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 «Brussels in Brief - Interface Europe’s Newsletter» - May 2009

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  General EU Information

  • European Parliament

    2009-05-11 - Strasbourg Plenary session

    In the last session of the current parliamentary term, MEPs approved a ban on almost all seal products, decided to put on hold telecoms reform and voted to back measures to protect primates from animal testing. The week also saw Parliament's President Hans-Gert Pöttering bid farewell after two and a half years. MEPs sent plans to extend maternity leave back to committee and discussed the flu pandemic. The House also discussed ways to tackle Europe's rising unemployment.

    Plus d'information
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  EU policies and funding programmes for Research, Innovation, Training and Competitiveness

  • Research Policy

    • European Research & Innovation projects

      • ICT

        2009-05-07 - How a web-based strategy affects print media

        The decision to move a newspaper from print to web, and then to a web-only edition can trigger a loss of up to 75% in revenue for the title, new research shows. Researchers from City University London in the UK examined the Finnish financial daily Taloussanomat which shut down its print edition and got its web-based strategy off the ground. The findings are a first for a trend that continues to grow in the media sector.

        Plus d'information
        2009-05-08 - EU project empowers elderly to live independently

        Researchers in the EU-funded PERSONA ('Perceptive spaces promoting independent aging') project are drawing on a range of advanced technologies to empower the elderly and support them in their efforts to maintain both their independence and a good quality of life.

        Plus d'information
        2009-05-11 - EU project picks up the patent processing pace

        EU Member States are promoting the creation of an EU-wide patenting system called 'Community Patent' that would allow individuals and enterprises to obtain a unitary patent common to all. Experts say patents fuel innovation and creativity, thus helping intensify and sustain Europeans' competitiveness. For a team of EU-funded researchers, the use of semantic Web technology could be just what the patent doctor ordered.

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        2009-05-14 - Semantic design cuts costs, saves time

        EU-funded researchers have developed an innovative semantic engineering environment that will help product designers increase their productivity while saving time. The SevenPro ('Semantic virtual engineering environment for product design') project, backed by the EU with more than EUR 2.6 million in financing, targeted technology and tool development to support deep mining of product engineering knowledge from multimedia repositories and semantically enhanced 3D interaction.

        Plus d'information
        2009-05-15 - The future is bright for novel light sources

        EU-funded researchers have created organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs, novel, bright light sources) that are as efficient as conventional fluorescent tubes. Writing in the journal Nature, the scientists describe the future of OLEDs as 'bright, not only because of their high illumination quality, but also because their outstanding efficiencies will help to reduce our carbon footprint'.

        Plus d'information
        2009-05-20 - EU projects fuel e-learning initiative

        Interactive digital TV (iDTV) learning is growing and an EU-funded team of researchers is supporting this trend by developing tools and methodologies that complement e-learning. The ELU ('Enhanced learning unlimited') project, with financial support totalling EUR 2.96 million, will give educators the edge they need to connect with students beyond the classroom.

        Plus d'information
        2009-05-29 - EU-funded researchers make superconductor out of 'old' semiconductor material

        Researchers in Germany have managed to make the old semiconductor element germanium into a superconductive material. The findings, published in the journal Physical Review Letters, have implications for nanoelectronics and the development of novel computers.

        Plus d'information

      • Health

        2009-05-04 - New technology could lead to safer gene therapy

        EU-funded scientists have developed a new, non-viral way of getting genes into a cell. The technique appears to avoid the side-effects, such as cancer, which can occur when viruses are used to smuggle genes into a cell. The scientists hope their discovery will 'simplify the way gene therapy is conducted, improve its overall safety and reduce the costs'.

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        2009-05-04 - Italian researchers investigate health of prison babies

        For the first time ever, researchers in Italy have investigated the health of children born to imprisoned women. The study examined the clinical diaries of children who had lived in prison for one and half years between 2003 and 2005. The results of the study, published in the Scandinavian Journal of Public Health, suggest that these children represent a vulnerable group with specific healthcare needs.

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        2009-05-05 - Bullied children at high risk of developing psychotic symptoms

        Researchers in the UK and Australia have found that children who are chronically or severely bullied at school are up to four times more likely to develop psychotic-like symptoms (such as hallucinations, delusions or disorganised speech) by the time they reach early adolescence, and twice as likely to develop psychotic symptoms by early adolescence, than children who are not bullied. The results are published in the journal Archives of General Psychiatry.

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        2009-05-05 - Start HIV antiretroviral treatment sooner not later, researchers say

        HIV-1 infected patients should receive combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) earlier, new research shows. Currently, the cell count threshold of T-cells (white blood cells) used to determine when antiretroviral therapy should start is set too low, the study published online in The Lancet says. There should be no less than 350 T-cells containing the glycoprotein CD4 per microlitre (µL) of blood. This finding should help guide physicians and patients in determining when treatment should begin.

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        2009-05-06 - Protein intake is key to weight management, study finds

        Protein intake is the most important factor in maintaining a healthy weight after dieting, according to an EU-funded study led by the University of Copenhagen in Denmark. The findings were an outcome of the Diogenes ('Diet, obesity and genes') project, which is financed with EUR 14.5 million under the Food quality and safety Thematic area of the Sixth Framework Programme (FP6).

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        2009-05-06 - European studies shed light on progressive hearing loss

        European researchers have carried out two parallel studies indicating that a new kind of gene is linked to progressive hearing loss. The gene 'miR-96' is a small fragment of RNA affecting the generation of other molecules within the inner ear's sensory hair cells. The research is part of the SIROCCO and EuroHear projects (supported by the EU with EUR 11.78 million and EUR 12.5 million in funding). Published in the journal Nature Genetics, the findings provide greater insight into a condition that affects millions of people worldwide.

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        2009-05-07 - MEPs propose animal testing limits without impeding scientific progress

        Animal testing has long been a bone of contention for many groups including industry, research institutions and policy makers. There has been extensive discussion about restricting the use of animals in scientific experiments, and improving their welfare. However, would such action affect research in Europe?

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        2009-05-07 - Encouragement and support help obese women cycle to work

        According to a study by researchers in Sweden, getting extra support and encouragement can help more women to exercise during their daily commute. Such exercise can help to prevent health problems such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease in obese women. The findings, published in the International Journal of Obesity, show how simple measures can make a big difference in helping people change their habits and stick to a new routine.

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        2009-05-08 - International scientists unlock melanoma mystery

        An international network of scientists and clinicians has pieced together the puzzle of how the immune system recognises and responds to tumours like melanoma. Their work will support future research efforts for manipulating components of the immune system for safe and effective therapeutic strategies. The research findings have been published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation.

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        2009-05-11 - Human cowpox cases caused by pet rats, study shows

        At the beginning of 2009, four young women were admitted to hospital in the northern French town of Compiègne suffering from fever and blackish lesions on their skin. The patients were eventually diagnosed with cowpox, and recovered following treatment. According to EU-funded researchers, all four were infected after being scratched by a pet rat. The researchers warn that as exotic pets increase in popularity, cases like this may well become more common. They also call for the establishment of diagnostic capacity to identify emerging pathogens as quickly as possible.

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        2009-05-11 - EU-funded research unravels link between Helicobacter pylori and stomach cancer

        EU-funded researchers in Denmark, France and Portugal have shed new light on how the bacterium Helicobacter pylori causes stomach cancer. They found that the bacterium, which infects about half the world's population, contributes to the onset of stomach cancer by impairing DNA repair mechanisms.

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        2009-05-12 - Older people need more sun, study finds

        Getting out into the sunshine makes everyone feel good, but a new UK-Chinese study shows that getting more sun can actually help older people to be healthier and avoid such life-threatening conditions as cardiovascular disease and diabetes.

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        2009-05-12 - Short bursts of activity have big impact on child health, study shows

        Frequent, short bursts of activity are as good for children's health as longer exercise sessions, new UK research suggests. The findings, published in the International Journal of Pediatric Obesity, imply that children should be encouraged to engage in frequent, short periods of activity. The good news is that this is how children tend to behave naturally.

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        2009-05-13 - European consortium seeks drugs to prevent diabetes and obesity

        A new European consortium is searching for new compounds to prevent diabetes and obesity. DIOMED ('Diabetes, obesity and medicine'), which kicks off on 22 May, will run for 3 years and has been funded with EUR 813,673 by the EU's Territorial Cooperation Programme for south-west Europe (Interreg IV-SUDOE), which supports transnational and interregional innovation projects.

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        2009-05-14 - Learning shapes decision making, study finds

        Researchers in the UK have shed light on the neural mechanisms behind how learning affects decision making. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), they were able to identify which areas of the brain were involved in learning-dependent changes in decision processes. The study is published in the journal Neuron.

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        2009-05-18 - 3-D atlas helps sufferers of kidney ailments

        EU-funded researchers have created a three-dimensional (3-D), virtual 'Kidney Atlas', which they hope will eventually lead to the development of new, less expensive therapies and tests. The atlas is also expected to help doctors diagnose and treat kidney diseases quickly and effectively, and in turn, prove useful in the study of metabolic disorders such as diabetes, which often lead to kidney disease.

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        2009-05-19 - Details of first IMI projects released

        The European Commission has released details of the first projects to receive support under the Innovative Medicines Initiative (IMI) Joint Technology Initiative (JTI). The 15 projects will share a EUR 246 million funding pot. EUR 110 million of this will come from the Seventh Framework Programme (FP7), while the pharmaceutical industry will provide the remaining EUR 136 million through in kind contributions (e.g. staff, laboratory facilities, materials and clinical research).

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        2009-05-19 - More than GBP 27 billion spent annually on UK autism care

        Research published this week in the journal Autism reveals that providing social help and care for sufferers of autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) is costing the UK over GBP 27 billion (EUR 30.7 billion) a year.

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        2009-05-20 - Recycling gene plays vital role in preventing diseases

        The word recycling is key for a sustainable environment and brings images of paper, aluminium cans and glass to mind. But does recycling play a role in the cellular world? A German team of researchers says it should, particularly because molecules tend to be available in limited numbers. The European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) and Heidelberg University partners have discovered a protein recycling mechanism capable of protecting people from genetic disorders. Their findings were published in the journal Cell.

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        2009-05-20 - EU-funded study maps HIV's migration around Europe

        An international team of scientists has mapped the migration of HIV-1 subtype B around Europe using phylogeography or the 'geographic pattern of viral lineages samples from different localities'. Their study of the most prevalent type of HIV currently circulating in Europe provides new insights into the virus's transmission networks, and shows that the pattern of distribution is not uniform across all countries.

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        2009-05-26 - Study sheds light on H1N1 origins

        The new H1N1 virus is only distantly related to its nearest relatives, suggesting that its genes may have been circulating undetected in pig populations for some time, according to new research published online by the journal Science. Scientists also confirm the novel status of the virus, noting that it contains a combination of gene segments that has never been reported before.

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        2009-05-26 - Hairballed bacteria stick to skin, triggering infection in preemies

        Skin, the human body's largest organ, is an effective barrier against bacteria. But the extremely delicate skin of a premature baby can be the ultimate breeding ground for organisms, triggering certain infectious diseases. A Swedish team of researchers, writing in the journal of Pediatric Research, has discovered that a specific kind of staphylococcus can attach itself to the skin by using its tufted, self-adhesive hairballs and cause infection.

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        2009-05-27 - New and improved mouse genome sequence helps separate man from mouse

        Scientists in Sweden, the UK, and the US have presented a drastically improved version of the complete mouse genome in a landmark study that will allow researchers to more clearly differentiate between human and mouse genes. Their findings, published in the journal PLoS Biology, will help to enhance the utility of the mouse as a model for human disease.

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        2009-05-28 - EU study warns type 1 diabetes in children to double by 2020

        Type 1 diabetes will continue to rear its ugly head in Europe as the number of cases in children under five years of age will double by 2020, new EU-funded research shows. The findings, published online in The Lancet journal, also indicate that children older than five will not escape unscathed from this trend. The results are part of the EURODIAB ('Epidemiology, aetiology and public health aspects of diabetes mellitus') Study Group, a collaboration supported in part by the EU's Framework Programmes.

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        2009-05-28 - Obesity risk for kids increases when moms-to-be diet

        Researchers from the University of Nottingham in the UK have found that children whose mothers dieted excessively during their pregnancies may be at risk for health problems later in life. The results are part of EARNEST ('The early nutrition programming project'), which is funded under the 'Food Quality and Safety' Priority of the Sixth Framework Programme (FP6) to the tune of EUR 13.4 million. The findings were published in the Journal of the Federation of American Societies of Experimental Biology.

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        2009-05-29 - Regular aspirin use may do more harm than good, study warns

        Can an aspirin a day keep the doctor away? New research, part of the EU-funded BIOMED ('Biomedicine and health') programme, shows it can't all the time. The researchers have discovered that although regular use of aspirin can reduce the rate of non-fatal heart attacks or stroke by around 12%, there is a 33% increase in the risk of internal bleeding in people with no history of relevant disease (primary prevention). The findings are published in The Lancet journal.

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      • Environment

        2009-05-13 - Lead pollution may have kept climate cooler, study suggests

        Lead particles in the atmosphere have been boosting cloud formation, a new EU-funded study reveals. Writing in the journal Nature Geoscience, the researchers suggest that atmospheric lead pollution may have dampened the effects of climate change in recent decades.

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        2009-05-20 - International project will help reduce effects of climate change

        An international project is setting up the world's first carbon measuring and modelling system that will be used to help mitigate the effects of climate change, boost carbon trading and verify whether carbon-offsetting initiatives really work.

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        2009-05-27 - Greenhouse gas emissions growing faster

        A new report from the Joint Research Centre (JRC) says that man-made global greenhouse gas emissions increased by 15% between 2000 and 2005, a sharp increase in the expected rate of growth. It also shows that global annual emissions of greenhouse gases increased from 24 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalents in 1970 to 33 billion tonnes in 1990 and 41 billion tonnes in 2005.

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      • Agriculture

        2009-05-27 - Synthetic chemical helps defend crops against drought

        A group of Canadian, Spanish and US researchers has shed light on what gives plants the boost they need to protect themselves against harsh weather conditions like drought. The results of their research, published in the journal Science, will help answer critical questions that have emerged over the years.

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        2009-05-28 - Hormones key to oilseed rape riddle

        Hormones are at the heart of a problem that causes between 10% and 25% of oilseed rape seeds to be lost before harvest, new research reveals. An international team of scientists describes the solution to the problem of 'pod shatter' in the latest edition of the journal Nature.

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      • Nanosciences

        2009-05-13 - EU project SEPMAC pushes the envelope

        The development of a clean and safe machining process for the production of magnesium parts in the automotive sector is important for Europeans. Rising to the challenge to meet this need was the EU-funded SEPMAC ('Sustainable and economic production of magnesium components') project, funded to the tune of EUR 2.3 million.

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        2009-05-18 - Magnets key to next generation of energy-saving white goods

        Energy-guzzling refrigerators and air-conditioning units may become a thing of the past, thanks to 'magnetic' research conducted by scientists at the UK's Imperial College London in collaboration with Iowa State University in the US. Magnetic refrigeration technology may signal a new era in environmentally friendly fridges and air-conditioning systems, slashing the staggering amounts of energy that they currently consume by up to 30%. The new findings were published in the journal Advanced Materials.

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      • Space

        2009-05-06 - Dwarf satellite galaxy researchers say: 'Maybe Newton was wrong'

        Two new studies by researchers in Germany, Austria and Australia have brought into question our understanding of the physics behind gravity. The findings, published in the Astrophysical Journal and the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, are based on their examination of dwarf satellite galaxies, or smaller galaxies living 'off the coast' of our large, spiral-shaped Milky Way.

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        2009-05-08 - German researchers developing better rescue safety system

        The advent of satellite technology has opened up a world of good for Europeans. This is especially true for a team of researchers from the Germany-based Fraunhofer Gesellschaft, who are focusing on strengthening emergency rescue services with the development of a state-of-the-art localisation system.

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        2009-05-15 - ESA's Herschel and Planck lift off and talk back

        On 14 May, the advanced space observatories Herschel and Planck were successfully launched into space and sent their first radio signals to Earth. The cutting-edge spacecraft took off from the European Space Agency (ESA) spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana and separated from an Ariane 5 launcher at 1,150 and 1,700 kilometres above the Earth. Their broadcast signals were received by ESA's 35-metre deep-space antenna at New Norcia in Australia.

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        2009-05-18 - Europeans discover lightest exoplanet

        A cross-European team of astronomers has discovered the lightest exoplanet (a planet beyond the Solar System) ever by using the European Southern Observatory's (ESO) HARPS spectrograph - what many consider as being the best 'low mass-exoplanet hunter' in the world - attached to the 3.6-metre ESO telescope in Chile. Located in the Gliese 581 system, the exoplanet 'e' has around twice the mass of Earth. During the four-year study, the scientists also refined the orbit of the planet Gliese 581 d (first discovered in 2007), and placed it within the habitable zone.

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        2009-05-22 - Europe expands space corps with six new members

        On 20 May, the European Space Agency (ESA) presented six new recruits to the European Astronaut Corps: Samantha Cristoforetti and Luca Parmitano from Italy; Alexander Gerst from Germany; Andreas Mogensen from Denmark; Timothy Peake from the UK; and Thomas Pesquet from France. They will train to prepare for missions to the International Space Station (ISS) before becoming Europe's new astronauts.

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        2009-05-29 - ESA makes space missions a family affair

        The European Space Agency (ESA) is combining and sharing operations methods, facilities and procedures in a bid to fuel cooperation and efficiency and cut costs. The 'Mission Family' concept is being applied to all Earth Observation (EO), Astronomy and Fundamental Physics and Solar and Planetary missions controlled from the European Space Operations Centre (ESOC), specifically those situated in the Dedicated Control Room (DCR).

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      • Energy

        2009-05-14 - Could bacteria be used in solar cells?

        A new discovery concerning the properties of green sulphur bacteria might prove useful in the development of a new generation of solar cells. Chlorosomes, nature's largest and most efficient light-harvesting antennae, accommodate up to a quarter of a million chlorophyll molecules in this type of bacteria. The team of international researchers, reporting in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), believes that the structure of these molecules can be exploited to develop new ways of creating energy.

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      • Maritime Affairs

        2009-05-06 - Sea-floor snaps offer clue to sea-level rise

        New, detailed images of the sea floor off the west coast of Antarctica are helping researchers to predict how the continent's ice sheet might respond to future warming. The images suggest that the mechanisms regulating the flow of ice into the sea may more complex than previously thought.

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        2009-05-19 - Seaweed species in the Baltic forms quickly

        New research from Sweden shows that a species of seaweed, discovered in 2005, may have formed only 400 years ago. Researchers from the University of Gothenburg and Stockholm University say the Fucus radicans species evolved from a Bladder wrack (Fucus vesiculosus) ancestor located in the Black Sea. Their findings, which show a natural example of evolution giving rise to new species in marine environments, were published in the journal BMC Evolutionary Biology.

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    • 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.

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      • European Technology Plateformes

        Advanced Engineering Materials and Technologies (EuMaT)

        No events planned

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        Advisory Council for Aeronautics Research in Europe (ACARE)

        No events planned

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        European Technology Platform for Wind Energy (TPWind)

        No events planned

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        European Technology Platform on Smart Systems Integration (EPoSS)

        9 September 2010, Berlin - EPoSS Proposers' Day 2010 "New ICT Work Programme 2011-2012"
        10 September 2010, Berlin - Joint Strategy and Networking Event 2010 "Thinking Ahead the PPP European Green Cars Initiative"
        13-16 September 2010, Berlin - 3rd Electronic System Integration Technology Conference
        26-28 September 2010, Enschede - Micromechanics and Micro systems Europe Workshop
        27-29 September 2010, Brussels - Info ICT 2010: Digitally Driven
        28 September 2010, Besançon - MICRONORA
        29 September 2010, Brussels - InfoDay about Cooperation Opportunities with Latin America and the Caribbean (EU-LAC) in the 2011 work programmes of FP7
        7-8 October 2010, Lisbon - EPoSS General Assembly & Annual Forum
        18-20 October 2010, Wisla - International Multiconference on Computer Science and Information Technology
        19-20 October 2010, Coventry - MM Live 2010
        19-21 October 2010, Dresden - SEMICON Europa 2010
        20-21 October 2010, Brussels - 2nd European Conference SmartGrids and E-Mobility
        23 November 2010, Brussels - SciTech Europe 2010
        30-31 March 2011, Nancy - World Materials Perspectives Summit
        11-14 April 2011, Bilbao - ImagineNano

        Plus d'information
        European Technology Platform Food for Life (Food)

        No events planned.

        Plus d'information
        Forest Based Sector Technology Platform (Forestry)

        7-9 September 2010, Brussels - Industrial Technologies 2010 Conference
        22 September 2010, Brussels - FTP Advisory Committee
        6-8 October 2010, Salzburg - International Conference on Processing Technologies for the Forest and Bio-based Products Industries
        16-18 November 2010, Brussels - European Paper Week - at the core of green growth

        Plus d'information
        Embedded Computing Systems (ARTEMIS)

        7-9 September 2010, Brussels - European Industrial Technologies Conference
        23-25 September 2010, Novosibirsk - Siberian International Innovative Business Congress
        27-29 September 2010, Brussels - ICT 2010
        19-21 October 2010, London - Embedded Live
        26-27 October 2010, Ghent - Co-summit 2010
        16-17 November 2010, Madrid - CATRENE Forum

        Plus d'information
        Nanoelectronics Technologies 2020 (ENIAC)

        27-29 September 2010, Brussels - ICTO 2010
        7 October 2010, Lisbon - EPoSS General Assembly
        8 October 2010, Lisbon - EPoSS Annual Forum
        19-21 October 2010, Dresden - Semicon Europa
        26-27 October 2010, Ghent - ARTEMIS & ITEA 2 Co-Summit 2010
        16-17 November 2010, Madrid - European Nanoelectronics Forum 2010 (by invitation only)

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        European Rail Research Advisory Council (ERRAC)

        19 September 2010, Brussels - UITP 125 Years
        21-24 September 2010, Berlin - INNOTRANS
        3-9 October 2010, Hong-Kong - International Rail Safety Conference (IRSC)
        5-7 October 2010, St Petersburg - TRANSTEC 2010
        18-22 October 2010, Nagahama - 10th International Workshop on Railway Noise
        25-29 October 2010, Busan - 17th ITS World Congress
        26-29 October 2010, Tokyo - 11th Global Level Crossing Symposium
        2 November 2010, Brussels - CREAM Final Conference
        14-16 November 2010, Fort Lauderdale - IANA Intermodal Expo & NITL TransComp Exhibition
        15 November 2010, Beijing - 7th UIC High Speed 2010
        25 November 2010, Brussels - Rail Energy Final Conference
        30 November-2 December 2010, Amsterdam - Intermodal Europe 2010
        29-31 March 2011, Utrecht - 8th International Conference & Exhibition on Rail Technology
        6-8 April 2011, Brussels - World Congress on Railway Training
        10-14 April 2011, Dubaï - 59th UITP World Congress & Mobility & City Transport Exhibition
        22-26 May 2011, Lille - 9th World Congress WCRR
        6-9 September 2011, Bern - Suisse Traffic

        Plus d'information
        European Road Transport Research Advisory Council (ERTRAC)

        29 September 2010, Brussels - ERTRAC Steering Group
        4 October 2010, Aachen - ERTRAC-EAGAR workshop at Aachen Colloquium
        13 October 2010, Brussels - Member States Representatives meeting
        14 October 2010, Brussels - ERTRAC Plenary

        Plus d'information
        European Space Technology Platform (ESTP)

        No events planned

        Plus d'information
        European Steel Technology Platform (ESTEP)

        No events planned

        Plus d'information
        European Technology Platform for the Electricity Networks of the Future (SmartGrids)

        6-10 December 2010, Albuquerque - 4th Internacional Conference on Integration of Renewable and Distributed Energy Resources

        Plus d'information
        Future Manufacturing Technologies (MANUFUTURE)

        No events planned

        Plus d'information
        European Technology Platform for the Future of Textiles and Clothing (Euratex)

        24 September 2010, Brussels - FP7 project brokerage event
        1-2 February 2011, Brussels - PPE Lead Market Conference

        Plus d'information
        Fuel Cells and Hydrogen (FCH)

        15-16 September 2010, Berlin - CLEAN MOBILITY INSIGHTS Conference
        9-10 November 2010, Brussels - FCH JU Stakeholders General Assembly
        15-16 November 2010, Brussels - Strategic Energy Technology Plan conference 2010

        Plus d'information
        Industrial Safety ETP (IndustrialSafety)

        5-9 September 2010, Rhodes - ESREL 2010
        7 September 2010, Brussels - ‘Industrial Technologies’ conference
        14-15 September 2010, Warsaw - E-MRS Fall Meeting 2010
        29-30 September 2010, Gothenburg - The first FIVE (Fires In VEhicles) Conference
        16-18 November 2010, Grenoble - Nanosafe 2010 Conference
        14-16 December 2010, Mumbai - The International Conference on Reliability, Safety and Hazards 2010
        11-15 September 2011, Istanbul - 19th World Congress on Occupational Health and Safety at Work

        Plus d'information
        Innovative Medicines Initiative (IMI)

        No events planned

        Plus d'information
        Integral Satcom Initiative (ISI)

        3-8 September 2010, Berlin - IFA
        9-14 September 2010, Amsterdam - IBC 2010
        13-15 September 2010, Cagliari - 5th Advanced Satellite Multimedia Systems Conferences
        13-15 September 2010, Cagliari - 11th Signal Processing for Space Communications Workshop
        22-24 September 2010, Ostend - 5th EU Security Research Conference
        27-29 September 2010, Brussels - ICT 2010
        28-30 October 2010, Cartagena de Indias - Cooperation EU-LatAm on Future Internet (Andicom 2010)
        30 November-1 December 2010, Amsterdam - PSCE Europe

        Plus d'information
        Mobile and Wireless Communications (eMobility)

        16 September 2010, Venice - eMobility GA6
        17 September 2010, Venice - Joint EX-FI - eMobility meeting to help interested organisations develop proposals for Call 1 of the FI-PPP
        22 September 2010, Brussels - Growing GALILEO 2010 - Information Day
        26 September 2010, Istanbul - Full-Day Workshop on W-GREEN (in conjunction with PIMRC 2010)
        26-30 September 2010, Istanbul - PIMRC 2010 21st Annual IEEE International Symposium on Personal, Indoor and Mobile Radio Communications
        27-29 September 2010, Brussels - ICT 2010
        16-18 November 2010, Newbury - WWRF Meeting 25
        29 November-1 December 2010, Tokyo - Internet of Things
        13-15 December 2010, Pune - Beyond the Internet? Innovations for future networks and services
        16-17 December 2010, Ghent - Future Internet Assembly 2010
        6-9 June 2011, Kyoto - IEEE ICC 2011

        Plus d'information
        Nanotechnologies for Medical Applications (NanoMedicine)

        7-9 September 2010, Brussels - Industrial Technologies 2010 Conference
        9-10 September 2010, Twente - IGS conference: Governing Responsible Nanomedical Innovation
        15-17 September 2010, Oslo - The oncology partnering event for biotechs, pharma, investors and academia
        3-6 October 2010, Antalya - International Academy on Nanomedicine
        14-15 October 2010, Milan - ETP Nanomedicine General Assembly & Annual Forum 2010
        18-19 October 2010, Cleveland - 2010 Cleveland NanoMedicine Summit
        23-28 October 2010, Sant Feliu de Guixols - ESF-UB Conference in Biomedicine Nanomedicine: Reality Now and Soon
        2-3 December 2010, Berlin - 7th International Conference on Biomedical Applications of Nanotechnology
        20-25 February 2011, Muenster - Winter school on Concept and application of the Precautionary principle in Nanobiotechnology
        11-14 April 2011, Bilbao - ImagineNano
        19-24 June 2011, Lutherstadt Wittenberg - 3rd European Science Foundation Summer School in Nanomedicine 2011

        Plus d'information
        Networked and Electronic Media (NEM)

        3-8 September 2010, Berlin - IFA 2010
        9-14 September 2010, Amsterdam - IBC 2010
        20-23 September 2010, Brisbane - IFIP - International Conference Network of the Future
        27-29 September 2010, Brussels - ICT event 2010
        13-14 October 2010, Barcelona - 10th NEM General Assembly
        13-15 October 2010, Barcelona - NEM Summit 2010: 3rd NEM Summit
        13-16 October 2010, Seoul - The 9th IEEE International Symposium on Mixed and Augmented Reality
        16-17 December 2010, Ghent - Future Internet Assembly

        Plus d'information
        Networked European Software and Services Initiative (NESSI)

        27-29 September 2010, Brussels - ICT Conference
        22-23 October 2010, Warsaw - e-Challenges
        16-17 December 2010, Brussels - EU Collaboration days
        16-17 December 2010, Ghent - FIA

        Plus d'information
        Photonics21 (Photonics)

        6-9 September 2010, Rosario - Speckle 2010
        7-9 September 2010, Brussels - European Industrial Technologies conference
        8-10 September 2010, Porto - European Workshop on Optical Fibre Sensors
        11-16 September 2010, Egmond aan Zee - 18th International Conference on Advanced Laser Technologies
        13-16 September 2010, Karlsruhe - Metamaterials 2010, Fourth International Congress on Advanced Electromagnertic Materials
        15-17 September 2010, Odense - Ambient Assisted Living (AAL) Forum Active Ageing: Smart Solutions, New Markets
        19-23 September 2010, Torino - ECOC, 36th European Conference and Exhibiton on Optical Communication
        20-23 September 2010, Toulouse - SPIE Remote Sensing 2010
        26-30 September 2010, Granada - PECs-IX 2010 Ninth International Conference on Photonic and Eletromagnetic Crystal Structures
        27-29 September 2010, Brussels - ICT 2010 Conference
        28 Septembe 2010, Brussels - Brokerage Event Find your ICT partners face2face
        28-29 September 2010, Frankfurt - Strategies in light Europe
        11-13 October 2010, Como - APMS 2010 International Conference, Competitive and Sustainable Manufacturing, Products and Services
        19-20 October 2010, Aachen - Optics Colloquium
        19-21 October 2010, Dresden - Plastic Electronics Conference 2010
        3-4 November 2010, Telford - Photonics21 supports the Photonex exhibition and conference
        5 November 2010, Brussels - Concertation meeting on biophotonics
        7 November 2010, Denver - Photonics21 Executive Board member Roberta Ramponi as speaker at the Annual Meeting of the IEEE Photonics Society
        24 February 2011, Brussels - Join Photonics21 at the Annual Meeting 2011 in Brussels

        Plus d'information
        Photovoltaics (PV Platform)

        No events planned

        Plus d'information
        Plants for the Future (Plants)

        No events planned.

        Plus d'information
        Robotics (EUROP)

        2 September 2010, Plymouth - Outlook on Personal and Service Robotics
        3-4 September 2010, Clermont-Ferrand - Robotics2010
        6-7 September 2010, Canterbury - ROBOSEC 2010
        6-8 September 2010, Lecce - FAC 7th Symposium on Intelligent Autonomous Vehicles IAV 2010
        7-9 September 2010, Brussels - European Industrial Technologies Conference
        8-10 September 2010, Coimbra - Controlo’2010
        8-10 September 2010, Newcastel - The International Conference on Ageing, Disability and Independence (ICADI)
        9 September 2010, Copenhagen - International Conference on Playware and Robotics
        12-15 September 2010, Viareggio - RO-MAN2010
        15-17 September 2010, Odense - AAL Forum - Active Ageing: Smart Solutions, New Markets
        16-17 September 2010, Bratislava - Robotics in Education (RiE) 2010
        19 September 2010, Madeira Island - IEEE ITSC2010
        21-24 September 2010, Karlsruhe - KI 2010
        23-25 September 2010, Cluj-Napoca - ROBOTICS'10
        26-29 September 2010, Tokyo - IEEE BioRob 2010
        27-28 September 2010, Brussels - ICT Finance Market Place
        27-29 September 2010, Brussels - ICT 2010
        4-6 October 2010, Osaka - ICAM 2010
        5-7 October 2010, Montréal - CARPI 2010
        15-16 October 2010, Phoenix - ROSE 2010
        18-22 October 2010, Taipei - IROS 2010
        25-29 October 2010, Malaga - BRICS Research Camp on Best Practice in Mobile Manipulation
        1-3 Novembre 2010, Lausanne - DARS 2010
        3-4 November 2010, Winterthur - International Mechatronics Forum 2010
        10-11 November 2010, Herzelia - The 3nd Israeli Conference on Robotics
        10-12 November 2010, Shanghai - ICIRA 2010
        15-18 November 2010, Darmstadt - SIMPAR 2010
        17-19 November 2010, Milan - ROBOTICA 2010
        24-25 November 2010, Singapore - ICSR 2010

        Plus d'information
        European Technology Platform for Sustainable Chemistry (SusChem)

        20 September 2010, Brussels - SusChem brokerage event
        17-18 February 2011, Barcelona - Sustainable chemistry, innovative and competitive companies

        Plus d'information
        Sustainable Nuclear Energy Technology Platform (SNE-TP)

        7 September 2010, Brussels - 9th meeting of the ESNII Task Force
        13 September 2010, Brussels - 1st meeting of the ESNII Team
        14-15 September 2010, location TBD - 2nd SNETP General Assembly and 6th meeting of the SNETP Governing Board
        20-21 September 2010, Genoa - 9th meeting of the SNETP Executive Committee
        7 October 2010, Petten - 2nd meeting of the Working Group on Gen II / III reactor R&D  
        15-16 November 2010, Brussels - High-level conference on the SET Plan organised by the Belgian EU Presidency

        Plus d'information
        Water Supply and Sanitation Platform (WSSTP)

        8-9 September 2010, Braunschweig - International Conference on Fluvial Hydraulic 2010
        12-16 September 2010, Krakow - IAH Congress on Gorundwater Quality Sustainability
        13-16 Sepember 2010, Munich - EWA Symposium on Sustainable wastewaer management New strategies, technologies and Innovative solutions
        13-16 Sepember 2010, Munich - IFAT 2010
        19-23 September 2010, Montreal - IWA 2010
        20-23 September 2010, Timisoara - IAHR Symposium on Hydraulic Machinery and Systems
        29 September 2010, Brussels - Intergroup Water
        9-13 October 2010, Abu Dhabi - ISMAR7 - Seventh International Symposium on Managed Aquifer Recharge
        26 October 2010, Aachen - Nanotechnology meets water treatment Workshop
        27 October 2010, Brussels - Intergroup Water
        1 December 2010, Brussels - Intergroup Water
        6-8 December 2010, Paris - Transboundary Aquifers - Challenges and New Directions

        Plus d'information
        Waterborne ETP (Waterborne)

        15 September 2010, Brussels - Support Group Meeting SG 35 + Mirror Group
        17 November 2010, Brussels - Support Group Meeting SG 36 + Mirror Group

        Plus d'information
        Zero Emission Fossil Fuel Power Plants Technology Platform (ETP ZEP)

        7 September 2010, Nowy Sacz - Economic Forum of Young Leaders
        8 September 2010, Rome - ZEROEMISSION 2010
        12 September 2010, Montreal - World Energy Congress
        19-23 September 2010, Amsterdam - 10th International conference on Greenhouse gas control technologies
        21 September 2010, Falkirk - Clean Coal & Carbon Capture and Storage Conference
        13 October 2010, Brussels - ZEP 2010 General Assembly

        Plus d'information

      • Joint Technology Initiatives

        Innovative Medicines Initiative (IMI)

        No events planned

        Plus d'information
        Embedded Computing Systems (ARTEMISA)

        7-9 September 2010, Brussels - European Industrial Technologies Conference
        23-25 September 2010, Novosibirsk - Siberian International Innovative Business Congress
        27-29 September 2010, Brussels - ICT 2010
        19-21 October 2010, London - Embedded Live
        26-27 October 2010, Ghent - Co-summit 2010
        16-17 November 2010, Madrid - CATRENE Forum

        Plus d'information
        Nanoelectronics Technologies 2020 (ENIAC)

        27-29 September 2010, Brussels - ICTO 2010
        7 October 2010, Lisbon - EPoSS General Assembly
        8 October 2010, Lisbon - EPoSS Annual Forum
        19-21 October 2010, Dresden - Semicon Europa
        26-27 October 2010, Ghent - ARTEMIS & ITEA 2 Co-Summit 2010
        16-17 November 2010, Madrid - European Nanoelectronics Forum 2010 (by invitation only)

        Plus d'information
        Aeronautics and Air Transport (Clean Sky)

        No events planned

        Plus d'information
        Fuel Cells and Hydrogen (FCH)

        15-16 September 2010, Berlin - CLEAN MOBILITY INSIGHTS Conference
        9-10 November 2010, Brussels - FCH JU Stakeholders General Assembly
        15-16 November 2010, Brussels - Strategic Energy Technology Plan conference 2010

        Plus d'information

  • Regional policy

    2009-05-05 - Road to recovery: Cohesion Policy will help Europe to get out of the crisis, say Commissioners Hübner and Špidla

    Commissioners Danuta Hübner (Regional Policy) and Vladimír Špidla (Employment, Social Affairs, and Equal Opportunities) today welcomed the finalisation of an agreement by the Council and European Parliament in support of the Cohesion Policy package in response to the economic crisis. The comprehensive package includes a battery of measures, ranging from a massive cash injection in the form of additional advance payments from the Structural Funds to fast-track procedures to accelerate project implementation and the possibility for the EU to co-finance energy-efficiency improvements in housing. Member States have already received an additional €6.25 billion in advance payments - €4.5 bn from the European Regional Development Fund was paid out in mid-April, with a further €1.5 bn from the European Social Fund (ESF) soon after.

    Plus d'information

  • Information society

    2009-05-07 - Telecoms: Commission acts on termination rates to boost competition

    The European Commission has today set out clear guidance for EU telecoms regulators on the cost-based method to be used when calculating termination rates – the wholesale fees charged by operators to connect the call from another operator's network which are part of everyone's phone bill. The guidance is in the form of a "Recommendation" that national regulators are obliged to take "the utmost account" of. The Recommendation indicates specifically that termination rates at national level should be based only on the real costs that an efficient operator incurs to establish the connection. Eliminating price distortions between phone operators across the EU will lower consumer prices for voice calls within and between Member States, saving business and household customers at least €2 billion in 2009-2012, and help investment and innovation in the entire telecoms sector. Mobile termination rates varied widely in the EU in 2008 from 2.00 euro cents per minute (in Cyprus) to 15 euro cents per minute (in Bulgaria). Mobile termination rates (on average 8.55 euro cents per minute) are also typically 10 times higher than fixed termination rates (on average ranging from 0.57 to 1.13 euro cents per minute). Higher mobile termination rates make it harder for fixed and small mobile operators to compete with large mobile operators. These divergences, and differing regulatory approaches, undermine the Single Market and Europe's competitiveness.

    Plus d'information

    2009-05-12 - Small chips with big potential: New EU recommendations make sure 21st century bar codes respect privacy

    Europeans should be able to have control over smart chips, a worldwide market set to grow five times over in the next decade, while still being able to easily use them to make everyday life simpler. There are already over 6 billion smart chips, microelectronic devices that can be integrated into a variety of everyday objects from fridges to bus passes. With Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology, they can process data automatically when brought close to 'readers' that activate them, pick up their radio signal and exchange data with them. They are in the passes you use to enter your office and the smart cards that pay highway tolls. Today, the European Commission adopted a set of recommendations to make sure that everyone involved in the design or operation of technology using smart chips respects the individual's fundamental right to privacy and data protection, contained in the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union proclaimed on 14 December 2007.

    Plus d'information

    2009-05-14 - European Commission paves the way for European mobile satellite services

    European consumers and businesses, particularly in rural areas, can expect to benefit from innovative wireless communication services after the European Commission selected two operators, Inmarsat Ventures Limited and Solaris Mobile Limited, to provide mobile satellite services across Europe. The services, such as high-speed internet access, mobile television and radio or emergency communications, will be provided over a specifically reserved spectrum. Both satellite operators demonstrated an advanced level of technical and commercial ability to provide these services.

    Plus d'information

  • Enterprises

    2009-05-06 - European SME week to boost entrepreneurship in difficult times

    Promoting entrepreneurship and raising awareness about business support are the main messages of the first European SME Week launched in Brussels today. More than 1000 events will take place in 35 countries from 6 to 14 May. Today more than ever the contribution of European entrepreneurs for preserving jobs and creating new ones needs to be recognised and supported. The week will also allow entrepreneurs to discover the information, advice, support and ideas available at European, national, regional and local levels to help them develop their activities.

    Plus d'information

    2009-05-13 - Promoting entrepreneurs means creating jobs

    The European Enterprise Awards were launched three years ago to recognise and reward initiatives that support entrepreneurship at regional level. More than 350 national, regional and local authorities – including towns, cities and regions as well as public-private partnerships – competed in the 2008/2009 European Enterprise Awards. Participating countries – EU Member States and Norway – could select up to two candidates for the European competition. 13 were shortlisted for the awards in Prague. It is the Scarborough Renaissance Partnership, which has received the Grand Jury’s Prize for its pioneering enterprise and cultural renaissance work in the seaside town of Scarborough in north-east England. The project was selected for its impressive results in brining down seasonal unemployment. Five other initiatives from local authorities in Finland, Germany, Hungary, Spain and Sweden received award. The event was the final highlight of the First European SME Week, the European Commission's pan-European campaign to promote entrepreneurship in Europe and was organized in close cooperation with the Czech EU Presidency and the Committee of the Regions.

    Plus d'information
• 

  Other EU Policies and funding programmes supporting the Lisbon Strategy

  • Environment

    2009-05-05 - Air quality: Commission welcomes EP vote to cut harmful vapour emissions from service stations

    The European Commission welcomes today's European Parliament vote approving the first reading agreement with the Council on legislation to cut harmful vapour emissions from fuel stations. The new directive will ensure that harmful petrol vapour which escapes during the refuelling of cars at service stations is captured and recycled. 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.

    Plus d'information

    2009-05-05 - Environment: Commission welcomes the agreement reached on seal product ban

    The Commission welcomes today's vote by the European Parliament confirming the first reading agreement reached between Council and Parliament on an EU Regulation banning the trading of seal products within and into the European Union. The aim of the regulation is to ensure that products derived from seals hunted for commercial purposes are no longer found on the European market.

    Plus d'information

    2009-05-15 - Emissions trading: EU ETS emissions fall 3 % in 2008

    Emissions of greenhouse gases from EU businesses participating in the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) fell 3,06 % in 2008 compared with a year earlier, according to the information provided by Member State registries. With the 6.5% reduction in emission allowances that the Commission has secured for the second trading period, the EU ETS really started to make a difference to emissions in 2008. Last year marked the beginning of the second trading period of the EU ETS, which runs from 2008 to 2012.

    Plus d'information

    2009-05-20 - Europe’s amphibians and reptiles under threat

    One fifth of Europe’s reptiles and nearly a quarter of its amphibians are threatened, according to new studies commissioned by the European Commission and carried out by IUCN (the International Union for the Conservation of Nature). The studies, to be presented on World Biodiversity Day, constitute the first European Red Lists for amphibians and reptiles, and reveal alarming population trends. More than half of all European amphibians (59 percent) and 42 percent of reptiles are in decline, which means that amphibians and reptiles are even more at risk than European mammals and birds. For 23 percent of amphibians and 21 percent of reptiles the situation is so severe that they are classified as threatened in the European Red List. Most of the pressure on these declining species comes from mankind's destruction of their natural habitats, combined with climate change, pollution and the presence of invasive species.

    Plus d'information

  • Health

    2009-05-04 - Recognition for inventors in the fight against disease

    The fight against leukaemia and malaria - two of the world's most virulent diseases - was rewarded in two out of the four categories at the recent European Inventor of the Year awards.

    Plus d'information

    2009-05-18 - "Innovative Medicines Initiative" (IMI): €246 million to support public-private research cooperation for a fast development of better medicines

    Today, 15 new research projects aimed at bringing innovative medicines more quickly to the market have been selected to receive €246 million from the European Commission and the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA). The projects will foster understanding of health issues such as diabetes, pain, severe asthma and psychiatric disorders while increasing drug safety. They will also help improve the training of researchers and clinicians involved in medicines development. The projects were chosen following the first call for proposals launched within the Innovative Medicines Initiative (IMI), a public-private partnership – so called Joint Technology Initiative- between the European Commission and the pharmaceutical industry. With this selection, IMI has reached a key milestone. This initiative marks the first time that pharmaceutical competitors are pooling their resources, together with research organisations, patient groups and other stakeholders in large consortia, in order to develop generic, pre-competitive knowledge. The Commission's contribution of €110 million is backed up with €136 million provided in-kind from the pharmaceutical industry. The successful projects will now enter into the final negotiation phase.

    Plus d'information

  • Transport

    2009-05-12 - European Commission promotes cycling as healthy way to travel

    The European Commission is promoting cycling as a healthy and safe way to travel in cities at the 15th Velo-City conference, organised by the Brussels Region and which opened today in the presence of Vice-President Antonio Tajani, responsible for transport. The world's largest conference related to cycling takes place in Brussels, at Tour & Taxis until Friday 15 May and brings together one thousand participants from across the world to discuss the future of cycling in cities. Vice-President Kallas, Commissioner for administrative affairs, will attend the closing ceremony on Friday for the signing of the Brussels Charter by various European cities committing themselves to promote the use of bicycles through concrete objectives.

    Plus d'information

    2009-05-14 - Airlines move to clean up ticket selling websites

    New EU results published today show a "step change" in airline ticket selling websites across Europe in terms of compliance with consumer protection rules. The findings feature in a final report on an 18 month EU-wide process to crackdown on misleading advertising and unfair practices. As a result of an EU enforcement investigation started in September 2007 – with 15 EU national authorities and Norway - 115 airline websites out of the 137 websites investigated have been corrected. Following an additional "health check" process involving independent mystery shopping in March 2009 on 67 major airlines, 52 airlines have either been given a "clean bill of health" and undertaken to maintain the same standards or immediately responded to the Commission's consultation with undertakings to remedy outstanding issues (see lists below). The health check process checked websites against a comprehensive 14 point checklist, which was previously agreed with the airline industry. The Commission is now working to put in place an industry wide agreement to provide a level playing field for airlines across the EU and to maintain sites to a high standard.

    Plus d'information

  • Agriculture and fisheries

    2009-05-28 - Food and drink: Commission proposes actions to get the most out of marketing and quality schemes

    Action is needed to improve communication about the qualities of agricultural products — to help reconnect farmers with consumers. Quality labelling schemes must also be easier for people to use and understand and EU policy must be more coherent. These are the main recommendations of a European Commission Communication on agricultural product quality policy, adopted today. EU farmers meet some of the most stringent farming requirements in the world regarding environmental protection, animal welfare and the use of pesticides and veterinary drugs. In addition, they use their expertise and skill to give their products individual qualities that add value. But do farmers get a fair return for their efforts? Do consumers get accurate information about product characteristics and farming attributes?

    Plus d'information

  • Energy

    2009-05-07 - The Southern Corridor: EU and partner countries commit to move forward

    The European Commission and the Czech Presidency of the EU will tomorrow host a Summit in Prague with partner third countries on the development of the Southern Corridor for energy and transport. The President of the European Commission, José Manuel Barroso, and the Prime Minister of the Czech Republic, Mirek Topolánek will meet with the leaders of partner countries from Central Asia, Southern Caucasus, Mashreq and Middle East. The Summit participants will discuss concrete ways for progressing on the development of the Southern Corridor for energy and transport, in particular the supplies of natural gas to the EU along the Corridor route. The Summit is the first time that potential partners in the Southern Corridor meet at the highest level to discuss their shared interests, and the summit declaration will provide the first formal commitments by consumer, producer and transit states on the conditions necessary to make a success of the Corridor. President Barroso will be accompanied by Commissioner Piebalgs during the summit.

    Plus d'information

    2009-05-18 - The Commission calls for proposals for €4 billion worth of energy investments

    The European Commission has launched today a call for proposals covering key energy infrastructure projects such as energy interconnections, offshore wind energy and carbon capture and storage as part of the implementation of the European Energy Programme for Recovery (EEPR), on which the Council and the Parliament recently reached agreement. Project promoters are invited to submit their proposals by 15 July 2009. The Commission expects to sign the first grant agreements and decisions before the end of the year. In total nearly €4 billion worth of financial aid will be available to support new energy-related investments.

    Plus d'information

    2009-05-25 - G8 Energy Ministerial: Commissioner Piebalgs calls for good investment climate to take the energy sector out of the crisis

    Energy Commissioner Andris Piebalgs, has called for clear price signal in an open and transparent market, as the best tool to reinstall confidence in the global energy markets and mitigate the effects of the current economic crisis. This was one of the main messages that Commissioner Piebalgs delivered in the G8 Energy Ministerial Meeting that took place in Rome on 24 and 25th of May. “Energy companies need clear price signals to know where to invest. The European Commission has tried to provide this with clear rules for the Internal Market, with a CO2 price, and with clear objectives for renewable energies and energy efficiency”, said Commissioner Piebalgs.

    Plus d'information

    2009-05-28 - CCS, market liberalisation and energy security dominate the agenda of the EC – Norway Energy Dialogue

    Carbon capture and storage (CCS), energy security in Europe, liberalisation of energy markets and offshore wind were the main points on the agenda of the EC-Norway energy dialogue that Energy Commissioner, Andris Piebalgs and Norwegian Minister of Petroleum and Energy, Terje Riis-Johansen held today in Bergen (Norway). "The importance of Norway as an energy partner of the EU will never be underlined enough. It is not only EU's second main supplier of oil and gas, but also an important player in the internal energy market and a front-runner in clean energy technologies like CCS and renewables", said Commissioner Piebalgs after the meeting.

    Plus d'information

  • Maritime Affairs

    2009-05-12 - Commission opens the discussion on fishing possibilities for 2010

    Today the European Commission presented its views on how to set fishing possibilities in EU waters for 2010. A consultation document sets out the approach the Commission intends to take when setting the Total Allowable Catches (TACs) and the fishing effort limitations for the coming year. The Commission points out that slow progress has been made in stock recovery since the 2002 reform of the Common Fisheries Policy. One of the reasons for this is that fishing opportunities consistently have been set at levels which were too high for the fish stocks to sustain. As a result, more than 80% of EU stocks are now overfished, compared with a global average of 28%. On the other hand, several long-term plans have been implemented successfully, generating signs of stock recovery. The Commission is therefore proposing greater flexibility in changing TACs from year to year, to enable more effective recovery measures for overexploited stocks. Member States and stakeholders are invited to present their views on the Commission's approach by 31 July. The Commission will then make formal proposals in the autumn to be adopted by Council before the end of the year.

    Plus d'information

  • Maritime Affairs

    2009-05-12 - Commission opens the discussion on fishing possibilities for 2010

    Today the European Commission presented its views on how to set fishing possibilities in EU waters for 2010. A consultation document sets out the approach the Commission intends to take when setting the Total Allowable Catches (TACs) and the fishing effort limitations for the coming year. The Commission points out that slow progress has been made in stock recovery since the 2002 reform of the Common Fisheries Policy. One of the reasons for this is that fishing opportunities consistently have been set at levels which were too high for the fish stocks to sustain. As a result, more than 80% of EU stocks are now overfished, compared with a global average of 28%. On the other hand, several long-term plans have been implemented successfully, generating signs of stock recovery. The Commission is therefore proposing greater flexibility in changing TACs from year to year, to enable more effective recovery measures for overexploited stocks. Member States and stakeholders are invited to present their views on the Commission's approach by 31 July. The Commission will then make formal proposals in the autumn to be adopted by Council before the end of the year.

    Plus d'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

    Plus d'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