EuCheMS has signed the Future Partnership Project statement launched by the Royal Society and the Wellcome Trust – a project which aims to send a powerful message to leaders in the UK and the EU that science knows no borders and that a shared vision for an ‘ambitious, close and achievable future agreement on research and innovation’ is essential.
With Brexit looming, EuCheMS, in partnership with 52 signatories, has fully endorsed the call for a future partnership that ‘enables excellent research and innovation to flourish across Europe’. The message is all the more significant in light of the recent proposal on the future framework programme – Horizon Europe – unveiled by the European Commission on 2 May.
European research programmes provide vital support for cross-border cooperation, and it is crucial that the EU and the UK continue to work together to ensure that barriers to collaboration, harmonisation and innovation do not occur in the future relationship. The success of past framework programmes, as well as the ongoing Horizon2020, lies in the scale and breadth of their actions, but also in the unique combination of expertise produced by the different Member States.
‘As representatives of research communities across the wider European Research Area, we are united in our desire for an ambitious and close future partnership on research and innovation. This would be good for European science and, in turn, for science globally.’
You can read the Future Partnership Project statement here, and access our Brexit Position Paper: ‘Research and Education Without Borders After Brexit’ here.
As the voice of Chemistry in Europe, representing chemical societies across Europe, and by extension, some 160,000 chemists, researchers and scientists, we strongly support the automatic mutual recognition of diplomas across Europe and are glad to see steps being taken by the European Commission in this direction. We exemplified possible ways forward by the system developed by EuCheMS and the European Chemistry Thematic Network Association (ECTN) over the last couple of years. The system seeks to have chemistry degrees recognised on a European-wide level. Eligible candidates can obtain a EurChem designation which aims to help promote mobility of chemical scientists throughout Europe, based on an agreed set of skills, competencies and training. We therefore informed the European Commission that we would be happy to present this system in order to explore all possible avenues to successfully implementing the automatic recognition of diplomas across Europe.
The proposal for the future framework programme – Horizon Europe – was unveiled by the European Commission on 2 May, launching a lengthy process of negotiations between the European Parliament and the Council over the next few months. The proposal sets €100 billion for the successor programme to Horizon2020 and for the nuclear research programme, Euratom.
EuCheMS welcomes the Commission’s proposal and recognises the significance of an increased budget, especially in light of the UK’s departure from the EU. It is all the more encouraging to hear many voices in the European Parliament calling for a €120 billion budget for Horizon Europe. We are moreover pleased to see the establishment of an Open Science pillar and a Global Challenges pillar – the latter which will directly support research relating to societal challenges and setting EU-wide missions with ambitious goals. Our Position Paper on the nature of missions in Horizon Europe lays out what we believe are major areas that need to be focused on: from preventing an antimicrobial resistance disaster, to ensuring sustainable low carbon energy for all, to forming a fit-for-purpose food landscape. The issues we have listed in our Position Paper are set to define some of the major societal and environmental challenges ahead – and consequently, need to be addressed immediately and with determination. As such, EuCheMS will continue to work with the European Parliament and other parties to ensure that there is no watering down of the budget proposal and that the strategic areas we have pointed out are recognised as needing special focus and additional funding.
Research and innovation are vital in providing solutions on a range of issues – from health to the environment, energy, food safety, agriculture, industry, and more. As the voice of chemistry in Europe, and representing over 160,000 chemists through our Members, we urge all parties throughout the negotiations to recognise the fundamental importance that a strong and ambitious funding programme for scientific research and innovation will play in overcoming the many challenges that Europe is facing and will face in the coming years.
A study by the Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, ETH Zurich and the University of Illinois, found that ‘’potentially pathogenic bacteria’’ could be found inside rubber ducks, The Guardian reports. The study points to low quality polymers in the plastic ducks as providing nutrients for the bacteria, of which Legionella and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were also found – posing a serious risk to children’s health.
With World Health Day, held under the auspices of the World Health Organisation (WHO) just a few days ago, we can take stock of the multitude of areas in which chemistry is playing a vital role in improving health conditions. EuCheMS took the opportunity to focus once more on the role of Trans Fatty Acids in our diet as well as the continued danger of antibiotic resistance. For more health-related issues, keep an eye out for the EuCheMS-EFMC session at the EFMC congress in Ljubljana (in September) and check out the 7th EuCheMS Chemistry Congress programme!
A study published in Nature by the European Molecular Biology Laboratory in Heidelberg has revealed a phenomenon by which gut bacteria can become resistant to antibiotics through contact with drugs not intended to harm bacteria. The study demonstrated that drugs such as omeprazole, antihistamines, painkillers and blood-pressure pills, could induce antibiotic resistance. The gut bacteria seem to therefore employ a similar defence mechanism with a wide range of drugs. You can read the Economist’s article here.
The issue of antimicrobial resistance (that is, the ability of microorganisms to withstand attack by antimicrobial drugs such as antibiotics) has been greatly focused on by EuCheMS. The dangers posed to public health that this resistance causes is the reason why we have included it in one of our ‘Missions’ for the Future Framework Programme 9. EuCheMS also held a joint European Parliament STOA and EFMC workshop on Solving Antibiotic Resistance, chaired by MEP Paul Rübig. For more on our position, take a look at our answer to the European Commission’s Public Consultation on antimicrobial resistance.
On 22 March, a public hearing organised by the European Parliament’s Environment Committee and the Petitions Committee looked at the impact of endocrine disruptors on public health and the environment. Endocrine disruptors, usually found in pesticides, metals, additives and contaminants in food, are chemicals that can interfere with our endocrine and hormonal systems and which can cause cancerous tumours, birth defects and other disorders (see the World Health Organisation’s info page). A recent high number of petitions on the subject led to the Parliament’s decision to hold the hearing and discuss the EU’s regulatory actions, as well as what scientists are currently saying on the subject. In October 2017, the Parliament had blocked plans proposed by the European Commission to exempt some pesticides from being identified as endocrine disruptors.
Following recent developments in the Syrian conflict, EuCheMS has issued a statement deploring the use of any and all chemical weapons in Syria. We reinforce our commitment to the declaration we issued in Seville in 2016, since unfortunately our statements then are even more urgent today. The EuCheMS Seville declaration states: “We, the Member Societies of the European Association for Chemical and Molecular Sciences (EuCheMS), deplore the use of chlorine in the Syrian conflict or any other and call upon the international community to bring to justice those responsible for the misuse of chlorine.” The declaration was signed by 36 Presidents of Chemical Societies or their representatives from all over Europe. The Press Release is available here and the Seville declaration is available here.
The European Research Council has announced a total of €653 million worth of funding, that will benefit 269 senior researchers and their teams across Europe as well as creating an estimated 2,000 postdocs, PhD students and other staff positions. The research projects are vastly diverse, and in the words of Carlos Moedas, European Commissioner for Research, Science and Innovation, ‘’ground-breaking’’ and ‘’high-risk’’. You can browse some examples of planned research projects here.
14,451. This was the total number of measles cases across Europe in 2017, triple the figure of 2016. In addition to this worrying number, there has been a steady drop in vaccination rates across the continent. The European Parliament’s environment committee expressed concern over the falling rates and highlighted the risk this could have on public health. A draft resolution published in March lays out a series of aims, including the need to restore confidence in vaccinations through greater transparency and to support joint procurement of vaccines (the cost of a full vaccines package for a child was 68 times more expensive in 2014 compared to 2001).
The World Health Organisation states that vaccinations save two to three million people every year – and if usage was increased, could save another 1.5 million. The measles outbreak in Europe last year hit Romania and Italy hardest, the latter counting some 5000 cases, including four deaths. The numbers are a cause for concern and invite a reflection on the growing scepticism – and blatant distrust, of scientific advice. The focus on rolling back compulsory vaccinations in the Italian election campaign exemplifies the brushing aside of scientific knowledge and advice to suit political motives. This has also given rise to a growing number of conspiracies or bogus research, often claiming that vaccines are the cause of severe and irreversible side effects or other health issues.
As the voice of Chemistry in Europe, EuCheMS, its Members, and the scientific community represented, has a special responsibility in this respect. Inaccuracies, fabrications and falsehoods that are circulated for political or other reasons, have to be constantly repudiated and corrected. Scientists have a duty to share their knowledge, and as such, allow citizens and policy makers to make informed decisions on such topics. But the responsibility works both ways: policy-makers in turn have, as part of their professional responsibility, a duty to seek scientific knowledge and advice in order to make informed decisions.
The European Commission adopted on 14 March 2018 the Implementation Roadmap for the European Science Cloud. The background: the European Open Science Cloud (EOSC) projected to be implemented by 2020, will create a virtual space for all researchers to share and store data for research and innovation, helping to encourage open science in Europe. The latest document presents ‘the outcome of the exploration of appropriate governance and financing mechanisms for the European Open Science Cloud’ as well as describing ‘the measures taken under Horizon 2020 Work Programmes to start implementing the EOSC’. The document’s purpose is moreover to act as a further stepping stone for consultations with EU Member States, the European Parliament and relevant stakeholders.
On 22 March, World Water Day was observed worldwide to highlight the importance of freshwater in our lives. Clean, accessible drinking water for all is a basic human right, while maintaining an adequate water supply is essential for agricultural productivity. Yet with humanity’s growing needs, the strain on available water is going to continue to grow to crisis levels. To put this into perspective: while 71% of the Earth’s surface is covered in water, 97% of it is saline. The 3% remaining freshwater is 90% locked in glaciers, leaving just 0.3% of the Earth’s total water to meet these growing needs.
Chemistry has a vital role to play, both in developing processes to treat water and making it potable as well as by removing contaminants from wastewater and industrial waste streams. Water treatment being highly energy intensive in turn means that solutions need to be found to make such processes more efficient, environmentally-friendly and economically accessible. The chemical sciences therefore have a manifold role to play in providing solutions to these challenges which will continue to grow over the coming years. EuCheMS has placed water as one of its core aims in its Roadmap, available here.
On 1 February 2018, the European Commission adopted a proposal for a revised drinking water directive which aims to improve the quality of drinking water and provide greater access and information to citizens. EuCheMS had responded to the preceding consultation which can be accessed here.
EuCheMS has responded to the European Commission’s public call for feedback on the implementation of Missions within the future research Framework Programme (FP9). EuCheMS highlighted a number of issues that need to be addressed as soon as possible, including, finding solutions on ‘Sustainable Low Carbon Energy for All’, ‘Forming a fit-for purpose Food Landscape’, ‘Enabling our Ageing Population’, and ‘Averting an Antimicrobial Resistance Apocalypse’. A funding instrument that recognises these priorities, and that recognises the role science can play in providing solutions is crucial. Read our feedback here.
Check out this sobering European Parliament infographic on Greenhouse Gas Emissions in the EU and the world. Why does this matter for all of us? Read EuCheMS’ past president, Professor Cole-Hamilton’s opinion piece on what global warming and its consequences mean.
Eurydice, the Education Information Network in Europe has published a new report that aims to guide policy-makers in providing efficient support mechanisms for teachers. The report covers a total of 43 European education systems (covering the EU as well as the Balkans, Switzerland, Iceland, Norway and Turkey) and delivers analyses of the different country-specific situations, career development opportunities for teachers and competence frameworks.
A recently published study in Nature Climate Change has indicated that soils can be a net sink of greenhouse gases through increased storage of organic carbon. Whilst land management practices can either accelerate the release of carbon or increase the soil’s capacity to store it, the use of fertilisers needs to be adjusted to balance additional nitrogen inputs as climate change mitigation advances can be cancelled out through higher nitrous oxide emissions from soil. The study concludes that a significant level of CO2 mitigation is achievable so long as nitrogen inputs are in turn controlled. You can take a look at the full study here. The findings are a welcome development and can contribute to the EU target to cut 20% greenhouse gas emissions by 2020 and by 40% by 2030 (both compared with emission levels of 1990).
The presence on nano-sized particles of air pollution (with a diameter of just 100 nanometers) has for the first time been detected in children’s urine. The finding is particularly concerning as the particulate matter, also known as black carbon, has been linked to heart diseases and other respiratory conditions. Despite the EU’s commitment to improving air quality, notably through the National Emissions Ceilings Directive (2016/2284/EU) and the reduction commitments for 2020 and 2030, the findings only reinforce the sense of urgency in finding and implementing concrete and effective solutions to prevent a major European (and global) public health risk.
The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) published a new report on 27 February which purports to show that bacteria from humans and animals continues to show resistance to antimicrobials. The report confirms antimicrobial resistance as one of the major threats to public health, notably because of its effect in reducing the effectiveness of treatment options.
For the first time, ESBL-producing Salmonella Kentucky with high resistance to ciprofloxacin in humans was found in four countries. Detection of resistance to carbapenems in poultry was also included in the new findings. The European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, Vytenis Andriukaitis, stressed the need to join efforts at the European level and implement rigorous policies on the use of antibiotics. You can read the full report here and access some figures and data here.
EuCheMS has previously issued warnings over the developing resistance to antimicrobials. In April 2016, EuCheMS co-organised a workshop in the European Parliament with the European Parliament’s Science and Technology Assessment (STOA) Panel and the European Federation for Medicinal Chemistry (EFMC) to analyse the global challenge and explore possible solutions. EuCheMS has moreover called for averting an antimicrobial resistance tragedy to be one of the eight Missions of the Future Framework Programme 9 (FP9).
On the occasion of International Women’s Day on March 8, we have looked back at Eurostat figures released last February on the distribution of female scientists and engineers across the EU.
The figures display that there are at least as many women as men in university-level education, whilst the number of female doctorate students has increased more rapidly than the number of equivalent male students in most Member States. From the 17 million scientists and engineers in the EU, 40% are women and 60% men. But while women currently hold the majority of jobs in science and technology in service activities, they only account for 28.4% in manufacturing.
The figures allow us to reflect on the current imbalance (in manufacturing especially) and serve as yet another wake-up call in addressing the existing issues that cut across various policy areas. EuCheMS has been vocal over the years in its call for an equal distribution of male and female scientists and engineers in the EU. In 2011, EuCheMS published ‘European Woman in Chemistry’, an unmissable voyage through centuries of chemical research, focusing on the lives of amazing women who dared to study and innovate, and continuously defied societal expectations.
On 5 March, the European Commission (EC) published the second review of the European Regulation on Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) along with a comprehensive evaluation report.
The EC has ultimately concluded that REACH is effective in addressing citizen concerns about chemical safety – although opportunities for improvement, simplification and burden reduction are there for the taking. The EC moreover suggests implementing changes in line with the 7th Environment Action Programme, the Circular Economy Action Plan, and the renewed EU Industrial Policy Strategy. The outcomes and possible follow-up actions will be reviewed with the European parliament, the Council and stakeholders at a public conference in June 2018.
In light of the upcoming European Commission (EC) proposals for the next generation of financial programmes for the post-2020 Multiannual Financial Framework, EuCheMS has responded to the public consultation on EU funds in the area of investment, research & innovations (R&I), SMEs and single market and has published a position paper laying out in more detail our vision for the way forward in the future Framework Programme 9 (FP9).
In addition to proposals for mechanisms for FP9, EuCheMS has defined a total of eight Missions that should be established in key areas. From Missions on ‘Sustainable Low Carbon Energy For All’, ‘Forming a fit-for purpose Food landscape’, ‘Enabling Our Ageing Population’ and ‘Averting an Antimicrobial Resistance Apocalypse’, these Missions highlight what we, as the voice of Chemical Sciences in Europe, perceive as some of the global challenges facing Europe. A Multiannual Financial Framework and an FP9 that recognises the potential of scientific research and innovation, as well as the role this provides in job creation, will be essential in tackling societal, environmental and economic challenges in Europe.
You can read our position paper here, and our answer to the consultation here.
On 2 March, EuCheMS participated in the fifth high-level roundtable event of the Open Science Policy Platform (OSPP). On the menu: discussions on integrated advice on open science, including the involvement of citizens in science. One of the core aims of the open science policy is to make science and scientific data much more accessible to the public, a move which EuCheMS welcomes, as it marks an important step in making the scientific arena more accessible and engaging.
The next meeting of the OSPP is scheduled for autumn 2018. Reports, minutes and other materials from the meetings can be found here.
Some genetically modified organisms can be authorised for use in the EU in foods or feed or for cultivation within the EU. Generally, permission for their use is given throughout the EU. The Commission has recently proposed allowing individual member states to restrict or prohibit the use of such authorised GMOs.
Papers concerning the effect of the UK’s withdrawal from the EU on food-related matters including GMOs have been published.
The right to access essential services of good quality, including water, is one of the principles of the European Pillar of Social Rights unanimously endorsed by Heads of State or Government at the Gothenburg Summit on 17 November 2017.
This is the reason why the Commission has adopted a legislative proposal which aims to guarantee this right and thereby responds to the first-ever successful European Citizens’ Initiative, “Right2Water”, that gathered 1.6 million signatures in support of improving access to safe drinking water for all Europeans.
The new rules will require Member States to improve access for all people, especially for vulnerable and marginalised groups who currently have difficult access to drinking water. In practice, that means setting up equipment for access to drinking water in public spaces, launching campaigns to inform citizens about the quality of their water and encouraging administrations and public buildings to provide access to drinking water.
Another important change in the legislation will give the public easy, user-friendly – including online – access to information about the quality and supply of drinking water in their living area, improving confidence in tap water. According to estimates, the new measures would reduce potential health risks associated with drinking water from 4% to below 1%.
Lower consumption of bottled water can in addition help households in Europe save more than €600 million per year. With improved confidence in tap water, citizens can also contribute to reducing plastic waste from bottled water, including marine litter.
Better management of drinking water from Member States will avoid unnecessary loss of water and contribute to lowering the CO2 footprint.
On 16th January, the Commission adopted the first Europe-wide strategy on plastics, which will protect the environment from plastic pollution whilst fostering growth and innovation, turning a challenge into a positive agenda for the Future of Europe. There is a strong business case for transforming the way products are designed, produced, used, and recycled in the EU and by taking the lead in this transition, new investment opportunities and jobs will be created. Under the new plans, all plastic packaging on the EU market will be recyclable by 2030, the consumption of single-use plastics will be reduced and the intentional use of microplastics will be restricted.
Under the new strategy, the European Union will make recycling profitable for business, curb plastic waste, stop littering at sea, drive investment and innovation and spur change across the world.
The Commission hosted the first European Education summit in Brussels on 25th January. It laid out its plans to create a European Education Area by 2025.
Europeans have the right to benefit from the best education and training available, to achieve their full potential and to contribute to society. However, as the latest Education and Training Monitor 2017 shows, inequality remains a challenge, with students’ socio-economic backgrounds largely determining their educational attainment.
Within the broad theme of ‘Laying the foundations of the European Education Area: for an innovative, inclusive and values-based education,’ the first European Education Summit brought together around 450 participants to discuss the importance of the European Education Area 2025, of basic skills and inclusive education and the skills that will be needed in the decades to come.
The Summit explored how to capture the latest knowledge and insights into education and how to turn our aspirations into a reality, as it is only through education that citizens can be equipped with the skills to actively contribute to today’s societies.
This reflection took place in the context of work towards a European Education Area, which will make mobility a reality for all, create a network of European Universities and promote lifelong learning.
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