Strategies and Projects for Research & Innovation

• Contact 
• Added Value 
• Our team 
• About Us 
• Network 

 «Brussels in Brief - Interface Europe’s Newsletter» - June 2010

• Français
• English
• Español

Home

Our Services

• Strategy 
• Projects 
• Exploitation 
• Training 

Latest News

• 

  General EU Information

  • Council of the EU

    2010-06-21 - EU leaders agree on 10-year plan

    Eco-innovation, digital developments and new skills are the drivers for future growth in Europe and the focus of the Europe 2020 Strategy. Formally adopted by the European Council on 17 June 2010, the plan for the coming decade is to get back to basics. This means sound national finances primed for new developments and a stronger, more prosperous Europe.

    Further information

  • European Commission

    2010-06-18 - Commissioner gives strong performance in maiden online debate

    'This autumn I will present the European Commission's Innovation Union Strategy. I want your help in creating this strategy,' said the EU's Research, Innovation and Science Commissioner, Máire Geoghegan-Quinn, at the start of her first live webchat on 17 June. Some 600 people watched the hour-long online discussion, the aim of which was to encourage debate with the Commissioner on the concept of the Innovation Union - where Europe should be in 2020 and what we need to do to get there.

    Further information

  • European Parliament

    2010-06-14 - 2010-06-17 - Plenary Session - Strasbourg

    The 70th anniversary of the invasions of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia by the USSR, the first anniversary of the Iranian presidential elections and last week's killing of Archbishop Padovese in Turkey were among subjects mentioned by European Parliament President Jerzy Buzek at the opening of this week's plenary session of the EP in Strasbourg.

    Further information

    2010-06-23 - Extraordinary Plenary Session

    At a special plenary session MEPs debated the outcome of last week’s EU summit with the President of the European Council Herman Van Rompuy. The Europe 2020 economic competitiveness strategy and improvements to the EU's economic governance were among the main issues discussed.

    Further information
• 

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

  • Research Policy

    • General points

      2010-06-22 - Commission pushes for more research, less red tape

      In an effort to cut red tape and focus on research results, the European Commission has recently adopted two major initiatives that will see changes to the financial regulations and a simplification of the procedures surrounding the EU's research Framework Programmes. As well as making it easier for researchers to gain access to EU funds, the new rules would also help fuse more public and private funding, giving investment a stronger punch. Ultimately, the changes would get new EU programmes off the ground and running.

      Further information

    • European Research and Innovation projects

      • ICT

        2010-06-01 - EU-funded team drives biocomputing advances

        EU-funded scientists have succeeded in demonstrating the feasibility of components for a kind of 'biocomputer', paving the way for new advances in the field of bioengineering. The scientists, from the Chemistry Department at the University of Liège in Belgium and the Institute of Chemistry at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem in Israel, set out the details of their work in an article in the journal Nature Nanotechnology. EU support for the research came from the MOLOC ('Molecular logic circuits') project, which received just over EUR 2 million of its EUR 2.67 million budget from the 'Information and communication technologies' (ICT) Theme of the Seventh Framework Programme (FP7).

        Further information
        2010-06-02 - Secrets of the opposite sex revealed, virtually

        Technology created by European scientists has placed male volunteers into the virtual body of a woman. It is the only technology of its kind that convinces the user that the female body they are looking at is their own, providing an illusion not only of a different place but also of a different self. Presented in the journal Public Library of Science (PLoS) ONE, the research for the immersive virtual reality (IVR) initiative was part of the EU-funded PRESENCCIA and TRAVERSE projects, which received a total of EUR 8.81 million in support. PRESENCCIA ('Presence: research encompassing sensory enhancement, neuroscience, cerebral-computer interfaces and applications') received EUR 6.4 million under the 'Information society technologies' (IST) Thematic area of the Sixth Framework Programme (FP6). Its main objective was to better understand and use brain mechanisms to improve the virtual reality experience.

        Further information
        2010-06-04 - Prediction software helps in disaster control

        EU-funded scientists have developed new statistical methods and software to help generate information on pollution and environmental threats. The system complements existing European-based air quality monitoring stations, which are effective but costly to set up. The INTAMAP ('Interoperability and automated mapping') project was funded EUR 1.86 million under the 'Information society technologies' (IST) Thematic area of the EU's Sixth Framework Programme (FP6).

        Further information
        2010-06-07 - EUROPRACTICE offers boon to nanotechnology researchers

        The EUROPRACTICE integrated circuit (IC) service has brought the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) into its fold, furthering the close collaboration between this prominent semiconductor foundry and the Belgium-based Interuniversity Microelectronics Centre (Imec), a leading nanoelectronics research centre. As a result, TSMC's 40-nanometre technologies, which enable the low-cost prototyping and production of very low-power devices, will soon be available to many research centres and universities across Europe. IC fabrication is extremely expensive. The EUROPRACTICE IC service, funded with EUR 3.15 million through the 'Information and communication technologies' Theme of the Seventh Framework Programme (FP7), offers companies application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) services to help bring their products to market. Coordinated by Imec, the EUROPRACTICE IC service offers advanced prototyping technologies to 550 European universities and 50 research centres.

        Further information
        2010-06-17 - EU creates tsunami early warning system

        EU-funded researchers have helped develop an early warning system that will protect vulnerable communities from tsunamis and avoid future terrible losses of life such as that suffered in Indonesia and Sri Lanka in December 2004, when an estimated 230,000 people were killed. EU support for the research came from the DEWS ('Distant early warning system') project, which received just over EUR 4 million from the 'Information society technologies' (IST) Thematic area of the EU's Sixth Framework Programme (FP6) to develop an advanced interoperable tsunami early warning system for strong early warning capacities.

        Further information
        2010-06-23 - EU researchers create virtual lab to treat HIV

        EU researchers have developed a virtual laboratory to help doctors around the world match drugs to patients and to make treatments for HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, and other infectious diseases more effective. EU support for the research came from the VIROLAB ('Virtual laboratory for decision support in viral diseases treatment') project, which received EUR 3.3 million from the 'Information society technologies' (IST) Thematic area of the Sixth Framework Programme (FP6).

        Further information

      • Health

        2010-06-01 - Stem cell breakthrough, the EU way

        EU-funded researchers have developed a breakthrough method for culturing large quantities of human embryonic stem (ES) cells under completely chemically controlled conditions without the need for other cells or animal substances. Researchers at Sweden's Karolinska Institutet, led by Professor Karl Tryggvason, teamed up with the Harvard Stem Cell Institute in the US in this pioneering feat that will enable the development of various cell types to be used for disease treatment. The study, published in Nature Biotechnology, was supported in part by the ESTOOLS ('Platforms for biomedical discovery with human ES cells') project which is funded under the 'Life sciences, genomics and biotechnology for health' Thematic area of the Sixth Framework Programme (FP6). The Integrated Project, which spans 10 countries and is composed of 21 research teams, is devoted to ethical embryonic stem cell research supported by extensive training.

        Further information
        2010-06-07 - EU study finds potential ES cells replacement falls short

        In 2007, scientists discovered human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS cells). Just like embryonic stem cells (ES cells), iPS cells can self-renew and turn into any kind of cell or tissue. The added advantage is that they carry almost none of the practical and ethical limitations that hinder ES cell research. A new study has found, however, that iPS cells do not have the same scope for use in some applications. The findings were presented at an event hosted by the ESTOOLS ('Platforms for biomedical discovery with human ES cells') project, which was funded EUR 12 million under the 'Life sciences, genomics and biotechnology for health' Thematic Area of the EU's Sixth Framework Programme (FP6).

        Further information
        2010-06-08 - New tool to detect early-stage Alzheimer's disease

        Researchers in Germany and the US have discovered that a new molecular imaging agent could be used to diagnose Alzheimer's disease (AD) during its early stages. Presented at the 57th annual meeting of the Society for Nuclear Medicine in Salt Lake City, US, the results of the clinical trial represent a possible breakthrough for the early detection of AD, an incurable degenerative disease that currently affects an estimated 26 million people worldwide.

        Further information
        2010-06-08 - Gene identified as tumour suppressor

        European scientists have linked failure of the PTPN2 (protein tyrosine phosphatase non-receptor type 2) gene to the development of acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL). When PTPN2 stops working or is lost altogether, it causes cancer cells to grow faster and live longer. So the gene acts as a tumour suppressor when it is fully functional. The study is part of the MOLTALL ('Molecularly targeted therapy for T cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia') project, which was funded EUR 1.4 million by the European Research Council (ERC) under the Seventh Framework Programme (FP7). Findings are published in the journal Nature Genetics.

        Further information
        2010-06-09 - Young people's sexual health: can sub-Saharan African countries sort it out?

        Despite the rallying cry to tackle the high transmission rate of HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) to young women, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, scientists have not reached a consensus on how to best prevent HIV infection among young people. Writing in the journal Public Library of Science (PLoS), an international team of researchers makes a unique attempt to provide concrete evidence on the effectiveness of sex education by carefully analysing what works and what does not in existing intervention programmes.

        Further information
        2010-06-10 - Vitamin D insufficiency? EU-funded researchers say genes matter

        Genetic factors, sun exposure and diet all play a role in a person's risk of suffering from vitamin D insufficiency, researchers find. Their genome-wide association study, which was partly funded by the EU, uncovers three genetic sites linked to vitamin D concentrations. The findings are published online by The Lancet journal. Support for this work came from the EU-funded ENGAGE ('European network for genetic and genomic epidemiology'), GEFOS ('Genetic factors for osteoporosis'), TREAT-OA ('Translational research in Europe - applied technologies for osteoarthritis') and GENOMEUTWIN ('Genome-wide analyses of European twin and population cohorts to identify genes in common diseases') projects. While the first three received funding to the tune of EUR 12 million, EUR 2.9 million and EUR 11.9 million respectively under the Health Theme of the Seventh Framework Programme (FP7), GENOMEUTWIN was funded by the Life Quality Programme of the Fifth Framework Programme (FP5) with EUR 13.7 million.

        Further information
        2010-06-11 - Researchers shed light on autism

        An international team of researchers has uncovered numerous genes that are associated with autism. The findings, published in the journal Nature, could lead to new ways of diagnosing and treating the condition. The study was partly funded by the EU through the AUTISM MOLGEN ('Using European and international populations to identify autism susceptibility loci') project, which was supported under the 'Life sciences, genomics and biotechnology for health' Thematic area of the Sixth Framework Programme (FP6) with almost EUR 2 million to identify susceptibility alleles for autism spectrum disorders.

        Further information
        2010-06-11 - Food for thought, health, repair... it's functional food

        Tips for healthy eating, new diet fads, cookery shows, eating disorders and diseases... it seems the appetite for food-related news is insatiable. Now, a new publication by the European Commission is at hand to help the public better understand what 'functional food' means, and to learn more about EU research initiatives in the field. Food is life. So it is not surprising, as consumers, that we can't get enough information about healthy eating options. But one area of the 'food industry' - the so-called functional foods - remains something of an enigma.

        Further information
        2010-06-14 - Brain circuits that control habitual learning identified

        EU-funded scientists have identified two brain circuits that are involved in habitual learning such as finding our way to and from work. The new findings, published in the journal Neuron, have implications for the study of Parkinson's disease, substance abuse and many psychiatric disorders. The discovery is an outcome of the SELECT-AND-ACT ('The role of striatum in selection of behaviour and motor learning: neuronal code, microcircuits and modelling') project, which is funded with EUR 2.5 million through the Health Theme of the EU's Seventh Framework Programme (FP7).

        Further information
        2010-06-15 - Building the perfect cornea from scratch, the EU way

        A team of European small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) together with scientists have developed an artificial cornea that could allow blind people to see, and save patients from the serious drawbacks of the conventional transplant method currently in use. So far, surgeons have been transplanting corneas from human donors. These companies have teamed up with public research institutes to build the perfect, high-tech prosthetic cornea. The CORNEA ('Development of an artificial cornea for the human eye') project was funded to the tune of EUR 1.78 million under the EU's Sixth Framework Programme's (FP6) Action Line for SMEs.

        Further information
        2010-06-16 - Europeans decipher signature of kidney transplant tolerance

        Most kidney transplant patients have to take heavy immunosuppressive medication to make sure their body does not reject the new organ. But a few lucky ones can live perfectly well without the drugs. An EU-funded team of scientists has now found out what exactly is so special about them. The five-year RISET ('Reprogramming the immune system for establishment of tolerance') project received EUR 12.46 million under the 'Life sciences, genomics and biotechnology for health' Thematic area of the Sixth Framework Programme (FP6) to translate the advances in research into clinical practice and industrial development. The findings were published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation.

        Further information
        2010-06-18 - Saving lives, one organ at a time

        Organ transplants save thousands of lives in Europe every year but the short supply of these critical body parts means that others are not as lucky. To make the best possible use of scarce organs, the ALLIANCE-O ('European group for coordination of national research programmes on organ donation and transplantation') project pooled the experience of transplant organisations from across the EU to forge a real European network for organ donation. This Coordination action received EUR 2 million under the ERA-NET (European Research Area Network) strand of the Sixth Framework Programme (FP6).

        Further information
        2010-06-22 - Loosening up tumour cells could stop their proliferation

        Cancer cells are very good at proliferating, but they're not very good at dividing neatly into two new cells. A team of researchers at the German Cancer Research Center in Heidelberg has investigated this weakness in depth. They found that the tension of the protein fibres involved in cell division is a key feature that allows cancer cells to thrive. The results were published in the journal Science Translational Medicine.

        Further information
        2010-06-23 - 1000 Genomes Project releases initial data

        We know that more than 99% of genomes (genetic blueprints) of any 2 humans are the same, but it is the tiny 1% of genetic material that makes people different and contains key information about our sensitivities and vulnerabilities. The 1000 Genomes Project, built upon the International HapMap Project, is generating a detailed catalogue of common human genetic variation arranged into haplotypes, or chromosome 'neighbourhoods'. The database will be freely available to researchers.

        Further information
        2010-06-23 - Body louse genome sequenced: time to go, critters

        An international team of scientists has sequenced the genome of the human body louse (Pediculus humanus humanus) and of a type of bacteria (Candidatus Riesia pediculicola) crucial to its survival. The findings, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) journal, provide insights that could lead to better controls of this disease-spreading pest.

        Further information
        2010-06-25 - Creativity and schizophrenia use similar brain canals

        Researchers at the Karolinska Institutet in Sweden have discovered that the brains of healthy, highly creative people are similar to that of schizophrenic patients in some aspects: in both cases, the dopamine system is involved. The results have been published in the Public Library of Science (PLoS) ONE journal.

        Further information

      • Environment

        2010-06-04 - Sequenced seaweed genome help scientists unlock evolution puzzle

        EU-funded scientists have sequenced and analysed the genome of a species of brown seaweed called Ectocarpus siliculosus. The findings, published in the journal Nature, shed new light on the evolution of multicellularity and reveal how seaweeds have adapted to the rigours of life in the harsh tidal environment. The EU supported the work through the MARINE GENOMICS ('Implementation of high-throughput genomic approaches to investigate the functioning of marine ecosystems and the biology of marine organisms') project, which received EUR 10 million under the 'Sustainable development, global change and ecosystems' Thematic area of the Sixth Framework Programme (FP6).

        Further information
        2010-06-10 - Sea change for joint marine research in Europe

        Norway, together with Belgium and Spain has been given the EU's go-ahead last month for a large-scale joint European marine research programme. The planned cooperation aims to boost knowledge of environmental conditions, marine resources and commercialisation in the seas and oceans managed by European countries. The programme, 'Healthy and productive seas and oceans', is one of six new European Joint Programming Initiatives (JPI) to gain the EU's approval last month. The new marine research programme will comprise three main areas: knowledge about the marine system; knowledge for the sustainable exploitation of marine resources; and knowledge for use in political decision-making.

        Further information
        2010-06-14 - EU launches forestry sustainable development tool

        EU researchers have developed a tool to help governments and industry make sustainable development the number one goal of the EU forestry sector. ToSIA (Tool for sustainability impact assessment) allows policymakers to consider in equal measure the economic, social and environmental elements of sustainable development. EU support came from the EFORWOOD ('Tools for sustainability impact assessment of the forestry-wood chain') project, one of the biggest ever European forestry research studies, with a budget of EUR 20 million including a contribution of nearly EUR 13 million from the 'Sustainable development, global change and ecosystems' Thematic area of the EU's Sixth Framework Programme (FP6).

        Further information
        2010-06-15 - Study sheds light on plants' nutrient sensing mechanisms

        An international team of scientists has unravelled the mechanisms by which plants modify their root structure to maximise access to nutrients in the soil. The study, published in the journal Developmental Cell, was partly supported by the EU. Author Eva Benkova of the Flanders Institute for Biotechnology (VIB) in Belgium received a EUR 1.3 million starting grant from the European Research Council (ERC) for her HCPO ('Hormonal cross-talk in plant organogenesis') project.

        Further information
        2010-06-17 - Climate change may crumble Asian water towers

        Climate change will wreak havoc on Asia's food security in the years to come, new research from the Netherlands shows. The study, presented in the journal Science, was funded in part by the CEOP-AEGIS ('Coordinated Asia-European long-term observing system of Qinghai Tibet plateau hydro-meteorological processes and the Asian monsoon system with ground satellite image data and numerical simulations') project, which clinched EUR 3.4 million under the Environment Theme of the EU's Seventh Framework Programme (FP7).

        Further information
        2010-06-21 - Polar extremes affect tropics

        A Spanish-led team of scientists has proven that there is a link between ocean temperatures at Earth's polar extremes and the climate at the equator, thousands of miles away. The finding serves as further evidence that oceanic behaviour does indeed influence global climate. Results from the study are published in the journal Science.Researchers from Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB) in Spain, Newcastle University in the UK and other European institutes focused their study on the sea-surface temperatures of the northern Pacific and southern Atlantic Oceans during the Pliocene era.

        Further information
        2010-06-25 - Study sheds light on period of climate change 40,000 years ago

        EU-funded scientists have determined the source of methane that triggered a period of rapid global warming 40,000 years ago. Writing in the journal Science, they explain that the gas came from northern wetlands and not, as many believed, from ocean sediments. EU support for the work came from the EUR 2.1 million, 5-year MATRICS ('Modern approaches to temperature reconstructions in polar ice cores') project, which is funded through an Advanced Grant from the European Research Council (ERC) to Professor Hubertus Fischer of the University of Bern in Switzerland.

        Further information

      • Agriculture

        2010-06-03 - Scientists shed light on plant defence quagmire

        Plants put up a good fight against their enemies but there are differences both within and between species in how effective their defences are, new EU-funded research shows. The scientists, led by the Max Planck Institute for Developmental Biology in Germany, have discovered that while one plant may succumb to a bacterial infection, its neighbour will bloom rather successfully. However, disease resistance can come at a price. The study's findings are published in the journal Nature. This research is supported via 3 projects funded under the EU's Sixth Framework Programme (FP6): SY-STEM ('Systems biology of stem cell function in Arabidopsis thaliana (A. thaliana)'), which received EUR 2.43 million under the Marie Curie Research Training Networks (RTN) mobility scheme; AGRON-OMICS ('Arabidopsis growth network integrating OMICS technologies'), backed with EUR 12 million under the 'Life sciences, genomics and biotechnology for health' Thematic area; and ARABRAS ('Identifying relevant candidate genes for improving plant growth under abiotic stress conditions in Brassica crops'), supported with almost EUR 900,000 via the Plant Genomics ERA-NET (European Research Area Network).

        Further information
        2010-06-08 - Wealth and population key to invasive species risk, study shows

        Wealth and population density are the main factors driving the rise of invasive species in Europe, new EU-funded research reveals. Writing in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), the scientists warn that tackling the invasive species problem will not be easy. EU support for the research came from the DAISIE ('Delivering alien invasive species inventories for Europe') project, which is supported through the 'Sustainable development, global change and ecosystems' Thematic area of the Sixth Framework Programme (FP6), and the PRATIQUE ('Enhancements of pest risk analysis techniques') project, which is funded under the 'Food, agriculture and fisheries, and biotechnology' Theme of the Seventh Framework Programme (FP7).

        Further information
        2010-06-09 - Making more wheat from less

        An EU-funded study has successfully generated plant growth from specific root bacteria to improve the yield of top-performing wheat varieties in the UK. For modern farming, this means less use of chemical fertilisers and potentially better quality crops. The RHIBAC ('Rhizobacteria for reduced fertiliser inputs in wheat') project received EUR 2 million in funding from the 'Food quality and safety' Thematic area of the EU's Sixth Framework Programme (FP6).

        Further information
        2010-06-16 - Non-conventional yeasts promise big taste with fewer calories

        A new culture of opportunities is being created for beer, cheese, yoghurt and wine. Reliable flavour notes and the health-promoting benefits of probiotics go hand in hand with yeast cultures being developed by a new consortium, Cornucopia, coordinated by Professor Jure Piskur of Lund University in Sweden and financed with EUR 3.4 million from the EU.

        Further information
        2010-06-18 - MONIQA tackles food quality and safety with innovative result

        How safe is the food we eat? While many have been stumped by this question, the EU-funded MONIQA ('Monitoring and quality assurance in the total food supply chain') project has responded with the development of reliable tools and methods to assess the foods we consume. The project, backed with over EUR 12 million under the 'Food quality and safety' Thematic area of the EU's Sixth Framework Programme (FP6), offers a database of food quality and safety issues, as well as analytical tools for food production and the supply chain.

        Further information

      • Nanosciences

        2010-06-02 - Chameleon particle caught in the act

        Physicists working at the Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare (INFN) in Italy have solved a long-standing puzzle in particle physics. After three years of experiments using an intense muon neutrino beam, they have caught an elementary particle changing from one form to another. Their discovery helps explain the apparent disappearance of neutrinos on their journey to and through the Earth.

        Further information
        2010-06-10 - Finally! Scientists peek inside molecules

        Physicists in Europe have successfully glimpsed the motion of electrons in molecules. The results are a major boon for the research world. Knowing how electrons move within molecules will facilitate observations and fuel our understanding of chemical reactions. Presented in the journal Nature, the study is supported via three EU-funded projects, which received a total of EUR 14.4 million in financial support from the EU. The XTRA ('Ultrashort XUV (extreme ultra-violet) pulses for time-resolved and non-linear applications') and MAXLAS ('Emerging X-ray science and technology: combining laser and accelerator physics') projects are backed with EUR 3 million and EUR 1.4 million respectively under the Marie Curie mobility scheme of the Sixth Framework Programme (FP6). The LASERLAB-EUROPE ('The integrated initiative of European laser research infrastructures II) is funded under the 'Research infrastructures' budget line of the Seventh Framework Programme (FP7) to the tune of EUR 10 million.

        Further information

      • Space

        2010-06-03 - Laser melting key to better aircraft engine parts

        Manufacturing components for aircraft engines is not an easy task. The components must be lightweight yet strong enough to tolerate extreme conditions. They need to endure 1,000 rotations every second and withstand heat of up to 2,000°C, and above all, they need to meet stringent safety standards. EU-funded researchers have not only developed a way to produce parts that tick all of these boxes but they have discovered a way to produce them quickly and at a reasonable price. The FANTASIA ('Flexible and near-net-shape generative manufacturing chains and repair techniques for complex shaped aero engine parts') project was funded EUR 3.78 million under the 'Aeronautics and space' Thematic area of the Sixth Framework Programme (FP6).

        Further information
        2010-06-14 - Newfound planet emerges from stardust

        Giant gas planets can form much faster than previously believed, according to new research by an international team of astronomers published in the journal Science. The discovery is based on observations of a planet orbiting a star called Beta Pictoris that lies some 60 light years from Earth in the direction of the constellation Pictor (the painter). The observations were made using instruments mounted on the Very Large Telescope (VLT), which is located in Chile and run by the European Southern Observatory (ESO).

        Further information

      • Energy

        2010-06-11 - EU wind power gathers speed

        Widespread integration and use of wind power in Europe is set to become a reality. A major player pushing for a greener future is the EU-funded TWENTIES ('Transmission system operation with large penetration of wind and other renewable electricity sources in networks by means of innovative tools and integrated energy solutions') project, which will help pick up the pace of new wind power technologies across Europe. With a budget totalling EUR 56.8 million (over half of which was provided by the Energy Theme of the EU's Seventh Framework Programme), the project is one of Europe's largest industrial energy initiatives ever undertaken. The 26-partner consortium plans to remove the existing barriers and help us embrace the new era of electricity. Some of the world's leading transmission system operators (TSOs), generator companies, manufacturers and research organisations in the electricity sector have committed time and resources as partners of the TWENTIES project.

        Further information
        2010-06-15 - Heating pump technology advances geothermal energy use

        A team of businesses and researchers in Serbia and Slovenia, with support from the Eureka Network, has developed a heat pump technology which makes use of ground source heat as a climate-friendly, cost-effective alternative to fossil fuels. The forces of nature that exist underground are no secret, given what we have seen from the recent volcanic eruptions. The exploitation of this geothermal energy source had been underdeveloped until recently. Now, thanks to Nafta Geoterm and the University of Maribor, both based in Slovenia, Serbian business partner Klima and its parent company Mayekawa in Belgium, an alternative means of heating ground water has been developed so that this largely neglected heat source may be used for space heating to remarkable effect.

        Further information

      • Socio-economic sciences and Humanities

        2010-06-01 - Putting youth back into science

        We all know that young people love gadgets and technology, so why is it that fewer young men and women are choosing science subjects and pursuing scientific careers? The aim of the YOSCIWEB ('Young people and the images of science on websites') project was to understand what makes science appealing to young people and what internet tools can be used to make science more attractive. The project was funded EUR 489,122 under the Science in Society (SIS) Programme of the EU's Seventh Framework Programme (FP7).

        Further information
        2010-06-04 - How innovation improves the lives of hearing-impaired Spaniards

        Researchers in Spain are about to give more than 100,000 people with hearing impairments a new lease on life. The development of a novel visual interpretation system will enable deaf people to hold discussions in the language they normally use. Hundreds of signs make up the Spanish sign language, and the CVC-UAB (Centre de Visió per Computador - Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona) researchers chose more than 20 of them to develop their innovation tool.

        Further information
        2010-06-21 - Bilingual people retrieve native language when reading

        Bilingual people continue to retrieve sounds from their native language even if they believe they only think in one language at a time, according to researchers at Bangor University in the UK. The scientists found that adults fluent in English but whose first language is Chinese unconsciously rely on their native language when reading in English. Support for the research, which cost just under EUR 1 million, came from the European Research Council (ERC) and the UK Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC).

        Further information

      • Security

        2010-06-10 - Criminal clues at your fingertips

        A fingermark left at a crime scene may now provide investigators with details about a suspect's medications, their diet and even their lifestyle. Thanks to a new technique developed by scientists from Sheffield Hallam University in the UK, the ability to catch a criminal just got a whole lot easier. The technology behind the innovation is MALDI-MSI (matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionisation mass spectrometry imaging). Normally used to chart molecules within tissue, the technology was used for the first time ever by researchers from the university's Biomedical Research Centre (BMRC) in order to analyse and produce images of fingermarks.

        Further information

    • Seventh Framework Programme for Research and Development 2007- 2013 (FP7)

      • News

        Become an expert evaluator for FP7

        The website to register as an expert for research activities is available on CORDIS. The call for experts is open both for individuals and for organisations.

        Further information
        2010-06-22 - Science overtakes sport in Europe!

        Close to 80% of Europeans are interested in science and technological developments, according to a new Eurobarometer survey. For comparison, just 65% claim to be interested in sports news. 'Perhaps a World Cup of science would get even more people round the TV than the football one does!' quipped the European Commissioner for Research, Innovation and Science, Máire Geoghegan-Quinn, presenting the results of the survey.

        Further information
        2010-06-25 - ERC celebrates 1,000 frontier research ideas

        The European Research Council (ERC) has celebrated its biggest landmark since its 2007 launch: 1,000 researchers have successfully clinched key financial support to conduct innovative 'blue sky' research. The ERC marked the symbolic awarding of the 1,000th grant, to Professor Erika von Mutius of the Ludwig-Maximilians- Universität München in Germany, at a special event in Munich, Germany on 24 June. Officials and leading researchers attending the ceremony included EU Commissioner for Research, Innovation and Science Máire Geoghegan-Quinn and ERC President Professor Helga Nowotny.

        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)

        2-3 February 2012, Besancon - dMEMS 2012
        20 March 2012, Zurich - MEMS Executive Congress Europe
        20-21 March 2012, Berlin - Microsys Berlin - micro-optics and micro-optical systems convention
        21-22 March 2012, Zurich - SSI 2012: International Conference & Exhibition on Integration Issues of Miniaturized Systems
        10-13 April 2012, Brussels - Graphene Conference 2012
        8-10 May 2012, Nuremberg - SMT Hybrid Packaging - System Integration in Micro Electronics
        30-31 May 2012, Berlin - AMAA 2012
        10-14 June 2012, Montecatini Terme - 4th International Conference "Smart Materials, Structures and Systems"
        13-15 June 2012, Graz - EURIPIDES Annual Forum 2012
        26-28 September 2012, Paris - EPoSS General Assembly & Annual Forum 2012

        Further information
        European Technology Platform Food for Life (Food)

        No events planned

        Further information
        Forest Based Sector Technology Platform (Forestry)

        7-8 February 2012, Helsinki - 4th WoodWisdom-Net Research Programme Seminar
        22 February 2012, Basque Country - ROK-FOR Conference: Innovative and Sustainable Wood Arquitecture and Construction
        28 February 2012, Brussels - PROsumer.NET workshop on innovation
        21 March 2012, Copenhagen - International Conference on Research Infrastructures - ICRI2012
        26-29 March 2011, London - Planet Under Pressure 2012 conference
        15 May 2012, place tbc - FTP joint Partnering Event together with COST
        21-24 May 2012, Tours - Tackling climate change: the contribution of forest scientific knowledge
        18 June 2012, Milan - 20th European Biomass Conference and Exhibition
        8-13 July 2012, Lisbon - 2012 IUFRO Conference
        23 October 2012, Helsinki - 4th Nordic Wood Biorefinery Conference

        Further information
        Embedded Computing Systems (ARTEMIS)

        1-2 February 2012, Madrid - ITEA 2 PO Preparations Days 2012
        1-3 February 2012, Toulouse - ERTS2 2012
        1-4 February 2012, Vilamoura - HEALTINF 2012
        22-23 February 2012, Stockholm - CELTIC-PLUS EVENT 2012
        28 February-1 March 2012, Nuremberg - ARTEMIS Spring Event 2012
        6-10 March 2012, Hannover - CEBIT 2012

        Further information
        Nanoelectronics Technologies 2020 (ENIAC)

        7-8 February 2012, Frankfurt - Common Brokerage Event
        26-28 February 2012, Munich - ISS Europe 2012 - 25th Anniversary
        12-16 March 2012, Dresden - DATE Conference
        9-11 October 2012, Dresden - SEMICON Europa
        20-21 November 2012, Munich - European Nanoelectronics Forum 2012

        Further information
        European Rail Research Advisory Council (ERRAC)

        17-19 April 2012, Dubai - GulfRail 2012
        23-26 April 2012, Athens - TRA (Transport Arena)
        24-26 April 2012, Stockholm - 10th UIC ERTMS World Conference "ERTMS - Global Dimensions"
        10-13 July 2012, Philadelphia - UIC HIGHSPEED 2012, 8th World Congress on High-Speed Rail
        18-21 September 2012, Berlin - INNOTRANS

        Further information
        European Road Transport Research Advisory Council (ERTRAC)

        14 February 2012, Brussels - Electrification Roadmap workshop
        15 February 2012, Brussels - Steering Group meeting
        15 March 2012, Brussels - ERTRAC Plenary

        Further information
        European Space Technology Platform (ESTP)

        No events planned

        Further information
        European Steel Technology Platform (ESTEP)

        No events planned

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

        No events planned

        Further information
        Future Manufacturing Technologies (MANUFUTURE)

        No events planned

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

        29-30 March 2012, Brussels - 7TH ANNUAL PUBLIC CONFERENCE: "FROM FP7 TO HORIZON 2020"

        Further information
        Fuel Cells and Hydrogen (FCH)

        9 February 2012, Brussels - FCH public information session and Brokerage event
        24 April 2012, Paris - Workshop of the International Energy Agency on On-site H2 supply

        Further information
        Industrial Safety ETP (IndustrialSafety)

        No events planned

        Further information
        Innovative Medicines Initiative (IMI)

        27 February 2012, Brussels - Open Info Day: 5th Call for proposals

        Further information
        Integral Satcom Initiative (ISI)

        22-23 March 2012, Bradford - PSATS 2012
        10 April 2012, Brussels - 15th ISI General Assembly
        11 April 2012, Brussels - 5th SatCom Event
        18-20 April 2012, Poznana - European Wireless Conference

        Further information
        Mobile and Wireless Communications (eMobility)

        10-11 May 2012, Aalborg - Future Internet Assembly (FIA)
        4-6 July 2012, Berlin - Future Network & Mobile Summit 2012

        Further information
        Nanotechnologies for Medical Applications (NanoMedicine)

        27 February-2 March 2012, Dublin - NanoImpactNet – QNano conference
        29 February-9 March 2012, Saarbrücken - Biological Barriers 2012
        3 April 2012, Brighton - Tissue Regeneration Strategies and Innovative Biomaterials in Orthopaedic Surgery
        16 April 2012, Brussels - Innovation in Healthcare without borders
        19-20 April 2012, Berlin - Spring Conference “Nanomedicine: Visions, Risks, Potential”
        7 May 2012, Basel - European Summit for Clinical Nanomedicine 2012
        18 June 2012, Varese - Nanobio-Europe 2012
        30 June 2012, Thessaloniki - ISSON12 Summer School on Nanosciences & Nanotechnologies:Organic Electronics & Nanomedicine
        3 July 2012, Thessaloniki - NN12 - 9th International Conference on Nanosciences & Nanotechnologies
        15 July 2012, Amsterdam - Colloids and Nanomedicine 2012
        13-15 November 2012, Grenoble - Nanosafe 2012

        Further information
        Networked and Electronic Media (NEM)

        22-23 February 2012, Stockholm - Celtic-Plus-Towards a Smart Connected World
        20 March 2012, Brussels - 13th NEM General Assembly
        10-11 May 2012, Aalborg - Future Internet Assembly
        4-6 July 2012, Berlin - Future Network and MobileSummit 2012

        Further information
        Networked European Software and Services Initiative (NESSI)

        No events planned

        Further information
        Photonics21 (Photonics)

        4-9 February 2012, San Diego - SPIE Medical Imaging 2012
        14-16 February 2012, Munich - FTTH Council Europe 2012
        16 February 2012, London - The Smart Building of the Future
        4-8 March 2012, Los Angeles - OFC/NFOEC 2012
        5 March 2012, Brussels - Intensive Training on Entrepreneurship in Photonics
        27-28 March 2012, Brussels - Photonics21 Annual Meeting 2012
        31 March-3 April 2012, Tunis - 1st EOS Topical Meeting on Photonics for Sustainable Development – Focus on the Mediterranean (PSDM 2012)
        2-4 April 2012, Eindhoven - Photonics PhD Event 2012
        16-20 April 2012, Brussels - SPIE Photonics Europe 2012
        17-20 April 2012, Moscow - Photonics. World of Lasers and Optics 2012
        23-27 April 2012, Baltimore - SPIE Defense, Security and Sensing 2012
        15-17 May 2012, Florence - Fotonica 2012
        5-7 June 2012, Lyon - LumiBat - The international indoor lighting trade fair
        19-21 June 2012, Jena - ICOB 2012
        2-4 July 2012, Amsterdam - SPIE Astronomical Telescopes and Instrumentation 2012
        2-6 July 2012, Thessaloniki - 2nd International Exhibition on Nanotechnologies & Organic Electronics
        4-6 July 2012, Berlin - Future Networks and Mobile Summit
        12-16 August 2012, San Diego - SPIE Optics + Photonics 2012
        17-22 September 2012, St Petersburg - Sixth International Congress on Advanced Electromagnetic Materials in Microwaves and Optics – Metamaterials 2012
        24-27 September 2012, Edinburgh - SPIE Security and Defence + Remote Sensing
        21-22 November 2012, Paris - ForumLED Europe 2012

        Further information
        Photovoltaics (PV Platform)

        No events planned

        Further information
        Plants for the Future (Plants)

        No events planned.

        Further information
        Robotics (EUROP)

        22-23 February 2012, Vienna - CogSys 2012
        5-7 March 2012, Odense - European Robotics Forum 2012
        5-8 March 2012, Boston - HRI 2012
        8-9 March 2012, Megève - The third Augmented Human International Conference (AH 2012)
        19-21 March 2012, Island of Kos - IEEE-ICIT'12 International Conference on Industrial Technology
        11 April 2012, Guimarães - Robotica 2012
        14-18 May 2012, St Paul - ICRA 2012
        22-25 May 2012, Munich - Automatica 2012 - International Trade Fair for Automation and Mechatronics
        4-8 June 2012, Valencia - AAMAS 2012
        18-24 June 2012, Mexico City - RoboCup 2012
        24-28 June 2012, Puerto Vallarta - International Symposium on Robotics and Applications (ISORA 2012)
        24-28 September 2012, Thun - ELROB 2012

        Further information
        European Technology Platform for Sustainable Chemistry (SusChem)

        17-18 April 2012, Brussels - SusChem's 10th Annual Stakeholder Event

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

        11–12 January 2012, Paris - NUGENIA Executive Committee n. 1
        30–31 January 2012, Karlsruhe - Executive Committee n. 13
        20 March 2012, Brussels - NUGENIA General Assembly n. 1
        21 March 2012, Brussels - Governing Board n. 9

        Further information
        Water Supply and Sanitation Platform (WSSTP)

        15-16 May 2012, Brussels - “Water Innovation Europe” event

        Further information
        Waterborne ETP (Waterborne)

        22 February 2012, Brussels - SG 42 + Mirror Group
        11 April 2012, Athens - TRA 2012

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

        7 February 2012, London - Carbon Capture and Storage: demonstration programmes and the 2050 roadmap
        14-16 February 2012, Warsaw - COAL: Here to Stay. The Reality of Europe’s Energy Mix
        15 February 2012, Edinburgh - Carbon Capture and Storage Club
        27-28 February 2012, London - Platts 6th Annual European Carbon Capture and Storage Conference
        12-18 March 2012, Leszcze - CGS Europe Spring School on CO2 geological storage
        22-23 March 2012, Shanghai - Asia Green Fossil Power Plant Summit 2012
        26-27 March 2012, Edinburgh - Third EAGE CO2 Geological Storage Workshop: Understanding the Behaviour of CO2 in Geological Storage
        29-30 March 2012, Beijing - 8th Annual Clean Coal Forum 2012
        17 April 2012, Abu Dhabi - Higher Technology Conference
        17-19 April 2012, Venice - 7th CO2GeoNet Open Forum and CGS Europe Workshop
        26-27 April 2012, Brussels - European Business Summit
        15 May 2012, Brussels - 3rd Annual Brussels Carbon Capture and Storage Summit
        15-17 May 2012, Bali - Clean Power Asia 2012
        4-5 June 2012, Malta - Eurelectric Annual Conference
        12-18 August 2012, Beijing - 6th IEAGHG International CCS Summer School
        2 October 2012, Brussels - ZEP General Assembly
        9-10 October 2012, Copenhagen - Global Green Growth Forum
        18-22 October 2012, Pittsburgh - One Young World Summit 2012
        22-26 October 2012, Perth - CSLF Annual Meeting

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

        13 February 2012, Brussels - Meeting of the HWG on Shared SRA
        13 February 2012, Brussels - Steering Committee meeting of the Cross-cutting Technology Panel
        14 February 2012, Brussels - Board Meeting of the RHC-Platform.
        15 February 2012, Brussels - Meeting of the Biomass Technology Panel  Steering Committee
        1 March 2012, Offenburg - Meeting of the Geothermal Technology Panel
        26-27 April 2012, Copenhagen - 3rd Annual conference of the RHC-Platform

        Further information

      • Joint Technology Initiatives

        Innovative Medicines Initiative (IMI)

        27 February 2012, Brussels - Open Info Day: 5th Call for proposals

        Further information
        Embedded Computing Systems (ARTEMISA)

        1-2 February 2012, Madrid - ITEA 2 PO Preparations Days 2012
        1-3 February 2012, Toulouse - ERTS2 2012
        1-4 February 2012, Vilamoura - HEALTINF 2012
        22-23 February 2012, Stockholm - CELTIC-PLUS EVENT 2012
        6-10 March 2012, Hannover - CEBIT 2012

        Further information
        Nanoelectronics Technologies 2020 (ENIAC)

        7-8 February 2012, Frankfurt - Common Brokerage Event
        26-28 February 2012, Munich - ISS Europe 2012 - 25th Anniversary
        12-16 March 2012, Dresden - DATE Conference
        9-11 October 2012, Dresden - SEMICON Europa
        20-21 November 2012, Munich - European Nanoelectronics Forum 2012

        Further information
        Aeronautics and Air Transport (Clean Sky)

        29 February 2012, Madrid - Clean Sky Info Day - presentation of 2012 work programme
        13 March 2012, Amsterdam - Clean Sky Symposium
        11-16 September 2012, Berlin - ILA Berlin

        Further information
        Fuel Cells and Hydrogen (FCH)

        9 February 2012, Brussels - FCH public information session and Brokerage event
        24 April 2012, Paris - Workshop of the International Energy Agency on On-site H2 supply

        Further information

  • Innovation policy

    2010-06-10 - Boosting competitiveness and innovation, € 324 million for space and security research

    The European Commission has initiated negotiations to sign research contracts worth EUR 324 million with 108 successful space and security research consortia. They represent strategic domains for the EU’s competitiveness and contribute to the implementation of a range of policy objectives, including the fights against terrorism and climate change, and the furthering of sustainable development, industrial renewal, economic recovery, leading to the implementation of the 2020 strategy. As a global actor and major space power, the EU relies on space and security research for strong border protection and enhanced environmental monitoring. Therefore funds also support the continued development of Europe's Global Monitoring system for Environment and Security (GMES).

    Further information

  • Education policy

    2010-06-04 - Scientix: The new web-based community for Science Education

    The European Commission has launched Scientix, a new web-portal targeted towards teachers, researchers, policy makers, local actors, parents and anyone interested in science education. Scientix will give access to teaching materials, research results and policy documents from European science education projects financed by the European Union and by various national initiatives. The new platform will facilitate regular dissemination and sharing of news, know-how, and best practices in science education across the European Union.

    Further information

    2010-06-07 - Traditional stereotypes remain the biggest challenge for gender equality in education

    The European Commission today presented a new study which examines how gender inequality in education is addressed in European countries. It shows that gender differences persist in both choice of study and outcomes.

    Further information

  • Regional policy

    2010-06-25 - EU adopts new measures to simplify management of funds to help regions tackle the crisis

    The EU has on 24 June 2010 adopted new measures aimed at simplifying management rules for the structural and cohesion funds. The changes should help to facilitate access to the funds and accelerate flows of investment at a time when public budgets are under pressure. As part of the measures to counter the economic crisis, additional advance payments totalling €775 million will be paid out to some member countries to tackle immediate cash flow problems.

    Further information

  • Information society

    2010-06-03 - Digital Agenda: European high-level panel consults on ICT solutions to help elderly to live more independently

    A consultation inviting citizens, businesses and researchers to share ideas on how best to use information and communications technologies (ICTs) to help older Europeans live more independently, and more generally to establish new ways to put ICTs at the service of the most vulnerable members of society, has been launched by a high-level panel established to advise the European Commission on the functioning of the Ambient Assisted Living joint programme (AAL JP). The panel is chaired by former European Commissioner Meglena Kuneva. The public consultation is the first step towards meeting the target of doubling the take-up of independent living arrangements for the elderly by 2015 set by the Digital Agenda (see IP/10/581). The consultation runs until 1 July 2010.

    Further information

    2010-06-09 - Digital Agenda: Commission welcomes launch of supercomputing infrastructure for European researchers

    The European Commission today welcomed the launch of a €500 million initiative which boosts European supercomputer capacities and opens them up to scientists across Europe. The Partnership for Advanced Computing in Europe (PRACE) unites the European Commission and 20 countries across Europe in a unique initiative which will enable researchers to use super fast computers located in other countries to make up to 1000 trillion calculations per second for their research projects. This could be used for example to speed up the development of more efficient solar cells or help us understand how drugs interact with the human body. Europe's fastest computer, JUGENE in Germany, will be the first machine available to European scientists under the PRACE initiative. By 2015 more supercomputers in Germany, France, Italy and Spain will be available across the EU. The initiative remains open to other countries that can host such supercomputers. The Commission is contributing more than €70 million to PRACE, which strengthens European research and competitiveness, in line with the objectives of the Digital Agenda for Europe (IP/10/581), a flagship initiative under the Europe 2020 strategy (IP/10/225).

    Further information

  • Enterprises

    2010-06-04 - 45% of Europeans would like to be their own boss if …

    45% of all Europeans would like to be their own boss if they could. Compared to the US where 55% of the population would like to be self-employed this figure is however still low. Yet while the preference for self-employment has significantly decreased in the US (by 6 points since 2007) it remained stable for Europe. One of the reasons for the higher US figures could be that 73% of all US citizens but only 49% of the people in the EU declare that they have a good opinion of entrepreneurs. The aim of the survey is to have a better understanding of entrepreneurship, to identify the reasons which encourage people to become entrepreneurs and to find out which obstacles exist. The results of the 2009 survey will help the Commission in the shaping of its policy-making. For the first time the survey includes countries from Asia (China, Japan, South Korea).

    Further information

    2010-06-11 - Small Businesses: Better policy support for EU’s job engine

    With the onset of the economic crisis in 2008, a very positive development of small and medium enterprises (SME) has come to a halt. Between 2002 and 2008, SMEs in the EU turned out to be the most important European Economy job engine. With 9.4 million jobs created between 2002 and 2008 SMEs outperformed large firms. This is in sharp contrast to an estimated loss of 3.25 million jobs in the SME sector over 2009 and 2010 further to the annual SME report published today. For each EU Member State and 10 more countries, selected key facts describing the national SME sector are provided, such as number of SMEs and employment creation. They also underline that Member States have undertaken many relevant policy actions, but much more needs to be done to ensure that the guidelines set by the Small Business Act (SBA) are fully implemented.

    Further information
• 

  Other EU Policies and funding programmes supporting the Lisbon Strategy

  • Environment

    2010-06-01 - Environment: Commission and Agency unveil two new tools to combat biodiversity loss

    The opening session of the Green Week conference in Brussels today saw the unveiling of two new weapons to step up the fight against biodiversity loss. BISE, the Biodiversity Information System for Europe, is a new web portal centralising information about European biodiversity in a single location. The European Environment Agency and the European Commission have also developed a "biodiversity baseline" to be used by policymakers, offering a comprehensive snapshot of the current state of biodiversity. The baseline will be used to monitor progress in the renewed efforts to halting biodiversity loss, and will allow trends beyond 2010 to be clearly established and measured.

    Further information

    2010-06-02 - Environment: Calls for taxation regimes to reflect impacts on the environment

    Today the European Commission, together with the UN Environmental Programme, launched a major new report highlighting the need for a radical change in the way major economies are using scarce resources. The report provides science-based priorities for world environmental efforts, ranking products, materials and economic and lifestyle activities according to their environmental and resource impacts. Major findings include the news that over half of all world food crops are now fed to animals, and that a doubling of wealth leads typically to an increase of environmental pressure by 60 to 80 per cent. The 149-page report, put together by the International Panel for Sustainable Resource Management, indicates that legislators and policymakers looking to make the most impact on the Earth’s well-being should use taxes and other incentives to encourage more eco-friendly agricultural practices and reduce the use of fossil fuels.

    Further information

    2010-06-02 - Climate change: Commissioner Hedegaard welcomes fall in EU greenhouse gas emissions for fifth year running

    The European Environment Agency today publishes the latest EU inventory of greenhouse gas emissions showing that emissions fell again significantly in 2008, the first year of the Kyoto Protocol's first commitment period. European Climate Action Commissioner Connie Hedegaard welcomed the news. The fall marks the fifth consecutive annual decrease. The emissions inventory for 2008, the latest year for which complete data is available, shows that EU-15 emissions dropped by 1.9% from 2007 while the economy grew by 0.6 %. The reduction takes EU-15 emissions to 6.9% below their levels in the base year (1990 in most cases). This brings the EU-15 closer to reaching its Kyoto Protocol target of reducing emissions in the 2008-2012 commitment period to an average of 8% below the base year level. EU-27 emissions fell 2% over the year to 11.3% below the 1990 level.

    Further information

    2010-06-03 - EU on track for greenhouse gas targets, EEA says

    Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions continue to decrease in the EU, according to the annual European Union greenhouse gas inventory 1990-2008 and inventory report 2010 published by the European Environment Agency (EEA). Analysing emission levels in 2008, the report finds that the EU-27 reduced their emissions by 11.3% compared with 1990, the Kyoto Protocol base year. The EU-15 posted a 6.5% cut in their GHG discharges in the same period. These reductions represent an emissions cut of 627 million tonnes carbon dioxide (CO2) equivalents for the EU-27 and 274 million tonnes for the EU-15.

    Further information

    2010-06-10 - EU bathing water quality remains high

    Clean bathing waters are vital for key economic sectors such as tourism and for plant and animal life. The annual bathing water report presented by the European Commission and the European Environment Agency shows that 96 % of coastal bathing areas and 90 % of bathing sites in rivers and lakes complied with minimum standards in 2009. It also describes where to obtain detailed and up-to-date information on bathing sites.

    Further information

    2010-06-14 - European Investment Bank and European Commission to explore EU climate finance initiative

    European Climate Action Commissioner Connie Hedegaard and European Investment Bank (EIB) President Philippe Maystadt agreed on Monday to explore a joint climate finance initiative for developing countries as part of the European Union commitment made at the UN climate conference in Copenhagen last December. During talks at EIB headquarters in Luxembourg, they also welcomed a political agreement reached in mobilising finance for carbon capture and storage (CCS) and innovative renewable energy technologies in the EU through the NER (New Entrants Reserve) 300 initiative.

    Further information

    2010-06-24 - Environment - Sustainable Consumption and Production: European retailers deliver green code of conduct

    European business leaders today delivered a voluntary environmental code of conduct for the retail sector. Retailers signing up to the code commit to a set of principles and measures aimed at reducing their environmental footprint. The Retail Environmental Sustainability Code was presented to EU Environment Commissioner Janez Potočnik at an event to mark the first anniversary of the Retail Forum. The Forum was set up last year by the European Commission and the European retail sector as part of their drive to promote more environmentally sustainable consumption patterns.

    Further information

    2010-06-28 - Commission proposal on marketing of wild types of grass seeds boosts efforts to protect the EU's biodiversity

    Efforts to conserve the natural environment and protect biodiversity in the EU received a boost, last Friday, after the Member States endorsed a Commission proposal providing for the placing on the market of certain types of wild plant seeds from conserved habitats. In particular, the proposal –adopted by the Standing Committee on Seeds and Propagating material for Agriculture, Horticulture and Forestry– relaxes stringent rules to allow the marketing of wild types of plant seeds, known as "preservation seed mixtures."

    Further information

  • Transport

    2010-06-08 - Affordable hybrid cars, bus systems that get people out of cars, "intelligent" cargo and much more: Brussels showcase for smarter and greener transport innovation

    Some of the most innovative and exciting transport research projects funded by the EU are being showcased at the Transport Research Arena (TRA) in Brussels this week. The event is open to journalists and a press tour is being arranged – for details, see below. This is part of the Commission's initiative to communicate more proactively on the practical benefits EU research is bringing to the EU's Europe 2020 Strategy, in terms of improved quality of life and as a key driver of economic growth and high quality jobs.

    Further information

    2010-06-08 - Creation of a secretariat for the Northern Dimension Partnership for Transport and Logistics

    The eleven countries belonging to the Northern Dimension Partnership for Transport and Logistics (NDPTL) have today endorsed setting up a secretariat for the partnership in the framework of the TEN-T Days conference in Zaragoza, Spain. Formal agreement for setting up a secretariat for the Northern Dimension Partnership for Transport and Logistics (NDPTL) has been signed by seven partners while the remaining four partners have adopted a declaration of intent while their internal proceedings are pending, which will allow them to join the signing parties in the coming months.

    Further information

    2010-06-15 - Car type-approvals and electrical vehicle safety

    The European Commission proposed today to ensure that electric cars placed on the European market are safe and that consumers are protected against direct contacts with parts of the car under voltage. These measures will speed up the introduction of safe electric cars on European roads which have strong potential for reducing CO2 emissions. The Commission also proposed today to drastically reduce European legislation on car type approval by ending the duality between EC Directives and UNECE Regulations.

    Further information

    2010-06-15 - Commission examines the use of security scanners at EU airports

    The European Commission has issued today a communication assessing the use of security scanners at EU airports, at the request of the European Parliament and Member States. In the wake of the terrorist attempt to use explosives on the Amsterdam–Detroit flight on 25 December 2009, security scanners are being increasingly used and are continuing to be trialled in several EU Member States including the UK, the Netherlands, France and Italy. Security scanners as such currently fall outside the scope of the EU regulations on aviation security — there is a patchwork of regulation in different Member States. The report published today highlights that this screening method offers a real possibility to reinforce passenger security. The Commission is in favour of an EU approach to ensure that, where Member States decide to use security scanners, their deployment and operation is based on common standards, requiring basic detection performance as well as ensuring a harmonised level of compliance with European fundamental rights and health provisions. It will seek the views of the European Parliament and of the Council in the light of the factual information gathered in the report.

    Further information

    2010-06-18 - Commission and US agree to cooperate on civil aviation research and development

    The European Commission and the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) have officially concluded negotiations for the establishment of a Memorandum of cooperation in civil aviation research and development.  The two delegations, led by Hank Krakowski, FAA Chief Operating Officer, and Daniel Calleja, European Commission's Director of Air Transport, met in Madrid today, hosted by the EU Spanish Presidency, [in the presence of Spain's Transport Minister Jose Blanco]. The negotiating parties initialled the Memorandum and a first technical Annex promoting interoperability between their respective air traffic management (ATM) modernisation programmes: SESAR and NextGen.

    Further information

    2010-06-22 - Commission supports international campaign to reduce fatal accidents at level crossings

    The European Commission is backing the first ever international campaign dedicated to reducing the number of fatalities at level crossings, which is being launched today. Each year hundreds of people across Europe die in accidents at level crossings, which account for one third of all rail fatalities and 2% of all road deaths. Today road and rail stakeholders will hold simultaneous events in more than 45 countries on five continents to mark the first International Level Crossing Awareness Day (ILCAD), which uses education to reduce level crossing accidents.

    Further information

    2010-06-29 - Towards a European common charger for electric vehicles

    The European Standardisation Organisations bodies (CEN-CENELEC and ETSI) will develop a common charging system for electric cars, scooters and bicycles. European Commission Vice-President Antonio Tajani has handed today a European Commission mandate for the development of the relevant standard to the President of CEN-CENELEC David Dossett, CEN-CENELEC´s Director General Elena Santiago Cid and ETSI General Assembly Chair John Philips. The new standard ensures that all types of electric vehicles and their batteries are charged both safely and easily in all EU Member States. Thanks to this mandate plugs and connectors will use the same standard all across Europe, providing a true European solution independently of brands or countries. The Commission expects that the standard will be ready by mid-2011.

    Further information

  • Space

    2010-06-14 - Space applications: a market for the taking

    The European Commission's Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) Applications Action Plan adopted today aims to place European industry in pole position to take full advantage of the global downstream market worth about €100 billion in particular by using its own satellite navigation programmes, Galileo and EGNOS (European Geostationary Navigation Overlay System). EGNOS, the European satellite-based augmentation system that paves the way for GALILEO, has been in service since 1 October 2009. It can offer enhanced satellite navigation signals which are up to ten times more precise than GPS. Significant commercial and research opportunities are available to universities, developers and manufacturers in Europe to research, innovate, develop or sell applications based on this sophisticated technology.

    Further information

  • Agriculture and fisheries

    2010-06-08 - Mediterranean Fisheries: sustainable fishing practices cannot be postponed

    Over 54% of the Mediterranean fish stocks which have been analysed by scientists are found to be overfished. To remedy this situation, the EU adopted, back in 2006, the 'Mediterranean Regulation' which aims to improve fisheries management in order to achieve sustainable fisheries, protect the fragile marine environment and restore fish stocks to healthy levels. It applies to EU member states around the Mediterranean. To allow Member States time to get prepared for the implementation of this Regulation, a long transition period of 3 years was agreed for a number of its provisions. As of 1 June, the Regulation is fully in force and must be implemented by the Member States concerned. However, Member States so far have largely failed to take all necessary measures to ensure full implementation and the Commission deeply regrets this. The Commission calls on Member States, to urgently take action, through the application of measures based on science and aiming a high degree of sustainability.

    Further information

    2010-06-10 - Europe launches major joint research effort to ensure food security in the face of climate change and rising demand

    Twelve top scientists will meet in Paris today to prepare a European-level work programme to coordinate nationally funded research aimed at securing a safe and sustainable food supply. This is the first meeting of the Scientific Advisory Board for the EU Joint Programming Initiative (JPI) on Agriculture, Food Security and Climate Change. This initiative involves twenty European countries overall and is jointly led by France, through its National Institute for Agricultural Research (INRA) and the UK, through the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC). It will bring together researchers, improve the effectiveness of national funding totalling over a billion euro annually, share existing research results and coordinate future work to avoid duplication and maximise value for money. The European Commission helped to shape and prepare the JPI that is being launched today and on 28 April put it on a formal footing by adopting a Recommendation. The Commission will also contribute about € 2 million.

    Further information

    2010-06-11 - EU quest for food security begins with research

    The Scientific Advisory Board for the new EU Joint Programming Initiative (JPI) on Agriculture, Food Security and Climate Change held its maiden meeting in Paris, France on 10 June where it launched a joint research effort targeting a safe and sustainable food supply in Europe. The European Commission, which was instrumental in driving forward the JPI, has pledged some EUR 2 million to help bring this goal to fruition.

    Further information

    2010-06-14 - EU action plan for seabirds: the Commission calls for stakeholder input to enrich the debate

    Seabirds often lead fishermen to productive fishing grounds; in return, they can often take advantage of the fishermen's operations to get an easy meal. A happy arrangement for all concerned, you might think. Not so, however – for the birds can become caught in fishing gear and will frequently die as a result. In an attempt to deal with this problem, the European Commission is proposing a European Union action plan to limit these incidental catches of seabirds by reducing as much as possible the interaction between seabirds and fishing gear. This initiative should benefit fishermen and seabirds alike, as it should curb – or indeed eliminate – the environmental impacts of fishing and at the same time lessen the seabirds' impact on the productivity and profitability of fishing operations.

    Further information

    2010-06-15 - High Level Group makes 7 recommendations for EU dairy sector

    The High Level Group on Milk, set up last October in the wake of last year's dairy crisis, has finalised the report on its deliberations, including recommendations to the Commission on seven issues. These include an invitation to come forward with concrete moves to enhance the use of written contracts in the dairy supply chain and to consider proposals to increase the collective bargaining power of dairy producers.

    Further information

  • Energy

    2010-06-02 - UNEP report calls for major energy and agriculture reforms

    The energy and agricultural sectors need to be dramatically reformed if the world is to become truly sustainable, cautions the UNEP (the United Nations Environment Programme) in a new study report, put together by the International Panel for Sustainable Resource Management, and launched in Brussels, Belgium on 2 June by European Environment Commissioner Janez Potocnik and UNEP Deputy Executive Director Angela Cropper.

    Further information

    2010-06-10 - Commission sets up system for certifying sustainable biofuels

    The Commission decided to encourage industry, governments and NGOs to set up certification schemes for all types of biofuels, including those imported into the EU. It laid down what the schemes must do to be recognised by the Commission. This will help implement the EU's requirements that biofuels must deliver substantial reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and should not come from forests, wetlands and nature protection areas. The rules for certification schemes are part of a set of guidelines explaining how the Renewable Energy Directive, coming into effect in December 2010, should be implemented.

    Further information

    2010-06-16 - JRC's on-site nuclear safety labs mark 10th anniversary

    On 15 June, the European Commission's Joint Research Centre (JRC) Institute for Transuranium Elements (ITU) and Directorate-General for Energy, together with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), celebrated 10 years of monitoring the safety of reprocessed nuclear fuel in their on-site laboratories in Sellafield, UK and La Hague, France. The event, held at the JRC-ITU in Karlsruhe, Germany, gathered around 120 professionals working in the area of nuclear safeguards to discuss the latest developments in the field.

    Further information

  • External relations – Enlargement

    2010-06-25 - EU may up its stake in COST science programme

    The EU should add EUR 40 million to its contribution to the international Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST) programme, according to a declaration issued following the COST Ministerial Conference on 15 June in Palma de Majorca (Spain). The meeting, which was organised by the Spanish Presidency of the Council of the European Union, was attended by representatives of COST Member States.

    Further information
• 

  Research, Innovation, Training and Competitiveness related EU events

  • List of opened calls for proposals launched by the European Commission

    To consult our updated table of calls, click on our dedicated webpage below

    Further information

Special chapter on training opportunities

Next Sessions in English in Brussels

Prochaines sessions en français à Paris et Bruxelles

Próximas sesiones en español a Madrid