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

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  General EU Information

  • European Parliament

    2009-10-08 - Plenary Session - Brussels

    When MEPs meet in Brussels on 7-8 October, they discussed the results of the Irish referendum on the Lisbon Treaty, the setting up of a special parliamentary committee on the financial and economic crisis and freedom of information in Italy amid other issues.

    Plus d'information

    2009-10-22 - Plenary Session - Strasbourg

    The Parliamentary Session has seen MEPs hold their first ever question and answer session with the head of the European Commission on topical issues. The state of Europe's economy and unemployment were just two subjects. In addition MEPs debated the key issues ahead of the next EU Summit which is expected to be dominated by the Lisbon Treaty and climate change. The week's agenda also included a vote on the EU's spending priorities for next year. This focus looks at some of the key issues.

    Plus d'information
• 

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

  • Research Policy

    • General points

      2009-10-01 - Commission underlines importance of supporting development of key technologies

      The EU must do more to develop and deploy key enabling technologies (KETs) such as nanotechnology, micro- and nano-electronics, advanced materials and photonics. This is the main message from a new Commission communication on the subject.

      Plus d'information

      2009-10-07 - ERAB calls for 'new renaissance' in Europe

      The European Research Area Board (ERAB) has released its first annual report, highlighting the need for a new spirit to be instilled in European research by 2030. The overriding message in the publication is the need for the kind of fervour for change that swept through Europe during the Renaissance period in the 15th and 16th centuries. Today, an equivalent revolution in thought, society and science is needed to deal with the undeniable challenges that confront the soon-to-be world population of nine billion people.

      Plus d'information

      2009-10-19 - European Court of Auditors assesses success of two important FP6 instruments

      Networks of Excellence (NoEs) and Integrated Projects (IPs) under the Sixth Framework Programme (FP6) have succeeded in promoting effective research collaborations. This is one of the results of a special report by the European Court of Auditors (ECA) assessing the two instruments for research funding, newly introduced under FP6.

      Plus d'information

      2009-10-23 - Administrative and organisational changes to secure the ERC's sustainable development

      The European Commission has presented its strategy to ensure the long-term success of the European Research Council (ERC). In its communication to the Council of the European Union and the European Parliament entitled 'The European Research Council - meeting the challenge of world class excellence', the Commission sets out a twofold approach focused on streamlining the ERC's organisation and improving its efficiency. The ERC has now been in operation for two and a half years.

      Plus d'information

      2009-10-23 - Joint projects to spark EU-US research collaboration

      Two new EU-funded projects to promote research between the EU and the US will help both continents to increase their research expertise, expand bilateral relations and create a greater global science and technology base in accordance with the goals of the Lisbon Agenda.

      Plus d'information

    • European Research & Innovation projects

      • ICT

        2009-10-01 - How technology can bring people together

        EU-funded researchers are developing new technologies that will improve how people nurture and develop their relationships. The TA2 ('Together anywhere, together anytime') project, supported under the 'Information Communications and Technologies' Thematic area of the EU's Seventh Framework Programme (FP7), will bring rewarding and attractive media experiences to Europeans by enhancing and supporting technology. Scheduled to end in 2012, TA2 has received over EUR 12.8 million in funding.

        Plus d'information
        2009-10-02 - EU project gives fibre network a boost

        The Irish research facility Tyndall National Institute at University College Cork has demonstrated the most advanced fibre network on Earth, it was reported recently. This latest innovation is part of the PIEMAN ('Photonic integrated extended metro and access network') project, funded under the 'Information Society Technologies' (IST) Thematic area of the EU's Sixth Framework Programme (FP6) to the tune of EUR 2.2 million.

        Plus d'information
        2009-10-12 - A more realistic World Wide Web

        EU-funded researchers have developed a new form of network-based, machine-machine communication called 'Triple Space' that will fuel Web services, semantic Web and tuple space technologies. The TRIPCOM ('Triple space communication') project was funded under the 'Information Society Technologies' Thematic area of the EU's Sixth Framework Programme (FP6) to the tune of EUR 3.65 million.

        Plus d'information
        2009-10-13 - Business and science to profit from European grids

        Researchers in the EGEE-III ('Enabling Grids for e-Science') project are on the fast track for improved grid standards and are guaranteeing their commercial uptake. Funded under the 'e-Infrastructures' Activity of the EU's Seventh Framework Programme (FP7), EGEE-III is the extension of the EGEE and EGEE-II projects, which enabled researchers across regions to cooperate and advance European IT science. Due to be completed in 2010, EGEE-III has received EUR 32 million in financial support.

        Plus d'information
        2009-10-15 - EUROFOT to kick-start road safety systems tests

        Road safety is high on the EU agenda and researchers are rising to the challenge of developing innovative in-vehicle technologies for industry and consumers. The EUROFOT ('European field operational test on active safety functions in vehicles') project, supported under the 'Information and Communication Technologies' (ICT) Thematic area of the EU's Seventh Framework Programme (FP7) with funding totalling almost EUR 14 million, is working to identify and coordinate in-field testing of new intelligent vehicle systems for better quality of European road traffic.

        Plus d'information
        2009-10-16 - D4Science-ll drives forward the science e-resource revolution

        The new EU-funded project D4Science-II ('Data infrastructure ecosystem for science') held its kick-off meeting in Pisa, Italy, on 13-16 October. It is set to establish 'virtual research environments' that will offer significantly enhanced services to scientists without high development and maintenance costs.

        Plus d'information
        2009-10-19 - SECSE computing paradigm is sexy

        A team of EU-funded researchers has created new methods, tools and techniques for system integrators and service providers in the software engineering sphere. The new computing paradigm developed by the SECSE ('Service Centric Systems Engineering') project, which received EUR 9.28 million under the 'Information Society Technologies' Thematic area of the EU's Sixth Framework Programme (FP6), can combine services to create powerful applications. Ultimately, European citizens and organisations will benefit from SECSE's work.

        Plus d'information
        2009-10-26 - EUROPRACTICE leads the way in microchip design

        Helped by more than EUR 7 million of Sixth Framework Programme (FP6) and Seventh Framework Programme (FP7) funding, the EUROPRACTICE IC3 and EUROPRACTICE IC4 projects have produced state-of-the-art micromechanical and microelectronic technologies that are being used in universities and industry worldwide to create microchip applications for uses ranging from space technology to medical diagnostics. Using a single wafer for a range of microelectronic systems means low costs and a construction that is as simple and accessible as possible.

        Plus d'information

      • Health

        2009-10-01 - Keep fat off to stay healthy in older years

        The adage 'To lengthen your life, shorten your meals' weighs on the minds of many who are battling the bulge. And medical experts say losing weight and keeping it off is a must if you want to improve and maintain your well-being. Now a new study, published in the British Medical Journal, advises that women who gain weight as they get older could cut their chances of enjoying healthy lives by up to 80%.

        Plus d'information
        2009-10-02 - Study highlights effect of brain waves on human behaviour

        Boosting a certain type of brain wave can slow people's movements, UK researchers have discovered. The findings, published online by the journal Current Biology, offer the first direct evidence that brain waves can influence behaviour in otherwise healthy individuals. They could also lead to the development of new drugs for medical conditions characterised by either uncontrolled or slowed movements.

        Plus d'information
        2009-10-06 - Simple blood test could save lives

        EU-funded scientists have demonstrated that a simple blood test can predict which patients are at greatest risk of dying and so should be kept in hospital for further tests and treatment. The researchers hope that the test will eventually be used routinely in all hospitals.

        Plus d'information
        2009-10-06 - Study finds regional differences in assessment of swine flu risk

        An international team of researchers has revealed important regional differences in people's personal response to the swine flu threat. Only 26% of individuals were 'very concerned' about being a flu victim, the study now published in the open-access journal BMC Infectious Diseases finds. However, only 5% of Europeans admitted to this level of worry as opposed to 42% of Malaysian participants.

        Plus d'information
        2009-10-12 - New piece to the puzzle of human disease

        Findings from an EU-funded study into genetic variations in blood measurements may help us better understand the link to some of the most common human diseases. Several thousand people were involved in the genome-wide study, the results of which are published in the journal Nature Genetics.

        Plus d'information
        2009-10-13 - Study reveals deep evolutionary roots of programmed cell death

        EU-funded researchers have discovered that parts of the genetic machinery controlling programmed cell death are the same in plants and animals. The findings, published in the journal Nature Cell Biology, suggest that programmed cell death arose before the evolutionary paths of plants and animals split around 1 billion years ago.

        Plus d'information
        2009-10-14 - Scientists discover gene that causes rare cancer

        European scientists have identified a gene behind a rare form of cancer called adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC). The team hope their discovery will lead to new tests and treatments for the disease. Their findings are published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).

        Plus d'information
        2009-10-15 - Why vCJD is more common in young people

        Certain cells in the immune system could help to explain why young people are more likely to develop variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (vCJD) than older people. The findings, published in the Journal of Immunology, could eventually result in new tests for the disease and treatments to stop the disease-causing prions from spreading to the brain and central nervous system (CNS).

        Plus d'information
        2009-10-15 - Study finds hand hygiene not enough to prevent swine flu

        As swine flu takes the world by storm, certain measures recommended by experts may fail to slow the spread of the disease in the long term, according to a new study from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine in the UK. Presented in the BMC Public Health journal, the researchers believe that increased hand hygiene in primary schools will only provide a short reprieve in the fight to prevent the spread of infection.

        Plus d'information
        2009-10-16 - EU-funded scientists reveal secrets of proteins in mitochondria

        A team of Belgian and German scientists has for the first time successfully mapped the full inventory of proteins in yeast mitochondria. The partly EU-funded research that has now been published in the journal Cell represents important progress in the understanding of the fundamental workings of proteins, the basic building blocks of life.

        Plus d'information
        2009-10-20 - Scientists find link between parasite and mosquito infection prevention

        A group of scientists in the UK has discovered how infecting mosquitoes with a bacterial parasite could help prevent infections caused by these pesky insects. The results of the study, published in the journal Science, are part of the ANOPOPAGE ('Population age structure and age structure modification via Wolbachia in Anopheles gambiae') project, which received EUR 1 million under the 'Health' Theme of the EU's Seventh Framework Programme (FP7).

        Plus d'information
        2009-10-21 - Diabetes time bomb set to explode

        Figures released by the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) at the 20th World Diabetes Congress in Montreal, Canada, this week show an enormous increase in the number of people with diabetes, from 30 million in 1985 to nearly 300 million today.

        Plus d'information
        2009-10-21 - Scientists crack sperm DNA code

        A team of European researchers led by the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) in Heidelberg, Germany, and Grenoble, France, have discovered that Brdt, a protein found only in developing sperm cells, plays a key role in directing the tight re-packing of sperm DNA. The results of their study, published in the journal Nature, shed light on why sperm are exceptionally streamlined.

        Plus d'information
        2009-10-26 - Enzyme could help regeneration of nervous systems, study finds

        A partly EU-funded team of UK and US researchers has identified an enzyme that plays a key role in the regeneration of nerve fibres (axons) after injury. Mammalian sterile 20-like kinase-3b (Mst3b) was shown to increase axon growth in the central nervous system (CNS) as well as the peripheral nervous system (PNS). The research results, now published in Nature Neuroscience, could open up new possibilities for treating stroke, spinal cord injuries and traumatic brain injury.

        Plus d'information

      • Environment

        2009-10-13 - Biodiversity loss continues unchecked, 2010 UN targets will be missed, experts say

        The agreed 2010 targets to curtail global biodiversity loss based on the United Nations (UN) Convention on Biological Diversity in 2003 will not be achieved, experts predict. The statement comes at the beginning of the Diversitas Open Science Conference that is taking place from 13 to 16 October in Cape Town, South Africa.

        Plus d'information
        2009-10-14 - Researchers unlock mystery of European eel's spawning migration

        Tracking the movements of individual fish in oceans is not easy, but an international group of scientists has done just that. The research results, published in the journal Science, show how the scientists successfully followed a group of European eels during the first 1,300 km of a 5,000 km journey. The research is part of the EELIAD ('European eels in the Atlantic: assessment of their decline') project, supported under the 'Environment' Theme of the EU's Seventh Framework Programme (FP7). Due to end in 2012, EELIAD has received over EUR 2.6 million in financial support.

        Plus d'information
        2009-10-22 - Global warming may release frozen pollutants

        Melting glaciers in the Alps may cause severe environmental damage due to the release of pollutants which have been frozen in ice for decades, according to research by Swiss scientists. With glaciers predicted to recede further due to global warming, the resulting melt may contain chemicals which have been banned or are not widely produced any more.

        Plus d'information
        2009-10-22 - Mass extinction helped ancient fungi thrive

        The mass devastation of Earth's forests 250 million years ago was the catalyst for a fungal explosion, according to a new international study published in the journal Geology. The researchers said the tiny organisms, called Reduviasporonites, emerged and proliferated across the globe following the wipeout.

        Plus d'information

      • Agriculture

        2009-10-09 - Crunch time for wildlife infections control

        Diseases transmitted from wild animals to humans have impacted the lives of many people over the years. But what measures are being taken to curb this ballooning headache? A group of EU-funded researchers is developing a pan-European surveillance system that would keep an eye on the infections that make their presence known in wildlife. Ultimately, both the public and livestock would benefit from this innovation.

        Plus d'information
        2009-10-10 - Water management could boost crop yield, but not enough, study suggests

        A team of German and Swedish researchers has found that moderate on-farm water management using certain strategies could increase global crop production by a total of 19%. However, further substantial improvements in agriculture would be needed to meet the food demands of the world's growing population. The findings are part of the team's modelling study published in the open-access journal Environmental Research Letters.

        Plus d'information
        2009-10-14 - EU project sets new standards in animal welfare

        A new set of animal welfare measures has been developed by a project called WELFARE QUALITY ('Integration of animal welfare in the food quality chain: from public concern to improved welfare and transparent quality'). The 44-partner consortium from 13 European countries plus Brazil, Chile, Mexico and Uruguay, is funded by the EU with EUR 14.6 million under the 'Food quality and safety' Thematic area of the Sixth Framework Programme (FP6), and runs from May 2004 to the end of 2009.

        Plus d'information
        2009-10-23 - Researchers reveal how wildlife causes livestock infections

        EU-funded researchers have discovered that wild animals may be playing host to a bacterium that is possibly linked to Crohn's disease - an inflammatory disease of the intestines. Presented in the open access journal BMC Microbiology, the study's findings support theories of wildlife infection reservoirs.

        Plus d'information

      • Nanosciences

        2009-10-09 - Innovation makes artificial hand seem real

        Pioneering techniques in the manufacture of artificial limbs continue to emerge in Europe, and the SMARTHAND ('The smart bio-adaptive hand prosthesis') project has risen to the challenge. Funded under the 'Nanotechnologies and nano-sciences, knowledge-based multifunctional materials and new production processes and devices (NMP)' Thematic area of the EU's Sixth Framework Programme (FP6), SMARTHAND has combined cutting-edge research from various technologies with cognitive neuroscience. The result, an artificial hand with the basic features of a real human hand, will help amputees to regain sensation. Funding for SMARTHAND totals EUR 1.8 million.

        Plus d'information

      • Space

        2009-10-08 - Scientists track source of unusual meteorite

        When meteorites land on Earth, it is often impossible to say where exactly in our Solar System they originated. Out of nearly 1,100 documented meteorite falls over the past 200 years, researchers have only been able to pinpoint the origin of a dozen. A new camera network in the Australian desert, however, has now helped achieve exactly that feat for a new meteorite.

        Plus d'information

      • Energy

        2009-10-07 - Europeans to resolve red tape snags for solar energy

        Europeans, particularly in the southern areas, are favouring the use of solar power over the conventional oil and gas methods. The conversion of sunlight into electricity can keep costs down and help sustain the environment. While the system seems foolproof, experts say problems exist with respect to the installation of advanced solar power systems. A team of researchers has launched an investigation to determine the source of this headache: red tape!

        Plus d'information
        2009-10-26 - Low-dose radiation may cause heart disease and stroke

        The risk of heart disease or stroke from low dose radiation like that used in hospital or dental X-rays may have been significantly underestimated, a new study partly funded by the European Commission says. The results, which were published last week in the journal Public Library of Science (PLoS) Computational Biology, are consistent with risk levels reported in previous radiation studies involving nuclear workers.

        Plus d'information

      • Maritime Affairs

        2009-10-08 - EU shines beam on single European fleet of research vessels

        Work has begun on an EU-funded initiative to link up Europe's research vessels into a single fleet. Dubbed EUROFLEETS ('European fleets'), the 4-year project has been allocated EUR 7.2 million under the Seventh Framework Programme (FP7).

        Plus d'information
        2009-10-20 - Research shows diatomic ability to process silicon

        A study partially funded by the European Union has, for the first time, measured the ability of diatoms to transport and metabolise silica. The findings will help to shed light on the role of this group of algae in our ocean's biogeochemical cycles. Diatomic algae also produce nearly 25% of the oxygen in the Earth's atmosphere, which is nearly the same level as produced by tropical forests.

        Plus d'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.

        Plus d'information

      • European Technology Plateformes

        Advanced Engineering Materials and Technologies (EuMaT)

        No events planned

        Plus d'information
        Advisory Council for Aeronautics Research in Europe (ACARE)

        No events planned

        Plus d'information
        European Technology Platform for Wind Energy (TPWind)

        No events planned

        Plus d'information
        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)

        Plus d'information
        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
        2009-10-05 - Research goals in place to improve the state of Mediterranean forests

        Experts have agreed on a research agenda to address problems being faced by forests around the Mediterranean. The region, defined as the triangle that links Mediterranean Europe with North Africa and the Middle East, needs more research, education and innovation to sustain the ecosystems that generate the many products and services that contribute to national economies.

        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

  • Education policy

    2009-10-05 - Gender inequalities in education persist

    Despite progress in recent years, gender differences and inequalities persist in education in terms of subject preferences and performance, and in cultural aspects of the education and training experience. This is a key message from a new independent expert report on gender and education issued by the European Commission. The authors also point out that gender differences in education are closely interlinked with other factors such as social class, ethnicity and minority status and call on policy-makers to take this into account.

    Plus d'information

  • Regional policy

    2009-10-28 - Commission efforts to strengthen controls over structural funds is paying off

    The European Commission has today adopted a progress report on the implementation of its action plan to strengthen the shared management of the EU structural and cohesion funds. The report, presented by Commissioners Pawe ł Samecki (Regional Policy) and Vladimir Špidla (Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities), highlights measures taken to improve financial controls in Member States and to reduce errors that can result in incorrect payment claims from the EU budget.

    Plus d'information

  • Information society

    2009-10-07 - 'Father of Fibre Optics' and digital photography pioneers share Nobel Prize in Physics

    That you are able to read this article and view the accompanying picture is due in no small part to the work of the three scientists who have just been awarded the 2009 Nobel Prize in Physics. The British-American physicist Charles Kuen Kao of Standard Telecommunication Laboratories in the UK and the Chinese University of Hong Kong in China has been awarded half of the SEK 10 million (EUR 976,000) prize 'for groundbreaking achievements concerning the transmission of light in fibres for optical communication'.

    Plus d'information

    2009-10-08 - More action needed to fight spammers and protect online privacy, says Commission report

    The European Commission today has repeated its call for EU countries to do more to tackle online privacy threats to the public. A Commission-funded study published today found that although in recent years several EU countries have taken some measures to enforce Europe's ban on spam, including fines for spammers, the number of prosecuted cases and sanctions imposed on lawbreakers vary considerably. The study confirms the need for the legislative improvements proposed under the reform of the EU's Telecoms rules: clearer and more consistent enforcement rules and dissuasive sanctions, better cross-border cooperation, and adequate resources for national authorities in charge of protecting citizens' online privacy.

    Plus d'information

    2009-10-08 - 28 European companies now commit to bring more women into the tech industry

    Today the European Commission welcomed the growing commitment by Europe's tech companies to attract more women to the information and communication technologies (ICT) industry. Only six months after the European Commission launched a code of best practices for women in the ICT sector, the number of signatories committed to encourage young women to study and follow careers in the telecoms, technology and internet industries has grown from initially five to now 28 – a more than five fold increase. The Commission also launched today the European Directory for Women in ICT – a new online tool that will bring together all information on activities and jobs in the EU related to women and ICT.

    Plus d'information

    2009-10-09 - ICT sector to lead the way on climate and energy targets, says European Commission

    The European Commission today called on Europe's information and communication technologies (ICT) industry to outline by 2011 the practical steps it will take to become 20% more energy efficient by 2015. ICT equipment and services alone account for about 8% of electrical power used in the EU and about 2% of carbon emissions. But using ICT in a smart way could help reducing energy consumption in energy-hungry sectors such as buildings, transport and logistics, and save 15% in total carbon emissions by 2020 . The Commission recommends that the ICT sector adopts bold energy efficiency targets by 2011. It also asks EU countries to agree on common specifications for smart metering by the end of 2010 .

    Plus d'information

    2009-10-19 - European Commission puts challenges of books digitisation for authors, libraries and consumers on EU's agenda

    The European Commission today adopted a Communication on Copyright in the Knowledge Economy aiming to tackle the important cultural and legal challenges of mass-scale digitisation and dissemination of books, in particular of European library collections. The Communication was jointly drawn up by Commissioners Charlie McCreevy and Viviane Reding. Digital libraries such as Europeana (  http//www.europeana.eu ) will provide researchers and consumers across Europe with new ways to gain access to knowledge. For this, however, the EU will need to find a solution for orphan works, whose uncertain copyright status means they often cannot be digitised. Improving the distribution and availability of works for persons with disabilities, particularly the visually impaired, is another cornerstone of the Communication.

    Plus d'information

    2009-10-22 - European Commission launches reflection on a Digital Single Market for Creative Content Online

    The European Commission today published a reflection paper on the challenge of creating a European Digital Single Market for creative content like books, music, films or video games. According to Commission studies, a truly Single Market without borders for Creative Online Content could allow retail revenues of the creative content sector to quadruple if clear and consumer-friendly measures are taken by industry and public authorities. The digital availability of content thus presents great opportunities for Europe, but also a number of challenges. First of all, regulatory and territorial obstacles still stand in the way of digital distribution of cultural products and services and can impede creativity and innovation. In addition, illegal downloads on a large scale can jeopardize the development of an economically viable Single Market for digital content; there needs to be much more encouragement for legal cross-border offers. Against this background, the reflection paper – drafted jointly by the services of Commissioners Reding and McCreevy – outlines current challenges for three groups of stakeholders – rightholders, consumers and commercial users – and invites everybody interested to participate in a broad debate about the possible European responses to them. Comments can be sent by 5 January 2010.

    Plus d'information

    2009-10-28 - Future internet to make Europe's systems smart and efficient: fewer traffic jams, lower emissions, better healthcare

    Less congested roads, better and more efficient energy delivery or state of the art medical treatment managed at home are typical examples made possible by the Internet of the Future. It will connect physical objects such as cars or mobile devices with infrastructures (for example traffic management systems), so that massive amounts of data can be used in real-time to improve their business process and efficiency. The European Commission today unveiled a strategy to put Europe at the forefront when it comes to the development of smart internet-powered infrastructures. It calls on Europe's governments and its ICT (Information and Communication Technologies) sector to take advantage of the increasing demand for innovative applications of the internet to make existing infrastructures like healthcare systems, energy grids or traffic management 'smart'. To do this it will launch a partnership between public authorities and major ICT players with a budget for 2011-2013 of €300 million available for projects to be selected in the near future, to complement the €200 million yearly ICT support to ongoing research for underlying internet technology.

    Plus d'information

    2009-10-28 - European Commission wants airwaves freed-up by move to digital TV to work for swift economic recovery

    As digital TV replaces our old analogue TV, four-fifths of the airwaves that used to carry TV broadcasts to our homes will be freed up. This means that they can be used for new, innovative services that use radio spectrum, from wireless internet and more advanced mobile phones to new interactive and high-definition TV channels. Remote regions could be big winners from this as wireless broadband could use the new spectrum to deliver high-speed internet to areas not yet reached by landlines. The Commission today set out plans for a coordinated distribution of spectrum that encourages investment and competition in these potential new services. If the allocation of the newly freed airwaves – the "digital dividend" – to new services is coordinated across Europe it could give the economy a boost of €20 to €50 billion. The plan for the realisation of the digital dividend's full potential involves the European Parliament and EU countries, reflecting the major part they have to play

    Plus d'information

  • Enterprises

    2009-10-06 - A woman to woman approach to foster entrepreneurship

    More women are needed in business. This week, 130 successful European businesswomen are kicking off a campaign to encourage more women to become entrepreneurs and start their own companies. Appointed by Commissioner Vladimír Špidla yesterday evening in Stockholm, these successful business women will act as Entrepreneurship Ambassadors.

    Plus d'information

    2009-10-22 - Cutting red tape: Commission delivers on its promise and goes beyond

    Based on a Commission proposal from 2007 the European Union set itself an ambitious target of cutting administrative costs imposed by EU legislation by 25% by 2012. Today the Commission publishes an overview of progress to date and sectoral reduction plans for 13 priority areas. In total, the measures proposed by the Commission and under preparation would enable businesses to save around € 40.4 bn from € 123.8 bn on red-tape stemming from 72 EU texts and the measures that transpose and implement them in the Member States. Reduction measures put in place by the Commission or proposed by the Commission and already adopted could bring a reduction of EUR 7.6 billion. Measures proposed by the Commission and pending adoption by the European Parliament and the Council would add EUR 30.7 billion to that amount. Preparatory work on further reduction could lead to the presentation of additional measures bringing further reduction of at least EUR 2.1 billion. Now it is in the hands of the co legislators to ensure that businesses can feel the difference on the ground.

    Plus d'information
• 

  Other EU Policies and funding programmes supporting the Lisbon Strategy

  • Employment and social affairs

    2009-10-22 - Why older workers are better at shrugging off stress

    A report released in the UK this week says that our stress levels peak at about 50 to 55 years of age and decrease as we head towards retirement. It also says that the effects of work-related stress can last well into retirement.

    Plus d'information

  • Environment

    2009-10-12 - The Copenhagen climate agreement: EU positions and state of play

    International negotiations were launched in December 2007 to draw up a United Nations agreement on tackling climate change for the period after 2012, when key provisions of the Kyoto Protocol will expire. The negotiations are due to be concluded at the Copenhagen climate conference on 7-18 December 2009. Three negotiating sessions at official level have been held so far this year, all in Bonn, Germany. The second last preparatory sessions for Copenhagen has taken place in Bangkok from 28 September to 9 October and the last one will be held in Barcelona from 2 to 6 November.

    Plus d'information

    2009-10-23 - Environment: Commission launches search for European Green Capitals 2012 and 2013

    The search has begun to find the cities that will become the next European Green Capitals. The prestigious European Green Capital Award recognises cities that are at the forefront of environmentally-friendly urban living. Earlier this year, Stockholm and Hamburg were named as the first winners of the title for 2010 and 2011, respectively. Now the race is on to find the cities that will claim the coveted title for 2012 and 2013. The annual award is intended to help European cities become more attractive and healthy places – “fit for life”.

    Plus d'information

    2009-10-29 - Commission to provide €200 million for nearly 200 new LIFE+ projects

    The European Commission has approved funding for 196 new projects under the second call for the LIFE+ programme (2007-2013), the European fund for the environment. The projects are from across the EU and cover actions in the fields of nature conservation, environmental policy, and information and communication. Overall, they represent a total investment of €431 million, of which the EU will provide €207.5 million.

    Plus d'information

  • Health

    2009-10-20 - Commission takes steps to tackle health inequalities in the EU

    The European Commission has announced today a series of actions to help Member States and other actors tackle the gaps in health which exist between and within countries in the EU. Despite increased prosperity and overall improvements in health in the EU, health differences between and within countries persist and in some cases are increasing. Difference in life expectancy at birth between Member States reach up to 8 years for women and 14 years for men. The reasons behind these differences are complex and involve a wide range of factors from income, education, living and working conditions, health behaviours to access to healthcare. A possible consequence of the current financial crisis is that this health gap will increase in the groups most hit by the recession such as the unemployed. The Commission initiative identifies action for improving knowledge on this issue, better monitoring and data collection, more assessment of how EU policies can tackle health inequalities and work with countries, regions and stakeholders.

    Plus d'information

    2009-10-26 - A strategy for combating HIV/AIDS in the EU and neighbouring countries 2009-2013

    Today, the Commission has renewed its efforts to fight HIV/AIDS in the EU and neighbouring countries by adopting a strategy for the period 2009-2013. Effective HIV treatment exists but there is still no cure or vaccine against AIDS. The number of people living with HIV/AIDS in the EU and neighbouring countries has increased from 1.5 million in 2001 to 2.2 million in 2007. Approximately 730,000 of these people live in the EU. With 50 000 newly diagnosed HIV cases in the EU and the neighbouring countries alone in 2007, there is no time for complacency. Disparities exist between the numbers of HIV cases and the different modes of transmission across Europe. The strategy tackles these differences by concentrating on 3 key areas: HIV prevention and HIV testing, priority groups most at risk of HIV and priority regions. The strategy is accompanied by an action plan which illustrates concrete steps, target groups and evaluation tools that can be used to measure progress.

    Plus d'information

  • Transport

    2009-10-01 - Commission launches EGNOS Open Service - free access to citizens and businesses

    The European Commission has declared today the official start of operations by EGNOS, the European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service, with its Open Service now available for free to businesses and citizens. EGNOS is Europe's first contribution to satellite navigation and a precursor of Galileo, the global satellite navigation system that the European Union is developing.

    Plus d'information

    2009-10-06 - Commission clears the way for a single European Road Toll Service

    The European Commission today adopted a decision setting out the essential technical specifications and requirements needed to launch a European Electronic Toll Service (EETS) which will enable road users to easily pay tolls throughout the whole European Union (EU) thanks to one subscription contract with one service provider and one single on-board unit. EETS will be available on all infrastructures in the entire Community such as motorways, tunnels and bridges where toll can be paid using on-board equipment. EETS will eventually limit cash transactions at toll stations, thereby improving traffic flow and reducing congestion.

    Plus d'information

    2009-10-07 - Trans-European Transport Network Coordinators present their annual report and a common Position Paper

    The coordinators of the Trans-European Transport Network have presented Vice-President Antonio Tajani with their fourth and final report for their first mandate giving a detailed state of play of the priority projects for which they are responsible.

    Plus d'information

    2009-10-09 - Marco Polo: Fresh air for European freight transport

    The European Commission has adopted new rules to broaden the scope of its successful Marco Polo programme, which has been supporting sustainable transport projects since 2003. The programme gives financial support to the transport industry in order to reduce road freight on our congested roads or to shift it to other more sustainable transport modes, like shipping, rail or inland waterways. The conditions for participation have been improved to further increase its appeal to the industry, will apply to the next call for proposals due for the beginning of next year.

    Plus d'information

    2009-10-21 - EU invests first part of €500 million worth of TEN-T funding in infrastructure works

    The European Commission has today announced the first group of projects that will benefit from a total of €500 million worth of investment in vital transport infrastructure projects across the EU. The grants will be allocated under the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) programme, which helps to fund works to build missing transport links or remove bottlenecks in order to enable people and goods to circulate quickly and easily between Member States. The €500 million package constitutes a vital part of the Commission's response to the economic crisis. The funding announced today will go towards projects in Austria, Belgium, Germany, Spain, France, Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Sweden and the United Kingdom. A second group of projects benefitting from TEN-T funding will be announced later this year.

    Plus d'information

    2009-10-28 - Commission proposes legislation to limit the CO 2 emissions from light commercial vehicles

    The European Commission today proposed legislation to reduce the average CO 2 emissions of light commercial vehicles (vans) to 175 grams per kilometre. The proposal will be phased in from 2014 to 2016, and contains a long term emission reduction target of 135 g/km by 2020. The format of the proposed legislation is similar to the proposals on passenger cars agreed at the end of 2008. It is one of the last outstanding elements of the EU's strategy to improve the fuel economy of light-duty vehicles which account for about 12% of the EU's total carbon emissions. The proposal underlines the EU's commitment to putting in place concrete measures to deliver on its greenhouse gas commitments in the run-up to the Copenhagen climate conference.

    Plus d'information

  • Agriculture and fisheries

    2009-10-05 - Milk: High Level Group to look at long-term future of dairy sector

    Mariann Fischer Boel, Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, today informed agriculture ministers that a High Level Expert Group on Milk will begin work next week to discuss medium and long-term arrangements for the dairy sector given the expiry of milk quotas on 1 April 2015. The Commissioner told a lunch meeting of ministers that the HLG will study whether new arrangements should be put in place which can further contribute to stabilising the market and producers' incomes, reducing price volatility and enhancing market transparency. The Commissioner also briefed ministers on the most recent package of proposals the Commission is preparing to support the dairy market and gave an update on the market situation, which shows that prices for dairy products are picking up.

    Plus d'information

    2009-10-28 - Commission proposes concrete actions to improve functioning of the food supply chain in the EU

    The Commission has agreed a Communication that aims to improve the functioning of the food supply chain in Europe. The recent sharp decline in agricultural commodity prices alongside persistently high consumer food prices has raised concerns on the efficiency of this crucial sector of the European economy. Improving commercial relationships between actors of the chain will be a significant step towards a more efficient food supply chain ultimately benefitting all actors of the chain and consumers alike.

    Plus d'information

  • Energy

    2009-10-06 - The Covenant of Mayors develops a new interactive tool to help EU cities reducing CO2

    In the occasion to the Open Days (5-8 October 2009) the European Commission will present within a thematic workshop a powerful online interactive instrument to help cities present their Sustainable Energy Action Plans (SEAP) and to facilitate their evaluation. Mayors and local authorities participating at this workshop next Tuesday 6 th October will find out “How do cities prepare their SEAP and Inventory of Emissions” by learning how to use the new online template. The Covenant of Mayors is going from strength to strength with more than 700 signatories and the number of Supporting Structures reaching 33.

    Plus d'information

    2009-10-07 - Investing in the future: Commission calls for additional €50bn in low carbon technologies

    European Commission called public authorities, business, and researchers to join efforts in order to develop by 2020 the necessary technologies to address climate change, secure EU energy supply and ensure the competitiveness of our economies. In a proposal on "Investing in the development of low-carbon energy technologies", the Commission estimates that an additional investment of €50 billion in energy technology research will be needed over the next 10 years. This means almost tripling the annual investment in the European Union, from €3 to €8 billion. This represents a step forward in the implementation of the European Strategic Energy Technology Plan (SET-Plan), the technology pillar of the EU's energy and climate policy. Different sources of funding are considered, from public and private sectors at national and EU level, to be used in a coordinated way will also help to push forward a fast growing industrial sector and to create jobs

    Plus d'information

    2009-10-08 - EU gets tough on climate change, intensifies energy investment

    Growing concerns on climate change, energy supply and competitiveness weigh heavily on the minds of Europeans. The European Commission is determined to fight this escalating problem and has called on public officials, industry and researchers to pool their resources and develop key technologies that would address this nagging issue. The target date is 2020.

    Plus d'information

    2009-10-08 - Commission goes step further in developing renewable energy with Mediterranean and Gulf countries

     On 9 October, the European Commissioner for External Relations and European Neighbourhood Policy, Benita Ferrero-Waldner in will host in Brussels a Ministerial level conference on renewable energy cooperation between the EU, the Mediterranean and the Gulf countries, in co operation with the Energy Commissioner, Andris Piebalgs. The conference aims to forge increased political support for closer cooperation in this field, and help to find concrete solutions to the challenges ahead. Ministers and high-level representatives of Albania, Bahrain, Czech Republic, Egypt, France, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Germany, Italy, Iraq, Jordan, Montenegro, Oman, the Palestinian National Authority, Spain, Syria, Tunisia and United Arab Emirates as well as the League of Arab States, the Gulf Cooperation Council and the Union du Maghreb Arabe will address the conference. Representatives from industry, research institutes and international financial institutions will also participate, providing a unique opportunity to explore the scope for future cooperation on renewable energy.

    Plus d'information

    2009-10-30 - Commissioner Piebalgs receives the first 39 Energy Action plans under the Covenant of Mayors

    Representatives of the Diputació de Barcelona, the Barcelona Provincial council, today handed over the first 39 Sustainable Energy Action Plans (SEAPs) of the Covenant of Mayors signatories in the Province to European Energy Commissioner Andris Piebalgs. Today's meeting marks a step change from preparation to action, as signatories have a year from signature to submission of their SEAPs.

    Plus d'information

  • Maritime Affairs

    2009-10-15 - The Integrated Maritime Policy for the EU – priorities for the next Commission

    The European Commission today presented a Progress Report outlining the achievements of the EU’s Integrated Maritime Policy (IMP) over the past two years and looking out into its future. Alongside this, the Commission has tabled concrete proposals on two major IMP issues – the integration across sectors and countries of maritime surveillance and the international dimension of Europe’s maritime policy. Taken together, these three documents provide compelling evidence of how the IMP can unlock the economic potential of Europe’s vast maritime and coastal areas, while making its seas safer and more secure through streamlined new governance and by exploiting synergies across the full range of sea-related policies.

    Plus d'information

    2009-10-27 - EU is ready to combat illegal fishing

    On 22 October 2009, following the favourable opinion expressed in September by the Committee for Fisheries and Aquaculture, the Commission adopted a Regulation establishing the implementing rules for the 2008 Regulation to prevent, deter and eliminate illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing. As one of the central pillars of the Community's fisheries control policy, the IUU Regulation will control all landings and transhipments of third-country fishing vessels in Community ports and all trade of marine fishery products to and from the Union.

    Plus d'information

  • Maritime Affairs

    2009-10-15 - The Integrated Maritime Policy for the EU – priorities for the next Commission

    The European Commission today presented a Progress Report outlining the achievements of the EU’s Integrated Maritime Policy (IMP) over the past two years and looking out into its future. Alongside this, the Commission has tabled concrete proposals on two major IMP issues – the integration across sectors and countries of maritime surveillance and the international dimension of Europe’s maritime policy. Taken together, these three documents provide compelling evidence of how the IMP can unlock the economic potential of Europe’s vast maritime and coastal areas, while making its seas safer and more secure through streamlined new governance and by exploiting synergies across the full range of sea-related policies.

    Plus d'information

    2009-10-27 - EU is ready to combat illegal fishing

    On 22 October 2009, following the favourable opinion expressed in September by the Committee for Fisheries and Aquaculture, the Commission adopted a Regulation establishing the implementing rules for the 2008 Regulation to prevent, deter and eliminate illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing. As one of the central pillars of the Community's fisheries control policy, the IUU Regulation will control all landings and transhipments of third-country fishing vessels in Community ports and all trade of marine fishery products to and from the Union.

    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