On 7 March, EuChemS will be holding a workshop in the European Parliament in Brussels, where, together with representatives from the EU institutions, academia and industry, the state of education, employability and opportunities in Horizon Europe for the chemical sciences will be discussed and debated. The workshop will explore the meaning behind the figures of the 2nd Employability Survey of European Chemists, such as gender imbalance, acquired versus needed skills, the need to bring academia and industry closer together, and funding opportunities through Horizon Europe. The event is free to join, simply register online here, where you can also consult the programme and list of speakers. Register before 22 February!
The International Year of the Periodic Table has also provided an opportunity to discuss one of the rarely mentioned aspects of the Periodic Table: the women behind it. Shedding light on the role of women in science and in the discovery of elements is vital to better understand the lingering gender disparity, and how history has generally turned a blind eye to their plight. On 12 February, a Global Women’s Breakfast, spearheaded by IUPAC took place, with women scientists across the world coming together to celebrate women in science. EuChemS President Pilar Goya participated in the Global Breakfast in Murcia during the two-day international symposium on ‘’Setting their Table: Women and the Periodic Table of Elements’’.
Speakers at the event included Brigitte Van Tiggelen, Chair of the EuChemS Working Party on the History of Chemistry who is currently preparing a book on women and the periodic table, an EuChemS initiative for the IYPT2019. Marta Kucza from the EuChemS Secretariat presented a unique perspective on women in science through anthropological lenses.
Last week saw the European Parliament dedicate a series of high-level events on science, and more precisely the need to ensure science and policy are more actively and efficiently intertwined. Through talks, but also interactive group sessions, participants had the opportunity of seeing the importance science communication plays in shaping political discourses. The rising distrust in scientific advice and of ‘experts’ was also a major focus, with discussions concentrated on how to counter this changing landscape. Member of the European Parliament Paul Rübig also praised the MEP-scientist pairing scheme as a successful way of bringing science and policy closer together. EuChemS can testify to this, having in the past taken part. Nevertheless, with only a handful of MEPs signing up to the scheme, its impact is limited.
With no clear end in sight in Brexit negotiations, the impact on scientific collaboration, funding, and mobility between the UK and the rest of the EU remains largely unclear. Moreover, trialogue negotiations between the European Council, European Parliament, and the European Commission are moving forward, meaning that the future research framework programme, Horizon Europe, is aimed at being finalised in the coming months.
In August 2018, EuChemS published its Position Paper on Horizon Europe, stating that the programme should enable countries that had previously participated in EU research framework programmes (such as Horizon2020) be allowed to do so in the future. More recently, EuChemS Member Society the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC), published a short report which looks at the benefits of international collaboration. The report draws on the key findings of 10 in-depth case studies with chemical researchers and entrepreneurs in the UK and in Europe. The conclusion? International collaboration creates better and more impactful science.
ECHA, the European Chemicals Agency, submitted on 30 January an official proposal to restrict microplastic particles that are intentionally added to mixtures used by consumers or professionals. ECHA believes that if the restriction is adopted, the amount of microplastics released in the environment in the EU would drop by some 400 thousand tonnes over 20 years.
Intentionally created microplastics represent between 15-31% of all microplastics found in the oceans. The other sources of microplastics, also known as secondary microplastics originate from the degradation of larger plastic objects (bottles, bags…).
In September 2018, the European Parliament approved a plastics strategy which aims to increase the recycling rate of plastic waste in the EU, as well as an EU ban on certain single-use plastic products. They furthermore called on the European Commission to introduce an EU-wide ban on intentionally added microplastics in products such as cosmetics and detergents.
Transported to an alien world where everything looks unfamiliar, Jan is asked to help find missing elements and use their properties to create compounds in order to find a way out and escape. Join the adventure where you can learn simple chemistry through EuChemS’ new video game ‘Elemental Escapades!’. Developed to provide an entertaining means of learning chemistry, the video game is a project created in light of the International Year of the Periodic Table. Download and play the game here!
MEP Catherine Stihler and Pilar Goya, EuChemS President, unveil the EuChemS Periodic Table
On 22 January, the EuChemS Periodic Table was unveiled by EuChemS President Pilar Goya and MEP Catherine Stihler alongside the oldest known wallchart of the Periodic Table at an event in the European Parliament.
With speakers from the scientific community and from the European Parliament and the European Commission, participants were delivered an outstanding talk, encompassing issues such as element scarcity, EU-led actions in the area, elements at the deep-sea level, the meaning and importance of the International Year of the Periodic Table (IYPT2019), as well as the exhilarating discovery of the Periodic Table wallchart in Saint Andrews.
It was all the more encouraging to see a wide variety of participants attend the event, from representatives from chemical societies, EU institutions, advocacy groups, and a class of some 25 pupils from the European School of Brussels.
We were particularly pleased to see the event and the Periodic Table picked up in news outlets across the world, from the UK to Australia. Listen to David Cole-Hamilton on BBC world, and take a look at this informative article in The Guardian.
Presentations for the event are available online here.
YPT2019 Opening Ceremony in Paris. From left to right: Hans-Georg Weinig (GDCh, Head of Education, Career and Science) Matthias Urmann (GDCh President), Sir Martyn Poliakoff, Pilar Goya (EuChemS President), Pavel Drašar (UCT Prague, EuChemS Executive Board Member), David Cole-Hamilton (EuChemS Vice-President), Nausicaa Orlandi (Consiglio Nazionale dei Chimici President, EuChemS Executive Board Member), Nineta Hrastelj (EuChemS Secretary General)
Celebrations for the IYPT2019 truly kicked off on 29 January at the UNESCO offices in Paris, where some 700 participants from across the world came together for a series of talks from leading scientists, along with an entertaining and informative exhibition area. A delegation of EuChemS members were present, along with EuChemS President Pilar Goya, and the secretariat. On display was the Periodic Table depicting element scarcity – which in turn was put in the spotlight by famous YouTuber Sir Martyn Poliakoff during his presentation on the Periodic Tables to be found in his office.
Speakers also included UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay, Chemistry Nobel Laureate Ben Feringa, and Yuri Oganessian, pioneer in the discovery of super-heavy elements.
The event, mixing entertaining and accessible talks with crucial and complex presentations on scientific developments, together with a chemistry bar to unwind, was a great taster of what the year ahead has planned for us.
EuChemS has published the 2018 Year Book, offering a summary of the many activities and initiatives of 2018. The annual overview includes an editorial by EuChemS President Pilar Goya, as well as insights into EuChemS’ policy actions, recognised events, awards, and Professional Networks. Take a look for a complete insight into the many activities EuChemS has taken part in!
The Year Book is now available for download online.
On 4 September 2018, ‘cOAlition S’, a coalition of national research funders, supported by the European Commission, launched ‘Plan S’, an initiative to accelerate the transition to open access in scientific publishing. Currently, several national funding bodies in Europe have committed to Plan S, others have not. The plan consists of 10 principles for the transition to Open Access and more specific implementation guidelines were published by cOAlitionS on 27 November 2018.
“EuChemS supports the transition to Open Access (OA) in scientific publishing. Access to research and dissemination of knowledge is a fundamental purpose of our community’s values and aims. As a representative for research chemists and chemical societies across Europe, we welcome the conversation and the debate that this has engendered and look forward to working together with all stakeholders on finding sustainable solutions that secure the interests of researchers, societies, funders, librarians and publishers involved in the important task of disseminating scientific research.
Although the implementation guidelines provide some clarifications, we believe the consequences of Plan S remain unclear and could undermine the visibility and vitality of European research on a global stage if not properly implemented.”
On 29 January, EuChemS attended the High-Level Open Science Policy Platform (OSPP) meeting in the European Parliament, with discussions touching upon indicators for research engagement, and the role of rewards and incentives. The OSPP is a high-level group tasked with providing feedback and guidance to the European Commission on the implementation of Open Science in Europe. EuChemS is represented in the group by Executive Board Member Wolfram Koch.
The British chemical giant Ineos is to invest some €2.7 billion in two new petrochemical plants in the port of Antwerp. The investment will be the biggest ever made by a European chemical company in the last twenty years, and the biggest ever by Ineos itself. The construction of the two factories, which will take some four to five years is set to create some 500 new jobs. The Financial Times reports that Ineos’ plans include the building of a 1m tonne ethan cracker that will turn ethane into ethylene, a major building block for plastics. Read the full story here.
A report presented in the European Parliament on 15 January, mandated by Members of the European Parliament, shows that some 50% of the risk assessment content used by the EU to formulate its opinion on glyphosate, copies, at times with the exact same wording, contributions from Monsanto and other companies. The new report comes ahead of an important vote on the conclusions of the European Parliament’s Pesticides Committee at the Plenary.
In May 2017, EuChemS organised a key workshop on Glyphosate in the European Parliament, chaired by MEP Pavel Poc. The workshop which aimed at presenting the opinions of scientists ultimately demonstrated a need to pursue further studies and the need to establish a standard method for reliable measurements of glyphosate in different types of samples.
On 7 March 2019, EuChemS will be holding a workshop in the European Parliament, focusing on Horizon Europe, education, employment, and more specifically, the existing gap between skills and jobs. The workshop will be chaired by Member of the European Parliament (MEP) Van Nistelrooij. More details on the programme and registration will soon be communicated. Watch this space!
A number of EU Politicians have butted in on what a future relationship with the UK should look like post-Brexit. The view is that the UK and its strong research institutions should continue to fully collaborate in EU research framework programmes but that their participation should be a full one, stating that ‘they should be part of all or none’ [of Horizon Europe] reports Science Business. Both the UK and other EU Member States have stressed that continued cooperation in research and innovation is a priority once the UK leaves the EU, a position that EuChemS has also underlined in its statements on Horizon Europe.
The full extent of collaboration on Horizon Europe will not be clear until the UK’s departure and subsequent negotiations on both the final research framework programme and the new relationship between the EU and the UK.
From January until June 2019, Romania will hold the Presidency of the Council of the EU. During this 6-month period, the presidency chairs meetings at every level in the Council, aiming to set goals, prepare a common agenda determining the major topics and issues to be addressed, as well as helping Member States come to final agreements and compromises. Romania’s presidency intersects with the finalisation of a number of important policy issues, significant political events (Brexit), as well as the upcoming European Parliament election in May. Indeed, over the next 5 months, the future multiannual financial framework (the EU’s long-term budget for 2021-2027) which includes Horizon Europe, will be a significant focus of debate. Romania has set out a number of priorities: promoting research and innovation, digitalisation, internal security, EU defence capabilities, and a push for greater common values in terms of democracy, equal opportunities, and human dignity. Romanian ministers have predicted that the finalisation of the EU budget agreement will be a difficult challenge but have also vowed to represent eastern, western, northern and southern Europe in order to achieve a final agreement before the May elections. Science Business analyses the situation.
On 18 December 2018, negotiators from the Council, the European Parliament and the European Commission provisionally agreed on new rules for making the EU’s electricity market work better – a move which marks a significant step forwards to finalising the Clean Energy for All Europeans package and subsequently, the Energy Union. The agreement also marks a step forwards in the fight against climate change and an accelerated move to the clean energy transition.
Meanwhile, the Committee for Industry Research and Energy of the European Parliament will vote on 23 January on the agreement on the Electricity Market Design Directive and Regulation, which was reached on 19 December 2018. The agreed texts aim to increase cross-border flows of electricity from renewable sources, end state subsidies to polluting coal power plants, as well as introduce technologies to help customers better control their energy usage.
Celebrating the IYPT2019 also means looking at what the chemical elements mean to us today. EuChemS recently developed and unveiled a unique Periodic Table which depicts the abundance (on a logarithmic scale) of chemical elements. The table shows the abundance of elements under serious threat in the next 100 years, those under increasing threat due to their increasing use, those with limited availability, as well as those coming from conflict zones. Finally, a smartphone symbol was added to the Periodic Table to show which chemical elements are used to make our phones – many of which are come from areas of conflict or under serious threat.
On 22 January, EuChemS will present and discuss this new Periodic Table at an event in the European Parliament, titled ‘The Periodic Table and us: its history, meaning and element scarcity’, chaired by Member of the European Parliament (MEP) Catherine Stihler. The event will feature opening talks from MEP Catherine Stihler and EuChemS President Pilar Goya. David Cole-Hamilton, EuChemS Vice-President will unveil the Periodic Table and discuss element scarcity and our role in protecting endangered elements. Natalia Tarasova, IUPAC Past President will in turn discuss the IYPT2019; Brigitte Van Tiggelen, science historian and Chair of the EuChemS Working Party on the History of Chemistry, will look at the history surrounding the Periodic Table as we now know it; M. Pilar Gil, University of St Andrews, will present oldest known Periodic Table wallchart. The event will also include presentations from Peter Handley, Head of the Resource Efficiency and Raw Materials Unit in the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Growth who will discuss critical raw materials in the circular economy and strategic value chains and Horizon 2020/Europe; as well as Andreea Strachinescu, Head of Unit of the European Commission Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs, who will discuss ocean resources. MEP Clare Moody will make the closing remarks.
Proclaimed the International Year of the Periodic Table by the United Nations General Assembly and UNESCO, 2019 will be the 150th anniversary of Dmitri Mendeleev’s discovery of the Periodic Table (interestingly, several scientists in Europe developed Periodic Systems and systemisation attempts around the same time. You may recognise names such as Antoine Lavoisier, Alexandre-Emile Beguyer de Chancourtois, John Newlands and the familiar name of Julius Lothar Meyer).
The IYPT2019 will be launched at an Opening Ceremony in Paris on 29 January 2019. Some of the speakers include Ben Feringa, Youri Oganessian and Sir Martyn Poliakoff. Pilar Goya, EuChemS President will also take to the stage and present the EuChemS Periodic Table as well as unveil the new video game developed by EuChemS – which will be available to try out for the very first time at the event.
The IYPT2019 is an initiative set off by the Mendeleev Chemical Society, and with the support of IUPAC, UNESCO and 5 founding partners including EuChemS.
IUPAC has also created a webpage which lists events and activities worldwide linked to the IYPT2019: https://www.iypt2019.org/events
The final conference of InRoad, a Horizon 2020 project going towards better synchronisation of priority settings and evaluation mechanisms for research infrastructures beyond national relevance took place on 12 December in Brussels.
The conference provided a platform to examine and discuss the findings of a number of InRoad policy insights, including the InRoad consultation report, the InRoad compendium, briefing notes and final reports. These policy insights aim to deliver recommendations and benchmarks for a better coordination of Research & Innovation policies and funding mechanisms in Europe.
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.
On 29 November, the Administrative Council of the European Chemistry Thematic Network (ECTN) met at the GDCh premises in Frankfurt. The meeting focused on the latest ECTN activities, such as the EuroLabels for higher education and the EChemTest. On the menu was also the recent publication of the 2nd Employment Survey for European Chemists (ESEC2), a joint project with EuChemS. The next, 3rd Employment Survey for chemists scheduled in 2020 was also discussed. Finally, the Administrative Council finalised further details regarding the ECTN General Assembly to be held in Krakow, Poland, in April 2019.
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.
Last month saw the annual European Food Safety Agency (EFSA) Stakeholder Forum, an event which sought to stimulate and simplify dialogue between the European Agency and official stakeholders. The event also aimed to exchange views on EFSA’s ongoing work and plans for the future. The relatively new and bolstered role of academic organisations was recognised by EFSA as a positive and much needed aspect of stakeholder interaction.
The discussions quickly focused on ‘scientific uncertainty’ and how to effectively communicate it. Participants debated and took part in exercises linked to the recent EFSA consultation on its draft “Guidance on Communication of Uncertainty in Scientific Assessments” – a call for feedback which EuChemS responded to, highlighting the need to make a clearer distinction between measurement uncertainty and uncertainty caused by other sources. We moreover encouraged EFSA to align terminology with existing international terminology, and also provided several relevant references from scientific literature.
The event, chaired by EFSA Executive Director Bernhard Url was a lively and debate-stimulating one, which effectively allowed all stakeholders to make themselves heard. Further events and activities between EFSA and stakeholders are foreseen for the future.
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 2nd 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.
Plan S, the plan initiated by a coalition of European funders (cOAlition S) and supported by the European Commission to encourage a rapid transition to open access publishing continues to make waves within the scientific community.
In an unexpected move, Chinese officials have said that China also intends to make publicly funded research open access on publication. They also pledged support for Plan S although what this actually means in terms of adopting all the Plan S policies remains unclear, reports Nature.
On 29 November, EuChemS attended the Frontiers and SwissCore event “Enabling the Open Science Modus Operandi in Europe” which sought to demonstrate the possibilities and positives of open access publishing, as well as of discussing Plan S in more detail. Whilst most panellists were strongly supportive of Plan S, a more nuanced view was expressed by ULB Professor in Microeconomics Alexis Walckiers who stressed the importance of recognising significant differences between disciplines as well as the differences between for-profit and not-for-profit publishing methods. Stephan Kuster, Secretary General of Science Europe, one of the major Plan S designers, recognised that there had been a lack of debate with stakeholders, including learned societies.
Speakers also addressed whether the policy debate would effectively lead to a changing research culture, a conversation which rapidly led to a more general discussion on the role of research impact factors, and how to attain the principles of the DORA declaration. Gareth O’Neill, President of the European Council of Doctoral Candidates and Junior researchers (Eurodoc) labelled Open Science a paradigm, and one in which scientists and researchers would need to be trained, supported and rewarded.
The German Chemical Society (GDCh) adopted on 6 December a statement on Plan S. Whilst the society “supports the fundamental intention of Plan S, and explicitly welcomes some of the principles formulated”, it highlights the need for clarification and expresses concern that “some of the key issues will have significant adverse effects on the researchers involved, and on Europe as a centre for innovative research”. The statement concludes by asking that Plan S supporters recognise the society’s concerns and those of its members, and that the “legitimate aim of making scientific results freely accessible to all […] not be thwarted by unintended, science-damaging consequences”. You can read the GDCh statement online here.
A public consultation has now been opened on the Plan S guidelines. EuChemS is currently preparing a Position Paper on the topic.
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.
behind it. Shedding light on the role of women in science and in the discovery of elements is vital to better understand the lingering gender disparity, and how history has generally turned a blind eye to their plight. On 12 February, a 
Last week saw the European Parliament 
On 7 March 2019, EuChemS will be holding a workshop in the European Parliament, focusing on Horizon Europe, education, employment, and more specifically, the existing gap between skills and jobs. The workshop will be chaired by Member of the European Parliament (MEP) Van Nistelrooij. More details on the programme and registration will soon be communicated. Watch this space!
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