The objective of the public consultation is to obtain stakeholder views on the general approach to the 2017 Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) Regulatory Fitness and Performance (REFIT) evaluation and to collect stakeholder views on the strengths and weaknesses of REACH as well as any potentially missing elements.
Deadline: 28 January 2017
Website: https://echa.europa.eu/
Public Consultation on Policy Options to set Minimum Quality Requirements for Reused Water in the European Union
The European Commission is launching this consultation to collect the views of stakeholders and citizens on the policy options to set minimum quality requirements for reused water in the European Union. The objectives of the consultation are 1) to gather information and data that cannot be found through desk research and additional sources of evidence regarding the benefits and barriers to the development water reuse within the European Union; 2) allow a broad range of stakeholders to provide views, feedback and perceptions on the minimum quality requirements for reused water in the European Union.
Deadline: 27 January 2017
Website: http://ec.europa.eu/
Public Consultation on the Active Substance Trifloxystrobin
EFSA will assess all comments from interested parties regarding the active substance trifloxystrobin. Input is requested on the following: physical/chemical properties; details of uses and further information; methods of analysis; mammalian toxicology; residues; and environmental fate and behavior.
Deadline: 10 January 2017
Website: http://www.efsa.europa.eu/
New Equity Fund Under the COSME Programme
COSME, the EU programme for the Competitiveness of Enterprises and Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) running from 2014 to 2020, has recently set up the Equity Facility for Growth (EFG). EFG is dedicated to investments in risk-capital funds that provide venture capital and mezzanine finance to expansion and growth-stage SMEs, in particular, to those operating across borders. It is expected that some 500 firms will receive equity financing through the programme, with overall investment reaching up to €4 billion.
Source: http://ec.europa.eu/
“Use Maps” for a Better Registration of Chemicals
These “use maps” help registrants to improve the quality of their registrations, in particular their exposure scenarios. The European downstream user industry has now started to publish sectoral use maps to help manufacturers and importers of chemicals register their substances. The first use maps for the adhesive and sealant industry; soap, detergents and maintenance products; and cosmetics are now available on the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) website. The use maps have been developed by industry to enhance supply chain communication and improve the safe use of chemicals. Using a harmonised template, sectors representing downstream industry share with registrants how their companies use chemicals.
Source: https://echa.europa.eu/
KETs Observatory Updated with New Interactive Tool
This web tool supports business stakeholders and policy makers at EU, national and regional level in the development of policies regarding advanced technologies in Europe. The new Key Enabling Technologies (KETs) Observatory website is now live. The improved site provides visitors with easier access to data on the deployment of KETs in Europe and worldwide and aims to nurture innovation strategies and smart specialisation in the area of KETs. The new interactive maps and charts allow users to easily extract and analyse data for a specific technology, country or region. Different indicators capture the performance of KETs at different stages of the value chain, from the invention of new technology (patents), to its application and use (production, trade and turnover).
Source: http://ec.europa.eu/
Canadian Researchers to Join ERC Teams in Europe
Last month, a new agreement between Canada and the European Union was concluded to encourage talented Canadian researchers to join European Research Council (ERC) teams in Europe. Commissioner for Research, Science and Innovation Carlos Moedas and President of the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada Dr Ted Hewitt (though the agreement also applies also to natural sciences) signed the agreement in Brussels. The agreement signed encourages Canadian researchers to undertake research visits in Europe, temporarily becoming part of an ERC-funded team in Europe without any costs involved for the ERC/European Union.
Source: https://erc.europa.eu/
EFSA Models and other Resources at the Knowledge Junction
Scientific models used by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) over the last 15 years have been brought together in a new EFSA community: the Knowledge Junction. The models can be shared and cited and you can submit your own. A selection of these tools is also available as a web applications on the new EFSA Statistical Models Platform. Simply select a model, upload your data, run the analysis and view the results. Knowledge Junction runs on the EU-funded Zenodo research-sharing platform where uploaded items get a unique Digital Object Identifier to make them citable. Submissions can include reports, datasets, images, videos, laboratory outputs, software, tools, models, code, protocols, study quality appraisal schemes, FAQs.
Source: http://www.efsa.europa.eu/
New Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR)
The EU Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, Vytenis Andriukaitis confirmed the renewed commitment in tackling antimicrobial resistance (AMR) that is one of the biggest health threats facing humanity today.
The new Action Plan will take the form of a Commission communication to the European Parliament and the Council and builds on the previous plan that is coming to an end in 2016. The evaluation of the 2011-2016 Action Plan shows that there is clear added value that the EU can bring to tackle the AMR challenge. The new Action Plan will focus on supporting Member States, particularly in establishing, implementing and monitoring their National Action Plans and strengthening its leading global role. The plan will also bring together EU funds and instruments in order to promote innovation and research on AMR, as proposed by EuCheMS earlier this year during a workshop on AMR.
Source: http://europa.eu/
New International Standard for the Quality of Reference Materials
In Europe EU Regulation (EC) No 765/2008 sets out the requirements for accreditation and market surveillance and demands that accreditation has to be based on harmonised International Standards. In this context, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) has published ISO 17034 which outlines the general requirements which producers of all types of reference materials must fulfil. The structure of ISO 17034 has been aligned with that of ISO/IEC 17025, the International Standard for the competences of testing and calibration laboratories.
Source: https://ec.europa.eu/
Education and Training Monitor 2016 Released
This year’s Education and Training Monitor explores societal challenges in more depth and addresses migration, demography and the key competences that education should help develop. One of the highlights of the report is the increase of tertiary level completion rates across the EU in 2015. Finally, via the cross-national comparison of education systems and in the country analysis, the report presents and examines plenty of policy initiatives that can help make education more responsive to societal and labour market needs, a topic which will be further explored later on next year in the field of chemistry by EuCheMS´ 2nd Employability Survey for European Chemists which will run in 2017.
Source: https://ec.europa.eu/
Council Conclusions on Eastern Partnership
The Council of the European Union discussed and adopted conclusions on the Eastern Partnership which encompasses Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine. In its conclusions, the Council mentions that “Cooperation in education, science, research, culture, training, youth and innovation is crucial for deepening mutual understanding, strengthening institutions, and promoting modernisation and sustainable development. The Council recognises that people to people contacts, including capacity building measures in these areas, contribute to job creation, increased entrepreneurship, mobility and a stronger engagement with society.”
Source: http://www.consilium.europa.eu/
New Research Partnership in the Mediterranean on Food and Water Sustainability (PRIMA)
The European Commission has presented a proposal for a Partnership for Research and Innovation in the Mediterranean Area – PRIMA. The first partnership of its kind in the Mediterranean basin aims to develop much-needed novel solutions for sustainable water management and food production. The Commission’s proposal already includes Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Egypt, France, Greece, Israel, Italy, Lebanon, Luxembourg, Malta, Morocco, Portugal, Spain and Tunisia. As PRIMA evolves over time, more EU and non-EU Countries are expected to follow. Funding for the €400 million partnership will come from the participating countries (currently around €200 million), matched by a €200 million contribution from the EU through its current research framework programme Horizon 2020. The partnership is scheduled to run for 10 years, starting in 2018.
Source: http://europa.eu/
MEPs Call for EU Limit on Industrial Trans Fats in Food
The EU should place mandatory limits on industrially-produced trans-fatty acids (TFA) which may increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, infertility, Alzheimer’s, diabetes and obesity for consumers, says a resolution voted on Wednesday. TFA intake is mostly linked to consumption of industrially produced, partially hydrogenated oils. MEPs mention the fact that, according to the European Commission, only one in three consumers in the EU knows about TFAs which shows that labelling measures are not enough. The Commission should therefore propose an EU legal limit on the industrial TFA content of all foods as soon as possible, and preferably within two years, say MEPs.
Source: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/
Science Meets Regions
The first edition of Science Meets Regions took place at the Committee of Regions (CoR) earlier this month and discussed how findings from research can serve as a basis for better decision-making on the regional level. During the event, over 200 politicians and scientists from EU regions presented their experiences of some pilot policy-research exchanges that where held during 2016. This initiative followed the recent launch of the Knowledge Centre for Territorial Policies, which is a new instrument to support regional policy-making.
Source: http://cor.europa.eu/
Paris Agreement Enters into Force
The Paris Agreement legally entered into force on 4 November. This historic event occurs less than a year after the landmark agreement was adopted in Paris and just days ahead of the UN climate conference in Marrakech, Morocco. The Marrakech conference aims to demonstrate that commitments made in Paris towards a low-carbon economy are being implemented, and to act as a catalyst for further action.
Source: http://europa.eu/
Seville International Chemistry Declaration 2016: An Invitation to Sign
In a world that is becoming increasingly populated and urbanized, and which will require 30% more water and 40% more energy by 2030, we are faced with innumerable social challenges that require a firm commitment to research and innovation for their resolution. It will be chemistry as a discipline, with the fundamental and necessary support of other sciences and areas of knowledge, which will continue to assume the responsibility of addressing most of these challenges and to offer sustainable solutions in alignment with the Sustainable Development Goals set out by the UN. This will only be possible if we establish the necessary collaboration channels between key stakeholders, and including society and its competent authorities and bodies.
The Seville International Chemistry Declaration 2016, was launched in Seville at the 6th EuCheMS Chemistry Congress on September 13th, 2016.
Source: http://www.euchems.eu/
EuCheMS at the MEP-Scientist Pairing Scheme
Earlier this month at the European Parliament, Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) and scientists met in a series of bilateral meetings, and at the Science and Technology Options Assessment (STOA). EuCheMS was represented by Prof. David Cole-Hamilton, paired with MEP Catherine Stihler, and by Prof. Pavel Drašar, paired with MEP Pavel Poc.
These meetings took place under the initiatives “Science Meets Parliaments” and the “MEP-Scientist Pairing Scheme” which aim to show the links between policy-making and research and to promote mutual understanding and long-term cooperation between MEPs and researchers.
Source: http://www.euchems.eu/