1 European Highlights

1 European Highlights, BNU December 2020, Brussels News Updates

#EUvsVirus: that’s a wrap for 2020!

The #EUvsVirus journey continues with the #EUvsVirus Launchathon! It took place online on 10 and 11 December 2020. This event is a follow up action to the #EUvsVirus Hackathon and Matchathon launched earlier in 2020 and supported by the European Innovation Council.

The #EUvsVirus series of online events aims to bring together individuals from various sectors in finding innovative solutions to address the current pandemic crisis. Some of the 120 winners that were selected for their impactful solutions and products are now market ready start-ups. Therefore, the Launchathon aimed to help them to get in touch with corporate partners, public procurers, and investors.

For two days, more than 50 teams of entrepreneurs met online with partners and investors focusing on direct, and impactful meetings and collaborations. These market ready start-ups cover the following fields: health and life, business continuity, remote working and education, social and political cohesion, digital finance, and ‘other’ — a category for projects not covered by preceding topics.

EuChemS continues to be actively involved with the #EUvsVirus community. Read more about EuChemS’ participation in the previous #EUvsVirus events:
– EuChemS at the #EUvsVirus Hackathon: https://bit.ly/3oPqa8n
– EuChemS at the #EUvsVirus Matchathon: https://bit.ly/2K1aYq4

1162
1 European Highlights, BNU December 2020, Brussels News Updates

Budget breakdown of Horizon Europe

After lengthy talks, European leaders have succeeded in reaching an agreement on Horizon Europe. The total and final budget for the next seven-year framework programme for research and innovation is €95.517 billion (current prices). In comparison with Horizon 2020, it represents a budget increase of 30%. Concerning Erasmus+, they agreed on expending the budget to €26 billion – almost doubled in comparison with the €14.7 billion allocated to Erasmus+ for Horizon 2020.

Source: European Commission
https://bit.ly/3oTVcMt

The Scientific Council of the European Research Council (ERC) declared in its latest statement:

‘We are pleased that the European leaders have succeeded in reaching an agreement on the EU’s long-term budget and the Next Generation EU package. This is vital for Europe to recover after the pandemic and to thrive in the years to come.’

– ERC Scientific Council
Friday, 12 December 2020
Source: https://bit.ly/3mh4HUl

You can read more about it in the press release of the European Commission here.
Read more about the budget breakdown of Horizon Europe here.

 

2008
1 European Highlights, BNU December 2020, Brussels News Updates

The first 50 years of Chemistry in Europe

In this special edition of our newsletter Chemistry in Europe (CiE) 2020-4, we have highlighted many milestones and unforgettable moments that brought the European Chemical Society where it is today. Furthermore, we have collected memories and assembled stories from the people who shaped the path from 1970 onward.

In this special edition, you will revel in engaging articles from 22 authors, across 68 pages, including 49 photographs, and 6 visuals!

We invite you to read the CiE 2020-4 special issue for reflections on the Chemistry in Europe from half a century behind us, and have a sneak peek into the future.

1120
1 European Highlights, BNU November 2020, Brussels News Updates

ERC news

Synergy Grants

On 5 November, the European Research Council (ERC) announced that 34 projects have been awarded €350 million. In total, the ERC received more than 440 proposals for this Synergy Grants call. This grant is part of the Horizon 2020 framework programme for R&I and attracted researchers from across the globe.

These 34 research groups include 116 researchers from 22 different countries. The research selected for funding covers a wide range of scientific domains, including Chemistry. The list of selected proposals is available here.

New ERC Vice-Presidents

The ERC announced in a Press Release that Professors Andrzej Jajszczyk and Nektarios Tavernarakis have been elected as the new ERC Vice Presidents. Their mandate starts on 1 January 2021.

Sources:

1070
1 European Highlights, BNU November 2020, Brussels News Updates

Horizon Europe will start on time, with an additional €4 billion

Earlier this month, MEPs from EPP Group sent a letter to EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and German Chancellor Angela Merkel, pleading with them to reject the drastic cuts to European research funds, as part of an agreement on the budget for Horizon Europe. This letter is an initiative of MEPs Sven Simon, Christian Ehler and Christian Doleschal, together with a number of EU scientists, and was signed by 45 other MEPs.

On 10 November, the European Parliament and the EU member states announced having reached a deal on the multiannual budget for Horizon Europe: €1.8 trillion will be allocated for the 2021-2027 research budget. This budget will also cover the coronavirus recovery fund. In total, €4 billion were added since the most recent budget talks.

This political agreement aims to reinforce Horizon Europe, but also other EU programmes, such as EU4Health, with an additional €3.4 billion, and Erasmus+, which went up by €2.2 billion.

This agreement marks the end of lengthy debates on the budget for the next Framework Programme for Research and Innovation.

We invite you to read more about it here.

Sources:

 

1091
1 European Highlights, BNU November 2020, Brussels News Updates

The role of Chemistry during the pandemic

Luigi Campanella, Senior Chair of the EuChemS Working Party on Ethics in Chemistry, wrote a contribution for EuChemS on the role of Chemistry during the COVID-19 crisis. In his article, Professor Campanella explores possible scientific answers that can be found in Open Science, Big Data, knowledge, and expertise.

Beyond the technical and scientific contributions that chemistry can provide, it is necessary to re-emphasise one of its unique characteristics that perhaps could act as a catalyst in the team’s work: chemistry works positively if and only if it can cultivate, by working alone or in a team, the concept of diversity and scientific doubt.

Luigi Campanella
Source: https://bit.ly/2JRtWPp

We invite you to read the full article HERE.

 

1319
1 European Highlights, BNU November 2020, Brussels News Updates

Celebrate the Periodic Table again with the IYPT19 Final report

The Final Report of the International Year of the Periodic Table of Chemical Elements 2019 (IYPT) was released earlier in October 2020 and is now available online (pdf). The report gathers the planning and the initiatives organised throughout the year-long celebration #IYPT19, including also the ones by EuChemS and its Member Societies, who coordinated hundreds of activities and events in 2019, and these actions have reached millions of people through media coverage.

If you wish to discover more about the content of the report related to EuChemS activities, we invite you to read our latest article on the topic HERE.

 

1116
1 European Highlights, BNU November 2020, Brussels News Updates

EuChemS Webinars: two down, one to go!

November is a busy month for EuChemS in terms of events. Three webinars were scheduled this month: one on science-policy concerning circular economy, one purely scientific on CO2 conversion and an information session on EuChemS awards.

We kindly invite you to read on below to discover more about all of them.

The Value is on Circularity: Recycling-reusing-reinvesting on critical raw materials

On 5 November, we had the pleasure to co-host with MEP Maria Spyraki the webinar The Value is on Circularity: Recycling-reusing-reinvesting on critical raw materials. This online event saw a wide range of scientific and EU policy discussions on the endangered elements.

An impressive line-up of speakers from the European Commission, the European Parliament, the industry sector, European universities, and national research centres participated in this event. For two hours, the necessity to recycle and protect critical elements were deliberated. Debates ensued during the Q&A Session, notably on how to include early career researchers as part of the solution to implement a circular economy.

In total, more than 300 individuals from the industry sector, policymakers, researchers, and chemistry students have registered for this webinar. EuChemS thanks MEP Maria Spyraki and her assistants for excellent collaboration in organising this event, as well as all the speakers for their prompt responses. The big and diverse audience we had is a good indicator of the relevance of the circular economy topic. Thank you all for joining online, the recording of the webinar will soon be available on the EuChemS YouTube channel, and the presentations of the speakers will be added to the EuChemS website!

2018 EuChemS Lecture Awardee

Shortly after, on 13 November, EuChemS Secretariat organised the first online EuChemS Lecture Awardee webinar. Originally, the talk was planned to take place at the EuChemS European Chemistry Congress this year, which was postponed for two years due to the pandemic.

Raffaella Buonsanti was awarded the EuChemS Lecture Award in 2018, in recognition of her major achievements in Chemistry. After the laudation, given by Barbara Ruth Albert, Chair of the International Award Committee for the EuChemS Lecture Award, Raffaella Buonsanti gave a talk on ‘Colloidal chemistry for tunable nanocrystals as CO2 conversion catalysts.’

Furthermore, two early career researchers from Raffaella Buonsanti’s group at EPFL were invited to give a talk. Valeria Mantella discussed ‘Insights into reaction intermediates via in-situ X-Ray spectroscopy to predict synthetic pathways for shape-controlled Cu nanocrystals.’ Chethana J Gadiya gave a presentation on ‘Nanocrystals as precursors in solid-state reactions for size- and shape-controlled polyelemental nanomaterials’.

The event was moderated by Pilar Goya, EuChemS President.

Attendees engaged actively in the two Q&A Sessions of the webinar. We would like to thank all the speakers and attendees for sharing up-to-date scientific knowledge and participating in this event.

The recording of the webinar will soon be available on the EuChemS YouTube channel, so keep an eye on the EuChemS website and social media!

EuChemS Awards Info Session

Mark your calendar! On Tuesday 24 November, from 10:00 to 11:30 CET, EuChemS will host an Information Session on its Awards.

During this Information Session, the nomination procedures and selection process of EuChemS Awards will be explained by EuChemS Secretariat and the Chair of the European Young Chemists’ Network: European Chemistry Gold Medal, EuChemS Lecture Award, EuChemS Award for Service, EuChemS Historical Landmarks Award and European Young Chemists’ Award (EYCA). Attendees will learn about the aim of each Award, who is eligible, who can nominate a candidate and other useful tips. We will also have some guest speakers, who will be revealed closer to the event.

This Information Session is for those who consider submitting a nomination to one of the EuChemS calls currently open, and also for those who want to discover more about how EuChemS recognises outstanding achievements in the chemical sciences.

We invite you to discover more about the EuChemS Awards Information Session here.

Registration: here.

 

1115
1 European Highlights, BNU October 2020, Brussels News Updates

Latest ECHA Committee

The European Chemical Society attended the Committee for Risk Assessment (RAC) online meeting of the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) in September which addressed several pressing issues. Significant topics were discussed, including the new interpretation of the Judgment of the General Court of 7 March 2019 REACH — Commission Decision authorising the use of lead sulfochromate yellow and of lead chromate molybdate sulfate red –Article 60(4) and (5) of Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 — Examination of the lack of availability of alternatives — Error of law. RAC also discussed applications for authorisation, other restriction proposals and harmonised classification and labelling.

Throughout the summer period, RAC activities continued with online Working Groups meetings: the applications for authorisation and classification were reviewed in order to be presented during the RAC’s plenary meeting.

Read more HERE.

Background information

The Committee for Risk Assessment (RAC) is responsible for preparing scientific opinions related to the risks of chemicals to human health and the environment for the following processes:

  • applications for authorisation;
  • proposals for restrictions;
  • proposals for harmonised classification and labelling; and
  • occupational exposure limits (OELs).

The final decisions are taken by the European Commission through a comitology procedure.

1163
1 European Highlights, BNU October 2020, Brussels News Updates

2020 Nobel Laureates in Chemistry

Emmanuelle Charpentier and Jennifer A. Doudna. Credit: © Nobel Media. Ill. Niklas Elmehed

On 7 October 2020, the Royal Swedish Academy of Science announced that Emmanuelle Charpentier (French) and Jennifer A. Doudna (American) are the 2020 Nobel Laureates in Chemistry for developing the CRISPR-cas9 genetic scissors.  Due to the current environment and environment of COVID-19, an online version of the traditional Nobel Awarding Ceremony was held this year.

Together, they recreated the CRISPR-cas9 genetic scissors in a test tube. They also simplified the scissors’ molecular components, so they were easier to use. With the development of this method for genome editing, « researchers can change the DNA of animals, plants and microorganisms with extremely high precision. » Their discovery will contribute to new cancer therapies and may be used in the future to treat inherited diseases.

Emmanuelle Charpentier is the director of the Max Planck Unit for the Science of Pathogens in Berlin, Germany, and Jennifer A. Doudna is a professor at UC Berkeley and investigator at Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI). They are the first two women to ever share a Nobel Prize, and the sixth and seventh women ever to win a Nobel Prize in Chemistry.

Both scientists have also received the 2016 L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science Award for their revolutionary invention of genetic scissors. These awards are presented every year to five outstanding women scientists in recognition of their scientific accomplishments, one from each world regions: Africa and the Arab States, Asia and the Pacific, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, North America. Discover more about it here.

More information is available on the official Nobel Prize website.

1529
1 European Highlights, BNU October 2020, Brussels News Updates

EU Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability: towards a safer and greener future

On 14 October, the European Commission adopted the EU Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability. This strategy is part of the European Union’s zero pollution ambition by 2050, as announced in the European Green Deal.

With this plan, the European Commission fully recognises the role of chemicals to achieve green transition and its benefits for human well-being, but also strengthens regulations on the most hazardous and harmful chemicals. The EU Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability establishes concrete actions for a safer and greener future.

The main objective of the new Chemicals Strategy is to increase the protection of the environment and human health, with special attention to vulnerable population groups. Furthermore, it will prohibit the use of the most harmful substances in consumers products. The strategy will also enable the green transition of the chemical sector and promote high standards and not exporting chemicals banned in the EU.

Read the European Commission Press Release on the EU Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability HERE.

1679
1 European Highlights, BNU October 2020, Brussels News Updates

Horizon Europe: trilogue negotiations on the budget are still on the agenda

On 6 October 2020, the German Presidency of Council of the European Union, the European Commission, and the ITRE Committee started together another round of negotiations for Horizon Europe’s budget. The 2021-2027 multiannual budget is being paired with a temporary scheme running from 2021 – 2024, which is aimed at supporting the European Union’s recovery from the COVID-19 crisis.

The Members of European Parliament (MEPs) demanded additional funding: at stake is the multiannual budget for Horizon Europe, but also for the Erasmus+ programme. Following the cuts announced in July 2020 (the European Commission reduced Horizon Europe’s budget to €80.9 billion), MEPs rejected all deal proposals that did not include a budget increase.

“Without a credible proposal from the Council on increasing the ceilings it’s impossible to move on”

– MEP Margarida Marques
co-rapporteur on the multiannual budget
source: https://bit.ly/3iYYKK6

However, EU member states representatives are reluctant to increase the budget for the next seven-year framework programme. Currently, research ministers agreed to allocate €85.5 billion for Horizon Europe. In order not to delay the start of Horizon Europe, a budget deal needs to be found by the end of 2020.

Nonetheless, EU research ministers reached agreement regarding other remaining outstanding issues concerning Horizon Europe. On 29 September, during the meeting of the Competitiveness Council (Research and Innovation) of the Council of the European Union in Brussels, EU research ministers focused on the following issues:

  • synergies with other EU programmes
  • funding from the new recovery instrument Next Generation EU
  • the allocation of the Horizon Europe budget among the individual programme areas
  • international cooperation and the association of third countries

The outstanding issues stated above had not been negotiated so far.

More information is available on the Germany’s Presidency of the Council of the European Union website.

1225
1 European Highlights, BNU October 2020, Brussels News Updates

Young Chemists @European Research and Innovation Days

The European Research and Innovation Days took place online, on 22-24 September 2020. The EuChemS European Young Chemists’ Network (EYCN) contributed to the session on “Sustainability by Design – Embedding sustainability criteria throughout life cycle of products and processes” (HUB 2: European Green Deal). During this session, young scientists have challenged senior experts on sustainable-by-design approaches in different fields, contribute to the discussion and shape together a safe, carbon-neutral and resource efficient industrial eco-system.

Watch the full recording of the session HERE!

983
1 European Highlights, BNU October 2020, Brussels News Updates

Meet newly elected EuChemS Executive Board members

Renáta Oriňaková, Christophe Copéret and Artur Silva were elected to the EuChemS Executive Board by the 2020 General Assembly which was held online on 24 September. Their mandate starts on 1 January 2021.

EuChemS congratulates them and warmly welcomes them.

Professor Renáta Oriňaková, DSc. is a research professor and head of the Department of Physical Chemistry at the Institute of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Pavol Jozef Šafárik University in Košice (PF UPJŠ in Košice), Slovakia. She is currently the Vice-Dean of the Faculty of Science for science, research, and development.

She was trained in chemistry and mathematics at PF UPJŠ in Košice (1992) and started her career at the Department of Physical Chemistry. She has received her PhD in Physical Chemistry from the Comenius University in Bratislava, Slovakia (1997) and the title of Professor in Physical Chemistry in 2017. In the meantime, she was awarded the Doctor of Science (DSc.) degree in Physical Chemistry from the Slovak University of Technology in 2015.

Read more HERE.

Professor Christophe Copéret is Professor in the Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences at ETH Zürich since November 2010.

He was trained in chemistry and chemical engineering in CPE Lyon (France) and then undertook a Ph.D. in chemistry at Purdue University (USA), where he studied the development of highly efficient synthesis of complex molecules via Pd-catalysed carbonylation reactions in the group of Prof. E.i. Negishi (1991-1996). After a postdoctoral stay at the Scripps Research Institute (La Jolla, USA) in the group of Prof. K.B. Sharpless (1996-1997), where he developed oxidation reactions, Christophe Copére was offered in 1998 a permanent research position in CNRS in C2P2 a laboratory devoted the chemistry of surfaces and polymers, and was promoted CNRS Research Director in 2008.

Read more HERE.

Professor Artur M. S. Silva is a full professor of chemistry at the University of Aveiro and President of the Portuguese Chemical Society (SPQ) since July 2016. He served, among others, as Vice-President of the Portuguese Chemical Society (2013-2016), twice terms as Vice-president and other two as President of the Organic Chemistry Division of SPQ (among others).

He studied chemistry at the University of Aveiro (Portugal), where he graduated in chemistry physics for teaching in 1987. In 1993 he received his Ph.D. in chemistry at Aveiro University. He began his independent career at Aveiro University as an Assistant Professor in 1994. He was appointed to Associate Professor with tenure in 1998 and Full Professor in 2001.

Read more HERE.

1138
1 European Highlights, BNU October 2020, Brussels News Updates

EuChemS 2020 General Assembly

The 2020 EuChemS General Assembly meeting took place on Thursday, 24 September 2020. Representatives from EuChemS Member Societies and Supporting Members attended the first ever EuChemS General Assembly meeting held online, including the voting session.

The meeting was chaired by Pilar Goya, EuChemS President.

More information about EuChemS 2020 online General Assembly is available here.

1029
1 European Highlights, BNU September 2020, Brussels News Updates

European Research and Innovation Days

The European Research and Innovation Days is the European Commission’s annual flagship event, bringing together policymakers, researchers, entrepreneurs, and citizens to debate and shape the future of research and innovation in Europe and beyond.

The second edition of the event will take place online, on 22-24 September 2020. More information is available HERE.

The EuChemS European Young Chemists’ Network (EYCN) will take an active part in the event and contribute to the session on “Sustainability by Design – Embedding sustainability criteria throughout life cycle of products and processes” (HUB 2: European Green Deal). During this session, young scientists will challenge senior experts on sustainable-by-design approaches in different fields, contribute to the discussion and shape together a safe, carbon-neutral and resource efficient industrial eco-system.

The session will be held online on 22 September 2020, from 17:00 to 17:45 CEST.

Check out the final program and register HERE.

 

 

1102
1 European Highlights, BNU September 2020, Brussels News Updates

EuroScience Open Forum – ESOF 2020

Half online, half on-site, the scientific event EuroScience Open Forum (ESOF 2020) was hosted in Trieste, the European City of Science 2020. The event took place from 2 to 6 September 2020. ESOF is a biennial, pan-European, general science conference dedicated to scientific R&I. For 5 days, hybrid conferences on the latest advancements and discoveries in the sciences, humanities and social sciences were held in the Northern Italian city and online.

During this event, researchers and university leaders expressed their concern regarding the budget allocated to Research and Development in the European Union and the potential brain exodus that could ensued. They called for governments and the EU to keep investing in R&D.

On a different note, MEP Maria da Graça Carvalho (ITRE Committee) warned the ESOF 2020 participants about the geographical imbalance in funding awards in Europe. She pointed out that the private sector participation remains an important problem for EU public-private research partnerships in the EU research and innovation framework programme, Horizon 2020: a high percentage of grants allocated to scientists and researchers are going to a small number of member states. In this regard, MEP Maria da Graça Carvalho called for geographical equality for the next research and innovation framework programme starting in 2021, Horizon Europe.

The EuroScience Open Forum 2022 will be hosted in Leiden/The Hague, Netherlands.

Sources:
– ESOF 2020: https://www.esof.eu/en/home.html
– Science Business:  https://sciencebusiness.net/framework-programmes/news/closed-clubs-eu-public-private-partnerships-need-more-geographical
– OggiScienza: https://oggiscienza.it/2020/09/01/trieste-esof-2020/

1762
1 European Highlights, BNU September 2020, Brussels News Updates

ENVI Committee voted the EU Climate Law

On 11 September, the European Parliament ENVI Committee (Environment, Public Health and Food Safety) adopted the report on the EU climate law with 46 votes for, 18 against and 17 abstentions. This legal framework proposed by the European Commission in March 2020 aims to implement the 2050 climate neutrality goal and prepare the EU climate target update for 2030.

In addition, MEPs called for a more ambitious 2030 emissions reduction target: emissions should be reduced by 60% in 2030 compared to 1990, instead of “at least 50% towards 55%”, originally proposed by the European Commission. MEPs also want both the EU and all member states individually to become climate neutral by 2050.

Sources:
– Press release: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/press-room/20200907IPR86512/eu-climate-law-meps-want-to-increase-emission-reductions-target-to-60-by-2030
– ENVI highlights : https://www.europarl.europa.eu/committees/en/one-step-closer-to-climate-neutrality-en/product-details/20200907CAN57042

1154
1 European Highlights, BNU September 2020, Brussels News Updates

ERC President addressed the European Parliament on the future of EU R&I budget

On 7 September 2020, European Research Council (ERC) President, Jean-Pierre Bourguignon, addressed the European Parliament ITRE Committee (Industry, Research and Energy) on the Future of EU R&I and the long-term EU budget.

The ERC President pointed out the challenges created by the COVID-19 pandemic and the reprioritization of the EU political agenda that ensued. In his regard, he highlighted the necessity to focus on long-term actions to tackle the crisis.

“What the pandemic has proved is the importance of preparedness built over the long term. It has also shown the reactivity and flexibility of researchers was key to get us through the pandemic.”

– ERC President, Jean-Pierre Bourguignon
Speech given at the EP before the ITRE Committee
7 September 2020

Jean-Pierre Bourguignon expressed vividly the global disappointment of the scientific community concerning the cuts that had been made to the budget of the next research and innovation framework programme, Horizon Europe. The ERC President asked the European Parliament to reconsider the budget allocated to EU Research for Horizon Europe.

“For the ERC budget, the absolute minimum is €14.7 billion in 2018 prices (€16.6 billion in current prices) that was the 2018 European Commission proposal for Horizon Europe for the ERC representing 17.64% of the total budget of the programme. It barely guarantees €2 billion a year to the ERC. It is far from the ambition of the ERC founders had for it to represent 5% of national funding. A minimal interpretation of it would mean that, in Horizon Europe, the ERC receives €17.7 billion in 2018 prices (€19.9 billion in current prices), a legitimately ambitious goal.”

– ERC President, Jean-Pierre Bourguignon
Speech given at the EP before the ITRE Committee
7 September 2020

Sources:
– ERC News, Jean-Pierre Bourguignon’s speech: https://erc.europa.eu/news/hearing-itre-european-parliament

1161
1 European Highlights, BNU September 2020, Brussels News Updates

European Commission launched an Action Plan on Critical Raw Materials

On 3 September 2020, the European Commission presented an Action Plan on Critical Raw Materials. The aim of this plan is to secure the European Union’s access to critical Raw Materials by reducing its dependency on primary critical raw materials and strengthening domestic sourcing of raw materials in the EU to reduce its dependency on third countries.

With the Action Plan on Critical Raw Materials, the European Commission outlines ten actions to achieve these ambitions, the first being the establishment a European Raw Materials Alliance. The European Raw Materials Alliance will bring together relevant stakeholders and will focus on building EU resilience and open strategic autonomy for the rare earths and magnets value chain, such as renewable energy, defence, and space, before extending to other raw material areas.

Vice-President Šefčovič and Commissioner Breton have also presented the 2020 List of Critical Raw Materials. The updated list adds 4 new critical raw materials (Bauxite, Lithium, Titanium and Strontium), making it 30 in total. In EuChemS Periodic Table of Elements Scarcity, published on the occasion of the International Year of the Periodic Table (IYPT19), Lithium and Strontium were already listed as elements in “serious threat in the next 100 years”.

Sources:
– EC Press release: https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_20_1542

2332
1 European Highlights, BNU September 2020, Brussels News Updates

EuChemS on YouTube: watch the videos of two winners of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry — #50yearseuchems

On 3 July 2020, at the celebration of 50 years since the European Chemical Society has been founded, EuChemS had the honour of welcoming not one, but two winners of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry: Professor Jean-Marie Lehn and Professor Ben Feringa. They both gave a memorable speech, which are now available on the EuChemS YouTube channel. Subscribe to stay up to date with the videos we will be posting!

Watch their speeches here!

Use the hashtag #50yearseuchems on your favourite social media channel and do not miss out any EuChemS 50th anniversary-related posts!

   

 

 

 

1284
1 European Highlights, BNU September 2020, Brussels News Updates

Winners announced: European Young Chemists’ Award (EYCA)

On 26 August, the 12 finalists presented their research results in front of the European Award Committee for the EuChemS Award (EYCAC) and the whole audience during the EYCA Competition Session at the e-YCN@ECC. The event was organised by the European Young Chemists’ Network (EYCN).

The European Award Committee for the EuChemS-EYCN Award (EYCAC) has selected the European Young Chemists’ Award (EYCA) winners for the Early Career Researcher level and the PhD level, in recognition of the exceptional research in various fields of chemical sciences. For both PhD level and the Early Career Researcher level, two awardees were selected: one Gold Medal and one Silver Medal.

At the Early Career Research Level, the EYCA 2020 Gold Medal was awarded to Maria Chiara Sportelli (National Research Council/Institute for Photonics and Nanotechnologies – CNR-IFN, Italy) and the Silver Medal to Grégory Chatel (University of Savoie Mont Blanc, France). At the PhD Level, the Gold Medal was awarded to Eoin Murray (T.E. Laboratories, Ireland) and the Silver Medal to Emilia Paone (University of Reggio Calabria, Italy).

EYCA 2020 group picture: Antonio M. Rodriguez (EYCN Chair), David Cole-Hamilton (EYCAC Member), Pilar Goya (EuChemS President), Helena Grennberg (EYCAC Member), Nausicaa Orlandi (EYCAC Member), Angela Agostiano (EYCAC Chair) and Cristina Todasca (EYCAC Member).

EYCA 2020 has been sponsored by the European Chemical Society (EuChemS), the Italian Chemical Society (SCI) and the Federazione Nazionale degli Ordini dei Chimici e dei Fisici in Italy (FNCF).

More information about the European Young Chemists’ Award (EYCA) is available HERE.

1340
1 European Highlights, BNU August 2020, Brussels News Updates

How is the EU making sure perfluoroalkyl chemicals (PFAS) don’t stick around?

picture source: https://www.defence.gov.au/Environment/pfas/PFAS.asp

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a large family of synthetic chemicals that are widely used throughout society and thus found in the environment (groundwater, surface water, soil, and food). They are extensively used and popular because they have uniquely desirable properties: they are stable under intense heat and they can act as water and grease repellents, which makes them suitable for aviation, textile, aerospace, leather, and other industries. They are also found in some medical aids, electronics, household items, construction products etc.

As all PFAS contain carbon-fluorine bonds, one of the strongest chemical bonds in organic chemistry, they are known to persist in the environment longer than any other man-made substance. They end up in the environment directly and indirectly, from facilities using PFAS for production, during use of consumer products containing PFAS, and from PFAS-containing materials that are in contact with food. Humans can be exposed to them every day at home, in their workplace and through the environment.

Some PFAS have already been regulated globally by the Stockholm Convention for more than 10 years, and these include perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) and its derivatives, perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and its salts, while perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS) and its salts are considered for inclusion in the Stockholm Convention.

The manufacture and use of some PFAS are already restricted under REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals), a regulation of the European Union, adopted to improve the protection of human health and the environment from the risks that can be posed by chemicals, while enhancing the competitiveness of the EU chemicals industry.

Finally, a few PFAS already have a harmonised classification and labelling under the Classification, Labelling and Packaging (CLP) Regulation: perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), ammonium pentadecafluorooctanoate (APFO), perfluorononan-1-oic acid (PFNA) and its sodium and ammonium salts, nonadecafluorodecanoic acid (PFDA) and its sodium and ammonium salts.

For more information, an interview with the ECHA’s Executive Director Bjorn Hansen is available, but you can also read more on this topic and/or listen to the full podcast online.

4808
1 European Highlights, BNU August 2020, Brussels News Updates

Jean-Pierre Bourguignon appointed interim President of the ERC

The European Commission (EC) appointed Professor Jean-Pierre Bourguignon as the President of the European Research Council (ERC) for an interim period until the next ERC President takes office. This re-selection has been well received across Europe, considering his previous position as the President of the ERC from 2014-2019, which was already his 2nd term.

Commissioner Mariya Gabriel, the ERC Scientific Council, as well as the scientific community have supported this decision. In the face of the final stages of Horizon 2020 and in preparations for Horizon Europe, Professor Bourguignon’s thorough understanding of the scientific and policy-making procedures will be necessary in order to keep enabling researchers to push the boundaries while pursuing scientific breakthroughs.

More information about this topic, as well as a podcast with Professor Bourguignon are available.

1378
1 European Highlights, BNU August 2020, Brussels News Updates

EYCN at the European Research and Innovation Days

EuChemS European Young Chemists’ Network (EYCN) will take an active part and contribute to the session on “Sustainability by Design” during European Research and Innovation Days. If you are interested to join this event, you can follow this page for more information.

This event brings together policymakers, researchers, entrepreneurs, and citizens to debate and shape the future of research and innovation in Europe and beyond. Building on the success of last year, the 2020 edition will feature three days of intensive policy co-designing, thought-provoking panels, and matchmaking opportunities. This year, the flagship event will be organised online on 22-24 September 2020.

1210