BNU June 2020

1 European Highlights, BNU June 2020, Brussels News Updates

Report on illegal and ineffective disinfectants to the European Chemicals Agency

On 5 June 2020, the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) warned about the increasing commercialisation of non-compliant disinfectants during the COVID-19 pandemic. In a press release, ECHA indicates that twenty Member States of the European Union have reported to ECHA and the European Commission about the growing number of illegal and ineffective hand disinfectants available on national markets.

As a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic, the demand of disinfectants increased, and the presence non-compliant products as well (i.e. wrong formulation, no authorisations, lack of hazard labelling, etc.).

The European Commission has published a guidance on the applicable legislation for leave-on hand cleaners and disinfectants. You can read it here.

In March 2020, the European Chemical Society published an article on chemical disinfectants, and more specifically on how alcohol can make a high-level disinfectant.

If you are interested to learn more about it, the article is available here.

Source: here.

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1 European Highlights, BNU June 2020, Brussels News Updates

On the ERC Executive Agency (ERCEA)

The ERCEA supports operationally the ERC Scientific Council. Based in Brussels, the ERCEA is also in charge of the day to day administration of the European Research Council (ERC). Among the many activities conducted by the ERCEA, it is also responsible for the peer review process.

The management team is appointed by the European Commission. It includes a Director and a Steering Committee:

  • the director, Waldemar Kütt, is in charge of the management and the staff of the agency, as well as for the implementation of the ERCs strategy and positions;
  • the Steering Committee is composed of 5 members and supervise the operations of the ERCEA. It is chaired by the European Commission’s Director-General for Research and Innovation, Jean-Eric Paquet, two Scientific Council members, and two Commission officials.

On 16 May 2020, Waldemar Kütt started a new mandate as Director of the European Research Council Executive Agency (ERCEA). Waldemar Kütt was acting director of ERCEA since August 2019, when he took over the position from Pablo Amor.

Source: here.

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1 European Highlights, BNU June 2020, Brussels News Updates

ITRE Committee votes to join trilogue negotiations on Horizon Europe

On 4 June 2020, the Industry Committee of the European Parliament (ITRE Committee) has voted to enter into interinstitutional negotiations for five multiannual financial framework files (MFF).

Together with the Council of the European Union and the European Commission, the ITRE Committee can start negotiations on Horizon Europe and other pieces of legislation where it is the lead committee.

As a reminder, the next seven-year framework programme for R&D of the European Commission will succeed Horizon 2020 in 2021. This vote represented the last step to be taken in order to reach an agreement on the legislative files before the launch of Horizon Europe.

In the meantime, the seven-year budget is still debated by the member states: no agreement has been reached yet. In a press release, the ITRE Committee highlighted the necessity to find an agreement as soon as possible to avoid any delays concerning the start of the programmes in January 2021.

The press release is available here.

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1 European Highlights, BNU June 2020, Brussels News Updates

A look at the 6 months Croatian Presidency of the Council of the European Union

On 1 January 2020, Croatia took over the Presidency of the Council of the European Union from Finland. In January 2020, the European Chemical Society dedicated an article on Croatia’s strategic agenda (see our Brussels News Updates article here).

 ‘A strong Europe in a world of challenges’ was the motto chosen by Croatia before starting its Presidency, and what a challenge Covid-19 has been. The six-months agenda was disrupted by the pandemic and forced Croatia to adapt it to the worldwide crisis: the Council is currently analysing and assessing the Recovery plan for Europe proposal issued by the European Commission. What is more, this Presidency was the first for Croatia since the country joined the European Union in 2013.

The European Green Deal remained an important item on Croatia’s agenda. Among the many actions taken, the Council adopted the EU’s submission to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) on the long-term low greenhouse gas emission development strategy.

In the meantime, the Council also worked on EU space policy matters. On 29 May, Ministers discussed solutions to enhance space-based technologies in order to include them in the sustainable development of the European Union. It was stressed that these space applications can offer solutions to the challenges on the on-going crisis and help the EU to reach its European Green Deal ambitious objectives. You can learn more about this meeting here.

More recently, Coreper* confirmed full agreement on the draft Council conclusions on shaping Europe’s digital future, during the online event held on 5 June 2020.

Croatia will lead the Council of the European Union until 30 June 2020. On 1 July, Germany will take over the position for the fall semester of 2020.

*Coreper stands for the ‘Committee of the Permanent Representatives of the Governments of the Member States to the European Union’.

Sources: here.

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1 European Highlights, BNU June 2020, Brussels News Updates

EuChemS participated in the #EUvsVirus Matchathon

Following the #EUvsVirus Hackathon, the European Commission organised the #EUvsVirus Matchathon on 22-25 May. The goal of the Matchathon was to connect the 120 winning teams from the hackathon with investors, corporates, public authorities (including hospitals), academia, and research institutions. During this event, the winning teams were able to discuss their needs and secure deals with partners, to have their innovative ideas developed and commercialised.

The closing ceremony was held online on 2 June 2020, with the presence of Mariya Gabriel, Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth.

‘We will look back with great pride at this moment. Two months ago, when Europe and the world were thrown into crisis, this was the moment we came together. When we launched #EUvsVirus, we had the bold idea to bring all Europe’s innovators together to crack the most complex challenges created by coronavirus.         […] In just two weeks, we organised the biggest hackathon Europe has ever seen.”

– Mariya Gabriel,
Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth
© #EUvsVirus Matchathon, closing ceremony, 2 June 2020

 

Source: here.
You can read our Brussels News Update article on the #EUvsVirus Hackathon here.

#EUvsVirus Matchathon follow-up

The European Commission, via the European Innovation Council (EIC), offered the #EUvsVirus projects to join the EIC Covid-19 Challenge Platform, a collaborative space launched as a follow-up to the Matchathon. The goal of this platform is to extend the collaborations that started during the EUvsVirus Hackathon and Matchathon, but also to enhance new ones. Private and public partners can set up a COVID-19-related challenge and innovators, companies, researchers can forward their solutions.

The European Chemical Society would like to thank the European Young Chemists’ Network (EYCN) for their active participation during the #EUvsVirus Hackathon & Matchathon.

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Join EuChemS 50th anniversary online celebration

To mark its 50th anniversary since the foundation of the Federation of European Chemical Societies (FECS) in 1970, the European Chemical Society is pleased to organise an online birthday celebration.

The event will be held online on Friday 3 July 2020, from 10:00 to 11:30 (CEST – Brussels time). You are invited to join us, please register here.

We are happy to receive your birthday wishes by posting #50yearseuchems hashtag on your favourite social media channel.

EuChemS 50th anniversary poster  anniversary celebration poster is available for download here.

 

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