European Union News - Research & Innovation

 During the last meeting of the Competitiveness Council, held in Brussels on 28 and 29 May, EU research ministers have agreed to give a boost to Europe on their road to leadership in research. 

Through the GMES  initiative, Europe is developing its own system to monitor the state and evolution of environment. This flagship project was one of the topics covered by European space policy ministers and European Space Agency (ESA) representatives meeting at the Sixth Space Council on 29 May.

Notice has been published in the Official Journal of the European on June 3rd 2009 of the launch of a Call for Proposals under sub-Action 4.4 of the ‘Youth in Action’ Programme, aiming to support projects encouraging creativity and innovation in the youth sector. Interested applicants can submit their proposals by September 30th 2009 to the Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency.

A new report from the Joint Research Centre (JRC) says that man-made global greenhouse gas emissions increased by 15% between 2000 and 2005, a sharp increase in the expected rate of growth. It also shows that global annual emissions of greenhouse gases increased from 24 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalents in 1970 to 33 billion tonnes in 1990 and 41 billion tonnes in 2005.

The Competitiveness Council (Internal market, Industry and Research), held in Brussels on May 28th 2009, emphasized the key role of industry for the European economy and the need to continue to react promptly to the present economic recession with a coherent and coordinated set of short-, medium- and long-term initiatives. Ministers also highlighted the fact that SMEs are the backbone of the European economy, and that they should be respected and considered when setting up framework conditions for European industry.

Jan Fischer, Prime Minister of the Czech Republic, his Slovak counterpart Robert Fico and EU Commissioner Vladimír Špidla participated in the fourth plenary session of the European Nuclear Energy Forum (ENEF) in the Czech capital Prague. 250 high-ranking participants from all relevant stakeholders are discussing risks, opportunities and transparency issues of nuclear energy.

The European Commission and the Fundació Mies van der Rohe will give the European Union Prize for Contemporary Architecture Mies van der Rohe Award 2009, to the architects behind the Norwegian National Opera & Ballet, Oslo, Norway:  Kjetil Trædal Thorsen, Tarald Lundevall, Craig Dykers, of Snøhetta,on May 28th.

By this Call for Expressions of Interest (CEI) the Joint Research Centre, Institute for Health and Consumer Protection, Management Support Unit, will made up the list of service providers which will be used for the conclusion of public contracts on certain services to be provided to the Institute. The object of this call for expression of interest is the provision of services in the field of nanotechnology — safety assessment of products and substances.

Scarborough Renaissance Partnership project was selected for its impressive results in brining down seasonal unemployment. Five other initiatives from local authorities in Finland, Germany, Hungary, Spain and Sweden received award, which was part of the events organized during the celebration of the first European SME Week.

The European Commission has put forward a report assessing the progress made in implementing FP7, also pointing put what still remains to be done to fully reach its original objectives. This report provides a basis for the 2010 Interim Evaluation of the programme, for which the Commission will seek advice from an independent expert group, and for further political discussions in the Council, the Parliament and with stakeholders.