The Commission implementing decision on Best Available Techniques (BAT) conclusions for the non-ferrous metals industries has now been published. BAT conclusions are the technical basis for competent authorities in EU countries to set permit conditions for the installations concerned, as stipulated by the Industrial Emissions Directive. BAT conclusions aim to achieve a high level of protection of the environment under economically and technically viable conditions. Non-ferrous metals and their alloy play a centre role in our society, particularly in the sectors of energy generation, computing, electronic, telecommunication and transport industries.
Source: https://ec.europa.eu/
Aligning Chemicals´ Classification, Labelling and Packaging Regulation
Earlier this year, the European Commission adopted legislation on the classification, labelling and packaging of substances and mixtures (the ‘CLP Regulation’). The CLP Regulation sets rules on the hazard classification of chemicals, how these hazards are communicated through labelling and how the chemicals are packaged. CLP labels provide important hazard information to consumers and workers through pictograms (in the shape of a red diamond), hazard and precautionary statements and other labelling elements. The 8th ATP to CLP entered into force on 4 July 2016. Application of the new rules becomes mandatory from 1 February 2018, although they can be applied voluntarily before this date.
Source: http://ec.europa.eu/
Bosnia and Herzegovina Joins COSME
SMEs and entrepreneurs from Bosnia and Herzegovina will now be able to participate in COSME, the Competitiveness of Enterprises and Small and Medium-sized Enterprises Programme, under the same conditions as their counterparts from EU Member States and other associated countries. COSME will support projects on a wide range of topics that include clusters, SME internationalisation, building entrepreneurship skills, tourism, reducing the administrative burden for companies and protection of intellectual property rights for companies operating in non-EU countries. It will help SMEs identify funding sources. Bosnia and Herzegovina is the tenth country outside the EU to join and contribute to the programme, after Iceland, Montenegro, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Moldova, Turkey, Albania, Serbia, Armenia and Ukraine.
Source: http://ec.europa.eu/
Raising Awareness About Entrepreneurial Skills
As part of the Skills Agenda for Europe, the Commission has published an ‘Entrepreneurship Competence Framework’ (EntreComp) to raise consensus about what entrepreneurship skills are.
This framework proposes a shared definition of entrepreneurship as a competence and aims to establish a bridge between education and work. The framework develops 15 competences along an 8-level progression model and proposes a comprehensive list of 442 learning outcomes. EntreComp can be used as a basis for the development of curricula and learning activities fostering entrepreneurship as a competence. Also, it can be used for the definition of parameters to assess learners’ and citizens’ entrepreneurial competences.
Source: http://ec.europa.eu/
ERC Awards 44 Proof of Concept Grants
Earlier this month, the European Research Council (ERC) announced the names of 44 of its grant holders who will receive top-up funding to explore commercial or innovation potential of the results of their ERC-funded research. These Proof of Concept grants, worth €150,000 each, can be used, for example, to establish intellectual property rights, investigate business opportunities or conduct technical validation. Among other selected projects, one aims to design a new vaccine strategy for RNA viruses, like Ebola, dengue and Zika. The budget of the overall 2016 Proof of Concept competition is €20 million. In the first round of the competition 141 ERC grant holders applied.
Source: https://erc.europa.eu/
Knowing More About Citizen Science
The survey on data management in Citizen Science projects was set up as an open call via Citizen Science associations, European Commission departments and other organisations and projects. The rich set of results gives insights into how citizen science projects currently operate, namely the fact that most of the responding projects, 84%, were mostly in the area of environmental research. According to the JRC, the survey has started a global conversation about citizen science data management. Its analysis of the results calls for best practices to be promoted, along with greater collaboration between projects and fields, and suggests topics for further investigation.
Source: https://ec.europa.eu/jrc/
Commission Presents Scientific Criteria to Identify Endocrine Disruptors
Following consecutive delays and repeated pressure from the European Parliament, the European Commission has presented last month the criteria to identify endocrine disruptors in the field of plant protection products and biocides. The Commission proposes to the Council and the European Parliament to adopt a strong science-based approach to the identification of endocrine disruptors and to endorse the widely accepted WHO definition. The WHO defines an endocrine disruptor as “an exogenous substance or mixture that alters function(s) of the endocrine system and consequently causes adverse health effects in an intact organism, or its progeny, or (sub)populations”. The criteria also specify that the identification should make use of all relevant scientific evidence, use a weight of an evidence-based approach, and apply a robust systematic review.
Source: http://europa.eu/
Survey on Antimicrobial Resistance
As part of its wider strategy to combat antimicrobial resistance (AMR), the European Commission has published a Special Eurobarometer survey, showing a decrease of 6% in the consumption of antibiotics but at the same time a persistent lack of awareness on their effects. The survey clearly demonstrates that there exists a direct link between better information and lower consumption. The Commissions’ Action Plan on AMR (2011-2016) is currently being evaluated and will, together with the Eurobarometer results, feed into the ongoing work to identify value added EU Action in the fight against AMR as from next year and beyond, among other by giving a stronger push to innovation and research for the development of new antibiotics. European Health Commissioner Vytenis Andriukaitis stated that he would like the EU to be “the best practice region in the field of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), giving a stronger push to research for the development of new antibiotics, as well as alternatives to antimicrobials.” This shows that the Commission shares EuCheMS concerns presented earlier this year at a STOA-EuCheMS workshop on AMR.
Source: http://europa.eu/
Air Quality Legislation: MEPs Strike Deal with Council
Plans for more ambitious national caps on emissions of key pollutants by 2030 were informally agreed by MEPs and the Dutch Presidency of the Council last month. The proposal sets out the national emission reduction commitments for the main pollutants: sulphur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen oxides (NOx), non-methane volatile organic compounds (NMVOC), ammonia (NH3), and fine particulates (less than 2.5 micrometers in diameter). The agreement on air pollution, which causes about 400,000 premature deaths in the EU per year, now needs to be endorsed by the Environment Committee and Parliament as a whole.
Source: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/
OECD Report on the Economic Consequences of Outdoor Air Pollution
The report, published in June, is part of the “Costs of Inaction and Resource scarcity: consequences for Long-term Economic growth” (CIRCLE) project, which seeks to take into account the feedbacks from environmental pressures and resource scarcity to the economy.
One of the conclusions of this report, which counted with the collaboration of the Joint Research Centre (JRC), was that the projected increase in concentrations of PM2.5 and ozone will lead to substantial effects on the economy. For instance, healthcare costs related to global air pollution are projected to increase from USD 21 billion in 2015 to USD 176 billion in 2060.Also, by 2060, the annual number of lost working days, which affect labour productivity, are projected to reach 3.7 billion (currently around 1.2 billion) at the global level.
Source: https://ec.europa.eu/jrc/
EuCheMS Response to Public Consultation on Horizon 2020 ‘Science with and for Society’
EuCheMS has recently submitted a response to the Public consultation on Horizon 2020 ‘Science with and for Society’ Work Programme 2018-2020 (SWAFS). These contributions to the present consultation will feed into preparation of the next SWAFS Work Programme 2018-2020, which will be developed by the European Commission during the end of 2016 and beginning of 2017.The ‘Science with and for Society’ Programme addresses the European societal challenges tackled by Horizon 2020, and aims to create new ways of connecting science to society.
Source: http://www.euchems.eu/
Consequences of British Referendum to H2020
The Statement of 29 June of the Heads of State or Government of 27 Member States, as well as the Presidents of the European Council and the European Commission, confirms that “until the UK leaves the EU, EU law continues to apply to and within the UK, both when it comes to rights and obligations”. This includes the eligibility of UK legal entities to participate and receive funding in Horizon 2020 actions.
Source: http://ec.europa.eu/
A First Look at the Slovak Presidency Programme
Earlier this month, Slovakia started its Presidency of the Council of the EU, a role which will have until the end of the present year. According to its programme, one of the main topics of the Slovak Presidency in the field of research is support for young researchers. The Presidency aims to adopt Council conclusions on measures to support young researchers with a focus on increasing the attractiveness of scientific careers, encouraging mobility and investing in human potential in the field of research and development. The Presidency also envisages to work upon the Commission´s European Defence Action Plan which should, among other, stimulate research in this field. The Slovak also Presidency also intends to start the trilogues with the European Parliament following the European Commission’s submission of the second package of legislative proposals on copyright reform, a package aiming to ensure the cross-border portability of online content services in the internal market.
Source: http://www.eu2016.sk/en
EuCheMS and RSC on the Outcome of the British Referendum
Following the vote by the United Kingdom to leave the European Union, both EuCheMS and the UK´s Royal Society of Chemistry have reinforced their commitment to diversity, inclusivity and to the collaboration among learned societies in Europe. As mentioned on a EuCheMS letter to RSC, “We believe that EuCheMS will continue to be of very great importance to the RSC since it will provide one of very few mechanisms by which the RSC will be able to influence European policy concerning chemistry”.
Source: http://www.euchems.eu/
Chemists Urge Israel to Ban Chemical Weapons
The President of the Israeli Chemical Society, Prof. Ehud Keinan, has published an open letter urging the ratification of the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) by Israel. Israel, Egypt, Southern Sudan (who plan to sign) and North Korea are the only countries of the 196 recognised countries that have not signed and ratified the Chemical Weapons Convention which provides for the supervised elimination and monitoring of all chemical weapons under the auspices of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW). EuCheMS President David Cole-Hamilton says: “I applaud Prof. Ehud Keinan’s brave action. Chemical weapons have no place in a civilised society. They do not act as a deterrent and their effects are appalling. We have a unique opportunity to rid the world of this scourge and we are so close to doing it. EuCheMS calls upon Prime-Minister Netanyahu to ratify the CWC as soon as possible and for Egypt, Southern Sudan and North Korea to follow this inspiring lead”.
Source: http://www.euchems.eu/