Swiss Chemical Society - EuCheMS Brussels News Updates, August 2015

150817 BrusselsNewsUpdateAug15

General European Highlights

EuCheMS Contribution to the Evaluation of the Drinking Water Directive
The Drinking Water Directive (DWD) was introduced in 1980 and revised in 1998. It has led to the availability of high - quality drinking water across the EU.
In March 2014 the Commission committed itself in its reply to the European Citizens' Initiative (ECI) Right2Water to perform an EU wide public consultation. It was carried out from June to September 2014 and counted with the participation of EuCheMS. The results of the consultation call upon the Commission to improve its drinking water policy in certain areas, such as: ensuring high drinking water quality in remote and rural areas; providing better information to the public; improving monitoring systems; addressing materials in contact with drinking water, or reviewing the list of parameters and values to be met. These outputs are now part of the roadmap recently published by the European Commission which can be found here.
Website: http://ec.europa.eu/smart-regulation/roadmaps/

ERC Work Programme 2016
The European Commission has adopted the European Research Council (ERC) Work Programme for 2016. The programme, established by the ERC Scientific Council, foresees €1.67 billion for grants to top researchers from anywhere in the world who are ready to come or to stay in Europe to pursue their breakthrough ideas. Compared to last year, the main novelty for ERC applicants is a relative "softening" of the resubmission rules. Applicants who scored B at step 2 of the evaluation in the last call will be able to reapply immediately, while under the 2015 work programme they had to wait for one year. There are also new restrictions for applications from applicants whose proposals have been rejected on grounds of breach of research integrity.
Website: http://erc.europa.eu/

Revised Emissions Trading System Will Help EU Deliver on Climate Goals
The European Commission presented a legislative proposal to revise the EU emissions trading system (ETS) for the period after 2020, in line with the 2030 climate and energy policy framework and the Energy Union strategy. To achieve the 40% EU target, the sectors covered by the EU ETS will be reducing their greenhouse gas emissions by 43% compared to 2005.
To this end, the Commission proposes increasing the pace of emissions cuts after 2020; more targeted carbon leakage rules to safeguard the international competitiveness of the sectors most at risk of relocating their production outside the EU; several support mechanisms to help industry and power sectors meet the innovation and investment challenges of the low-carbon transition.
Source: http://ec.europa.eu/clima/

Science Diplomacy
The European Parliament has published a report on the increasing role of the EU's cultural, education and science diplomacy in Asia. Just as the growth of telecommunications and transport technologies has facilitated the rapid dissemination of information and the global movement of people, traditional diplomacy has gradually grown to incorporate new methods, in which people-to-people contacts, networks and non-state actors play an influential role. The EU engages in cultural, education and scientific cooperation activities with most Asian countries, and particularly with China, India, Japan and South Korea. According to the report, despite the diverse outreach efforts of the EU Delegations across Asia, and despite the increasing number of Asian students coming to study and research in Europe, knowledge of the EU remains scant in Asia.
Source: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/

Steering Platform on Research in Western Balkan Countries
The 17th Steering Platform on Research discussed the topics of WISE (Western Balkan Research and Innovation Centre), first statistics and assessment of the participation of WBC in Horizon 2020, DTP (Danube Transnational Programme), EIT (European Institute of Innovation and Technology) and its KIC (Knowledge Innovation centres) and possibilities of participation for WBC.
The Steering Platform on research, established in 2006, facilitates the interaction between the Western Balkan Countries, the EU member states, the candidate and potential candidate countries and other states associated to the Framework Programmes for RTD and the European Commission. Its main objective is to support the enhanced integration of the WBCs in the European Research Area.
Source: http://wbc-rti.info/

Erasmus+ Master Students to Benefit from New Loan Scheme and Alumni Support
The first loans for graduates taking their Master's degree abroad are now available under the Erasmus+ Master Loan Guarantee Scheme. The agreement, which will provide up to € 30 million worth of loans guaranteed by the European Commission through its Erasmus+ Programme, will be signed by MicroBank and the European Investment Fund. This first agreement will provide financial support for students from Spain taking their Master degree in one of the 33 Erasmus+ Programme Countries, or students from these countries moving to Spain for a Master. Under the scheme, students can receive loans up to €12,000 for a one-year Master's course and up to €18,000 for a two-year Master's course. More details on the scheme can be found on the Erasmus+ Master Loan and MicroBank websites.
Source: http://europa.eu/

New Strategy to Track How Chemicals Behave in the Human Body
How a chemical enters, moves and behaves throughout its journey inside the human body is crucial in the assessment of its safety. Such data is traditionally obtained through animal-based test procedures. The JRC-run EU Reference Laboratory for Alternatives to Animal Testing (EURL ECVAM) has published its strategy to promote ways of integrating data obtained through non-animal tests with computer models of the human body.
Source: https://ec.europa.eu/jrc/

International Year of Light
Explore the power of photonics as imagined in science fiction, experiment with holographic recording, or design your own silicon photonics chip. These are just some of the many ongoing activities related with UNESCO´s International Year of Light and Light-Based Technologies. The International Year of Light consists of coordinated activities planned so that people of all ages and all backgrounds can gain an appreciation for the central role of light in science and culture, and as a cross-cutting scientific discipline that can advance sustainable development. You can check the complete agenda of activities here.
Source: http://www.light2015.org/

Funding Updates and Awards

Bio-Based Industries PPP - From Lignocellulosic Feedstock to Advanced Bio-based Chemicals, Materials or Ethanol
Deadline: 15 September 2015
Website: http://ec.europa.eu/research/

Eurostars-EUREKA Application
Deadline: 17 September 2015
Source: https://www.eurostars-eureka.eu/

Horizon 2020 Dedicated SME Instrument Phase 1 And 2, 2014-2015 - Accelerating the Uptake of Nanotechnologies, Advanced Materials or Advanced Manufacturing and Processing Technologies by SMEs
Deadline: 17 September 2015
Website: http://ec.europa.eu/research/

Horizon 2020 Dedicated SME Instrument Phase 1 And 2, 2014-2015 - SME Boosting Biotechnology-Based Industrial Processes Driving Competitiveness and Sustainability
Deadline: 17 September 2015
Website: http://ec.europa.eu/research/

European Inventor Award 2016 – Call for Nominations
Nominations for the European Inventor Award 2016 are now open. The Award recognises outstanding inventors from around the world, from all technical fields and backgrounds. You don’t have to be an inventor yourself to put forward a nominee. People from industry, research institutes, IP associations and universities, as well as the general public, are all welcome to make a suggestion. The four categories for the aware are Industry, SMEs, Research, Lifetime achievement, and Non-European Countries.
Deadline: 14 October 2015
Website: https://www.epo.org/

Consultations and Roadmaps

Public Consultation on Draft Scientific Opinion on "Recent Developments in the Risk Assessment of Chemicals in Food and Their Potential Impact on the Safety Assessment of Substances Used in Food Contact Materials"
EFSA’s Panel on Food Contact Materials, Enzymes, Flavourings and Processing Aids (CEF) has launched an open consultation on its draft opinion on recent developments in the risk assessment of chemicals in food and their potential impact on the safety assessment of substances used in food contact materials.
Deadline: 7 October 2015
Website: http://www.efsa.europa.eu/

Business Updates

COSME Improved Funding for SMEs
The European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI) will enhance funding opportunities under the COSME Loan Guarantee Facility (LGF). To make this happen, an amendment to the COSME Delegation Agreement was signed. The amendment enables small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to receive financing supported by the LGF earlier than was previously possible. For these as well as for other funding opportunities for SMEs visit EU´s portal on SME access to finance.
Source: http://ec.europa.eu/growth/

Upcoming EuCheMS Recognised Events

15th European Conference on Solid State Chemistry
23 - 26 August 2015
Vienna, Austria
Website: https://ecssc15.univie.ac.at/

WIFO 2015 - GDCh Chemistry Forum
30 August - 02 September 2015
Dresden, Germany
Website: http://www.wifo2015.de/

10th European Conference on Computational Chemistry
31 August - 03 September 2015
Fula, Germany
Website: http://www.euco-cc-2015.org/

International Symposium on Synthesis and Catalysis 2015 - ISySyCat2015
2 - 4 September 2015
Évora, Portugal
Website: http://isysycat.eventos.chemistry.pt/

The Chemist Towards Europe and the World @ Expo 2015
Fritz Frimmel, Water - Basis for life
2 September 2015
Milan, Italy
Website: http://www.euchems.eu/

International School of Organometallic Chemistry 2015
5 - 9 September 2015
Camerino, Italy
Website: http://d7.unicam.it/isoc/

EuroAnalysis 2015
6 - 10 September 2015
Bordeaux, France
Website: http://www.euroanalysis2015.com/

Chemical Biography in the 21st Century
9 - 12 September 2015
Aveiro, Portugal
Website: http://10ichc-2015.web.ua.pt/

6th EuCheMS Conference on Nitrogen Ligands
13 - 17 September 2015
Beaune, France
Website: http://www.nligands2015.com/

1st European Conference on Physical and Theoretical Chemistry
14 - 18 September 2015
Catania, Italy
Website: http://www.1stphyschemconference.unict.it/

9th International Conference on "Instrumental Methods of Analysis-Modern Trends and Applications"
20 September 2015 - 24 September 2015
Kalamata, Greece
Website: http://www.ima2015.teikal.gr/

58th Annual Scientific Meeting of the Polish Chemical Society
21 - 25 September 2015
Gdańsk, Poland
Website: http://ptchem2015.ug.edu.pl/

15th EuCheMS International Conference on Chemistry and the Environment
22 - 25 September 2015
Leipzig, Germany
Website: http://www.icce2015.org/

The Chemist Towards Europe and the World @ Expo 2015
Rosangela Marchelli, Molecular Secrets of the Italian Gastronomy
29 September 2015
Milan, Italy
Website: http://www.euchems.eu/

The Chemist Towards Europe and the World @ Expo 2015
Summarising Outcomes
2 October 2015
Milan, Italy
Website: http://www.euchems.eu/

2nd EuCheMS Congress on Green and Sustainable Chemistry
4 - 7 October 2015
Lisbon, Portugal
Website: http://web.ist.utl.pt/jnlopes/2EUGSC/

Forthcoming Events

Nanotechnology for a Competitive Chemical Industry
9 September 2015
Brussels, Belgium
Website: http://europa.eu/newsroom/

Food Futuring Tours @Expo - Milan
10 September 2015
Milan, Italy
Website: https://ec.europa.eu/jrc/

Information day on the Horizon 2020 Work Programme 2016-2017 ‘Secure, Clean and Efficient Energy’
14 – 15 September 2015
Brussels, Belgium
Website: http://europa.eu/newsroom/

European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference
14 - 18 September 2015
Hamburg, Germany
Website: https://ec.europa.eu/jrc/

Science Meets Parliaments
15 September 2015
Brussels, Belgium
Website: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/stoa/

Sustainable Places
16 – 18 September 2015
Savona, Italy
Website: http://ec.europa.eu/research/

5th International Conference on Lignocellulosic Ethanol
15 – 17 September 2015
Brussels, Belgium
Website: http://ec.europa.eu/energy/

The Chemist Towards Europe and the World @ Expo 2015

2 September 2015, 11:00 @ EU Pavilion
Water - Basis for life, Fritz Frimmel, Karlsruhe Institute for Technology ( KIT ) Germany
Website: http://www.euchems.eu/