Anita Pollack
European Consultant
139 Windsor Road, LONDON E7 0RA tel: +44 (0) 20 8471 1637 mobile: +44 (0) 7979650471
E-mail: Anita_Pollack@btopenworld.com
EAC EU BRIEFING
AUGUST 2008
French Presidency http://www.ue2008.fr
This month has been extraordinarily slow for relevant news. The parts of Brussels that
have been functioning have been concentrating on economic and foreign matters.
In case anyone is likely to visit the Strasbourg Parliament in the next few
months, there is one major piece of news. The European Parliament
building debating chamber in Strasbourg has a suffered roof collapse and
may also have asbestos. The September parliamentary session, 1-5
September will be held in Brussels. It is very likely that subsequent
sessions will also be held in Brussels for the foreseeable future.
ITALY STRUCTURAL FUNDS
On 16 July the European Commission approved Italy’s NSRF – national strategy for
spending their structural funds. It is worth €28.8 billion from now till 2013.
INTERREG IVA
France Manche and Southern England deadlines for current call: 15 September preproject submission, 15 October grant application. Another round for pre-project
submission is on 3 February 09 and 3 March 09 for grant application. Web site for
information: http://www.interreg3.com/EN/i4_consult.asp / http://www.brightonhove.gov.uk/index.cfm?request=c1164463
INTERREG IVB
North West Europe region is expected to open its third call round 8 September with a
closing date of 3 October. IF interested, talk to their secretariat. Web site:
www.nweurope.eu/
North Sea region third call is open from 1 September to 29 September and the fourth
call will be open from 2 February 09 to 2 March 09. See
www.northsearegion.eu/ivb/content/show&id=104
INTERREG IVC
Second call will launch on 27 October and close 30 January 09. Website:
www.interreg4c.net
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CADSES REGION INTERREG IIIB
The website is offering a downloadable results brochure and project book.
http://www.cadses.net/en/home.html
BIOMASS CONSULTATION
The European Commission is inviting all stakeholders, including energy companies,
project developers, equipment manufacturers, government services, agricultural and
forest industry, environmental NGOs and all other interested stakeholders, including
from outside the EU, to help identify the need to develop at EU level sustainability
criteria for biomass for energy purposes.
On 23 January 2008 the Commission made a far-reaching package of energy and
climate change related proposals including a draft directive to promote renewable
energy and increase its share to 20% by 20201. As part of the proposal for a Directive
on the promotion of energy from renewable sources, the Commission developed a
scheme to ensure that only sustainable produced biofuels and bioliquids would count
towards the EU's renewable energy targets.
The Commission also undertook to report on requirements for a sustainability scheme
for energy uses of biomass other than biofuels and bioliquids by 31 December 2010.
The on-line consultation is aimed at providing the Commission with stakeholder views
on the need for a biomass sustainability scheme and specific key principles and criteria
to be developed at EU level to ensure that the use of biomass for energy purposes
avoids environmental risks. The consultation will be open until 30 September 2008. For
all information see:
http://ec.europa.eu/energy/res/consultation/uses_biomass_en.htm
PESTICIDES
The Agriculture Council of Ministers on 27 June came to a political agreement on a
compromise text on the subject of banning toxic pesticides (those proven to be
carcinogenic and mutagenic for reproduction. The UK, Ireland, Romania and
Hungary opposed the move, which was backed by France, Italy and Czech Republic.
There was a failure to agree “cut-off criteria”. It is seen by environmentalists as a step
on the way. Farmers, however, claim it will mean more expensive food. A formal
Common Position is expected in the autumn and then it will return to Parliament for a
second reading. Quite some way before it is law.
ONLINE SCIENCE PROJECTS PILOT
The European Commission wants to ensure that the results of the research it funds
under the EU's 7th Research Framework Programme (FP7) with more than € 50
billion from 2007 - 2013 are disseminated as widely and effectively as possible to
guarantee maximum exploitation and impact in the world of researchers and beyond.
The Commission on 20th August launched a pilot project that will give unrestricted
online access to EU-funded research results, primarily research articles published in
peer reviewed journals, after an embargo period of between 6 and 12 months. The
pilot, to run until the end of FP7, will cover around 20% of the FP7 programme
budget in areas such as health, energy, environment, social sciences and information
and communication technologies. It aims to ensure that the results from EU-funded
research are progressively made available to all. Grant recipients will be required to
deposit peer reviewed research articles or final manuscripts resulting from their FP7
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projects in an online repository. They will have to make their best effort to ensure
open access to these articles within either six or twelve months after publication,
depending on the research area. This embargo period will allow scientific publishers
to get a return on their investment.
The idea is that open access to research articles, previously accessible through journal
subscriptions, can help to increase the impact of the EU's € 50 billion investment in
research and development and avoid wasting time and valuable resources on duplicative
research. With access to a wider selection of literature, researchers can build upon this
knowledge to further their own work. Small and medium sized businesses and
entrepreneurs can also benefit from improved access to the latest research developments
to speed up commercialisation and innovation.
Link to the full text of the Decision:
http://ec.europa.eu/research/press/2008/pdf/decision_grant_agreement.pdf
http://ec.europa.eu/research/press/2008/pdf/annex_1_new_clauses.pdf
Details on the open access pilot will be available by 01.09.2008 at:
http://ec.europa.eu/research/science-society/open_access
Related activities:
http://ec.europa.eu/research/science-society/scientific_information
http://ec.europa.eu/information_society/activities/digital_libraries/index_en.htm
http://erc.europa.eu/pdf/ScC_Guidelines_Open_Access_revised_Dec07_FINAL.pdf
INDIA
India has unveiled a national action plan to combat climate change. Solar power is
central to its plan.
EU PRIZE FOR CULTURE
This prize is run for the European Commission by Europa Nostra on an annual basis.
This year’s deadline for applications is 1 October. Sections are: Conservation,
research, dedicated service by organization or individual, education, training and
awareness. For all information and application form see:
http://www.europanostra.org/lang_en/index.html
End
AP 30 Aug 08
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