EuChemS attended the European Chemical Agency’s Committee for Risk Assessment (RAC) – 47 meeting in Helsinki in November. The RAC prepares the opinions of ECHA related to the risks of substances to human health and the environment, although final decisions are taken by the European Commission.

One of the major issues highlighted during the meeting was the increasing workload of RAC which tripled from 34 opinions in 2012, to 102 opinions in 2016 and 98 in 2017. The RAC plenary meetings which now usually take two weeks and are conducted four times a year, are dedicated to the assessment of classification and labelling dossiers under CLP, as well as the evaluation of applications for authorisation and proposals for restrictions of chemicals.

Further information about the RAC and minutes of the meetings are published by ECHA online here: https://echa.europa.eu/meetings-of-the-rac/2018

On 27 November, a high-level conference on how research and innovation affect daily life was held in the European Parliament. The event, which combined talks with representatives from the European Commission, European Parliament and ministers from EU Member States as well as a range of scientists, explored the major challenges we currently face, and how impact research can and should continue to be fostered in Europe.

Speakers, from European Parliament President Antonio Tajani to European Commissioner for Research and Innovation Carlos Moedas, emphasised the intrinsic link between European identity and science. They aimed to demonstrate the value European science brings to peoples’ lives, but also warned of increasing competitiveness from China and the US. Mr Moedas moreover underlined that the EU “believes in the intuition of scientists”.

A pre-recorded video message from Ben Feringa, Chemistry Nobel Prize winner, reminded decision-makers and scientists alike that researchers and innovators must be given room to discover, make mistakes, and explore the unknown. Fabiola Gianotti, Director General of CERN, echoed these thoughts and stressed the fact that fundamental science should not be overlooked as it does not so easily fit within neat little boxes that funding programmes sometimes rely on.

More about the event available here: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/headlines/eu-affairs/20180920STO14023/conference-the-impact-of-eu-research-and-innovation-on-your-daily-life

The report of the 2nd Employment Survey for European Chemists (ESEC2) was published on 21 November. The report, which analysed data received in 2017, delves into the employment conditions and career opportunities for chemists in Europe.

The figures take a look at a variety of aspects, including education levels, career planning, job satisfaction, employment sectors and salaries. The conditions and opportunities are individually analysed for all countries with a statistically significant number of responses. The results in turn provide important clues for careers in these countries, and in Europe as a whole. This is the first general evaluation of the 2^nd survey and provides many details about the chemistry workforce in Europe and its development. The ESEC2 is based on the experience of the first European employment survey (ESEC1) which was carried out in 2013, although both the questionnaire and the technology have been much reworked.

Negotiations surrounding the future EU research framework programme Horizon Europe are progressing although diverging conclusions are slowly being reached between the European Parliament and the Council. In addition, national ministers themselves are split on a number of central issues. At heart of the different viewpoints for Horizon Europe is that of whether to continue maintaining the notion of ‘excellence’ as the central pillar, or whether to shape Horizon Europe as a tool to help fix the research and innovation divide between western and eastern Member States. The Council agreed on a “partial general approach” with promoting scientific excellence as the first objective, reports Research Europe, a position which the European Parliament is unlikely to fully support.

Also unresolved is the exact budget Horizon Europe will get. The European Parliament voted on 12 December on a €120 billion budget, despite calls by academic organisations, EuChemS included, for a €160 billion budget – a figure which would ensure Europe remains a highly competitive and pioneering player in world science, research and innovation. MEP Christian Ehler, one of the two Rapporteurs for Horizon Europe, recognised that even a €120 billion budget would not allow Europe to fully catch up with US and Chinese spending in R&D. The Council has at this stage not yet determined its budget proposal – as this will only become clearer once the figures for the entire Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) of the EU are known.

Council ministers have also expressed doubts over the role of ‘Missions’ in Horizon Europe, and have, to the contrary of the European Commission’s intentions, moved from precise missions to more general thematic notions. The Commission’s example mission to reduce plastic waste in rivers and seas was replaced by ministers to a target for healthy water; the mission on curing paediatric cancer was replaced by a more general target for all cancers – reports Science Business.

Finally, Horizon Europe Rapporteur MEP Dan Nica aimed to reassure British colleagues that access to Horizon Europe should in principle not be an issue, and that ultimately, the decision to participate and to what extent would be a British one. But these assurances were not expressively given in Council meetings, nor were they echoed by the European Parliament’s plenary on 12 December. Moreover, the access to the programme for third countries such as Norway and Switzerland was not clearly defined.

It remains unclear at this stage whether a final agreement on Horizon Europe will be finalised before the European Parliament elections next May.