nanotechnology workshop
          23-26 September 2013, Gerardmer - 5th Forest Engineering Conference
          23-24 September 2013, Biarritz - 6th International Wood Fibre Polymer Composites Symposium
          30 September-2 October 2013, Brussels - EFIB 2013
          30 September-3 October 2013, Brussels - 5th European Innovation Summit
          3-4 October 2013, Aarhus - 5th European Innovation Summit
          23 October 2013, Brussels - Workshop - 21st Century Design and Construction
          9-13 December 2013, Rovaniemi - European Forest Week
          9-13 December 2013, Rovaniemi - Metsä 2013 Joint session of the ECE Timber Committee

          Further information
          Embedded Computing Systems (ARTEMIS)

          14-17 May 2013, Berlin - 9th International nanotechnology Conference on Communication and cooperation
          11-12 June 2013, Madrid - ARTEMIS Summer Camp 2013
          16-20 June 2013, Budva - The 2013 Mediterranean Conference Event: Embedded and Cyber-physical Systems
          18-20 June 2013, Dublin - EuroNanoForum 2013
          24 June 2013, Budapest - 2nd Workshop on Open Resilient human-aware Cyber-physical Systems (WORKS 2013)
          26 September 2013, Paris - European Microelectronics Summit
          26-27 September 2013, Messecenter Graz - JTI Electronics In Horizon 2020
          1-2 October 2013, Brussels - JTI Event
          6-8 November 2013, Vilnius - ICT 2013: Create, Connect, Grow
          8-10 November 2013, Dresden - SEMICON Europa 2013
          27-28 November 2013, Barcelona - European Nanoelectronics Forum (ENIAC)
          4-5 December 2013, Stockholm - Co-summit 2013

          Further information
          Nanoelectronics Technologies 2020 (ENIAC)

          14-17 May 2013, Berlin - INC9
          24 May 2013, Brussels - 7th SEMI Brussels Forum
          18-20 June 2013, Dublin - EuroNanoForum
          15-19 July 2013, Otsu - 13th International Forum on Embedded MPSoC and Multicore
          16-20 September 2013, - ESSDERC-ESSCIRC Conference Series
          18-20 September 2013, Roma - Nanoforum
          8-10 October 2013, Dresden - SEMICON Europa 2013
          6-8 November 2013, Vilnius - ICT 2013: Create, Connect, Grow
          27-28 November 2013, Barcelona - European Nanoelectronics Forum

          Further information
          European Rail Research Advisory Council (ERRAC)

          No events planned

          Further information
          European Road Transport Research Advisory Council (ERTRAC)

          14 May 2013, Brussels - ERTRAC 2nd Steering Group
          6 June 2013, Brussels - ERTRAC 2nd Plenary meeting 2013
          24 September 2013, Brussels - ERTRAC Steering Group
          22 October 2013, Brussels - ERTRAC Plenary

          Further information
          European Space Technology Platform (ESTP)

          No events planned

          Further information
          European Steel Technology Platform (ESTEP)

          16 May 2013, Brussels - European Steel Day

          Further information
          European Technology Platform for the Electricity Networks of the Future (SmartGrids)

          16 May 2013, Brussels - Joint workshop organised by STARGRID and ETP SmartGrids

          Further information
          Future Manufacturing Technologies (MANUFUTURE)

          16-17 September 2013, Hannover - VDMA Congress: "Producing more intelligently"

          Further information
          European Technology Platform for the Future of Textiles and Clothing (Euratex)

          27-28 May 2013, Brussels -PROsumer.NET project final conference
          23-23 October 2013, Brussels - 1st European Textile Flagships Conference

          Further information
          Fuel Cells and Hydrogen (FCH)

          9 September 2013, Brussels - The 5th International Conference on Hydrogen Safety

          Further information
          Industrial Safety ETP (IndustrialSafety)

          21-22 May 2013, Stuttgart - 5Th INTeg-Risk Conference 2013

          Further information
          Innovative Medicines Initiative (IMI)

          13 May 2013, Brussels - IMI Stakeholder Forum 2013

          Further information
          Integral Satcom Initiative (ISI)

          No events planned

          Further information
          Mobile and Wireless Communications (eMobility)

          8-10 May 2013, Dublin - FIA Event 2013
          31 May 2013, Ghent - ONIT 2013
          9-13 June 2013, Budapest - IEEE International Conference on Communications
          19-20 June 2013, Bogota - Dinero Movil LatAm (Mobile Money LatAm 2013)
          3-5 July 2013, Lisbon - Future Networks and Mobile Summit 2013

          Further information
          Nanotechnologies for Medical Applications (NanoMedicine)

          15 May 2013, London - Nano4Life 2013
          18 June 2013, Dublin - EuroNanoForum 2013
          23 June 2013, Basel - European Summit on Clinical Nanomedecine (CLINAM 2013)
          25-28 June 2013, Porto - Advanced Summer School Interrogations at the Biointerface
          26-28 June 2013, Tallinn - pHealth 2013 Conference
          18-20 June 2013, Dublin - EuroNanoForum 2013
          23-26 June 2013, Basel - European Summit on Clinical Nanomedicine (CLINAM 2013)
          6-13 July 2013, Thessaloniki - ISSON 2013
          9 July 2013, Thessaloniki - 10th International Conference on Nanoscience & Nanotechnologies (NN13)
          8-11 October 2013, Faenza - MiMe - Materials in Medicine International Conference
          4-6 November 2013, Vienna - Bio-Europe 2013
          3-5 March 2014, Amsterdam - International Congress on Targeted Anticancer Therapies - TAT2014

          Further information
          Networked and Electronic Media (NEM)

          8-10 May 2013, Dublin - Future Internet Assembly
          27-31 May 2013, Ghent - IM 2013 - The 13th IFIP/IEEE Symposium on Integrated Network and Service Management
          27 May-1 June 2013, Valencia - CONTENT 2013
          2 June 2013, Dresden - 3rd International Workshop on Self-Organizing Networks (IWSON)
          9-13 June 2013, Budapest - Context-aware Personalization Systems
          10-12 June 2013, Seoul - 11th IEEE IVMSP Workshop on "3D Image/Video Technologies and Applications"
          23-28 June 2013, Rome - Eighth International Conference on Internet and Web Applications and Services
          3-5 July 2013, Lisbon - Future Network and Mobile Summit - FuNeMS2013
          8-11 September 2013, Berlin - The 3rd IEEE International Conference on Consumer Electronics(IEEE 2013)
          28-30 October 2013, Nantes - NEM Summit 2013
          6-8 November 2013, Vilnius - ICT Event 2013: Create, Connect,Grow
          12-13 December 2013, Bayonne - 8th International Workshop on Semantic and Social Media Adaptation and Personalization

          Further information
          Networked European Software and Services Initiative (NESSI)

          8-10 May 2013, Dublin - Future Internet Assembly 2013
          16 May 2013, Brussels - The 2013 European Cyber Security Conference
          11-12 June 2013, Dublin - SMEs and Europe: with innovation out of the crisis
          26-27 June 2013, London - Cloud World Forum 2013
          1-5 July 2013, Montpellier - European Conference on Software Architecture, ECSA 2013
          3-5 July 2013, Lisbon - Future Network & Mobile Summit 2013
          29-31 July 2013, Reykjavik - 8th International Joint Conference on Software Technologies
          10-13 September 2013, Wrexham - Fifth International Conference on Internet Technologies & Applications

          Further information
          Photonics21 (Photonics)

          12-16 May 2013, Munich - 3rd EOS Conference on Manufacturing of Optical Components (EOSMOC 2013)
          12-16 May 2013, Munich - 2nd EOS Conference on Optofluidics (EOSOF 2013)
          13-16 May 2013, Munich - Laser World of Photonics (13 - 16 May 2013) & World of Photonics Congress (12 - 16 May 2013)
          27-28 May 2013, Frankfurt am Main - Trends in Bioanalytical Imaging - Analytics and Applications
          9-14 June 2013, San Jose - CLEO
          11-13 June 2013, Munich - LOPE-C 2013
          16-21 June 2013, Whistler - Optical Interferings Coatings
          14-19 July 2013, Rio Grande - Advanced Photonics
          14-19 July 2013, Orlanda - Frontiers in Optics
          22-26 July 2013, Porto - 8th Iberoamerican Optics Meeting / 11th Latinamerican Meeting on Optics, Lasers and Applications
          23-26 July 2013, Porto - ETOP 2013 - 12th International Conference on Education and Training in Optics and Photonics
          29-31 July 2013, Reykjavik - OPTICS 2013- International Conference on Optical Communication Systems
          25-29 August 2013, San Diego - SPIE Optics + Photonics 2013
          26-31 August 2013, Riga - Biophotonics Riga 1st International Conference
          10-13 September 2013, Almaty - FOAN2013 - 4th International Work Shop on Fiber Optics in Access Networks
          23-26 September 2013, Dresden - SPIE Security+Defence 2013 & SPIE Remote Sensing 2013
          23-25 September 2013, London - ECOC 2013
          14-17 October 2013, New York - SPIE Optifab 2013
          16-17 October 2013, Coventry - Photonex, UK's Premier Photonics Event
          27 October-1 November 2013, Paris - Advanced Solid Stae Lasers

          Further information
          Photovoltaics (PV Platform)

          No events planned

          Further information
          Plants for the Future (Plants)

          13-14 May 2013, London - Plant Genomics Congress
          14-16 May 2013, Calabria - 31st New Phytologist Symposia on Orchid symbioses-models for evolutionary ecology
          3-7 June 2013, Copenhagen - 21st European Biomass Conference and Exhibition
          9-16 June 2013, Athens - SAHYOG Summer School
          9-13 June 2013, University of Norway - Essential and Detrimental Trace Elements entering the Food Chain via Plants
          23-27 June 2013, Gargnano - SUMMER SCHOOL on Biomchemical and genetic dissection of control of plant mineral nutrition
          24-28 June 2013, Sydney - International Arabidopsis Conference
          30 June-6 July 2013, Szeged - EPPN Summer School on Plant Phenotyping
          2-5 July 2013, Zurich - 13th International Fire Blight Workshop
          4-6 July 2013,Evry - Plant signalling in a changing environment
          8-19 July 2013, Barcelona - 2nd Summer biotechnology course
          16-19 July 2013, Warsaw - 11th International Conference on Reactive Oxygen and Nitrogen Species in Plants
          26-30 July 2013, Helsinki - Plant Vascular Biology Meeting
          28 July-2 August 2013,Hong Kong - Gordon Conference on "Post-Translational Modification Networks
          11-15 August 2013,Helsingor - 25th SPPS Congress
          20-23 August 2013, Eindiedeln - Science & Policy Summer School: Governing the Transition to a Bio-based Economy
          26-28 August 2013, Utrecht - 7th International Utrecht PhD Summer School
          1-4 September 2013, Greece, - 7th EPSO Conference
          5 September 2013, Porto Heli, Plant Phenotyping Workshop of the European Plant Phenotying Network
          8-10 September 2013,Amsterdam - 2nd Current Opinion Conference on Plant Genome Evolution
          17-20 September 2013, Madrid - 2nd International APLE-APLF Congress on Pollen Biotechnology, Diversity and Function in a Changing Environment
          25-27 September 2013, Norwich - AAB Conference International Advances in Plant Virology
          14-18 October 2013, Versailles - 6th Workshop on Leaf Senescence
          10-14 November 2013, Antalya - International Plant Breeding Congress
          20-23 November 2013 Buenos Aires - 32nd New Phytologist Symposium on Plant interactions with other organisms (molecules, ecology and evolution)
          4-6 December 2013, Nantes - Conference on Biopolymer Assemblies for Material Design
          22-26 June 2014, Dublin - Plant Biology Europe FESPB/EPSO 2014 Congress

          Further information
          Robotics (EUROP)

          6-10 May 2013, Karlsruhe - 2013 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA 2013)
          24-30 June 2013, Eindhoven - WK RoboCup International Robot Tournament (RoboCup 2013)
          26-28 June 2013, Porto - FAIM 2013 - Workshop on Robotics in Smart Manufacturing
          27-28 June 2013, Berlin - Robotics: Science and Systems (RSS 2013)
          29-31 July 2013, Reykjavík - 10th International Conference on Informatics in Control, Automation and Robotics (ICINCO 2013)
          29-31 July 2013, Reykjavík - The 3rd International Conference on Simulation and Modeling Methodologies, Technologies and Applications (SIMULTECH 2013)
          11-15 August 2013, Montreal - The 30th International Symposium on Automation and Robotics in Construction and Mining (ISARC 2013)

          Further information
          European Technology Platform for Sustainable Chemistry (SusChem)

          14 May 2013, Brussels - F3 Factory session at Suschem stakeholder
          3-7 June 2013, Copenhagen - 21th European Biomass conference and exhibition
          5-6 June 2013, Budapest - Smart Cities Annual Conference
          18-20 June 2013, Dublin - EuroNano Forum 2013
          19-20 June 2013, Frankfurt - Biochemicals & Bioplastics
          8-13 September 2013, Sevilla - Annual Congress and exhibition on advanced materials and processes

          Further information
          Sustainable Nuclear Energy Technology Platform (SNE-TP)

          21-24 May 2013, Prague - 1st ARCHER EUROCOURSE
          1-5 July 2013, Saclay - MATTER International School on DEsign Rules for gen IV reactors and INnovative reactors (DERIVIN)
          17-19 July 2013,Karlsruhe - EURACT-NMR workshop
          21-26 July 2013, Karlsruhe - ACTINIDES 2013 Conference
          8–12 September 2013, Brussels - 21st International Conference on Environmental Remediation and Radioactive Waste Management Economy 2013
          9–12 September 2013, Bled - 22nd International Conference Nuclear Energy for New Europe
          1–3 October 2013, Cannes - 10th International Conference on Non Destructive Evaluation
          2–4 October 2013, Avignon - ERMSAR 2013
          14-16 October 2013, Vilnius - FISA & EURADWASTE 2013
          27-31 October 2013, Paris - 2 nd SNA & MC 2013 - Joint International Conference on Supercomputing in Nuclear Applications + Monte Carlo

          Further information
          Water Supply and Sanitation Platform (WSSTP)

          No events planned.

          Further information
          Waterborne ETP (Waterborne)

          21 May 2013, La Valletta Malta - SG47+MIRROR GROUP + GA
          26 September 2013, Brussels - SG48 + MG
          21 November 2013, Brussels - SG49 + MG

          Further information
          Zero Emission Fossil Fuel Power Plants Technology Platform (ETP ZEP)

          No events planned

          Further information
          European Technology Platform on Renewable Heating & Cooling (RHC)

          22 May 2013, Brussels - Board Meeting of the RHC-Platform
          9 October 2013, Brussels - Steering Committee meeting of the Solar Thermal Technology Panel

          Further information
        • Joint Technology Initiatives
          Innovative Medicines Initiative (IMI)

          13 May 2013, Brussels - IMI Stakeholder Forum 2013

          Further information
          Embedded Computing Systems (ARTEMISA)

          14-17 May 2013, Berlin - 9th International nanotechnology Conference on Communication and cooperation
          11-12 June 2013, Madrid - ARTEMIS Summer Camp 2013
          16-20 June 2013, Budva - The 2013 Mediterranean Conference Event: Embedded and Cyber-physical Systems
          18-20 June 2013, Dublin - EuroNanoForum 2013
          24 June 2013, Budapest - 2nd Workshop on Open Resilient human-aware Cyber-physical Systems (WORCS-2013)
          26 September 2013, Paris - European Microelectronics Summit
          26-27 September 2013, Messencenter Graz - JTI Electronics in Horizon 2020
          1-2 October 2013, Brussels - JTI Event
          6-8 November 2013, Vilnius - ICT 2013: Create, Connect, Grow
          8-10 November 2013, Dresden - SEMICON Europa 2013
          27-28 November 2013, Barcelona - European Nanoelectronics Forum (ENIAC)
          4-5 December 2013, Stockholm - Co-summit 2013

          Further information
          Nanoelectronics Technologies 2020 (ENIAC)

          14-17 May 2013, Berlin - INC9
          24 May 2013, Brussels - 7th SEMI Brussels Forum
          18-20 June 2013, Dublin - EuroNanoForum
          15-19 July 2013, Otsu - 13th International Forum on Embedded MPSoC and Multicore
          16-20 September 2013, - ESSDERC-ESSCIRC Conference Series
          18-20 September 2013, Roma - Nanoforum
          8-10 October 2013, Dresden - SEMICON Europa 2013
          6-8 November 2013, Vilnius - ICT 2013: Create, Connect, Grow
          27-28 November 2013, Barcelona - European Nanoelectronics Forum

          Further information
          Aeronautics and Air Transport (Clean Sky)

          30 May 2013, Brussels - Clean Sky SME Day
          17-23 June 2013, Paris - International Paris Air Show 2013
          1-5 July 2013, Munich - EUCASS 2013: Fifth European Aerospace Conference

          Further information
          Fuel Cells and Hydrogen (FCH)

          9 September 2013, Brussels - The 5th International Conference on Hydrogen Safety

          Further information

    • Innovation policy

      2012-07-10 - Commission continues to upgrade EGNOS for higher positioning accuracy

      Many EU citizens may have noticed the improvement in the accuracy of GPS signals over the past three years, thanks to the enhancement provided by EGNOS the European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service, which is owned and managed by the European Union. As part of the actions undertaken by the European Commission to upgrade and maintain the EGNOS system, a new EGNOS transponder was launched last night on board an SES satellite from Baikonur, Kazakhstan. The new transponder will replace the one currently aboard an Inmarsat satellite. It will continue to provide higher accuracy positioning signals to both citizens and professionals using an EGNOS-enabled GPS receiver. Europeans already benefit from these improved positioning signals since October 2009. In addition, since March 2011, air carriers with a certified receiver aboard their aircraft can use EGNOS for en-route navigation and precision approaches, enabling safer landings and more energy-efficient flights (see below and IP/11/247). EGNOS is Europe's first contribution to satellite navigation and is the precursor to Galileo.

      Further information
      2012-07-17 - Scientific data: open access to research results will boost Europe's innovation capacity

      The European Commission today outlined measures to improve access to scientific information produced in Europe. Broader and more rapid access to scientific papers and data will make it easier for researchers and businesses to build on the findings of public-funded research. This will boost Europe's innovation capacity and give citizens quicker access to the benefits of scientific discoveries. In this way, it will give Europe a better return on its €87 billion annual investment in R&D. The measures complement the Commission's Communication to achieve a European Research Area (ERA), also adopted today.

      Further information
      2012-07-17 - European Commission targets barriers to Single Market for research and innovation

      The European Commission has today set out concrete steps Member States should take to achieve the European Research Area (ERA), a Single Market for research and innovation in Europe. The goal is to enable researchers, research institutions and businesses to better move, compete and co-operate across borders. This will strengthen Member States' research bases, increase their competitiveness and allow them to work together more effectively to tackle major societal challenges, such as climate change, food and energy security and public health. To help achieve the European Research Area, the Commission has also today signed a Joint Statement and Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with organisations representing key research organisations and research funding bodies. The proposals are a response to the deadline set by EU leaders to make the European Research Area a reality by 2014.

      Further information

    • Information society

      2012-07-23 - Digital Agenda: Commission opens public consultation on preservation of the open internet (net neutrality)

      The European Commission is today launching a public consultation seeking answers to questions on transparency, switching and certain aspects of internet traffic management, with a view to its commitment to preserve the open and neutral character of the Internet. These questions have emerged as key issues in the "net neutrality" debate that has taken place in Europe over the past years, including the recent findings of the Body of European Regulators of European Communications (BEREC).

      Further information
      2012-07-23 - Digital Agenda – Commission consults on a future EU Network and Information Security legislative initiative

      The European Commission is seeking the views of governments, businesses, citizens about their experiences and EU possible responses to cyber incidents which cause disruption to essential Network and Information Systems (NIS), including the internet. The Commission has launched this consultation to help it prepare a legislative proposal on network and information security, which will be an important element of the upcoming EU strategy on Cyber security. Feedback received will help the Commission draw up an approach to possible future risk management and security breach reporting requirements that would affect businesses in particular. The consultation runs until 12 October 2012.

      Further information

    • Enterprises

      2012-07-17 - Entrepreneurship: consultation on future action at EU level

      In these difficult times of increasing unemployment, Europe needs more entrepreneurs. Whilst actually only 11% of European citizens are entrepreneurs, 45% would like to be their own boss if they could. To unlock this enormous potential for jobs and growth, the European Commission intends to launch in autumn 2012 a European Entrepreneurship Action Plan to boost entrepreneurship at all levels. To this end, the Commission has launched a public consultation with the aim to gather inputs from stakeholders and citizens on the scope of possible future actions at EU, national and regional level in promoting entrepreneurship.

      Further information
      2012-07-19 - Focus on boosting entrepreneurship at informal Competitiveness Council

      Entrepreneurship and Research and Innovation will be the focus of an informal meeting of EU Ministers of Competitiveness and Research to take place in Nicosia this Thursday and Friday. Ministers will discuss the role of entrepreneurship as an engine for economic growth, with particular reference to Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises. The meeting will be led by Cyprus Minister of Commerce, Industry and Tourism, Neoklis Sylikiotis, and attended by European Commission Vice President Antonio Tajani. Friday's meeting will focus on Research and Innovation issues. Cyprus Minister of Health Stavros Malas will chair and attendees will be research ministers of the EU and European Free Trade Area countries, as well as the EU's Commissioner for Research, Innovation and Sciences, Maire Geoghegan-Quinn.

      Further information
  • Other EU Policies and funding programmes supporting the Lisbon Strategy

    Other EU Policies and funding programmes supporting the Lisbon Strategy

    • Environment

      2012-07-03 - Knowledge, responsibility, engagement: the EU outlines its policy for the Arctic

      The European Commission and the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy have today outlined the way forward for the EU's constructive engagement in the Arctic. The Arctic region is a vital component of the Earth's environment. Climate change in the Arctic is advancing dramatically, with change visible on a yearly basis, impacting significantly on its ecosystem and the livelihood of its inhabitants. At the same time, rapidly retreating sea ice alongside technological progress are opening up new economic opportunities in the region such as shipping, mining, energy extraction and fishing. While beneficial for the global economy, these activities also call for a prudent and sustainable approach: further repercussions for the fragile Arctic can be expected if top environmental standards are not met.

      Further information
      2012-07-06 - SuperAlp! 6: The sustainable crossing of the Alps

      A journey of 1500 km through the Alps to highlight the sites of EU funded LIFE projects and the unique characteristics of the mountainous heart of Europe - starting from Slovenia and travelling through Austria, Italy and France to end in the city of Grenoble. This is the sixth edition of SuperAlp!: a sustainable crossing of the Alps organized by the Permanent Secretariat of the Alpine Convention. From 4th to 11th July, a group of journalists from major newspapers and international media from Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Nepal, Romania, Slovenia, Switzerland and the UK will travel through the Alps from east to west, using various means of transport as alternatives to private cars: train, bus, bicycle, and of course on foot. Among the objectives of SuperAlp! is the desire to communicate the possibility of getting about in the Alps using public transport.

      Further information
      2012-07-11 - Further CO2 emission reductions from cars and vans: a win-win for the climate, consumers, innovation and jobs

      The European Commission today put forward proposals to implement targets that will further considerably reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from new cars and light commercial vehicles (vans) by 2020. The proposals will cut average emissions from new cars to 95 grams of CO2 per km (g CO2/km) in 2020 from 135.7g in 2011 and a mandatory target of 130g in 2015. Emissions from vans will be reduced to 147g CO2/km in 2020 from 181.4g in 2010 (the latest year for which figures are available) and a mandatory target of 175g in 2017.

      Further information
      2012-07-17 - Environment: Safer regulation for biocidal products

      New rules on biocides enter into force today. They will bring a significant boost to the protection of human health and the environment. Biocidal products are necessary for the control of organisms that are harmful to human or animal health or that cause damage to materials. But as their properties can also pose risks to humans, animals and the environment, they need careful regulation. The new regulation on biocidal products will increase the safety of these chemical products and simplify their authorisation on the EU market, improving their free movement on the internal market.

      Further information
      2012-07-25 - Emissions Trading: Commission prepares for change of the timing for auctions of emission allowances

      The European Commission initiated in mid-April the review of the auction time profile of the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS) and proposes today a Decision to clarify the provisions of the EU ETS Directive on the timing of auctions of emission allowances. Climate Action Commissioner Connie Hedegaard said: "The EU ETS has a growing surplus of allowances built up over the last few years. It is not wise to deliberately continue to flood a market that is already oversupplied. This is why the Commission today has paved the way for changing the timing of when allowances are auctioned. This short-term measure will improve the functioning of the market. If the political will is there, all the necessary decisions can be taken before the next auctioning phase starts at the beginning of 2013. Now it is up to the European Parliament and Member States to deliver. After the summer recess, the Commission will also finalise the options for long-term structural measures."

      Further information

    • Health

      2012-07-17 - Fostering EU's attractiveness in clinical research: Commission proposes to revamp rules on trials with medicines

      Boosting clinical research in Europe by simplifying the rules for conducting clinical trials is what today's proposal from the Commission is about. Clinical trials are tests of medicines in humans and give patients access to most innovative treatments. At the same time, clinical research with over 20 billion Euros of investment per year in the EU makes a significant contribution to the growth policy of the Europe 2020 agenda. Clinical trials are vital to develop medicines and to improve and compare the use of already authorised medicines. The data generated in clinical trials are used by researchers in publications, and by pharmaceutical companies applying for marketing authorisations Once implemented, the measures proposed today will speed up and simplify the authorisation and reporting procedures, while maintaining the highest standards of patient safety and robustness and reliability of data. The measures will also better differentiate the obligations according to the risk-profile of the trial, and improve transparency including on trials done in third countries.

      Further information

    • Transport

      2012-07-03 - Transport: Vice President Kallas welcomes European Parliament final agreement on new rules to open competition in the rail market

      New EU rules to allow more competition on the rail market look set to come into force by the end of this year, following a final vote of approval in the European Parliament today. The new rules (Rail Recast Directive) tackle 3 major problems on the market: (1) strengthening the power of national regulators; (2) improving the framework for investment in rail (3) ensuring fair access to rail infrastructure and rail related services. They are a direct response to many complaints from operators in recent years. "These new rules will very significantly change the way competition works on the rail market. This is a very substantial step forwards. At last we can close loopholes in the current laws that can allow discrimination against newcomers and block operators from providing new and innovative services."

      Further information
      2012-07-03 - Sustainable urban mobility: Commission campaign boosts support to fight congestion and pollution

      The European Commission’s Sustainable Urban Mobility campaign was launched today and represents a three-year initiative aiming to support sustainable urban mobility campaigners in 31 countries. Activities began today with the opening of a registration system to support outstanding actions for fostering positive change in attitudes and behaviour. The central objective of this new campaign is to promote the advantages of combining different modes of transportation. Commission Vice-President Siim Kallas, responsible for transport, said: "We want to encourage people to vary the way they move around the city – so our slogan invites people to “Do the Right Mix”. This campaign will give a boost to the local, regional, and national awareness-raising actions that play a crucial role in creating and promoting this 21st century culture of urban mobility. It is vital to promote diversity in our daily mobility choices."

      Further information
      2012-07-13 - Road safety: Tougher vehicle testing rules to save lives

      Vehicle checks are fundamental to road safety. More than 5 people die on Europe's roads every day in accidents linked to technical failure. So today the European Commission has adopted new rules to toughen up the testing regime and widen its scope. Technical defects contribute heavily to accidents. They are responsible for 6% of all car accidents, translating into 2,000 fatalities and many more injuries yearly. 8 % of all motorcycle accidents are linked to technical defects.

      Further information
      2012-07-25 - 4th European Road Safety Day: For more engagement of youth in road safety

      Road crashes are still the biggest cause of death and disability for young people, in both the world and Europe. 19% of road fatalities in the EU in 2010 affected young people aged between 18-25 years old (although this age group comprise only 10% of the total population). This means that those aged between 18-25 face almost twice as high a risk of dying in traffic accidents. The European Commission is therefore dedicating its 4th European Road Safety Day to young people. The day is marked by a conference, jointly organised with the Cyprus Presidency, which will takes place on 25 July in Nicosia. The conference brings together youth groups, road safety organisations and road safety officials from all EU Member States, as well as from neighbouring countries for a day of discussions, presentations and workshops.

      Further information

    • Agriculture and fisheries

      2012-07-06 - Eurobarometer: What Europeans think of food security, food quality and the relation between agriculture & the countryside

      More than 90% of EU citizens find quality and price an important factor when buying food, and more important than origin (71%) and brand (47%) – indeed they were deemed "very important" by 65% (quality) and 54% (price), according to a new EUROBAROMETER survey on food security, food quality and the countryside, which is published today. Quality labels are important for two-thirds of respondents, and there is an improvement on previous years in the recognition of the different EU quality logos. The survey showed that 24% of those asked already recognise the EU organic logo, less than 2 years after it was launched. On food security, three-quarters of EU citizens expressed concern at the challenge of feeding the world’s population, but less than 60% are concerned about the ability of the EU and Member States to meet the food needs of their populations. Most EU citizens regard agriculture as making a positive contribution to preserve rural areas. This is consistent across most Member States and socio-demographic groups. There is a broad consensus that agriculture plays a beneficial role. For the survey, more than 26 500 European citizens aged 15 and above were interviewed in all 27 EU Member States.

      Further information
      2012-07-20 - Food: Latest Report shows EU Controls ensure our food is safe

      A European Commission report published today shows that thanks to the EU's Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) many food safety risks have been averted or mitigated and safety controls ensure our food is safe. RASFF plays a key role in ensuring safety from "farm to fork", by triggering a rapid reaction when a food safety risk is detected. All members of the RASFF system are swiftly informed of serious risks found in food or feed so that together they can react to food safety threats in a coordinated way to protect the health of EU citizens.

      Further information

    • Energy

      2012-07-10 - Commission launches innovation partnership for Smart Cities and Communities

      One of the greatest challenges facing the EU is how best to design and adapt cities into smart intelligent and sustainable environments. Almost three quarters of Europeans live in cities, consuming 70% of the EU's energy. Congestion costs Europe about 1% of its GDP every year; most of it is located in urban areas. Smart urban technologies can make a major contribution to tackling many urban challenges. By launching a Smart Cities and Communities European Innovation Partnership (SCC) the European Commission aims to boost the development of smart technologies in cities – by pooling research resources from energy, transport and ICT and concentrating them on a small number of demonstration projects which will be implemented in partnership with cities. For 2013 alone, € 365 million in EU funds have been earmarked for the demonstration of these types of urban technology solutions.

      Further information

    • Security

      2012-07-30 - Security industry: Commission proposes programme to enable further growth

      Providing security is a central concern of any society. Recent natural disasters and terrorist attacks have highlighted the need to be better prepared for crisis situations. The European Commission has therefore proposed an action programme to boost Europe's security industry. The programme should empower this industry - one of the sectors with the highest potential for growth and employment in the EU - to stay in Europe and to continue producing high quality security products.

      Further information

    • Maritime Affairs

      2012-07-19 - Fisheries: the Commission tables new measures for better protection for deep-sea stocks and their habitats

      The European Commission has proposed new measures to regulate fishing for deep-sea species in the North-East Atlantic. Deep sea ecosystems and the species that live in them are particularly vulnerable to human activities. The new regulation aims to ensure that deep-sea species are fished sustainably, that unwanted by-catches decrease, that the impact on fragile deep-sea habitats decreases and that there is more data on the biology of these species. To this end the Commission proposes a reinforced licensing system and a gradual phase-out of those fishing gears that specifically target deep sea species in a less sustainable manner, namely bottom trawls and bottom-set gillnets. The Commission also envisages specific requirements for the collection of data from deep sea fishing activities. The necessary adjustments to implement these measures may benefit from financial support under EU Funds.

      Further information
  • Research, Innovation, Training and Competitiveness related EU events

    Research, Innovation, Training and Competitiveness related EU events

Special chapter on training opportunities

Next Sessions in English in Brussels

Prochaines sessions en français à Paris et Bruxelles

Le montage des projets européens du 7ème PCRD

Date : mardi 04 juin 2013

Comment rédiger une proposition réellement compétitive? Conseils stratégiques et méthodologiques.

Formations dispensées par d’anciens "Project Officers" de la Commission européenne ayant une expérience pratique des projets européens de R&D.

Lieu : Paris - Langue de formation : Français

Prix : 590€ HTVA

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Les contrats européens de recherche : module financier

Date : mercredi 05 juin 2013

Session d'approfondissement - Comprendre les règles financières sous le 7ème Programme-Cadre de Recherche et Développement. Comment préparer votre budget? Comment gérer votre budget?

Formations dispensées par d’anciens "Project Officers" de la Commission européenne ayant une expérience pratique des projets européens de R&D.

Lieu : Paris - Langue de formation : Français

Prix : 590€ HTVA

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Audits et contrôles de votre contrat européen de recherche

Date : mardi 25 juin 2013

Les audits et contrôles de votre contrat européen de recherche.
Comment s’y préparer et comment y réagir?

Formations dispensées par d’anciens "Project Officers" de la Commission européenne ayant une expérience pratique des projets européens de R&D.

Lieu : Paris - Langue de formation : Français

Prix : 590€ HTVA

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Horizon 2020: Comment comprendre le nouveau programme Européen de recherche et d'innovation

Date : mercredi 26 juin 2013

Formations dispensées par d’anciens "Project Officers" de la Commission européenne ayant une expérience pratique des projets européens de R&D

Lieu : Paris - Langue de formation : Français

Prix : 590€ HTVA

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Próximas sesiones en español a Madrid