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 «Brussels in Brief - Interface Europe’s Newsletter» - December 2008

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  General EU Information

  • Council of the EU

    2008-12-11 - Czech Republic prepares to take over EU Presidency

    At the end of the year, the French Presidency of the EU will draw to a close and the Czech Republic will take over the reins for the first time since it joined the EU in 2004.

    Further information

    2009-12-24 - 2009 is the European year of creativity and innovation

    Each year, the EU chooses a theme for a campaign to draw attention to a specific issue. 2009 will be devoted to creativity and innovation. During the year, hundreds of conferences, projects and exhibitions will take place across Europe, all intended to raise awareness of the need for imaginative solutions to today’s challenges.

    Further information

  • European Parliament

    2008-12-08 - Brussels Plenary Session

    As an international conference on climate change gets underway in Poznan, Poland, leading MEPs urged the adoption of binding CO2 cuts. Members also pushed for the adoption by European Ministers of a climate and energy package before the end of the year.

    Further information

    2008-12-22 - Strasbourg Plenary session

    In a hectic year-end session, MEPs demanded an end to national opt-outs to the 48-hour working week and backed measures to cut Europe's CO2 emissions by 2020. Also during the final sitting of the year, the parliament awarded the 20th Sakharov Prize for human rights to Chinese dissident Hu Jia in absentia.

    Further information
• 

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

  • Research Policy

    • General points

      2008-12-04 - Commission proposes pan-European metrology research programme

      The European Commission has put forward a proposal for a joint European Metrology Research Programme (EMRP). Metrology, the science of measurement, has applications in fields as diverse as healthcare, energy, environment and security, and in the development of new technologies. It also plays an important role in supporting standardisation, both in Europe and worldwide.

      Further information

      2008-12-09 - Ten major new EU research infrastructures welcomed by European Commission

      Infectious diseases, carbon dioxide management, natural disasters warning, space observation: there are among the top priorities areas where 10 new Pan-European Research Infrastructures will be set up. The European Commission is supporting this commitment as a key step in building the European Research Area and addressing the most important needs of society. This new wave of Research Infrastructures was unveiled today at the European Conference on Research Infrastructures 2008, jointly organised by the European Commission and the European Strategy Forum for Research Infrastructures (ESFRI), in Versailles. The roadmap will include ambitious projects such as high security labs for research on fatal human pathogens, cutting edge installations to test technologies for carbon dioxide capture and storage, state-of-the-art radars to study the Earth’s atmosphere, infrastructures to better understand the physical processes controlling earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and tsunamis and new generation telescopes for high-energy gamma-ray astronomy.

      Further information

      2008-12-10 - New roadmap for research infrastructures unveiled in Versailles

      The environmental and biological sciences dominate the list of 10 research infrastructures that have just been added to the European Roadmap for Research Infrastructures. The second edition of the roadmap, produced by the European Strategy Forum on Research Infrastructures (ESFRI), was presented at the European Research Infrastructures Conference in Versailles, France, on 9 December.

      Further information

    • European Research and Innovation projects

      • ICT

        2008-12-02 - Life on Mars? It may come faster for robots!

        Demographers estimate that 6.72 billion people currently inhabit Earth and the number is expected to grow to 9 billion over the next 35 years or so. With scientists having succeeded in finding water and Earth-like soil on Mars, some wonder whether the Red Planet could be colonised in the future. But the I-SWARM project maintains that the first 'creatures' likely to inhabit Mars will be swarms of tiny robots. Supported by the EU with funding totalling EUR 4.4 million, this Integrated Project created a group of robots that can carry out various tasks and explorations.

        Further information
        2008-12-05 - ICESTARS eyes next generation wireless chips

        People are dependent on wireless communication. This is particularly evident in the number of radios, mobile phones, GPS systems and network hotspots used worldwide. But with every wireless communication channel that emerges, pressure grows for people to develop technology to meet market demands. The EU project ICESTARS ('Integrated circuit/electromagnetic simulation and design technologies for advanced radio systems-on-chip'), supported with EUR 2.8 million in funding, will deliver new methodologies and prototype tools to meet these challenges.

        Further information
        2008-12-11 - ROLLED project makes flexible light sources a reality

        The EU-funded project ROLLED has succeeded in developing a flexible OLED (organic light emitting diode) light source that could make packaging more attractive, among other applications. The use of roll-to-roll printing technology makes it possible to mass produce the flexible OLED element, the project partners said. ROLLED was funded EUR 2.25 million under the 'Information society technologies' Thematic area of the EU's Sixth Framework Programme (FP6).

        Further information

      • Health

        2008-12-01 - Health survey of elderly Europeans shows clear north-south differences

        The EU-funded project SHARE ('Survey of health, ageing and retirement in Europe') has shown, among other things, that women live longer than men, especially in southern European countries, and that men are not sick as often as women, especially in the North. The detailed results of the survey were presented last week in Brussels, and are freely available to the public.

        Further information
        2008-12-02 - New discovery: lethal fungus reproduces sexually

        Researchers in Ireland and the UK have found that a lethal fungus, Aspergillus fumigatus, reproduces sexually. The findings represent a major breakthrough in the understanding of this pathogen, which causes death in 50% of infected immune-deficient patients. The study was funded in part by a Marie Curie grant from the EU and is published in the journal Nature.

        Further information
        2008-12-04 - 3-D structure of mammalian sperm receptor revealed

        Scientists at the Karolinska Institute in Sweden have uncovered the three-dimensional (3-D) structure of a protein directly involved in egg-sperm binding. The findings have important implications for human reproductive medicine and may be used to develop novel non-hormonal contraceptives. The study, funded in part by the EU through a Marie Curie European Reintegration Grant, is published in the journal Nature.

        Further information
        2008-12-08 - Study links body-clock disorders to diabetes

        People who have problems regulating their body clock could be at a greater risk of developing type 2 diabetes, according to new EU-funded research published in the journal Nature Genetics. The scientists found that people with a mutation in a gene involved in the production of melatonin (the hormone that helps to regulate the body clock) tend to have higher blood-sugar levels and a greater risk of developing type 2 diabetes than people without the mutation. According to the authors of the paper, the findings suggest that diabetes and high blood sugar could be treated at least in part by addressing sleep problems.

        Further information
        2008-12-09 - Genome-wide study of Europeans finds new genetic risk factors for 'bad' cholesterol

        A genome-wide study of thousands of individuals throughout Europe has identified 22 genetic regions (loci) that affect lipid levels, a common indicator of cardiovascular disease. Six of these loci are newly discovered and may contribute to the accuracy of genetic profiles, which could be used to screen for individuals at risk for metabolic disorders or dyslipidemia. The findings, published in the journal Nature Genetics, also showed genetic differences in lipid metabolism between men and women.

        Further information
        2008-12-15 - EU project LUPA uses dogs to piece together human genetic disorders puzzle

        Scientists have been relentless in the pursuit to unlock the mystery behind genetic disorders but the complexity of their underlying causes has made it difficult to get answers. For a group of researchers, dogs may hold the key to the solution. While dogs are less genetically complex, they suffer from the same diseases as humans. The LUPA project, named after the female wolf that fed the twin founders of Rome, is backed by the EU with EUR 12 million and will end in 2012.

        Further information
        2008-12-15 - EU researchers get a feel for the real limb

        EU-funded scientists in Sweden have succeeded in making upper-limb amputees experience a prosthetic hand as their own by 'tricking' their brains. The results represent a major breakthrough in neuroprosthetics, bringing research one step closer to developing an 'intelligent', touch-sensitive prosthetic hand. The study is published in the journal Brain.

        Further information
        2008-12-22 - Revolutionising diagnostics with some help from nature

        Scientists from the EU-funded RECEPTRONICS project are turning to nature, and combining what they learn with the latest in nanotechnology, to find new ways of diagnosing cancer. The project, funded by the EU with EUR 1.99 million under the Sixth Framework Programme (FP6), brings together experts from four European countries in the fields of biochemistry, bioengineering, nanotechnology and information technology.

        Further information
        2008-12-22 - Carbon nanotubes show promise as 'smart' material for brain repair

        EU-funded scientists in Italy and Switzerland have demonstrated that carbon nanotubes improve nerve responsiveness, potentially making them good candidates for the design of 'smart materials' for biomedical applications such as brain repair. The study, published in the journal Nature Nanotechnology, was funded in part by the Sixth Framework Programme (FP6) as part of the NEURONANO ('Towards new generations of neuro-implantable devices: engineering neurons/carbon nanotubes integrated functional units') project.

        Further information

      • Environment

        2008-12-02 - Polar researcher highlights urgent need for more data

        In spite of the rapid environmental changes taking place in the Arctic, and the importance of the polar ice cap in regulating the climate, we still know frighteningly little about the processes behind ice formation on the roof of the world. One of the researchers seeking to add to our understanding of the far north is Professor Nalân Koç. Originally from Turkey, she has spent most of her working life at the other end of Europe, in Norway, where she currently heads up the Polar Climate Programme at the Norwegian Polar Institute (NPI) in Tromsø.

        Further information
        2008-12-08 - European project POPART tackles plastics deterioration in museums

        Curators worldwide work hard to preserve and maintain artefacts housed in museums. But although curators expend considerable efforts on paintings, sculpture and fossils, they must also contend with the problem of how to best preserve plastics. Artists have been using synthetic polymers in their work since the mid-20th century; now the EU is supporting a project that aims to improve the preservation of these works of art. POPART ('Preservation of plastic artefacts in museum collections') was funded EUR 2.1 million under the Seventh Framework Programme's Environment Theme.

        Further information
        2008-12-12 - The ICOS project: balancing Europe's carbon budget

        Work has begun on the development of an integrated system to monitor greenhouse gas concentrations in Europe, helping policy makers evaluate the effectiveness of legislation designed to tackle climate change. Dubbed ICOS (the 'Integrated carbon observation system'), the initiative is one of 44 pan-European research infrastructures featured in the European Roadmap for Research Infrastructures; an updated version of the roadmap was released at the recent European Conference on Research Infrastructures (ECRI2008) in Versailles, France.

        Further information

      • Nanosciences

        2008-12-09 - Enlisting the small guys in the fight against the 'big C'

        A new European research project will use the latest techniques in nanotechnology to design nanoparticles capable of detecting and locating tumours. Once located, these super-small 'nanites' will also have the capacity to attack and neutralise the tumour. The NANOTHER project ('Integration of novel nanoparticle based technology for therapeutics and diagnosis of different types of cancer') is supported by the EU under the Seventh Framework Programme with EUR 8.5 million in funding.

        Further information

      • Space

        2008-12-22 - Water, water everywhere... including the early universe

        EU-funded astrophysicists have discovered evidence of water vapour in the early universe. The vapour was found in a quasar 11.1 billion light years from Earth; this is the first time water molecules have been detected so far away. The findings, published in the journal Nature, suggest that water may have been more abundant in the early universe than was previously thought.

        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
        2008-12-18 - SMEs and research programmes: helping small businesses think big, turning knowledge into profit

        Getting involved in research projects can help SMEs (small- and medium-sized enterprises) to develop new products and services and improve existing ones. It also provides a useful network of contacts in business and academia. In an interview with CORDIS News, members of the Research and SMEs unit at the European Commission's Research Directorate General explained how the role of SMEs in the framework programmes has evolved over the years, and how they believe access to all kinds of research funding for SMEs could be facilitated.

        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

      • 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
        2008-12-05 - Pre-announcement: Spring 2009 Calls for Clean Sky

        The Clean Sky JTI will be issuing 93 calls for proposals in the first half of 2009. Companies and research bodies interested in working with Clean Sky can as of now consult the list of planned calls for proposals, to see if the work proposed suits their technical capabilities. Once the calls are officially published in early 2009, they can then bid to be chosen as the partner to do that work by submitting a proposal.

        Further information

  • Regional policy

    2008-12-16 - Investing in the real economy: Cohesion Policy at centre of Recovery Plan

    The European Commission adopted a report today highlighting the contribution of Cohesion Policy in the European Economic Recovery Plan and its support for the real economy. The report details measures to accelerate 'smart' investment at national and regional level by simplifying access to grants, facilitating support to people hit by the crisis and increasing the availability of finance for small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs).

    Further information

  • Information society

    2008-12-09 - EU adopts new Safer Internet Programme: € 55 million to make the Internet a safer place for children

    The EU will have a new Safer Internet Programme as of 1 January 2009. Following the overwhelmingly positive vote on 23 October in which the European Parliament expressed its support for the new Safer Internet Programme, the Council of Ministers has adopted today the new Programme. The new Safer Internet Programme covering the period 2009-2013 had been proposed by the European Commission on 28 February 2008 to protect children in the ever more sophisticated online world and empower them to safely use web services like social networking, blogging and instant messaging. While 75% of children (aged between 6 and 17 years) are already online and 50% of 10-year-olds have a mobile phone, a new Eurobarometer survey published today shows that 60% of European parents are worried that their child might become a victim of online grooming (when an adult befriends a child with the intention of committing sexual abuse) and 54% that their children could be bullied online (harassed on internet sites or via mobile messages). The new Safer Internet Programme will fight grooming and bullying by making online software and mobile technologies more sophisticated and secure. From 2009-2013, the EU will spend € 55 million to make the Internet a safer place.

    Further information

    2008-12-10 - Commission issues guidelines to get Mobile TV on Europeans' mobile phones

    The European Commission has today taken a decisive step towards the promotion of competitive Mobile TV services in the EU. It has published a set of guidelines for the authorisation of Mobile TV to accelerate roll-out of the service across Europe. Mobile TV revenues worldwide are expected to reach more than €7.8 billion in 2013. The commercial services launched before summer 2008 in some European countries show that there is an increasing consumer demand: in the Netherlands alone, 10 000 users had already subscribed to the service at the beginning of autumn. Authorisations from Member States for Mobile TV services are needed before any commercial launches by operators. Along with the addition of the DVB-H standard to the EU list of official standards in March 2008, these guidelines underline the Commission's strong commitment to the promotion of new services for European consumers.

    Further information
• 

  Other EU Policies and funding programmes supporting the Lisbon Strategy

  • Employment and social affairs

    2008-12-01 - Commission looks ahead to tackle disability discrimination

    The European Commission will today launch a debate on the future shape of European disability policy ahead of the European Day of People with Disabilities on 3 December. The conference "Acting locally for a society for all" – taking place today and tomorrow in Brussels – will bring together key players in the disability field to discuss follow-up to the current European Disability Action Plan. It will also provide an opportunity to discuss the European Commission's recent proposal for legislation to combat discrimination in access to goods and services, social protection and social advantages, education and health care.

    Further information

    2008-12-16 - Improved Globalisation Fund will help more European workers who lose their jobs

    The European Commission today moved to help people made redundant as a result of the economic crisis by improving the European Globalisation adjustment Fund (EGF). The proposal to revise the EGF aims to bring its operations closer into line with its objective of solidarity towards workers who have lost their jobs – in particular in these times of economic crisis. The new proposals will make the EGF a more effective crisis response instrument, helping more people to find their way back into the labour market.

    Further information

    2008-12-16 - New skills for new jobs: better matching and anticipating labour market needs

    The European Commission today presented proposals for better job matching and more effective ways to analyse and predict which skills will be needed in tomorrow's labour market. New Skills for New Jobs proposes a series of actions to match skills with vacancies, to organise skills assessments on a permanent basis, to pool the efforts of Member States and other international organisations, and to develop better information on future needs.

    Further information

  • Environment

    2008-12-01 - EU Member States approve world-wide rules for labelling of chemicals

    The European Commission welcomes the agreement by the EU Member States to align EU legislation on classification, labelling and packaging of substances and mixtures to the United Nations Globally Harmonised System (GHS). This new system will ensure that the same hazards will be described and labelled in the same way all around the world. By using internationally agreed classification criteria and labelling elements, it is expected to facilitate trade and to contribute towards global efforts to protect humans and the environment from hazardous effects of chemicals. The new regulation will complement the REACH regulation on the registration, evaluation, authorisation and restriction of chemicals. The European Parliament already the 3rd of September this year approved the GHS regulation. The next step will be its publication in the Official Journal, thereby making the EU one of the international leaders in the actual uptake of the UN system.

    Further information

    2008-12-03 - Commission launches debate on the management of bio-waste in the EU

    The European Commission today presented a discussion paper on the management of bio-waste in the European Union. Bio-waste – biodegradable garden, kitchen and food waste – accounts for around one third of municipal waste and has major potential impacts on the environment. When disposed of in landfill sites, it emits methane – a powerful greenhouse gas which is 23 times more potent than carbon dioxide and a major contributor to climate change. While waste management in the EU is governed by a substantial body of regulation, there may be room for further improvement in the area of bio-waste, which offers potential advantages as a source of renewable energy and recycled materials. Today's Green Paper explores options and opportunities in bio-waste management in the European Union and will contribute to the assessment of the need for legislative action. It addresses in particular the best level for action – EU, national or local – and asks stakeholders for evidence supporting their respective views.

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    2008-12-04 - Air quality: Commission proposes legislation to limit harmful vapour emissions from service stations

    The Commission today proposed legislation to ensure that harmful petrol vapour which escapes during the refuelling of cars at service stations is captured and recycled. Petrol pumps in many service stations across the EU will need to be fitted with equipment that can recover 85% or more of this vapour. Petrol vapour contains benzene, which is known to cause cancer, and contributes to the formation of ground-level ozone ('smog'), one of the air pollutants most damaging to human health and the environment.

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    2008-12-08 - European strategy to tackle invasive species urgently needed, says Commission

    The European Commission (EC) has called for the development of an EU-level strategy for preventing, controlling and eradicating invasive species that threaten European biodiversity and economic stability. The Commission has put forward several options to be considered by the European Council and other institutions; and while a new strategy is discussed, the EC will continue to support targeted scientific research efforts.

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    2008-12-11 - GEEREF clean energy fund decides on first investment of €22 million to support projects in Africa and Asia

    The Global Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Fund (GEEREF) set up by the European Commission to provide clean energy to developing countries and economies in transition has decided on a first set of investments totalling €22 million. Contributing to the fight against climate change, the investments will finance small-scale renewable energy projects in sub-Saharan and southern Africa as well as in Asia. The announcement was made today by European Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas at a presentation of the GEEREF at the UN Climate Change Conference in Poznan, Poland.

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    2008-12-12 - Climate change: Commission endorses Poznań declaration on reducing emissions from deforestation

    At the UN climate change conference in Poznan, Poland, European Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas endorsed a joint ministerial declaration launched today by like-minded countries to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from deforestation. The statement commits a number of developed and key tropical developing countries to take early action to reduce emissions from deforestation and forest degradation – a process known as REDD – in the developing world.

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    2008-12-12 - Greater protection for Europe's wildlife

    Europe's rich patchwork of protected flora and fauna grew further today with a major extension of Natura 2000, the EU's network of protected natural areas. The additions include 769 new sites and a total area of 95,522 km2. Most of the sites are in the newer Member States. Romania and Bulgaria have now added areas to the network for the first time, including areas along the Black Sea that are home to numerous varieties of rare and threatened plants and animals. Natura 2000 now includes around 25,000 sites, covering almost 20% of the EU’s landmass, making it the largest interconnected network of protected areas in the world. It is the EU's key weapon in the fight against biodiversity loss.

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    2008-12-16 - Environment: major additional effort needed to halt biodiversity loss by 2010

    The EU will fail to meet its target of halting the loss of biodiversity by 2010 unless there is significant additional effort over the next two years. This is the key conclusion of the first comprehensive assessment of progress in implementing a Biodiversity Action Plan to halt biodiversity loss in the EU. Despite some encouraging results, notably with the further extension of the Natura 2000 network of protected areas and important investments in biodiversity, the integration of biodiversity and ecosystem concerns into other sectoral policies remains an important challenge. The new Communication from the Commission identifies priorities for further action.

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    2008-12-17 - Climate change: Commission welcomes final adoption of Europe's climate and energy package

    With today's vote in the European Parliament on the climate and energy package, the EU has finalised a deal that will help Europe transform into a low-carbon economy and increase energy security. Fully in line with the Commission's proposals in January 2008, agreement has been reached on legally binding targets, by 2020, to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 20%, to establish a 20% share for renewable energy, and to improve energy efficiency by 20%. Deals were hammered out on revisions to the emissions trading system, the distribution of the reduction effort outside of the emissions trading system, a legal framework for environmentally safe carbon capture and storage (CCS) as well as on the related proposals on CO2 emissions from cars and on fuel quality. As the first region in the world to commit to such far-reaching and legally binding emission reductions, Europe is leading the fight against climate change. Today's vote is an important contribution towards an ambitious international climate agreement to be reached in Copenhagen by the end of 2009.

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    2008-12-22 - Environment: Commission welcomes voluntary agreement on safe storage of mercury

    The European Commission welcomes a voluntary agreement to ensure the safe storage of surplus mercury from the European chlor-alkali industry, once a ban on exports of the highly toxic metal from the European Union takes effect. The legislation requires that mercury that is no longer used, be stored in a way preventing its release. Euro Chlor, the European association of the chlor-alkali industry – the chemical industry sector responsible for chlorine and caustic soda production – has agreed to ensure safe storage under optimal conditions, when the legislation comes into effect in 2011. This is the first voluntary industry agreement to be formally recognised by a Commission Recommendation since the adoption of a Communication on environmental agreements in 2002.

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  • Health

    2008-12-05 - Health security: Building stronger global collaboration

    Today, health ministers from G7 countries (Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, UK, US), Mexico and the World Health Organisation attend the 9th ministerial meeting of the Global Health Security Initiative (GHSI) hosted by the Commission in Brussels. The aim of the GHSI is to forge stronger global collaboration on health security by addressing health threats from chemical, biological and radio/nuclear agents and by developing preparedness and response on pandemic influenza. A communiqué setting out the achievements of the GHSI to date and defining future areas of joint work to promote collective health security was agreed at the end of the meeting.

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    2008-12-10 - Safe, innovative and accessible medicines: a renewed vision for the pharmaceutical sector

    The EU has been losing ground in pharmaceutical innovation. European patients still suffer from inequalities in the availability of information about medicines, whilst counterfeits are on the rise. To address these challenges, the Commission has tabled a package, consisting of four key parts:
    1. A communication to launch reflections on ways to improve market access and to develop initiatives to boost EU pharmaceutical research.
    2. A proposal to tackle the growing issues of counterfeiting and illegal distribution of medicines,
    3. Proposals to enable citizens to have access to high-quality information on prescription-only medicines and
    4. Proposals to improve patient protection by strengthening the EU system for the safety monitoring ('pharmacovigilance') of medicines.

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  • Transport

    2008-12-08 - SESAR incorporates unique public-private partnership to modernise European sky

    The SESAR programme is the technological answer to the major challenges of Europe’s air traffic management. The aim of the SESAR Joint Undertaking is to ensure the modernisation of the European air traffic management system by coordinating and concentrating all relevant research and development efforts in the Community. Partnership, sustainability and user-drive are key concepts of the SESAR Joint Undertaking approach. Founded by the European Community and by EUROCONTROL, fifteen industries have already been pre-selected to join the Sesar joint undertaking: AENA, Airbus, Alenia Aeronautica, DFS, DSNA, ENAV, Frequentis, INDRA, NATS, NORACON, SEAC, SELEX Sistemi Integrati and Thales; also including the non-EU companies Honeywell (US) and Natmig (Norway).

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    2008-12-09 - The European Commission's proposal on Single European Sky widely agreed

    The European Commission welcomes the wide agreement of its proposal on the second Single European Sky package as received from the Transport Ministers' Council this afternoon. Vice-President Antonio Tajani in charge of Transport policy states: "This is an historical moment, where we take a very important step into achieving a truly functional single European sky. It represents a very strong signal from Europe to its citizens, since this means shorter distances to travel, less CO2 emissions, less expensive tickets and safer journeys. The European Commission, now with Council's support, believes that tackling this approach from a European perspective in its entirety leads to a system that propels Europe's air traffic management into the future".

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    2008-12-11 - On track for more competitive rail freight in Europe

    The European Commission has just taken a decisive step in promoting the international transport of goods by rail. Today it adopted a proposal for a regulation that would involve working with Member States to designate international rail corridors providing operators with an efficient, high-quality freight transport infrastructure. This is central to Europe’s rail revival and to creating a transport system in the Community that is both efficient and sustainable.

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    2008-12-16 - Intelligent Transport Systems and Services: initiative for accelerated deployment across Europe

    The European Commission today took a major step towards the deployment and use of Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) in road transport. ITS can significantly contribute to a cleaner, safer and more efficient transport system. The action plan adopted today suggests a set of concrete measures and a Directive laying down the framework for their implementation.

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  • Agriculture and fisheries

    2008-12-10 - Commission proposes ways to deliver cheaper and more competitive food prices in Europe

    The European Commission has agreed a Communication that aims to improve the functioning of the food supply chain in order to lower prices for consumers. The prices of food have come down significantly from record levels earlier this year but the underlying causes for the surge in agricultural commodity prices in the medium-term -including regulatory restrictions, insufficient competition and speculation – have not disappeared and must be dealt with.

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    2008-12-12 - Promotion of EU agricultural products outside the EU

    The European Commission has approved measures to provide information on, and to promote agricultural products in third countries. Member States submitted 30 programmes to the Commission to be examined. The 11 programmes that have been accepted are from Germany, Greece, France, Italy, Cyprus, Bulgaria, Spain and Ireland. They are targeted at Russia, Ukraine, China, Japan and North America. The products covered are wine, fruit and vegetables, meat, dairy products and PDO and organic products. The EU contribution is € 17.8 million (50% of the total budget of the programmes).

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    2008-12-18 - EU agrees co-funded disposal scheme for Irish pigmeat affected by dioxin scare

    The Member States today gave their backing to further exceptional market support measures for the Irish pork market in line with the Presidency conclusions of the Brussels European Council of 11-12 December 2008. Last week the Commission already introduced, as an urgent support measure, a private storage aid scheme for up to 30,000 tonnes of pigmeat. That EU-funded storage scheme, which was formally adopted by the Commission today, covers meat coming from pigs reared in Ireland on farms that have not used any contaminated feed. In addition, in view of the particularly difficult market situation in Ireland, the Commission has now proposed a further exceptional market support measure in the form of a disposal scheme for animals blocked on farms that have used contaminated feed as well as for certain pigmeat stocks held in slaughterhouses or still owned by the slaughterhouses. The EU will co-finance the purchases at an average rate of 50 percent. Additionally, today's management committee backed a private storage aid scheme for Northern Ireland. Under this scheme, up to 15,000 tonnes of pigmeat can be stored for up to 6 months in Northern Ireland. The scheme follows the same approach as that introduced last week for Ireland.

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  • Energy

    2008-12-03 - The Commission proposes measures to boost energy efficiency and renewable energy in low-income households

    The European Commission adopted a proposal today which will, for the first time, enable all Member States and regions in the European Union to invest in energy-efficiency and renewable energy measures in housing, with the support of European Cohesion Policy funding. The measure, foreseen in the European Economic Recovery Plan presented last week, will be targeted at low-income households. In practice, this means the EU will be able to co-finance national, regional or local authority schemes to install double-glazing, wall insulation and solar panels in housing.

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    2008-12-10 - Commission to reopen financial framework to fund energy and broadband projects

    Today the European Commission has proposed to revise the EU financial framework to source the €5 billion required by the Economic Recovery Plan for trans-European energy interconnections and broadband infrastructure investment. The money will help improve energy supply security and boost the number of faster internet connections in the EU-27. The proposal uses part of the financial margins available in the EU budget under agriculture for 2008 and 2009 and shifts them to the budget heading for Competitiveness for Growth and Employment in 2009 and 2010. This means using funds that would otherwise remain unspent, while staying within the overall ceiling of the EU budget. The proposal does not change the total amount set out in the 2007-2013 financial framework, nor does it compromise spending for agriculture. The next step is to reach an agreement with Council and European Parliament.

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    2008-12-12 - Photovoltaics report reviews state of industry

    Europe's photovoltaic industry is growing rapidly and is now worth EUR 14 billion a year, according to the 2008 Status Report on Photovoltaics (solar energy technologies) released by the European Commission's Joint Research Centre (JRC) this week. The report reviews global research, development, industry and policy efforts in photovoltaics throughout 2007 and sets out some recommendations.

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    2008-12-17 - Ecodesign: Commission reduces standby electricity consumption

    The Commission has adopted today the ecodesign regulation to reduce standby energy consumption of all household and office products. The regulation lays down energy efficiency requirements which will cut the standby electricity consumption by almost 75% by 2020.

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  • Maritime Affairs

    2009-12-05 - Technical designs for research vessel Aurora Borealis unveiled

    The technical designs for the first state-of-the-art Arctic research vessel, the Aurora Borealis, were presented this week in Berlin by Germany's Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research and engineering company Wärtsilä Ship Design Germany. The heavy icebreaker, which will serve as a scientific drilling ship and multi-purpose research platform, has been designed with new technology that will allow it to operate year-round in all polar waters. The technical design and planning of Aurora Borealis was granted EUR 5.2 million by the German Federal Ministry for Education and Research and EUR 4.5 million through the EU-funded ERICON ('European research icebreaker consortium') project. ERICON comprises 15 members from 10 European nations including Norway and the Russian Federation, and is financed under the Seventh Framework Programme's Environment Theme.

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  Research, Innovation, Training and Competitiveness related EU events

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