The consultation aims to gather comments and perspectives from various stakeholders and the general public on the relevance of the Erasmus+ programme’s objectives, the effectiveness of the measures taken to achieve them and the efficiency of their implementation. It will also gather views on the coherence of the programme and its added value in relation to the challenges and opportunities in education, training, youth and sport sectors, compared to what could be achieved by Member States only. The consultation also covers the Erasmus+ predecessor’s programmes (e.g. Lifelong Learning, Youth in Action, Erasmus Mundus, etc.) and contain> s forward looking questions regarding a possible successor programme to Erasmus+ in 2020.
Deadline: 31 May 2017
Website: http://ec.europa.eu/
Consultation: Review of the 2006 Recommendation on Key Competences for Lifelong Learning
The objective of the consultation is to gather input for informed changes to the 2006 Key Competences Framework. The consultation aims to gather inputs on the topics of 1) strengths and weaknesses in use of the 2006 Key Competences Framework; 2) Priority areas where changes to the Framework and the definition of the competences defined in the Framework are necessary to address the needs of current and future education and training; and 3) Tools and processes to support key competences development for all.
Deadline: 19 May 2017
Website: https://ec.europa.eu/
Evaluation of the European Customs Inventory of Chemical Substances
The purpose of the evaluation is to assess the effectiveness, efficiency, relevance, EU added-value and sustainability of the European Customs Inventory of Chemical Substances (ECICS), and its coherence in relation to other existing databases. Since its first publication in 1974, the ECICS has been constantly extended. Despite its long life-span and its important effect on the EC resources, no evaluation of ECICS has been carried out during this period. Therefore, it is useful to assess how well this database has performed since its creation and whether its existence continues to be justified in terms of effectiveness, efficiency, relevance, coherence and (achieved) EU added – value.
Website: http://ec.europa.eu/
Roadmap: Strategy on Plastics in a Circular Economy
The strategy aims at 1) decoupling plastics production from virgin fossil feedstock and reducing its life-cycle GHG impacts 2) improving the economics, quality and uptake of plastic recycling and reuse, and 3) reducing plastic leakage into the environment. The Strategy should seek to improve framework conditions for investments and innovations that enable the plastic and related industries and the entire value chain using plastics to become more circular, resource-efficient and reduce its carbon footprint, in line with the climate and energy goals of the EU. It will require innovation of the whole plastics system, built on a shared vision and enhanced cooperation between all stakeholders.
Website: http://ec.europa.eu/
Roadmap: Analysis of the Interface Between Chemicals, Products and Waste Legislation and Identification of Policy Options
The purpose of the initiative is to prepare the basis for a broad consultation on the problems and options. In order to prepare a factually correct Communication, the Commission will ask for input from relevant stakeholders. The Communication will present a detailed analysis of the legal, technical or practical problems at the interface of chemical, product and waste legislation that may be unnecessarily hindering the transition of recycled materials into fit-for-purpose products that can be reintroduced into the productive economy. The Communication will also identify options to facilitate recycling and improve the uptake of secondary raw materials through the promotion of non-toxic material cycles and better tracking of chemicals of concern in products.
Website: http://ec.europa.eu/
Public Stakeholder Consultation – Evaluation of Public-Public Partnerships (Art.185 initiatives) in the context of the Horizon 2020 Interim Evaluation
The objective of the consultation is to collect information from a wide audience on different aspects of the design and implementation of the Art.185 Initiatives operating under Horizon 2020 or FP7. Art. 185 of the Treaty of the European Union enables the EU to participate in research programmes undertaken jointly by several Member States, including participation in the structures created for the execution of national programmes. The actions supported may cover subjects not directly linked to the themes of the Framework Programme (FP), as far as they have a sufficient EU added value. They will also be used to enhance the complementarity and synergy between the FP and activities carried out under intergovernmental structures such as EUREKA and COST.
Deadline: 30 April 2017
Website: http://ec.europa.eu/
Public Consultation on possible activities under a ‘Commission Communication on a One Health Action Plan to support Member States in the fights against Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR)’
The objective of this consultation is to collect the views and input of citizens, administrations, associations and other organisations for the currently ongoing process on proposals for the Commission communication. The European Commission’s 2011-2016 action plan against the rising threats of AMR was evaluated in 2016 concluding that the EU can bring added value in the fight against AMR, by: 1) supporting Member States and making the EU a best practice region on AMR; 2) boosting research, development and innovation against AMR; and 3) shaping the global agenda on AMR. The European Commission will launch by mid-2017 a ‘Commission communication on a One Health action plan to support Member States in the fight against antimicrobial resistance (AMR)’.
Deadline: 28 April 2017
Website: http://ec.europa.eu/
Public Consultation on the Active Substance Copper Compounds
EFSA will assess all comments from interested parties regarding the active substance copper compounds. 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: 5 April 2017
Website: http://www.efsa.europa.eu/
Roadmap – Initiative for the Sustainable Development of the Blue Economy in the Western Mediterranean
This initiative aims to promote sustainable economic and social prosperity of the western Mediterranean region through growth and jobs creation by improving its competitiveness and attractiveness, while at the same time preserving healthy and balanced marine and coastal ecosystems. The western Mediterranean Sea has an enormous wealth in natural resources, cultural assets and diversity of people and places. The various sectors of the maritime economy have a vast potential for development, namely through research and industrial partnerships. Maritime (or sea basin) strategies are a tool to better address cross sectorial challenges and develop the blue economy in EU-shared sea basins, e.g. blue biotech can offer innovative solutions to a wide range of sectors and activities including food production, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics.
Website: http://ec.europa.eu/
Public Consultation on the Active Substance Ampelomyces quisqualis AQ10
EFSA will assess all comments from interested parties regarding the active substance Ampelomyces quisqualis AQ10. 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: 11 March 2017
Website: http://www.efsa.europa.eu/
Public Consultation on Draft Guidance on Dermal Absorption of Chemical Plant Protection Products
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has made available for public consultation its draft Guidance on dermal absorption of chemical plant protection products (PPPs). The Guidance, which updates the document published by EFSA in 2012, was drafted in the light of newly available human in vitro studies. As requested by the European Commission, the current Guidance on Dermal Absorption, has been revised by EFSA on the basis of the evaluation of new human in vitro dermal absorption studies.
Deadline: 24 February 2017
Website: http://www.efsa.europa.eu/
Initiative to limit industrial trans fats intakes in the EU
The main policy objectives of a possible regulation are: 1) to ensure a high level of health protection for EU consumers; 2) to contribute to reducing health inequalities, one the objectives of Europe 2020; 3) To contribute to the effective functioning of the Internal Market for foods that could contain industrial trans fats. Possible proposal should be available by the third quarter of 2017.
Website: http://ec.europa.eu/
REFIT Evaluation of the EU Legislation on Plant Protection Products and Pesticides Residues
The general objective of this Regulatory Fitness and Performance (REFIT) evaluation is to perform an evidence-based assessment of the implementation of the legislation on plant protection products and pesticides residues. The results of the evaluation will be the basis on which the Commission will draft the report to the European Parliament and the Council on the implementation of the plant protection products and pesticides residues legislation. The evaluation could be useful to improve the implementation on the EU rules on pesticides and might trigger legislative proposals in this policy area. For the purpose of this evaluation a consultation strategy will take place, with the involvement of Members of the Advisory Group for the Food Chain; with targeted stakeholders; with a survey for SMEs; with targeted consultations of authorities in the Member States and third countries; and with a public consultation to be published online.
Source: http://ec.europa.eu/
Roadmap – Commission’s Communication on a One-Health Action Plan to support Member States on Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) Research Challenge
The Council conclusions of 17 June 2016 on AMR call for a reinforced EU strategy against AMR and a new and comprehensive EU Action Plan (AP) on AMR based on the One – Health approach. The current Action Plan has been subject to an evaluation, which showed that the EU can bring added value in the fight against AMR, by: 1) supporting Member States, particularly in establishing, implementing and monitoring their National Action Plans; 2) bringing together EU funds and instruments, to promote innovation and research against AMR; and 3) helping to strengthen the EU ‘s role in global fora, notably within the UN institutions and with major trade partners. The new AP should take the form of a Commission communication to the European Parliament and the Council. This action plan goes along the main propositions defended at a EuCheMS STOA workshop on AMR that took place earlier this year.
Website: http://ec.europa.eu/
Public Consultation on the Active Substance Benalaxyl
EFSA will assess all comments from interested parties regarding the active substance Benalaxyl. 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: 25 January 2017
Website: http://www.efsa.europa.eu/
Public Stakeholder Consultation on Interim Evaluation of Joint Undertakings Operating Under Horizon 2020
This consultation aims to collect the views of the public about the implementation of the Joint Undertakings (JUs) under Horizon 2020 for the period 2014 to 2016. The Joint Undertakings (JUs) are formalised public-private partnerships involving companies at the European level. The JUs bring together industry, the research community, in some cases Member States, regulators and the EU to define and implement common research agendas and invest in large-scale multinational research activities.
Deadline: 10 March 2017
Website: http://ec.europa.eu/
Call for Data on Ingredients: Salts of O-Phenylphenol
In order to prepare requests for scientific opinions to the Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety, interested parties are invited to submit any relevant scientific information on the safety of Sodium o-Phenylphenate (CAS 132-27-4), Potassium o-Phenylphenate, (CAS 13707-65-8) and MEA o-Phenylphenate (CAS 84145-04-0) as preservative and non-preservative ingredients in cosmetic products and, in particular, data regarding all toxicological end-points and an indication on the suggested concentration safe limits for these ingredients.
Deadline: 15 February 2017
Website: http://ec.europa.eu/
Public Consultation in Relation to the REACH REFIT Evaluation
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/
Revision of the Clean Vehicles Directive
The objective of the Directive is to increase the demand and deployment of cleaner vehicles thus strengthening the competitiveness of the EU industry while decreasing CO2 and pollutant emissions of transport. To achieve this goal, the specific policy objectives of this initiative can be defined as 1) increasing the public procurement of all categories of clean vehicles, 2) adjusting the available options to provide adequate incentives to procure/develop cleaner vehicles and 3) adjusting and simplifying the existing monetisation methodology to remove counter – incentives to the procurement/development of cleaner vehicles.
Source: http://ec.europa.eu/
Evaluation Roadmap – Directive on Batteries and accumulators and Waste Batteries and Accumulators
The evaluation will address all substantive provisions in the Directive and will consider all relevant aspects, i.e. legal (e.g. legal base, internal coherence, consistency with other legislation in approaches, terminology and legal concepts), environmental (e.g. main environmental impacts of batteries along the whole life cycle of batteries, efficiency of measures), economic and social (e.g. access to (critical) raw materials, costs and benefits).The objective of the Batteries Directive is to contribute to the protection, preservation and improvement of the quality of the environment by minimising the negative impact of batteries and waste batteries. It also aims at ensuring the smooth functioning of the internal market by harmonising requirements concerning the heavy metal content and labelling of batteries and accumulators.
Website: http://ec.europa.eu/
Public Consultation on the Evaluation of the Aerosol Dispensers Directive
The Aerosol Dispensers Directive is one of the oldest EU legislations related to product safety. The directive was adopted in 1975 harmonising the differing national legislations in force at that time in order to create a genuine European market based on common requirements concerning the safety of the dispensers and the hazards due to pressure. The objective of the evaluation is to assess whether the Directive is meeting its objectives of guaranteeing free circulation of aerosol dispensers within the EU while ensuring a high degree of safety.
Deadline: 15 January 2017
Website: http://ec.europa.eu/growth/
Public Consultation on the Active Substance Methoxyfenozide
EFSA will assess all comments from interested parties regarding the active substance methoxyfenozide. 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: 20 November 2016
Website: http://www.efsa.europa.eu/
Consultation on the Interim evaluation of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology
The objective of the consultation is to ensure that, in addition to the organisations and individuals directly involved in or benefitting from the activities of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), wider stakeholder groups as well as the general public have a say in its future direction.
Deadline: 20 November 2016
Website: http://ec.europa.eu/