European Union News - Research & Innovation

The EP Committee on Women's Rights and Gender Equality adopted on Monday 14th April 2008, a report on the under-representation of women in the world of science. The report calls for mainstreaming of the male-female dimension in research programmes, support for scientific careers for women and a gender balance on decision-making bodies.

Details of the new Operational Programme 2007-13  Competitiveness and Employment Programme taking palce various regions of the Unikted Kingdom. The Programmes are under the Competitiveness and Employment Objective, co-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).

On the 10th April the European Commission (EC) published in the Official Journal of the European Union (OJ), its decision from the 18th March 2008 to release a list of bodies whose researchers may access confidential data for scientific purposes. The decision have been released under Acts adopted under the EC Treaty/Euratom.

The OJ has published on 9th April the REGULATION (EC) No 294/2008 of the EP and Council related to the establishment of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) with a initial budget for the period from 1 January 2008 to 31 December 2013 of EUR 308,7 million. Regulation will enter  enter into force on the 29th april 2008.

Education and training are crucial elements to economic and social change in Europe, the flexibility and security needed to achieve more and better jobs depend on ensuring that all citizens acquire key competences and update their skills throughout their lives.

On the 4th of April 2008, the European Commission published it's Proposal for a decision of the Council on the signature on behalf of the European Community of the Agreement on Scientific and Technological Cooperation between the European Community of the one part and the Government of New Zealand of the other part. The Agreement it will be concluded for an initial period of five years and continue in force after this initial period unless either Party notifies the other that it shall be terminated.

The European Commision has published on 4th April 2008 a new call for proposal in the Framework Programme under the 'People' Specific Programme addressed to researchers at all stages of their careers, in both public and private sectors. Researchers are of at least postgraduate or equivalent level and are classified on the basis of professional experience with a budget of 185 Meuros.

Scientists from an EU-supported consortium have discovered that a mutation in a human gene confers nicotine dependence. They have shown that a particular variant of a nicotine-receptor gene impacts smoking behaviour and hence confers a 30% increase in risk of lung cancer and a 20% increase in risk of peripheral artery disease (PAD), a common and debilitating constriction of the arteries to the legs. Roughly half of the people of European descent carry at least one copy of this genetic variant, which does not influence smoking initiation, but makes it more difficult to quit.

The  concerning the conclusion on behalf of the European Community and the European Atomic Energy Community of the Agreement on Scientific and Technological Cooperation between the European Community and the Swiss Confederation has been approved by the Decision of the Council and of the Commission of 25 February 2008 and published in the OJ of 28th march.