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.
Keep an eye out for the upcoming Chemistry in Europe newsletter – with highlights including: the editorial, a look at FP9, the march for Science in Germany, and news from the Young Chemists! Not signed up yet? Click here!
EuCheMS is happy to announce that a policy workshop on Parkinson’s disease will be held at the European Parliament under the chairmanship of MEP Pavel Poc, co-organised with the EFMC. The workshop will seek to provide a detailed and sound understanding of Parkinson’s disease, as well as a look into possible treatments and how the EU can help boost such research. It will moreover look at the recent controversy surrounding the European Commission’s decision to discount the European Food Safety Agency’s (EFSA) statement on the dangers of the diquat herbicide – the latter which could be a cause of Parkinson’s disease. Dates soon to be announced, so keep an eye on this space!
The European University Association has opened the call for contributions to the Fourth EUA Funding Forum. The event will be hosted by Ramon Llull University on 18 and 19 October in Spain. Contributions are sought from researchers focusing on higher education and research funding, and should relate to university funding and management. Take a closer look here.
As part of the European Commission proposal for the creation of a European Education Area, a Council Recommendation on promoting the automatic mutual recognition of higher education and upper secondary education qualifications and study periods within the EU has been put forward. The objective is to have Member States put into place procedures that will simplify and improve mobility of students, teachers and research through automatic mutual recognition of qualifications.
The risk of outbreaks of highly infectious diseases will continue to increase and hit ever wider areas as mobility, urbanisation and the environment continue to change. The EU is currently looking at how to better counter these threats, and coordinate research and crisis management across the Member States. Two mutually reinforcing capabilities have been put forward: ‘the EU capacity for public health, food safety and animal health preparedness and response to those threats, and the EU capacity for targeted and coordination research and innovation to deliver effectively and timely with successful therapeutic and prophylactic countermeasures, including new medicines’. Your scientific and expert feedback on the Commission’s Communication is wanted – don’t disappoint them!
On 20-21 March, the European Commission hosted a conference to identify the cross-cutting actions it, and stakeholders, could take, ‘to maximise the societal benefits of nuclear and radiation technologies, whilst providing high standards of quality and safety to European citizens’. The conference, with keynote speakers such as Climate Action and Energy Commissioner Miguel Arias Cañete, Health and Food Safety Commissioner Vytenis Andriukaitis, and Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Yukiya Amano, sought to facilitate discussions between stakeholders, experts and institutions with the aim of contributing to the Commission’s general legislative work on this subject. More info here.
A high-level Horizon 2020 conference organised by the European Commission spotlighted the latest innovations in the field of cultural heritage supported by EU funding instruments. The conference demonstrated the crucial link between preserving cultural heritage and scientific research and innovation, whether in the form of engineering and structural repairs, 3D laser scanning, or neutron resonance analysis for archaeological applications.
But chemistry and Cultural Heritage are also linked in other ways. Chemistry has been an integral part of Europe’s cultural makeup, and for this reason, EuCheMS decided to set up its Historical Landmarks Programme, which will reinforce the sense of belonging of European chemists and showcase to the public the role chemistry plays in our cultural heritage. Know a historical landmark that ought to be better recognised for its links to chemistry? You have two weeks left to submit your proposal! You can read the guidelines for the award here.
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!
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