The European Patent Office (EPO) is conducting a Pan-European survey in order to understand what kind of information supports an organisation’s innovation process. EPO offers inventors a uniform application procedure which enables them to seek patent protection in up to 40 European countries.
Source: https://www.iprhelpdesk.eu/news/
REACH 2018 – How Safe is your Substance?
Companies registering the same substance must work together to compile and share information on the uses, hazards and risks of their substance to demonstrate safe use. If new data involving animal testing needs to be generated, alternatives must always be considered first. All this information on the uses, hazards and risks should be reported in a registration dossier and submitted to the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) by 31 May 2018.
Source: https://echa.europa.eu/
45 ERC Grantees Receive Top-up Innovation Funding
Forty-five European Research Council (ERC) grantees will bring the results of their frontier research closer to market thanks to Proof of Concept grants. This top-up funding will help them explore the innovation potential of their ERC-funded discoveries. These Proof of Concept grants, worth €150,000 each, can be used for example to establish intellectual property rights, investigate business opportunities or conduct technical validation. The scheme is open to ERC grant holders only.
Source: https://erc.europa.eu/
Erasmus+ Programme Guide and Calls 2016
The Erasmus+ Programme Guide and Call for Proposals for 2016 is out with more than €1,85 billion funding available. This year´s programme presents new opportunities in Vocational Education and Training Mobility, more targeted Strategic Partnerships, and a revised format of Sector Skills Alliances. Erasmus+ promotes, among other, the mobility of young students, researchers, or teachers, and has actions aiming individuals as well as organisations.
Source: http://ec.europa.eu/programmes/erasmus-plus
Congratulations to Christian Schärf, Paul Rathke, and Friedrich Wanierke – EUCYS EuCheMS Award 2016
Christian Schärf, Paul Rathke, and Friedrich Wanierke, from Germany, are the winners of the 2016 EUCYS EuChEMS Award with their project entitled “Alpha-aluminium oxide-based gemstones: Development of a chemical synthesis process prompted by current mining conditions”.
EuCheMS special prize for best chemistry contribution at the European Union Contest for Young Scientist, is attributed every year at EUCYS to a young scientist for hers/his research work in the field of chemistry. EUCYS, an initiative of the European Commission that was set up in 1989 with the goal of promoting cooperation and interchange between young scientists and guiding them towards a future career in science and technology.
Source: http://www.euchems.eu/
European Commission at the China-EU Education Ministers Conference
As referred at the conference, there are nearly 3,000 students and professors selected to move between Europe and China under the Erasmus+ calls in 2015 and 2016, and dozens of Chinese universities participating in joint academic projects China-EU Cooperation. Mr Tibor Navracsics, Commissioner for Education, Culture, Youth and Sport, mentioned in his speech the “proven initiatives that have enabled us to boost academic cooperation, to foster student, teacher and researcher mobility”, namely the Erasmus+ programme and the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions. The Commissioner also mentioned the China-EU cooperation in entrepreneurship actions, namely through collaborations under the European Institute of Innovation Technology.
Source: http://europa.eu/
Western Balkans Joins the European Open Science Agenda
Seven Western Balkans’ economies joined the European Union (EU) in pursuing the EU Open Science Agenda at the Open Data and Access in Science meeting organised by the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) during the International Open Data Conference (IODC) on 6-7 October 2016. These countries agreed to appoint national points of reference on Open Science by the end of the year. Participants also formally established the Working Group on Open Science and outlined directions in which they will operate in the coming period by producing the draft three-year work plan. In the region of Western Balkans where the investments to public research systems are low and where, as the data from the Balkan Barometer showed, the cooperation between universities and industry is limited to a very small number of large businesses, the Open Science and Open Access Agenda has the potential to open access to the research results to be used for innovation in the smaller and medium sized companies, as well as for wider public. Earlier this year EuCheMS has organised an event on open science, its outcomes can be found here.
Source: https://wbc-rti.info/
Global Leaders Commit to Act on Antimicrobial Resistance at the United Nations
For the first time, on the 21 of September at the United Nations, heads of state committed to taking a broad, coordinated approach to address the root causes of antimicrobial resistance AMR across multiple sectors, especially human health, animal health and agriculture. This is only the fourth time a health issue has been taken up by the UN General Assembly (the others were HIV, noncommunicable diseases, and Ebola). The heads of state pledged to strengthen regulation of antimicrobials, improve knowledge and awareness, and promote best practices — as well as to foster innovative approaches using alternatives to antimicrobials and new technologies for diagnosis and vaccines. AMR was discussed earlier this year at a European Parliament STOA-EuCheMS workshop whose conclusions can be found here.
Source: http://www.who.int/
EFSA to Share Raw Data on Glyphosate
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) is to release the raw data used in the recent EU safety evaluation of glyphosate, as part of its commitment to open risk assessment. The information will be shared with a group of Members of European Parliament (MEPs) following a public access to document request. When combined with the detailed background documents already published on EFSA’s website, the information will be sufficient to enable a third-party scientist to scrutinise the evaluation of glyphosate that was carried out by EFSA and EU Member States. Glyphosate is an active substance used for the production of pesticides, has recently been under the spotlight due to health concerns regarding its use.
Source: http://www.efsa.europa.eu/
Decrease in Ozone Depleting Substances in 2015
According to a recent report by the European Environment Agency, ODS consumption in 2015 was the lowest negative level since 2006. A significant contributing factor to the low consumption was a 12% decrease in imports compared to 2014. Moreover, destruction of controlled substances increased between 2014 and 2015. Stratospheric ozone absorbs most of the sun’s ultraviolet light so it does not reach the surface of the planet, helping prevent skin cancers and other problems such as damage to crops and marine phytoplankton. Some chemicals that harm the ozone layer, also known as ozone depleting substances (ODS), have been successfully substituted by greener chemicals in most parts of the world since the Montreal Protocol came into force in 1989. Within the European Union (EU), the phase-out of ODS use is established through the ODS Regulation. Companies are obliged to report data on production, import, export and destruction, which is used to calculate ‘consumption’, the key metric tracking progress under the Protocol.
Source: http://www.eea.europa.eu/
EuCheMS-ECTN Meeting and Closer Collaboration
EuCheMS and the European Chemistry Thematic Network Association (ECTN) met earlier this month to discuss, among other, chemistry, teaching, education, Eurolabels, and open data with the objective of strengthening their European collaboration. From now EuCheMS and ECTN will have a common administrative support structure, a synergy which will allow them to better collaborate in key common policy areas.
Source: http://www.euchems.eu/
Launch of Endocrine Active Substances Information System
The European Commission has recently launched the Endocrine Active Substances Information System (EASIS). This web-based application, developed by the Joint Research Centre (JRC), allows searching and collecting results from different scientific studies on chemicals related to endocrine activity, and aims to facilitate the creation of toxicity predicative models. The system currently contains data on 513 substances collected from over 9 thousand studies covering in vitro and in vivo assays in different species, including some human data. These are substances to be found in, for example, plant protection and biocidal products, industrial chemicals, or pharmaceuticals.
Source: https://ec.europa.eu/jrc/
MEPs Call for More Safety Rules on Materials in Contact with Food
Only four out of 17 EU-listed Food Contact Materials (FCMs) are currently covered by specific safety measures foreseen in existing EU legislation: plastics, ceramics, regenerated cellulose and “active and intelligent” materials, while others have yet to be fully tested. EU-wide safety rules are needed for more materials in contact with food, such as those used in packaging, kitchen utensils and tableware, say Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) in a non-binding resolution. According to the MEPs, given the prevalence of FCMs on the EU market and the risk that they could pose to human health, the EU Commission should prioritise the drawing up of specific EU measures for paper and board, varnishes and coatings, metals and alloys, printing inks and adhesives.
Source: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/
EuCheMS Responds to Public Consultation on the Joint Programming on Metrology Research
Earlier this month, EuCheMS has provided its input to the Public Consultation on the Joint Programming on Metrology Research (EMRP and EMPIR), a topic in which chemistry plays a major role. In its answer, EuCheMS highlighted that diversity in European metrology should be taken into consideration and that capacity building actions are needed. Metrology is the science of measurements, and it is a key support to our society and our daily lives. Metrology is needed to ensure quality and safety, it enables technological innovation and progress, we also need metrology for our trade, our health, and our energy supplies. Research in metrology is essential to remain competitive, to define measurements for new and emerging technologies, and to safeguard the quality in any measurement and its application.
Source: http://www.euchems.eu/
The Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2016
The Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2016 was awarded jointly to Jean-Pierre Sauvage (University of Strasbourg, France), Sir J. Fraser Stoddart (Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA), and Bernard L. Feringa (University of Groningen, the Netherlands) “for the design and synthesis of molecular machines”. 2016’s Nobel Laureates in Chemistry have taken molecular systems out of equilibrium’s stalemate and into energy-filled states in which their movements can be controlled. In terms of development, the molecular motor is at the same stage as the electric motor was in the 1830s, when scientists displayed various spinning cranks and wheels, unaware that they would lead to washing machines, fans and food processors. Molecular machines will most likely be used in the development of things such as new materials, sensors and energy storage systems.
EuCheMS is honoured to have had Bernard L. Feringa as a plenary speaker at the 6th EuCheMS Chemistry Congress in Seville last month, where he was given an award by the Gesellschaft Deutscher Chemiker (GDCh).
Source: http://www.euchems.eu/
ECC7
(and congratulations to Lisbon, the city chosen to receive the 2020 EuCheMS Chemistry Congress)
Thank You Chemistry
EuCheMS Annual Meeting in Seville
This year EuCheMS´ General Assembly took place in Seville, just before the 6th EuCheMS European Chemistry Congress. The meeting’s rich agenda brought to Andalusia 90% of the total votes: this clearly shows the commitment of European Chemists to work together for better future. In this respect, the General Assembly send a strong message to the world by signing The Seville declaration on the use of chlorine in warfare. Furthermore, to formalise and further develop a collaboration between EuCheMS and the American Chemical Society (ACS) a Memorandum of Understanding was signed on behalf of EuCheMS and ACS by David Cole Hamilton (EuCheMS), Diane Grob Schmidt (ACS), Denise Creech (ACS) and Nineta Hrastelj Majcen (EuCheMS). During the Member Societies’ Initiative session, Sir John Holman, President of the Royal Society of Chemistry, addressed the General Assembly on the challenges that Brexit is presenting to the research community and confirmed the RSC commitment to remain open for collaboration.
This year, the special session at the General Assembly meeting was dedicated to the upcoming European Employability Survey for Chemists and Chemical Engineers (EESC2). The survey is coordinated by Reiner Salzer and will be carried out jointly by EuCheMS and the European Chemistry Thematic Network Association (ECTN), in collaboration with the ACS. The European Commission was represented at the meeting in Seville by Antonio Cammarota, from DG Employment.
New at the ECC – Masterclass Lunches
With the objective of sharing knowledge with non-experts, the ECC6 created masterclasses which were presented while lunch was served. Prof. Ulrich Schubert, EuCheMS Vice-President, was one of the Prof. delivering one of these innovative masterclasses.
European Young Chemists: Funding, Science Café, and many other Activities
During the European Young Chemists´ Network (EYCN, EuCheMS´ young division) Career Days, a session co-organised with DFG (German Research Foundation) was dedicated to chemistry funding possibilities in Europe. With the personal funding experiences of Federico Bella (Politecnico di Torino), Bettina V. Lotsch (Max Planck Institute for Solid State Research, Stuttgart and Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München), Andreas Hirsch (Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg), and Katharina Kohse-Höinghaus (Universität Bielefeld), and with an overview of DFG funding opportunities by Wolgang Wachter (DFG), the session started with an outline of the main funding streams available for chemistry research in Europe, as well as other labour market opportunities for young, and not so young, chemists. In this opening presentation delivered by Bruno Vilela, EuCheMS Public Affairs Officer, it was also explained the role of EuCheMS in providing a single, strong voice for chemistry in Europe, and how does this positively influences the dialogue between researchers, society, and policy-makers, who among other things are responsible for funding programming.
EYCN also organised for the first time during an ECC a Science Café, an initiative where chemists go to a pub and share, in a relaxed environment, their knowledge and passion about chemistry with everyone interested. This initiative attracted a multitude of attentive participants and counted with a presentation on how molecules react among them, a demonstration of measuring alcohol through breath, the chemistry of wine (and hangover), and an explanation of catalysis using a car catalyst as an example.
Funding opportunities for Creative Minds by the European Research Council Session
The European Research Council (ERC), responsible for the Horizon 2020 funding grants for top researchers in frontier, excellent research had a session entitled “Funding Opportunities for Creative Minds”. During this session chaired by EuCheMS President Prof. David Cole-Hamilton, ERC starting, consolidator, advanced and proof of concept grants were presented in detail by Monica Favaro (ERC Research Programme Expert). The evaluators´ point of view and was presented by evaluators Ib Chorkendorff (Technical University of Denmark), and Luis Liz-Marzan (Centre for Cooperative Research in Biomaterials-CIC biomaGUNE). This was followed by the experiences of successful ERC grantees Peter H. Seeberger (Max-Planck-Institute of Colloids and Interfaces), and Elisabetta Collini (University of Padova). Following the presentations, the many attendants had the opportunity to pose their own questions about ERC funding to the panel of speakers.
Solar-Driven Chemistry: White Paper Launched
The EuCheMS and DFG (German Research Foundation) launched at the congress “Solar-Driven Chemistry” white paper. It was presented on the 12 September by Ulrich Schubert, EuCheMS Vice-President and one of the authors of the paper.
Solar-driven chemistry is a visionary concept, for which many scientific and technical problems still have to be solved. The objective of this White Paper is to show that it is possible, and necessary, to drive chemical reactions by the energy from the sun in order to guarantee the welfare of future generations. EuCheMS will follow-up on the publication of this white paper with policy actions envisaging the creation of a critical-mass in this field of chemistry as to make the vision alive.
Source: http://www.euchems.eu/
The Seville International Chemistry Declaration 2016
Following the debate on Chemistry and Society, the Seville International Chemistry Declaration 2016 (SICD2016), was presented and signed by its panellists.
“In spite of the fact that chemistry is invisible to most, it is the basis for practically all the scientific, technological and innovation advances that enable humankind to progress. Without chemistry’s important and continuous contribution, we would not have been able to achieve the life expectancy and quality of life we have today.
In a world that is becoming increasingly populated and urbanized, and which will require 30% more water and 40% more energy by 2030, we are faced with innumerable social challenges that require a firm commitment to research and innovation for their resolution. It will be chemistry as a discipline, with the fundamental and necessary support of other sciences and areas of knowledge, which will continue to assume the responsibility of addressing most of these challenges and to offer sustainable solutions.
There are many issues facing today’s society, such as energy, water and food supply for demographic growth, universal access to healthcare and medical treatment, the environment and the battle against climate change. Resolving these issues requires the efforts of the scientific community and the industrial sector to develop globally accessible products, technologies and processes and to promote a model of sustainable growth based on a rational use of the planet’s resources.
Through the scientists, researchers, teachers, professionals and business people dedicated to this discipline, chemistry will inevitably play a major role in providing suitable solutions to these and many other challenges in alignment with the Sustainable Development Goals set out by the UN. This will only be possible if we establish the necessary collaboration channels between these key players, with the support of society and its competent authorities and bodies.
For the above reasons, we state that:
It is necessary to promote social awareness of the invaluable contributions of science in general, and chemistry in particular, to all areas of our everyday life. These contributions have enabled us to enjoy an unprecedented quality of life and wellbeing thanks to the advances achieved.
It is necessary for the scientific community and the political stakeholders to constantly foster social trust and public support for science as a source of knowledge that has allowed humanity to advance, as opposed to some unfounded beliefs and arguments that lack a logical or rational basis supported by scientific evidence.
In order to increase this social recognition it is necessary for governments, public administrations, political and business leaders and civil society as a whole to promote excellence in scientific education, research and technological innovation, as well to disseminate objective, accurate information about chemical science and its applications.
It is necessary to recognise, value and support the fundamental contribution of scientists who research and develop products and applications; the work of teachers and professors in the education of future generations from the early to the most specialised stages, and the contribution of companies, professionals and workers who, after all, generate the products and economic and social benefits that citizens need. Without all of them, chemistry would not be able to resolve global challenges.
Through their activity, it is necessary for authorities and public administrations to foster the industrial development of chemistry and the competitiveness of the sector, allowing new developments in the laboratory to be applied in people’s everyday lives and advances in research to be transferred to our citizens. The global dissemination of these advances and discoveries must be a priority.
Scientific knowledge must form the basis of regulatory decision-making to ensure that the design and implementation of policies and legislation aimed at guaranteeing the protection of people and the environment are always based and implemented in accordance with scientific rigour.
It is necessary for both public and private sectors to continuously support R&D+I (Research, Development and Innovation) and to consider it not only a fundamental tool for creating sustainable, competitive advantages but also as a commitment to future generations to whom we want to leave as a legacy a more balanced and sustainable world.
It is necessary to value the contribution of chemistry to a new model of circular economy that will form part of the solution to the continuous growth of the planet’s population, enabling waste to be converted into new products in order to rationalise the use of resources.
In line with the Sustainable Development Goals set out by the UN, chemistry through those that apply it and use it will continue to be committed to protecting the planet and its natural resources. Building fairer and more inclusive societies requires a sustainable economic growth based on efficiency and the responsible use of resources, which chemistry can provide through its applications and innovative products.”
Website: http://www.quimicaysociedad.org/
Chemistry & Society: Towards a Sustainable Future Through Chemistry
Chemistry and Society were the focal point of a debate that counted with the participation of Carlos Negro (Foro Química y Sociedad President and Co-Chairman of ECC6), Jean Marie Pierre Lehn (Nobel Laureate), Antón Valero (President of Spanish Chemical Industry Federation), Ehud Keinan (President of EuCheMS Member, the Israel Chemistry Society), Robert Parker (CEO of the EuCheMS Member, the UK Royal Society of Chemistry) and Harmut Frank (University of Bayreuth, and Chair of EuCheMS Working Party of Ethics in Chemistry), and was moderated by Jorge Alcalde (Chief editor of QUO Magazine). In this debate the participants discussed chemistry as a science that allows the seemingly impossible to come true, where imagination, and ethics, are its only limits. The panel highlighted the need to have proper scientific advice in policy-making, and warned against the implications of unfounded beliefs. It also discussed the relation between academia and industry in the production of scientific knowledge. Finally, the panel concluded that a responsible and sustainable society, needs not only responsible science, but also responsible and knowledgeable citizens, companies and politicians.
The Seville Declaration on the Use of Chlorine in Warfare
“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.”
It was with these very concrete words that 36 Chemical Societies in Europe deplored the use of Chemical weapons in Syria and called for the misusers of chlorine to be brought to justice.
After the use of chemical weapons in Syria in 2012, Syria signed the Chemical Weapons Convention and their stockpiles of chemical weapons were removed for destruction. However, chlorine is still being used in the conflict as a chemical weapon. Chlorine has many benign uses and saves billions of lives every year because it is used, for instance, to ensure water supplies are free of pathogens. It is also used as a bleach and in making a variety of household chemicals. Nevertheless, some stocks of chlorine that are kept for benign purposes have been hijacked for use in warfare. If chlorine is breathed in, it attacks the mucous membranes and respiratory system because it forms hydrochloric and hypochlorous acids on contact with water. This causes blistering, great difficulties with breathing and intense pain. It is essential that everyone who uses chlorine for benign purposes should keep their supplies in secure sites where they cannot be taken for use in warfare.
Source: http://www.euchems.eu/
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