On 6 May 2021, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) published a study probing the risks of the toxicity of titanium dioxide – also known as food additive E171. The European Commission requested this evaluation in March 2020, as the evaluation conducted in 2016 lacked substantial data.
When used as a food colouring, this additive gives vibrancy and texture to many colourless industrial products. E171 could be found in processed food such as sandwiches, bakery wares or soups.
The main risk highlighted by EFSA is genotoxicity, more precisely strand breaks and chromosomal damage (mutations are not included). It is now up to the relevant stakeholders (i.e., the European Commission and the EU member states) to incorporate EFSA’s scientific advice in their upcoming regulation.
On 12 January 2021, the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) presented the revised Drinking Water Directive (DWD). This new regulation aims to harmonize the water consumption legislation within the EU member states.
To prepare the DWD, member state authorities can submit National Positive Lists and other modifications until 12 July 2021. Every starting substance, composition or constituent that meets tap water shall be added to the positive lists.
Later, the positive lists will be evaluated and combined by the European Commission. The implementation of the DWD is expected early in 2025. The main steps are summarized below:
The ITRE committee of the European Parliament, chaired by MEP Cristian Bușoi, met on 13 April to discuss the decarbonisation of the energy sector in view of the forthcoming official adoption of various work programmes for Horizon Europe, including the “Climate, Energy and Mobility” cluster.
Speakers’ presentations mainly revolved around green gases, blue and green hydrogen, and electrification alternatives.
During this meeting, a discussion ensued on the high percentage (70%) of the current pipeline infrastructure being Hydrogen-ready that would allow the EU to meet the Green Deal’s objectives while becoming a global leader in the clean energy field. Focus was also put on the need for a renewed mobility system and new city planning green substitutes, such as geo-thermal energy and sustainable biomass for heating.
Some additional greener options for the transformation of the global transport sector, such as E-kerosene, E-methanol, E-ammonia (especially for the aviation and shipping industry), were discussed.
Presentations were also intended to demonstrate how a quick decarbonisation of industries, as well as the energy system, was feasible through efficient policymaking.
Find out more about the ITRE committee meeting held on 13 April here.
On 20 April 2021, the European Parliament reached an informal agreement with the Council of the European Union and the European Commission during a trilogue on the new EU climate law. The European Union and its Member States could engage for carbon neutrality by 2050.
In his statement, Pascal Canfin, President of the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENV Committee), highlighted an ambitious target for 2030: carbon emissions will be reduced by 57% compared to 1990. The creation of the High Council for the Climate and a dedicated budget for carbon are the two main pillars of this new law.
Jytte Guteland (Rapporteur and Member of the ENVI Committee) provided some details regarding the application of this law in a Q&A interview. The transition to renewable energy sources will create new job opportunities and foster skill transfer. This change will include new methods to train workers. The European Union will play a great role in this through fund programmes, such as Erasmus+ 2021-2027. The choice of energy sources, such as nuclear power or sustainable resources, will remain in the hands of EU Member States.
This new text was voted on at the European Parliament on 10 May 2021, adopted by the deputies with 52 votes against 24.
Late April (the 27th) has seen the €95.5 billion Horizon Europe budget’s official adoption by the European Parliament after the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE committee) gave its final consent over the past few weeks.
Sciences will play a key role throughout the whole framework and will constitute an inherent element to the programme’s five main mission areas:
Preparing Europe to a resilient climate transition
Tackling cancer
Creating 100 climate neutral cities by 2030
Regenerating our oceans, seas, coastal and inland waters
Ensuring that 75% of soils are healthy by 2030
Nevertheless, the European Commission postponed again the launch of Horizon Europe work programmes. Hence, the publication of calls is delayed at least until the end of May 2021. The initial publication of the Horizon Europe work programmes was due in March 2021.
Source: European Parliament, Infographics “how the EU invests in science” (https://bit.ly/3vY6Yc6)
In addition, chemistry will predominantly intervene under Pillar II – the second out of the Horizon Europe three Pillars – which is channelled towards “Global Challenges and European Industrial Competitiveness”; and more specifically in clusters 1,5 and 6. These will focus on “Health”, “Climate, Energy and Mobility” and “Food, Bioeconomy, Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment” respectively. These clusters represent three of the five largest dedicated budget shares within the entire programme.
Negotiations on the UK case are still ongoing, but the former member state is still expected to take part in the multiple bilateral Horizon Europe agreements with external nations, which are provided to reinforce international cooperation. Therefore, the UK will be fully eligible to Horizon Europe calls with some minor exceptions (e.g., the EIC fund).
The country’s participation in Horizon Europe will be of utmost importance for British researchers and will maintain mutual benefits for both blocks. Moreover, the UK is also meant to take part in other EU programmes such as Euratom or Copernicus as an associated state.
With this in mind, the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) recently launched its own guiding webpage providing useful information on how the UK is to be integrated into Horizon Europe’s various actions and calls over the next 7 years.
Read the European Parliament Press Release on the adoption of Horizon Europe here.
We are pleased to announce that the 2020 EuChemS Award for Service has been awarded to Professor Antonio Laganà and Dr. Jan Mehlich in recognition of their outstanding commitment and work in fostering chemistry in Europe, along with the activities and goals of EuChemS.
By serving on the editorial board of journals and organising several scientific conferences, Professor Laganà has contributed to the chemistry community in Europe and beyond with both his scientific achievements and services to the community.
Dr Jan Mehlich developed the free online course Good Chemistry-Methodological, Ethical, and Social Implications: around 400 students have registered so far, thus contributing to the dissemination of ethical chemistry conduct, the increasing impact of EuChemS’ activities and the enhancement of chemistry and EuChemS’ profile.
On behalf of all of us at EuChemS: congratulations!
Read more about the EuChemS Award for Service 2020 two awardees here.
On 27 April 2021, EuChemS answered to the Public Consultation on the new EU soil strategy. Citizens and organisations in Europe were invited to contribute to this survey on the ‘good’ soil practices to avoid soil mismanagement and degradation.
The European Commission proposed a soil assessment to evaluate the state of degradation of soil in the EU. In addition, EuChemS emphasised the balance of micro and macro elements of the soil.
EuChemS also mentioned the importance of soil research and knowledge enhancement, increased financial incentive to encourage new soil protection projects and introduced binding restoration targets for degraded soil.
On Earth Day (22 April), the European Chemical Society had the pleasure of hosting the webinar ‘The Carbon Element – Key towards a sustainable society’. This online event saw a wide range of scientific and EU policy discussions on decarbonization. It was also the opportunity to discuss the EuChemS Periodic Table.
This webinar was chaired by Nicola Armaroli, member of the EuChemS Executive Board, who was the driving force in shaping this event in his capacity as Chair of the EuChemS Task Group on the EuChemS Periodic Table. Over the course of five hours, the speakers from academia, research organisations and the European Commission tackled the carbon cycle, fossil fuel reserves and carbon sequestration and utilization in the energy and chemical sector from different perspectives: research, innovation, policy, economic and political. Furthermore, the attendees were invited to ask the speakers questions as well as answer polls related to the webinar discussions. Their feedback will be carefully considered by the EuChemS Task Group on the EuChemS Periodic Table for follow up actions. Welcome and closing words were given by Floris Rutjes, EuChemS President, who also led the afternoon panel discussion.
In total, 350 registrants attended the webinar which indicates the relevance of sustainability in scientific discourse. EuChemS thanks the speakers for their contribution to the event’s success. Thank you all for joining online, the presentations of the speakers can be downloaded on the EuChemS website! We invite you to watch the recordings of the Morning Session and Afternoon Session on the EuChemS YouTube channel – and consider subscribing!
The first meeting of the High Level Roundtable on the implementation of the Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability was held on 5 May 2021. Nineta Hrastelj, EuChemS Secretary-General, presented EuChemS’ expectations on the role of the Roundtable to Virginijus Sinkevičius, Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries, and Thierry Breton, Commissioner for Internal Market, who both chaired this online meeting, as well as to all the other stakeholders.
Our expectations on the role of the Roundtable are towards providing a discussion platform for different groups of stakeholders with the aim of achieving the best possible solutions towards the group’s threefold purpose. The members of the European Chemical Society recognise chemistry education in the field of sustainability as a key driving force in this endeavour, fuelling both basic and more applied research, as two of many cornerstones to make this a success. The European Chemical Society is well-positioned to stimulate these sustainability goals from an academic and research point of view.
– Nineta Hrastelj, EuChemS Secretary General,
First meeting of the High Level Roundtable on the implementation of the Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability
5 May 2021
During this online meeting, the members of the Expert Group tackled numerous pressing issues, including the social and economic dimensions for the industrial transition to safe and sustainable chemicals.
This online meeting was recorded and will soon be made available. Stay tuned and follow us on social media to not miss out on our latest activities!
For a toxic-free environment where chemicals can deliver all their benefits without harming the planet 🌍 we must transform our practices!
The European Medicines Agency (EMA) opened a Call for tenders for framework contractors for EMA-funded-studies.
The purpose of the Call is to purchase the services of research organisations to perform pre- and post- authorisation quality, efficacy and safety research to generate data and information to support regulatory decision-making for human and veterinary medicinal products.
The European Chemical Agency (ECHA) has opened the call for the ECHA stakeholders on the combination of the CHESAR and EUSES platforms. ECHA initiated a survey to collect information.
The conference is organised in a hybrid mode, the physical venue being in Toulouse, France, and online participation being made available through the Zoom Webinar platform.
The scope of this webinar is to focus on the scientific and technological challenges of decarbonization and to discuss some key issues such as the carbon cycle, fossil fuel reserves and the perspectives of carbon sequestration and utilization in the energy and chemical sector. The workshop aims to discuss whether carbon could be depicted as an endangered or conflict element in the next edition of the EuChemS Periodic Table. The online webinar will also provide an opportunity to discuss the EuChemS Periodic Table.
The European Food Safety Agency (EFSA) has received from the European Commission a mandate to collect all data available on the occurrence of chemical contaminants in food and feed. Stakeholders are invited to participate in this study.
The list of contaminants (with their specific deadlines for each one) is available here.
Deadline: depending on the elements targeted, between 31 May and 1 October 2021.
The Federation of European Academies of Science (FEAM) has recently released its “International Sharing of Personal Health Data for Research” report.
Part of the statements draw on discussions from the ISC’s GDPR Webinar that was hosted back in 2019 and which second session is to take place in September 2021.
The report outlines various key points as regards to the GDPR in open science and open research such as the crucial need for international collaboration “for example in large-scale epidemiology and registry data [to work] with a high number of variables from different countries” (p. 24 of the “International Sharing of Personal Health Data for Research” report); while learning how to process the wide data diversity. FEAM also underlines the importance of adequate use, appropriate safeguards, explicit consent and above all prioritising social interest.
The report closes with some recommendations for improvement such as closer collaboration with academies and the need to take patients opinions into account.
The Call for Projects 2022 of the EIT Raw Materials is now open.
Partners of the EIT Raw Materials are encouraged to submit new project proposals that will generate a significant impact on European industrial competitiveness, innovation capacity and human capital, as well as empower students and entrepreneurs driving towards the circular economy and the contribution towards the European Union Green Deal goals.
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