New biomass classification based on the chemical composition
Since its online publication in May 2010, the article "An overview of the chemical composition of biomass" has made it to the top 25 articles in 2010 in ScienceDirect. The article is the result of fundamental research by JRC-IE scientists Stanislav V. Vassilev, David Baxter and Lars K. Andersen in collaboration with the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences. Its popularity lies in a new systematic approach for classifying different biomass types based on their chemical composition.
Data for 86 biomass varieties (woody, grass, straw, shells, pits, agricultural and animal biomass, algae, refuse and contaminated biomass, etc.) were analysed in this work. The research included a critical review of literature data combined with experimental studies to analyse the chemical composition of various types of biomass feedstock worldwide with a focus on the inorganic elements.
21/12/10 View related content
December 2010 / January 2011 issue of the JRC newsletter
The latest edition of the JRC Newsletter has been published and can be
downloaded here . It features an editorial by Jim McLaren, the Director-General of the Canadian Institute for National Measurement Standards. This editorial is part of this issue's focus on JRC-IRMM's recent activities during its 50th anniversary including the inauguration of a new laboratory, a conference on the future of reference materials and the graduation ceremony for the first generation of Master's students in "Measurement Science in Chemistry" at JRC-IRMM.
Apart from major senior management changes, to which page 2 is devoted, the newsletter also covers a broad range of other interesting topics: from illegal fishing through GMO detection and new research facilities to the simulation of a cyber attack.
21/12/10 View related content
Improved stakeholder dialogue on alternatives to animal testing
The protection of animals used in scientific procedures such as safety testing of chemicals or cosmetics is of great concern to European citizens. Taking up this concern, the European Commission has launched several regulations that underline the European Union's commitment to improve animal welfare (e.g. Cosmetics Directive, REACH chemicals legislation) by promoting the use of alternatives to animal testing. A strong and continuous dialogue with key stakeholders in this area is recognised as pivotal for progress.
The Joint Research Centre, through its "European Centre for the Validation of Alternative Methods" (ECVAM), is currently setting up a stakeholder forum dedicated to all issues surrounding alternative methods to animal testing.
21/12/10 View related content
New JRC Reference Report sets out options to reduce emissions from shipping
A new JRC reference report provides the first comprehensive overview of methodologies for estimating air emissions from shipping, describes technological solutions and proposes policy options for reducing carbon emissions and air pollution in this sector. Maritime transport causes about 4% of global man-made CO2 emissions which makes its carbon footprint approximately as high as Germany's. There is no regulation of international maritime transport emissions yet, but this is currently under discussion in the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
At present, around 50,000 merchant ships transport 90% of global goods and make maritime transport indispensable for world economy. Although maritime transport has the lowest ratio of CO2 emissions per ton, its GHG emissions are expected to significantly increase from currently around 1 giga-tonne per year, by an estimated 150-200% over the next four decades.
20/12/10 View related content
New JRC study explores EU robotics industry prospects
The JRC has recently published the study "A Helping Hand for Europe: the Competitive Outlook for the EU Robotics Industry".
The report indicates that, while the EU robotics industry has benefited in the past from a strong automotive industry market, the market for conventional industrial robotics for large-scale automated manufacturing is becoming saturated, with limited room for future growth.
13/12/10 View related content
Fighting illegal fishing with forensic genetics
The FishPopTrace European research project, of which the JRC is a member, is exploring a range of techniques to develop reliable tests to understand where local population marine fish come from. In today's issue of Science (10 December 2010; Vol. 330) the latest results are discussed.
FishPopTrace took up the considerable challenge to develop techniques to track marine fish back to their native populations. Target species are the commercially important Atlantic cod, European hake, common sole, and Atlantic herring, representing different life habitats and all suffering from illegal fishing. For this purpose the consortium studies protein patterns in fish tissue and the chemical composition of ear bones called otoliths. However the main focus is put on DNA markers, namely Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs), specific nucleotides in the DNA sequence that can vary and thus can help tell apart individuals or species. Genetic analysis of fish sampled across EU waters led to the identification of SNPs capable of distinguishing fish coming from different areas. Importantly in a technology transfer approach, these SNP panels are forensically validated, to facilitate their use by control and enforcement laboratories throughout the EU, and to ensure their contribution to the body of evidence in court cases.
10/12/10 View related content
ICT innovation in the automotive industry, a key competence in Europe
A new JRC report reviews the state of the art of the competitiveness of the European automotive embedded systems industry. Currently information and communication technologies (ICT) innovation in this sector is a key competence in Europe, with very little innovation of this kind brought in from outside into EU automotive companies. It highlights however the need for continuous product innovation if jobs are to be maintained in this sector.
The report aims to answer the following question: how can the European automotive industry retain its strong current position and prosper in an increasingly competitive global sector? According to the study, ICT will play a crucial role and the EU must retain its leadership in most automotive ICT sectors. ICT features can be used to differentiate market segments and raise car sales, which can help to solve the overcapacity problem the European automotive industry has faced for decades.
09/12/10 View related content
JRC at the European Development Days
The 5th edition of the European Development Days (EDD) opens today in Brussels. Sharing the EU stand in the Development Village, JRC scientists will showcase some concrete examples of how research and technology can support development policies.
The JRC will present EDD visitors two projects related to development issues, dealing with renewable energy and satellite images.
06/12/10 View related content
JRC-ITU's new facility for actinide research
A new Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR)
instrument is now installed and in early
commissioning stages at the
JRC-ITU. This unique facility will focus
on determining the chemical and magnetic properties of radioactive solid-state
samples and will contribute to ITU's research on
actinides.
The minimisation of the long-term radiotoxicity of high level nuclear
waste is a high priority in advanced nuclear fuel cycle concepts for the new
generation of nuclear power reactors. Separation from spent fuel and the
subsequent recycling of Plutonium and Uranium as fuels, and the transmutation of
minor actinides in fast reactors are deemed necessary steps in achieving this
goal. The JRC-ITU is involved in a joint
project with the Central Research Institute of Electric Power Industry (CRIEPI,
Japan) devoted to the study of minor
actinides-containing fast reactor metal fuels. The new NMR instrument will
greatly aid researchers in their analysis of this fuel at different stages of
the nuclear fuel cycle.
30/11/10 View related content
Measuring heavy metals in seafood: Laboratories worldwide perform well
A new study which benchmarks the abilities of laboratories around the world to measure heavy metals (arsenic, cadmium, lead, mercury, methylmercury and inorganic arsenic) in seafood has been published today by the Joint Research Centre. The outcome of the exercise was generally positive, with 80 to 96% of laboratories obtaining satisfactory scores, depending on the heavy metal considered. This result corroborates seafood consumers' protection in the EU, where the levels of lead, cadmium and total mercury are regulated by law.
Fifty-seven laboratories from 29 countries volunteered to put their measuring competence to the test. Each laboratory received a sample without knowing the levels of heavy metals present, and was asked to measure and report the values back to the JRC.
24/11/10 View related content
Technological solutions to check EU agricultural subsidies - first steps towards CAP 2020
From 24 to 26 November in Bergamo, Italy, around 300 experts from the 27 Member State administrations, Candidate Country administrations, EU officials, image providers and contractors are gathering at the 16th Conference "Geomatics in support of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP)" to discuss the latest innovations in remote sensing technologies and their applicability to check agricultural subsidies.
Organised by the Joint Research Centre (JRC), this year sees the 16th edition of the event which is the main 'rendez-vous' to review the current campaign achievements as well as technical progress and plans for the solid management of the CAP. It discusses topics such as: Controls with Remote Sensing (CwRS), Land Parcel Identification Systems (LPIS) management and quality assessment, GPS technologies in support of CAP controls, eligibility for direct support, and cross-compliance checks. This year, technical debates focus on the foreseen necessary changes to adapt the future CAP which is currently being defined.
24/11/10 View related content
New scientific facility at JRC-IRMM
On 23 November, a new scientific facility to develop measurement standards in challenging areas such as life sciences was inaugurated at JRC-IRMM in Geel, Belgium. The new facility will be used to develop and produce reference materials, which possess a precisely-known property and are the basis for complex measurements, such as the amount of genetically modified maize or the number of bacteria in a food sample. The total cost of the facility was 11 M€ – of which 4.5 M€ was funded from revenue from JRC's reference material activities.
The building features a large and flexible production hall which brings together processing and measurement equipment in an innovative manner. It will provide Europe with a unique facility for the development and production of reference materials, bridging the gap between laboratory and industrial scale. The new building also houses laboratories for the analysis of heavy metals and proteins and a special laboratory for the safe handling of biomaterials.
23/11/10 View related content
Video games lead innovation in the e-services economy
A new study published today by the JRC shows that the
video games industry is leading the overall trend of transformation of digital
products into e-services. The report, entitled "Born digital/ Grown digital
– Assessing the future competitiveness of the EU video games software
industry" focuses, among others, on two segments: online and mobile video
games. It analyses their software industry, growth potential, value chain,
business models and current evolution. It outlines major emerging technologies,
investigates their disruptive potential on the market and analyses their
contribution to the competitiveness of the European ICT industry.
Online
games, for example, play a major role in the digital content convergence
process based on digital distribution of different types of content and the
diffusion of interactive capabilities for consumers. This phenomenon is having
an effect on the movie, video, music and mobile communication industries, and
the whole publishing sector in general.
18/11/10 View related content
Dominique Ristori appointed new JRC Director General
The Commission has decided today to appoint Dominique Ristori as the new JRC Director General with effect from 1 December 2010 to succeed Roland Schenkel, JRC Director-General since 2005, who will retire on that date.
Mr. Ristori has been Deputy Director-General in DG Energy since August 2006, mainly in charge of the nuclear energy policy field. He joined the European Commission in 1978 and has a longstanding experience in the energy field, in which he has worked since 1996.
17/11/10 View related content
Knowledge Transfer Seminar at Varese and Ispra
On 11-12 November, under the aegis of the Belgian Presidency of the EU, the JRC and DG Research organised a seminar in Varese and Ispra on the subject "Implementing the Innovation Union: Next Steps in Knowledge Transfer". The seminar hosted 75 representatives of European universities, research and technology organisations, industrial associations and the relevant European Commission services.
16/11/10 View related content
JRC workshops in the Republic of Moldova
A JRC information exchange event was held in Chisinau, Moldova, on 8 November 2010, followed by a workshop on foresight on 9 November. Both events were organised together with the Academy of Sciences of Moldova that serves as the ministry of science in the country. The objective of the information event was to deliver an insight on the JRC's activities with specific focus on metrology (IRMM) and identify possible areas of collaboration. The foresight workshop reflected the Moldovan request to inform the national experts on foresight methods with a view of initiating such an exercise in the future.
12/11/10 View related content
Towards a faster and more efficient European disaster response
The European Commission has recently outlined a twin-track approach to enhance the Union's capacity on civil protection and humanitarian assistance. The proposal includes the creation of a new European Emergency Response Centre by merging the Humanitarian aid (ECHO) and civil protection (MIC) crisis rooms.
Drawing upon its extensive expertise in crisis management technologies and crisis rooms, the JRC's Institute for the Protection and Security of the Citizen (IPSC) will contribute to the establishment of the new European Emergency Response Centre. The new 24/7 centre will be responsible for the coordination of the EU’s civilian disaster response and it will draw upon information and expertise in both humanitarian aid and civil protection to monitor, alert and respond to disasters inside and outside the EU.
11/11/10 View related content
Robust methods for GMO detection ready at hand
A new reference report published today by the JRC lists 79 reference methods for GMO analysis which have been validated according to international standards. This compendium, developed jointly by the EU Reference Laboratory for Genetically Modified Food and Feed (EU-RL GMFF) and the European Network of GMO Laboratories (ENGL), presents the technical state of the art in GMO detection methods. Each method is described in a user-friendly way, facilitating the implementation of GMO legislation by official control bodies.
Most of the methods have been developed by the biotechnology industry and validated by the EU-RL GMFF for their applicability according to EU legislation. They will be used by EU Member States to organise official controls on GMOs and the compendium will therefore contribute to the health and consumer protection of European citizens.
10/11/10 View related content
First pan-European cyber security simulation
Europe's cyber security experts are putting their skills to the test today in the first ever pan-European exercise. In "Cyber Europe 2010", experts will try counter simulated attempts by hackers to paralyse critical online services in several EU Member States. The event is organised by EU Member States with support from the European Network Security Agency (ENISA) and the JRC's Institute for the Protection and Security of the Citizen (IPSC).
The scale and coordination requirements for conducting exercises with many Member States are high, especially in the case of distributed exercises. The JRC-IPSC studies new approaches and technologies to support large scale cyber-security exercises. In Cyber Europe 2010, the Institute is providing scientific and technical support including the communication and coordination tools that make the exchange of hundreds of simulated events possible.
04/11/10 View related content
EU and US expand their collaboration to nuclear security R&D
On 2 November, the European Atomic Energy Community and the United States National Nuclear Security Administration (NSSA) formally expanded their cooperation in the field of nuclear material safeguards research and development to include nuclear security. JRC's Director General Roland Schenkel representing Euratom and Mark Whitney, US NNSA Assistant Deputy Administrator for Nonproliferation and International Security signed the agreement between Euratom and US Department of Energy at the IAEA International Nuclear Safeguards Symposium held in Vienna.
02/11/10 View related content
November / December issue of the JRC newsletter
The November / December edition of the JRC Newsletter has been published and can be
downloaded here. It features an editorial by Dominique Ristori, Deputy Director General for Energy at the European Commission on Europe's policies for a responsible use of nuclear energy.
This month's issue also has news on the JRC's innovation projects competition as well as recent research results on corporate R&d investment, soil biodiversity, fisheries science and mass spectrometry.
29/10/10 View related content
Public consultation on nanomaterial definition
The European Commission has launched a
public consultation on a definition of the term 'nanomaterial'. The growing use of nanomaterials in consumer products and technological applications has led to the need for a definition of the term for regulatory purposes. A request for a "comprehensive science-based definition" was made by the European Parliament in April 2009. The definition should determine when a material should be considered as a nanomaterial for legislative and policy purposes in the European Union. The Commission invites stakeholders including the general public to put forward their views. The public consultation will run until 19 November.
In July 2010, the JRC
published a reference report entitled "Considerations on a definition of nanomaterial for regulatory purposes". The report discusses possible elements of a definition aiming at reducing ambiguity and confusion for regulators, industry and the general public. It recommends that the specific term “particulate nanomaterial” should be employed in legislation to avoid inconsistencies with other definitions and that size should be used as the only defining property.
29/10/10 View related content
Regional relevance and greater frequency, keys for successful climate services
The JRC 2010 annual lecture was given on 27 October by Yvo de Boer, Special Global Advisor, Climate Change and Sustainability, KPMG and former Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Speaking on the topic of "Climate services: fit for purpose?", Mr. de Boer explained the ingredients for their success. Such services have to be put in the context of people's regional relevance - even if this means extrapolating data at regional level - and the dissemination frequency of information has to be much higher. Only then will they be able to provide their crucial role of supporting the policy-making process, bringing business on board and contributing to the creation of a public awareness and understanding.
28/10/10 View related content
2010 corporate R&D investment: limited effects of the crisis
The 2010 EU R&D Industrial Investment Scoreboard is now available. R&D investment by top EU companies fell by 2.6% in 2009, even though sales and profits fell much more, by 10.1% and 21.0% respectively. The fall in R&D investment by leading players in the US, at 5.1%, was twice as sharp as in the EU, but the worldwide reduction was lower, at 1.9%. Japanese firms maintained their level of investment. Companies based elsewhere in Asia - China, India, Hong Kong, South Korea and Taiwan - continued the high R&D growth seen in previous years. Japanese car maker Toyota is the world's biggest R&D investor (€6.8bn) for the second consecutive year. Three EU companies feature in the top ten: Volkswagen, the biggest investor based in Europe with €5.8bn, Nokia and Sanofi-Aventis. The Scoreboard covers the top 1400 companies worldwide.
26/10/10 View related content
First graduates of Master's degree "Measurement Science in Chemistry"
The first group of graduates of a new European Master's degree received their diplomas today at the JRC's Institute for Reference Materials and Measurements (IRMM) in Geel, Belgium. The degree, "Measurement Science in Chemistry", was based on training initiatives developed by JRC-IRMM.
A consortium of nine universities located in seven different European countries (Estonia, Poland, France, Portugal, Finland, Bulgaria and Slovenia) got together under the mentorship of JRC-IRMM to offer the harmonised Master's degree "Measurement Science in Chemistry". It received the "Euromaster" quality award in 2008 and today, two years later, the first group of 33 students has graduated.
26/10/10 View related content
Roadmap towards more efficient maritime surveillance
The European Commission has set out concrete steps to enhance the effectiveness and cost efficiency of surveilling European Seas. The JRC's Institute for the Protection and Security of the Citizen (IPSC) will be deeply involved in the implementation of the 'Roadmap towards establishing the Common Information Sharing Environment ('CISE') for the surveillance of the EU maritime domain'.
The roadmap spells out how to bring together relevant Member States' bodies across all maritime sectors to allow for the exchange of maritime surveillance data, held by authorities such as coast guards, traffic monitoring, environmental monitoring, pollution prevention, fisheries, border control, tax and general law enforcement authorities, as well as navies. Electronic maritime information exchange across sectors and borders shall be supported by a digital system of data exchange based on modern and secured means of telecommunication.
22/10/10 View related content
Research in nuclear sciences: impact on the citizen
The Belgian Nuclear Society, in association with SCK•CEN, the Institute for Radioelements (IRE), and the JRC, is organising a conference on nuclear sciences in physics and medical applications. Registration is now open for this event, which is intended for experts from universities, research organisations, public bodies and the European Commission. The conference will take place at the JRC Institute for Reference Materials and Measurements (IRMM) in Geel, Belgium.
The main purpose of the conference is to promote nuclear science and innovation and to demonstrate its impact on new technologies and health in Belgium and at international level. The programme addresses research in nuclear sciences, and with its applications in nuclear physics (neutron data measurements at JRC-IRMM), and for the production of radio-isotopes for medical application (production reactor at SCK•CEN and targets processing at IRE).
21/10/10 View related content
JRC Information exchange event in Skopje
The JRC and the Ministry for Education and Science of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia co-hosted an Information Exchange event in Skopje on 19 October 2010.
The event aimed at raising awareness about JRC activities in support of EU policies and opportunities for collaboration with the JRC. The audience of around 200 had the chance to get an insight into the research work done at the JRC, supporting decision makers in the conception, development, implementation and assessment of EU policies. JRC scientists were available, via videoconference connection with the biggest JRC site in Ispra, Italy and the site in Seville, Spain, to present and discuss with the participants their research in the areas of renewable energies and energy efficiency, environmental assessment and sustainable use of resources as well as support to sustainable agriculture and rural development. Research opportunities within the EU's Seventh Framework Programmes for Research and Technological Development (FP7) were also part of the discussion.
20/10/10 View related content
5th International Conference on High Temperature Reactor Technology
The 5th High Temperature Reactor Technology conference, hosted in Prague from 18 to 20 October, addresses pragmatic approaches to two of the world’s pressing challenges, climate change and security of low-carbon energy supply. The JRC Institute for Energy (IE) has co-ordinated the technical programme with more than 180 presentations, provided many of the session co-ordinators, and presents its work in this area at the conference exhibition.
The innovative HTR reactor design can potentially provide heat for many industrial processes, for example in the chemical and petrochemical sector, as well as providing electrical energy. One such power plant can not only save CO2 emissions in the order of 1 million tons per year, it can ultimately recycle CO2 to new synthetic hydrocarbons, e.g. for aviation fuel.
19/10/10 View related content
COP-10 meeting of the Convention on Biological Diversity kicked off
The 10th Conference of the Parties (COP-10) to the Convention on Biological Diversity started today in Nagoya, Japan. At the two-week long meeting the international community, including the EU, will be striving to agree on a post-2010 policy framework for preserving biodiversity. Scientists from the JRC Institute for Environment and Sustainability (IES) are taking part in this event to present their findings on soil biodiversity as well as on forest fragmentation and green infrastructure.
Soil has been identified as a cross-cutting issue, since it provides an important mitigation and adaptation role for climate change, it stores a large amount of biodiversity and it is typically a major target of desertification processes. The first ever European Atlas of Soil Biodiversity, presented by JRC-IES at the conference, brings to the public view the whole range of life in the soil and the crucial role it plays in maintaining other ecosystems.
18/10/10 View related content
Assessing the robustness of the Rule of Law Index™
The JRC's Institute for the Protection and Security of the Citizen (IPSC) has carried out an independent assessment of the Rule of Law Index™ 2010 produced by the World Justice Project (WJP). The Rule of Law Index™ is a thematic composite indicator that aims to gauge nations’ efforts in delivering the rule of law to their citizens in 35 countries world wide.
The JRC's analysis, which was based on the recommendations of the OECD (2008)
Handbook on Composite Indicators, suggests that the WJP Rule of Law Index™ is statistically and conceptually coherent and that almost all dimensions are well balanced in their underlying components. This analysis spanned different iterations, since this cooperation started in 2009. In the present version of the indices, country classifications are fairly robust to methodological changes on the estimation of missing data, weighting or aggregation rule.
15/10/10 View related content
A visit behind the scenes at JRC-IRMM
The JRC Institute for Reference Materials and Measurements (IRMM) in Geel, Belgium, opened its doors to the public on 3 October 2010. Visitors performed hands-on experiments, and learnt about nanotechnology, particle accelerators, food safety and much more. A special 50th anniversary exhibition described the history of the institute, featuring a series of archive photos and old equipment.
The 2010 openday attracted a record number of visitors: 702 visitors with 31 different nationalities (75% Belgians). Around 23% of visitors were under the age of 18 , whilst 17% of visitors were aged 65 or more.
15/10/10 View related content
New application for real time mapping of pollution
Real time maps of air, ground and water pollution can now be made available to everyone thanks to the EU-funded research project INTAMAP. The INTAMAP project has developed open specifications software to draw up contour maps that not only show the exact location of polluted areas but also illustrate where pollution is coming from and where it is headed. Scientists from the JRC Institute for Environment and Sustainability (IES) participated in the scientific coordination of the project and assessed the potential of the system for mapping radioactivity in the environment in real time, as a case study for emergency conditions.
Real time pollution maps can enable public authorities to decide more quickly on appropriate action to tackle the source of the pollution and allows individuals to avoid it. Until now, if there was an oil spill in European waters, measurements could show the exact area affected by the pollution but it was often not clear how much pollution was involved or where it was coming from. Without this information, it was difficult for public authorities to act quickly to tackle the pollution effectively.
14/10/10 View related content
JRC analytical methods to measure mycotoxins in infant food become standards
The European Committee for Standardization, CEN, has adopted two analytical methods developed by the JRC's Institute for Reference Materials and Measurements to measure the levels of mycotoxins in infant food.
Mycotoxins are toxic contaminants produced by fungi. These toxins can enter in the food chain as a result of crops infected by fungi, either by being directly consumed by humans, or by being used as livestock feed for animals. Strikingly, mycotoxins are extremely resistant to processing, and even to temperature treatments. Analytical methods were developed to measure aflatoxin B1 and zearalenone mycotoxins in cereal products for infants and young children. These methods, established under the leadership of Dr. J. Stroka of the EU Reference Laboratory for mycotoxins at JRC-IRMM, were adopted by CEN as European standards with an entry into force as national standards at the latest by October 2010.
14/10/10 View related content
Natural disasters: technologies for preparedness and response
To mark the International Day for Disaster Reduction today 13 October, the United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR) is calling on its partners to play a more active role to protect cities against disasters. Research institutions and academia play a crucial role in developing new methods for disasters management and advancing the state-of-the art in risk reduction.
Many cities have been disrupted this year by disasters: earthquakes in Haiti, Chile and New Zealand; floods and heavy rainfalls in Pakistan, Eastern Europe, Mozambique and other parts of Africa; forest fires in Russia; and volcanic eruptions in Indonesia and Iceland. All have caused huge human suffering and economic damage. More action is needed to minimise the adverse impacts of such disasters. Tools and methodologies developed in recent years at the JRC have proved useful in many such occasions to prevent and respond to disasters. As the scientific body of the European Commission, the JRC provides scientific and technical support to European institutions, EU Member States and international organisations in the whole cycle of crisis management, from prevention and preparedness to response and reconstruction.
13/10/10 View related content
EurOCEAN 2010: European research ready for maritime challenge
Over 300 researchers and policy makers are meeting at the conference 'EurOCEAN 2010: Grand challenges for marine research in the next decade' in Ostend on 12 and 13 October 2010 to outline the research and policy needs for the next decade. JRC scientists showcase their most recent activities and findings related to maritime and marine research.
The "Marine Knowledge 2020" initiative is the Commission's most recent answer to the marine science community's wishes. It calls for easier access to marine data, less fragmented standards and formats of the data, quality of the data, as well as for an integrated approach at EU level. This initiative acknowledges the role of the JRC as a thematic assembly centre for fisheries data that EU policy makers use, for example, to decide on fishing effort reductions or management measures.
13/10/10 View related content
Registrations open for conference on Future-oriented Technology Analysis
The 4th International Seville Future-Oriented Technology Analysis (FTA) Conference will be held 12 - 13 May 2011, at the JRC Institute for Prospective Technological Studies (IPTS) in Seville, Spain. The focus of the conference is on the need and potential of FTA to address dynamic and disruptive events in response to grand societal challenges. These events may range from rapid technological changes to shifts in social norms, values and lifestyles. FTA is a potential tool to gain a better understanding of the complex systems that interact in each situation and in defining effective policy responses. Therefore, governments and other organisations can become more adaptive and capable of enacting systemic changes. This bi-annual conference is an opportunity for the scientific and policy-maker community in the FTA area to meet and to mutually deepen their knowledge.
11/10/10 View related content
Chemicals: workshop on computational approaches to risk assessment
On 30 September and 1 October, the JRC Institute for Health and Consumer Protection (IHCP) organised a workshop on the applicability of QSAR (Quantitative Structure-Activity Relationship) models and other non-testing approaches in risk assessment. These theoretical models can be used to predict the physicochemical, biological and environmental fate properties of molecules. The careful use of such approaches can reduce and focus experimental efforts, and in particular reduce the need for animal experimentation.
The workshop was organised in collaboration with the Commission's Directorate-General for Health and Consumer Affairs and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and brought together about 25 experts, assessors and other stakeholders from relevant European bodies.
08/10/10 View related content
SETIS website: improved access to info on low-carbon energy technologies
A new version of the SETIS website has been published, better structured for ease of access to information on particular low carbon technologies. SETIS, the Strategic Energy Technology Information System, is run by the JRC's Institute for Energy in support of the Commission's Strategic Energy Technology Plan (SET Plan).
New features include a toolkit where SETIS' interactive tools, such as the Energy Cost Calculator and the 'bubble chart' on potential energy scenarios can be readily accessed. The site now also better integrates all available items on a particular technology and displays them on a single page. BIOMAP, another newly integrated feature, provides unique information on EU-funded and industrial projects as well as several aspects of biofuels technologies and feedstocks, including legislation, quality specifications and the key stakeholders.
08/10/10 View related content
JRC collaboration with NASA results in earth science data transfer to Africa
A unique partnership between NASA and organisations in Africa and Europe, including the JRC's Institute for Environment and Sustainability (IES), has sent more than 30 terabytes of free Earth science satellite data to South African researchers to support sustainable development and environmental applications in Africa.
The partnership began in spring 2008, when JRC-IES participated in an intensive field campaign to study the environment around Kruger National Park, organised by South Africa's Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR). The researchers studied the area using direct, airborne and space-based measurements.
07/10/10 View related content
Chemical toxicity testing: transatlantic cooperation
The JRC Institute for Health and Consumer Protection (IHCP) and the National Centre for Computational Toxicology (NCCT) of the United States Environmental Protection Agency have signed an agreement to facilitate exchange of research materials and results useful for the development of integrated methods for predicting chemical toxicity.
The NCCT, through its ToxCast programme, is generating toxicological profiles of hundreds of reference chemicals using a comprehensive array of automated high throughput screening assays. The intention is to use this unique dataset to build computational models to identify chemicals that may have adverse effects on human health and the environment, and to establish priorities for more in-depth testing. This endeavour fits well with the work programme of the IHCP in the area of chemical safety, where efforts are focused on the design and evaluation of integrated testing strategies for predicting chemical toxicity, by combining chemical-grouping approaches, computational modelling and in vitro testing.
06/10/10 View related content
JRC hosts Nuclear Material Congress 2010
From 4 to 7 October, the JRC Institute for Transuranium Elements (ITU) is hosting the first Nuclear Material Congress in Karlsruhe, Germany. This inaugural conference, formed in association with Journal of Nuclear Materials and the International Atomic Energy Agency, aims at bringing several smaller workshops and conferences in a larger multidisciplinary event to strengthen exchanges on nuclear materials science for fission reactors, including the nuclear fuel cycle. It is the intention that NuMat2010 will become an international key scientific forum in the field, during which complementary meetings will benefit from a common organisation structure, while keeping their own identity. The format of NuMat2010 is combining six international workshops in three parallel sessions, covering the topics of nuclear fuels, structural materials, and molten salts.
04/10/10 View related content
JRC recruitment campaign for researchers has started – apply now!
Today, the JRC launched a number of dedicated competitions through the European Personnel Selection Office for the recruitment of researchers on permanent positions. Over 270 successful candidates will be retained on reserve lists to meet the JRC's staffing needs in the coming years. Recruitment possibilities exist at the JRC’s research institutes, located in Italy (Ispra), Spain (Seville), the Netherlands (Petten), Germany (Karlsruhe) and Belgium (Geel). Candidates can apply until 4 November.
Researchers with the right blend of competence, experience and language skills are encouraged to apply in one of the following fields:
- Chemistry, Biology and Health Sciences
- Physics
- Structural Mechanics
- Quantitative Policy Analysis
- Spatial Sciences
- Environmental Sciences
- Energy Sciences
- Communication/Information Technology
30/09/10 View related content
Registration open for the JRC Annual Lecture 2010
This year's Annual lecture lecture will be held in Brussels on 27 October 2010 at 17h45, with Yvo de Boer, Special Global Advisor, Climate Change and Sustainability, KPMG and former Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) speaking on the subject of:
Climate Services: fit for purpose?
The urge to build climate-resilient nations brings with it a desire for more detailed knowledge of the changes that lie ahead. In response to this demand, the idea of 'climate services' has emerged, whereby detailed climate information will be tailored to the needs of specific end users and delivered on demand.
Registration for this event is now open at
www.jrc.ec.europa.eu/lecture.
29/09/10 View related content
Euratom and Canada strengthen cooperation in nuclear safety and safeguards
Canada and Euratom, represented respectively by Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (AECL) and the JRC as well as the Commission's Research and Energy Directorates-General, strengthened their ongoing collaboration during their annual coordination meeting held on the 15-16 September at premises of the JRC Institute for Reference Materials and Measurements (JRC-IRMM) in Geel, Belgium.
Both partners have shown interest in developing scientific co-operation in the fields of nuclear safety, nuclear technology and safeguards.
29/09/10 View related content
Major ICT companies join JRC initiative for energy efficiency
Today in Brussels at the "ICT 2010-Digitally Driven" event, 16 more ICT firms have agreed to reduce the electricity consumption of their broadband equipment and data centres. The JRC's Institute for Energy (IE) develops and manages voluntary codes of conduct for ICT companies that can reduce their energy consumption, in many cases by as much as 50%.
Information & communication technology (ICT) equipment and services consume over 8% of electrical power in the EU and produce about 4% of its CO2 emissions. These figures could double by 2020. Although a voluntary measure, 36 of Europe's biggest ICT companies already apply the codes of conduct.
28/09/10 View related content
Report: best practice for cultivation and coexistence of GM maize
Specific measures relating to storing and the application of isolation distances can help limit or avoid the co-mingling of genetically modified (GM) maize with conventional and organic maize, a report prepared by the European Coexistence Bureau (ECoB) concludes. The "Best Practice Document", published by the JRC Institute for Prospective Technological Studies (IPTS), notes that storing seeds adequately and applying spatial isolation (separation distances, buffer zones and/or discard zones) are the best ways to limit or avoid co-mingling. Alternative practices based on temporal isolation (shifting flowering times of GM and non-GM fields) are possible in several EU countries with specific climatic conditions.
27/09/10 View related content
Supporting the EU Marine Knowledge 2020 initiative
Making access to marine data easier and more economic is one of the three objectives of the Marine Knowledge 2020 initiative, proposed by the Commission on 13 September. The initiative acknowledges the role of the JRC as a thematic assembly centre for fisheries data. Scientists at the JRC's Institute for the Protection and Security of the Citizen (IPSC) collect and maintain fisheries management data transmitted by EU Member States. These data sets are then used by experts of the Scientific and Technical and Economic Committee for Fisheries (STECF) to provide scientific advice to EU policy makers, for example to decide on fishing effort reductions or management measures.
The Marine Knowledge 2020 initiative calls for easier access to marine data, less fragmented standards and formats of the data, quality of the data, as well as for an integrated approach at EU level. As a thematic assembly centre for fisheries data, the JRC contributes to the sustainable management of the seas and oceans and by assembling data in high quality repositories, it creates new opportunities for growth and competitiveness in the EU.
24/09/10 View related content
JRC and Italy's Region of Lombardy agree to strengthen collaboration
On 17 September, the JRC and Italy's Lombardy Region concluded a framework collaboration agreement to promote strategic collaboration between the two organizations over the next five years.
The agreement - signed by JRC's Director General Roland Schenkel and by Daniele Maiocchi, Central Director for Integrated Planning at the Lombardy Region, sets the general framework for cooperation in scientific and technical areas of mutual interest, which include environment, energy, spatial information systems, safety of chemicals, security, industrial safety and agriculture.
24/09/10 View related content
Radio frequencies for new and faster wireless services
A five year policy programme for the use of the EU’s radio spectrum has recently been proposed by the European Commission. The proposal includes steps to promote efficient spectrum management and, in particular, to ensure that sufficient spectrum is made available for wireless broadband. It also calls for improvement in the standardisation process. The JRC together with various standardisation bodies, such as the CEPT — European Conference of Postal and Telecommunications Administrations — will work closely to assure that services and wireless devices can be used seamlessly across borders.
The first Radio Spectrum Policy Programme, adopted by the Commission on 20 September as part of a package of measures regarding broadband communications, outlines at a strategic level how the use of spectrum can contribute to the most important political objectives of the European Union from 2011 to 2015.
24/09/10 View related content
JRC publishes European atlas of soil biodiversity
The JRC published today, for the first time, an indicator-based map of potential threats to soil biodiversity, in order to guide decision-makers in protecting this crucial resource. The biodiversity within our soils plays a vital role in agriculture and in the water and carbon cycle. The atlas brings to the public view the whole range of life in the soil and the crucial role it plays in maintaining other ecosystems. It also highlights areas within Europe where soil biodiversity is most at risk of decline relative to the current situation. The publication provides a comprehensive source of information for researchers, policy makers and teachers.
This visually stunning publication, coordinated by the JRC Institute for Environment and Sustainability (IES), uses striking photographs, informative texts and maps to explain and illustrate the great diversity of life in the soil across Europe. The atlas functions as a comprehensive guide to soil biology, allowing non-specialists to access information about this unseen world.
23/09/10 View related content
JRC collaboration with leading US environmental agency
A delegation from the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) met with JRC representatives on 22 September to discuss current collaborations and the potential for future collaborations between the two organisations. NOAA is a federal scientific agency within the U.S. Department for Commerce and a world leading authority on environmental issues. The delegation was lead by Dr Jane Lubchenco who is the current Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere within this department, and NOAA's Administrator.
The JRC's Institute for the Protection and Security of the Citizen (IPSC) and Institute for Environment and Sustainability (IES) currently collaborate with NOAA on a variety of topics including tsunami modelling and tropical cyclone forecasts for early alert/warning systems, as well as activities in the field Earth observation, such as flood forecasting and work on the Global Climate Observing System. Discussions at the meeting proved fruitful and, in addition to the one current formal agreement between the two organisations, NOAA's participation in the International Ocean Colour Coordinating Group (IOCCG) managed by the JRC, the two organisations now hope to establish more formal collaborations in the future.
23/09/10 View related content
ELLI: A sound model to measure lifelong learning in the EU
Scientists at the JRC's Institute for the Protection and Security of the Citizen (IPSC) have carried out an independent audit of the European Lifelong Learning Indicators (ELLI) Index, a new aggregate measure for the country-level assessment of lifelong learning in the EU Member States. The audit concludes that the ELLI-Index is built according to sound statistical methodology and has the potential to open up ideas and dialogues relating to lifelong and life-wide learning to a wider population within and outside Europe.
The ELLI project is an initiative led by the Bertelsmann Foundation and this index represents a first step towards making lifelong learning more tangible and measurable. The conceptual framework for the ELLI-Index is loosely based on UNESCO's International Commission on Education for the 21st Century and identifies four major dimensions of learning.
21/09/10 View related content
North Sea fish population: fishing pause during WWII provides unique insight
A study published by a team of European scientists shows how the cessation of commercial fishing in the North Sea caused by World War II led to a profound change in the age structure or ‘complete demographic transition’ in the populations of resident fish.
Understanding the mechanisms via which commercial fishing pressures, management regimes and environmental changes interact with the ecology of wild fish populations is a key question for fisheries management science. Such questions are, however, difficult to address using recent time-series datasets as fishing pressure has been sustained and ubiquitous over recent decades. An unintended ‘experiment’ in fisheries science did however occur in the North Sea during World War II when commercial fishing almost ceased because fishing vessel movements were restricted due to wartime dangers, and the fact that many fishermen were called up, and their vessels requisitioned for war service.
20/09/10 View related content
New regional competitiveness index highlights strong regional dimension
To improve the understanding of competitiveness at the regional level, the JRC's Institute for the Protection and Security of the Citizen (IPSC), together with the Commission's Directorate-General for Regional Policy, has developed a new index to demonstrate the strengths and weaknesses of each of the 271 EU regions. This index incorporates a wide range of issues related to competitiveness including innovation, quality of institutions, infrastructure (including digital networks) and measures of health and human capital, and will be a crucial tool in assisting EU regions to set the right priorities to further increase their competitiveness.
The index measures the competitiveness of a region, including factors related to innovation and technological capabilities, to transport and communication infrastructure, health, education policies and quality of institutions.
14/09/10 View related content
Increasing importance of alternative methods that avoid animal testing
The European Parliament has voted to revise legislation on animals used for scientific purposes. The revised legislation, first proposed by the European Commission in 2008, will strengthen the protection of animals still needed for research and safety testing. The new directive will also play a significant role in minimising the number of animals used in experiments, and require alternatives to be used where possible, whilst ensuring a level playing field for EU industry and enhancing the quality of research conducted in the EU. The JRC-run European Centre for the Validation of Alternative Methods (ECVAM) coordinates and promotes the development and validation of alternative test methods at the European Union level.
10/09/10 View related content
Food safety – a priority in the EU and beyond
In 2009 the number of notifications in the EU's Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) reached a total of nearly 8000, a 12% increase compared to 2008 and an all-time-high number. There were 557 alert notifications reporting on serious risks found in products on the market, of which two-thirds related to products originating in the EU, and most of these problems were detected by controls carried out on the market. Among the risks most reported through these alerts were the presence of pathogenic micro-organisms, allergens, heavy metals and mycotoxins. While the national authorities are responsible for the appropriate implementation of food safety legislation and controls, the JRC's EU Reference laboratories (EU-RL) in this field play a leading role in maintaining a high level of confidence in the measurements and ensuring a harmonised approach between EU Member States, industry and stakeholders.
10/09/10 View related content
Assessing the robustness of the Global Competitiveness Index
The 2010-2011 Global Competitiveness Report released today by the World Economic Forum (WEF) examines the factors enabling 139 national economies to achieve sustained economic growth and long-term prosperity. Switzerland tops the overall rankings, the United States falls two places to fourth position, overtaken by Sweden (2nd) and Singapore (3rd), after already ceding the top place to Switzerland last year. The report is based on the Global Competitiveness Index, which has been subject to a rigorous robustness assessment by JRC scientists.
The WEF has a renowned experience in studying competitiveness and its reports have served as benchmarking tools for business leaders and policymakers to identify obstacles and foster institutional reforms promoting growth. Defining competitiveness is a challenging task as the determinants of competitiveness are many and complex: labor force’s efficiency, education and skills, macroeconomic stability, good governance, respect for the rule of law, transparent and well-functioning institutions, enterprise sophistication, demand conditions, and many others.
09/09/10 View related content
September / October issue of the JRC newsletter
The September / October edition of the JRC Newsletter has been published and can be
downloaded here. It features an editorial by Gary Geller, Deputy Manager of NASA's Ecological Forecasting Program at JPL on the need for increasing integration among existing systems and models in the various disciplines of ecology.
This month's issue also has news on recent research results on climate change and renewable energies, on policy support measures in the area of biofuels and of nanotechnology, and on recent crisis support activities of the JRC.
09/09/10 View related content
25th European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference
On 6 September, the World Conference on Photovoltaic Energy Conversion started in Valencia (Spain). The event brings together the three most important global scientific and strategic PV Conferences: the 25th European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference and Exhibition, the 36th US IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference and the 20th Asia/Pacific PV Science and Engineering Conference.
Giovanni de Santi, Director of the JRC Institute for Energy (IE), is chairing this event which will be attended by some 4,500 conference delegates and around 40,000 visitors for the PV industry exhibition where around 900 companies will display new trends and technologies.
07/09/10 View related content
EU leading the way in newly installed solar cells
The JRC's Institute for Energy (IE) published the ninth Annual Photovoltaics Status Report today. The study highlights that, in 2009, newly installed photovoltaic (PV) cells world-wide produced a peak amount of electricity estimated at 7.4 GW, out of which 5.8 GW was located in Europe. Similarly to previous years, this shows the EU's dominance in this field, where more than three quarters of the world's new PV modules were installed. By the end of 2009, Europe's cumulative installed PV electricity generation capacity (existing and newly installed) was 16 GW, which is about 70% of the world's total (22GW).
06/09/10 View related content
Supporting EU and International efforts to help Pakistan
The severe Monsoon floods that struck Pakistan have killed more than 1,600 people, affected about 20 million people (12% of total Pakistani population) and caused extensive damage to agricultural lands and infrastructure including houses.
In close cooperation with the EU Member States and the international community, the European Commission, through its offices for Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection (ECHO/MIC), is providing humanitarian relief and rescue expert support to assist the Pakistani authorities and the Pakistani population.
25/08/10 View related content
JRC monitors forest fires in Russia and quantifies effects
The
Institute for Environment and Sustainability of the European Commission's Joint Research Centre (JRC-IES) has analysed the occurrence and distribution of forest fires in the European part of Russia, since the beginning of July 2010. A series of maps shows the location of fires occurring from 1st of July, and notably during the more intense last two weeks, until the 12th of August 2010. It was quantified, how these fires potentially affected the areas impacted by the Chernobyl accident of the 26th of April 1986. The JRC-IES also analysed the impact of the recent fires on land cover and peat soils in this area.
19/08/10 View related content
Forest fire danger remains critical in Portugal
During the last weeks, Portugal has seen conditions of high and very high fire danger. These conditions that favour fire ignition and spread lead to a number of simultaneous forest fires in Northern Portugal. Fire danger forecast provided by the European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS) shows that fire danger conditions will continue to be critical in the next days, with a gradual decrease of fire danger though still remaining in the very high levels in large areas of the Iberian peninsula. A slight improvement is expected for 19 August.
13/08/10 View related content
Desertification: JRC-IES nominated UNCCD Regional Reference Center
The United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) has established 15 Reference Centres worldwide on the basis of their recognised experience in desertification and land degradation issues. This is done in order to implement country reporting guidelines and development activities for a new indicator-based monitoring and assessment process at regional, sub-regional and national levels. The DESERT Action at the JRC Institute for Environment and Sustainability (IES) was nominated as one of these Reference Centres. As such, it provides assistance to the countries of the UNCCD regional annexes for the Northern Mediterranean (Annex IV), Central and Eastern Europe (Annex V) and other affected country Parties (e.g. USA, Canada, Hungary).
12/08/10 View related content
Public consultation on indirect land use change and biofuels
The European Commission has launched a public consultation on indirect land use change and biofuels. Indirect land use change (ILUC) occurs when land formerly used for a food crop is turned over to production of biofuels. As a result, cultivation of the displaced food crop is often transferred to a location where land prices and the costs associated with agriculture are lower – this can be on grasslands and forested land. This is of concern because the deforestation and cultivation of virgin or semi-virgin land releases high levels of carbon previously held in soil and plants into the atmosphere. Subsequent use of nitrogen fertilizers on poorer soils would also lead to emissions of N2O from the soil.
The Commission has issued several studies on the topic. Interested parties are welcome to base their contributions on these studies, where comments on the underlying assumptions, data and methodology are of special interest, as well as on other analytical work. The Commission is also seeking advice on concrete policy options.
05/08/10 View related content
Crop forecast: average production in the EU despite extreme weather
Total cereal production in 2010 should be close to the average from the last five years. While the yield per hectare will be 5% above average, overall cultivated areas have decreased. This agricultural year has been marked by unusual scattered weather events ranging from severe rain shortage to floods. However, the impact of poor weather on crops in some areas of the EU has been offset in other areas.
The forecast published today by the JRC provides yield estimates for the main crops throughout the European Union and identifies the areas most affected by stress conditions.
04/08/10 View related content
Bisphenol A and baby bottles: challenges and perspectives
Bisphenol A (BPA) is extensively used in the synthesis of plastics and resins, implying a widespread consumer exposure through various products coming in contact with food, such as baby bottles or food cans. Despite several risk assessment studies performed over the last ten years by different regulatory bodies worldwide, there is so far no agreement about the impact of BPA on human health. The review report "Bisphenol A and baby bottles: challenges and perspectives", published by the JRC Institute for Health and Consumer Protection (IHCP), provides an overview of the issues at the base of the on-going debate and highlights some areas of uncertainty, which may be the subject of future investigations.
22/07/10 View related content
Proposals for enhancing confidence in financial services
On 12 July the European Commission proposed changes to existing European rules to further improve protection for bank account holders. The JRC has contributed to the development of this directive proposal which amends existing European rules on deposit protection. In cooperation with the European Federation of Deposit Insurers, scientists at the JRC conducted an impact assessment of the proposed changes and of possible criteria to determine individual banks’ contributions to the guarantee funds based on their risk profiles.
The directive proposal amends current European rules on Deposit Guarantee Schemes to further enhance the protection offered to bank account holders. It aims to assure better coverage, faster payouts, less red tape, better information and long term responsible financing.
14/07/10 View related content
Biofuels sustainability: JRC methodology for calculating carbon stock changes
The JRC has substantially contributed to the new EU system established to ensure that European biofuels and bioliquids come from sustainable sources and meet the highest environmental standards. A key tool is the JRC's methodology to quantify changes to the amount of carbon in soils and biomass when land use changes as a result of biofuels production. This is an important factor in the sustainability assessment. The methodology follows the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) guidelines for national greenhouse gas inventories and is supported by comprehensive global data collected by the JRC. The methodology was the basis for the Commission decision on the guidelines for the calculation of land carbon stocks.
09/07/10 View related content
Hendrik Emons nominated Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry
Hendrik Emons, Head of the Reference Materials Unit at JRC
Institute for Reference Materials and Measurements (IRMM), has been become a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry. The Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) is the largest organisation in Europe for advancing the chemical sciences.
The Fellow designation is awarded in recognition of those who have made an outstanding contribution to either i) the advancement or application of chemical science, ii) the chemical science profession or iii) the management or direction of an organisation in which Chemical Science is important.
08/07/10 View related content
Share of renewables in new electricity generation capacity continues to rise
The "Renewable Energy Snapshots" report, published today by the JRC's
Institute for Energy (IE), shows that renewable energy sources accounted for 62% (17GW) of the new electricity generation capacity installed in the EU27 in 2009. The share rose from 57% in 2008. For the second year running, wind energy accounted for the largest share of the new capacity: 10.2 GW out of the 27.5 GW built, representing 38% of the total. In absolute terms, renewables produced 19.9% of Europe's electricity consumption last year.
If current growth rates are maintained, in 2020 up to 1400 TWh of electricity could be generated from renewable sources, the report concludes. This would account for approximately 35-40% of overall electricity consumption in the EU, depending on the success of community policies on electricity efficiency, and would contribute significantly to the fulfilment of the 20% target for energy generation from renewables.
05/07/10 View related content
A call for integrity, openness, clarity and public engagement
The JRC and the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) have issued a call to scientists and policy-makers for integrity, openness, clarity and public engagement. Representatives from both organisations made the plea on 3 July at a session of Euroscience Open Forum 2010 in Turin, Italy. The recommendations reflect the findings of a workshop last fall at the JRC’s Ispra site where 21 high-profile science and technology leaders gathered to discuss the use and misuse of science in policy-making. The specialists, each with pertinent experience in real-life scientific support to policy-making, offered advice on best practices and pitfalls in science policy on both sides of the Atlantic.
03/07/10 View related content
New JRC strategy: reinforced scientific support to EU policy-making
The JRC has today published its new strategy for the period 2010-2020. It envisages reinforced scientific support to EU policy-making based on assessments of policy options identified in close collaboration with the Commission's policy Directorates-General.
Many of the complex challenges ahead cut across traditional policy boundaries and require multi-disciplinary research. In order to deliver the best support, the JRC will focus its efforts on seven thematic areas, which respond to major EU and global challenges and take into account the JRC's proven competences.
02/07/10 View related content
Size matters: towards a definition of nanomaterials for regulatory purposes
Despite the growing utilisation of engineered nanomaterials in consumer products and innovative technological applications, there is at present no widely accepted definition of the term "nanomaterial" that is suitable as a basis for legislation on their safe use. Responding to a request of the European Parliament, the JRC published today a reference report entitled "Considerations on a definition of nanomaterial for regulatory purposes".
The report discusses possible elements of a definition aiming at reducing ambiguity and confusion for regulators, industry and the general public. It recommends that the specific term “particulate nanomaterial” should be employed in legislation to avoid inconsistencies with other definitions and that size should be used as the only defining property.
02/07/10 View related content
July / August issue of the JRC newsletter
The July / August edition of the JRC Newsletter has been published and can be
downloaded here. It features an editorial by Roland Schenkel, Director General of the JRC, on the organisation's newly adopted strategy for 2010 - 2020.
This month's issue also has news on such diverse topics as R&D investment trends in the ICT sector, a new Europe-wide power grid model, new technologies for nuclear safeguards or actions towards limitations in the CO2 emmissions and fuel consumption of trucks and buses.
01/07/10 View related content
Institute reports of IES and IPSC available
The
annual report 2009 of the Institute for the Protection and Security of the Citizen (IPSC) and the new brochure of the JRC Institute for Environment and Sustainability (IES),
‘Science for the environment’, are now available.
The IES brochure gives an insight into many activities and achievements of the IES over the past two years. It is divided into four main chapters dealing with environmental issues associated with prosperity, security, solidarity and those which have a global perspective. The IPSC Annual report highlights the major achievements and resources related to the Institute's work during 2009. An overview is given of IPSC mission and its implementation, the scientific activities and the relations with the outside world.
28/06/10 View related content
Dr. Killian Halpin re-elected Chairperson of the JRC Board of Governors
Dr. Killian Halpin (Ireland) was re-elected Chairperson of the JRC Board of Governors at its last meeting in Oslo (Norway) on Thursday 17 June 2010. This will be Dr. Halpin's second three-year term of service as the Chairperson.
On the same occasion, the JRC Board of Governors elected Ms. Kerstin Eliasson (Sweden) as Deputy Chairperson and Dr. Hans Peter Jensen (Denmark) as Delegate to the High Level Users Group.
The JRC Board of Governors assists and advises the Director-General and the Commission on matters relating to the strategic role of the JRC and its scientific, technical and financial management. The Board consists of high-level representatives from the EU Member States and FP7 Associated Countries. They are nominated by the Commission upon designation of the country's authorities.
24/06/10 View related content
Enterprise Search Solutions market could see annual growth of up to 15%
The Enterprise Search Solution (ESS) market, a digital services market for the easy retrieval of information within organisations, was worth 831 million Euros in 2008 and has the potential to grow between 10% and 15% every year until 2013, according to a new report published by the JRC's Institute for Prospective Technological Studies (IPTS). The catalytic effect on other markets brought about by this growth is likely to be significant. The report titled, "Economic Trends in Enterprise Search Solutions", highlights how this technology is key to increasing the competitiveness of the digital economy as it renders business more efficient particularly in data-intensive companies. The report reviews the techno-economic developments in the ESS and forecasts a further consolidation of existing ESS actors. In addition, technical and business alliances involving major European players are also likely to occur, allowing for the pooling of resources for R&D on promising technologies.
23/06/10 View related content
Information exchange event JRC-Norway
The JRC, together with the Research Council of Norway, organised an Information Exchange Event in Oslo on 18 June, which was held at the CIENS (Oslo Centre for Interdisciplinary Environment and Social research).
Speakers from the JRC and from Norway presented their main activities in fields of common interest, in particular energy and climate change. The programme focused more specifically on environmental friendly energy research.
22/06/10 View related content
JRC-China symposium on research collaboration at World Expo in Shanghai
In the frame of the World Expo 2010, taking place in Shanghai from May to October 2010, the JRC and its partners - including the Chinese Academy of Science, Tongji University, China Atomic Energy Agency – have presented and debated ongoing research in the fields of disaster management and nuclear energy. The event was opened by Stephan Lechner, Director of the JRC
Institute for Protection and Security of the Citizen, and Guo Huadong, Director General of the Centre for Earth Observation and Digital Earth, Chinese Academy of Sciences and addressed an audience of 150
distinguished participants from research bodies, industry and government agencies.
18/06/10 View related content
American Nuclear Society award for JRC-ITU paper
Vincenzo Rondinella, Dimitrios Papaioannou, Ramil Nasyrow and Jean-Paul Glatz from the JRC
Institute for Transuranium Elements (ITU) received, together with their co-authors, the 2009 Significant Contribution Award by the
Materials Science and Technology Division of the American Nuclear Society for their paper entitled "Characterization of Metallic Fuel for the Transmutation of Minor Actinides in Fast Reactor".
The Significant Contribution Award recognizes the authors who presented the best materials-oriented paper at either the Annual or Winter ANS Meetings in the field of materials science and technology contributing to the development of nuclear energy.
17/06/10 View related content
Working towards more sustainable fisheries in the Mediterranean
In May 2010, Member States' data on commercial fish stocks in the Mediterranean, together with data on effort trends and landings at fleet level were assembled by the JRC's
Institute for the Protection and Security of the Citizen (IPSC) through its dedicated fisheries data collection web site. Thanks to the JRC's persistent efforts and quality checks, more complete and reliable data is now available to support sound scientific advice in fisheries management. Despite shortcomings in the compliance with data call rules, the JRC's scientists were able to provide the
Scientific, Technical and Economic Committee for Fisheries (STECF) working group for the Mediterranean with an increased amount of quality data on stocks compared with previous years.
17/06/10 View related content
International workshop on exposure science and toxicity testing
On 16-17 June 2010, over 150 representatives from academia, industry and regulatory authorities will meet for the annual "International workshop on integrating new advances in exposure science and toxicity testing" in Stresa, Italy. The workshop, which is organised by both the JRC and the International Council of Chemical Associations’ Long-Range Research Initiative (ICCA-LRI), will consider the application of integrated approaches to the design, evaluation, and health risk management of chemicals. This workshop will also provide a venue to evaluate how communication between scientists, decision makers and stakeholders, including the public, can be improved to yield better chemical management policies. The event will be co-chaired by Maurice Whelan from the JRC's
Institute for Health and Consumer Protection and Annette Guiseppi-Elie from DuPont, USA.
The ICCA-LRI is a partnership that facilitates collaboration among the independently managed LRI research programs of the American Chemistry Council (ACC), the European Chemical Industry Council (Cefic), and the Japan Chemical Industry Association (JCIA). Initiated in 2005, ICCA-LRI workshops offer dynamic forums to foster interactions among researchers and stakeholders, to stimulate discussions that can improve the scientific basis for policy-making, and to support consensus building that can advance risk and safety assessments for chemicals.
16/06/10 View related content
Safeguarding the reprocessing of spent fuel
On 15 June, the
JRC Institute for Transuranium Elements , the Directorate-General for Energy and the
International Atomic Energy Agency celebrated the 10th anniversary of the On Site Laboratories at the nuclear reprocessing plants of Sellafield (UK) and La Hague (France).
The JRC operates the On Site Laboratories at reprocessing plants in the nuclear sites of Sellafield and La Hague to analyse samples of spent fuel in situ. The throughput of these plants represents 80% of the world's reprocessed spent nuclear fuel, which is verified by European Commission inspectors and supported by JRC scientists in order to assure its compliance with nuclear safeguards. Thanks to its expertise in this field, the JRC was involved in the set up of the only other similar facility in the world which is located (outside the EU) in Rokkasho (Japan). In addition, the JRC also provides training to Euratom and the International Atomic Energy Agency's (IAEA) safeguards inspectors.
15/06/10 View related content
Researching the threat of emerging pollutants
On 10 June, a collaboration agreement between the JRC and the NORMAN association (Network of Reference Laboratories for Monitoring of Emerging Environmental Pollutants) was signed in Stresa, Italy to improve coordination of research on "emerging pollutants". The signing took place at the joint JRC-NORMAN workshop on river-basin specific pollutants in the context of the European Water Framework Directive.
The main scope of this important collaboration is to enhance the impact and effectiveness of national efforts in generating information about the environmental occurrence and effects of new or so-called emerging pollutants. This is pivotal in deepening the understanding of the scientific, economic and social issues related to new and less-investigated chemicals entering our natural resources.
14/06/10 View related content
JRC re-news commitment to standardisation activities
Roland Schenkel, Director General of the JRC, and Elena Santiago Cid, Director General of the European Committee for Standardization and the European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardization, expressed their mutual desire to continue their cooperation in the field of standardisation and pre-normative and co-normative research by signing a renewed collaboration agreement.
Formal cooperation between the two organisation dates back to 1998. The JRC's work supports the establishment of European and worldwide standards in many areas, including safety and quality of food and feed, GMO's, safety of chemicals, air, water and soil quality, spatial data infrastructures, energy or construction codes in the building sector.
11/06/10 View related content
Commission sets up system for certifying sustainable biofuels
The Commission decided today to encourage industry, governments and NGOs to set up sustainability certification schemes for all types of biofuels, including those imported into the EU, by adopting important explanatory communications on the sustainability scheme, and a decision on a carbon stock guideline which lay down what the schemes must do to be recognised by the Commission. This will help implement the EU's requirements that biofuels must deliver substantial reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and should not come from forests, wetlands and nature protection areas.
The rules for certification schemes are part of a set of guidelines required by the Renewable Energy Directive to explain how the sustainability requirements should be implemented. The JRC, through its Biofuels Task Force, provided significant input for the formulation of the communications, assisting for example the Commission in designing implementing measures and procedures for the calculation of GHG emissions of biofuel and bioliquids pathways.
10/06/10 View related content
JRC-China collaboration for consumer protection kicked off in Shanghai
The Chinese Academy of Inspection and Quarantine and the JRC Institute for Health and Consumer Protection (IHCP) have kicked off collaboration to support risk management and improve consumer protection through new approaches in the areas of nanotechnology and alternative methods to animal testing. On 6 June, the organisations have signed a Memorandum of Understanding at the occasion of the EU-China Food Safety Scientific Seminar at the Shanghai World Expo. Both institutions provide technical support for policy makers and aim to reinforce their co-operation in scientific research for consumer products safety.
07/06/10 View related content
JRC Information Exchange Day in Spain
The JRC, together with the European Union Satellite Centre (Torrejón), hosted an Information Exchange Day with Spanish stakeholders in Madrid on 2 June. More than 100 high-level participants from government, research and industry gained insight into the JRC's new ten-year strategy and work done by the JRC Institutes for Prospective Technological Studies (IPTS), Health and Consumer Protection (IHCP) and Protection and Security of the Citizen (IPSC).
Speaking at the event, Spanish Secretary of State for Research Dr. Felipe Pétriz Calvo praised the valuable research done by the JRC and expressed his wish for an enhanced collaboration of Spanish institutions with the organisation.
The emphasis of the day's programme lay on the application of technology to address grand challenges facing society today. This included presentations by JRC speakers and partners on climate change, nanotechnology, remote sensing and applications such as the European Forest Fire and Drought Information Systems, agriculture and fisheries.
02/06/10 View related content
The race for environmentally friendly transportation
In the frame of the third edition of Aria Nuova, a public event organized by Autodromo di Monza and Regione Lombardia dedicated to environmentally friendly transport, a group of 20 journalists participated in the "Eco-race" (a competition with 10 cars running on alternative fuels/engines from Monza to Ispra and back, based on the best performance in terms of fuel consumption). Once in Ispra, the journalists visited the Vehicle Emission Laboratory at the JRC
Institute for Environment and Sustainability (IES). One of the cars participating in the race, a LPG vehicle, was then tested in VELA to measure its emissions and fuel consumption
31/05/10 View related content
JRC information events in Lithuania: opportunities for collaboration
The JRC and the Lithuanian Agency for Science, Innovation and Technology organised two information events in for Lithuanian scientists in Vilnius on 18-19 May. Such conferences are regularly organised in countries throughout Europe.
On 18 May, a seminar for young researchers aimed at raising awareness about JRC activities and career opportunities among young Lithuanian researchers. The audience of 60 Lithuanian PhD students had the opportunity to get an insight into JRC activities in support to EU policy making as well as to discuss opportunities for collaboration with the JRC. They also had the possibility to participate in a comprehensive workshop on job opportunities at the JRC where the new multi annual recruitment plan of the JRC was presented.
21/05/10 View related content
Water scarcity and droughts – a major concern for many areas in Europe
The European Commission published on 18 May a report on the progress of Member States in addressing water scarcity and droughts. Despite more rainfall in southern European countries in 2009 than in previous years, greater efforts are still needed to stop and reverse the over-exploitation of Europe's limited water resources. An effective water pricing policy, water efficiency and water saving measures are essential to ensure that Europe has enough good quality water to meet the needs of users and to face the challenges of a changing climate.
The JRC contributes to the Commission's preparatory activities in view of the 2012 water scarcity and droughts policy review with the development of the prototype of the European Drought Observatory. The European Drought Observatory (EDO) will give access to drought information from various sources from continental overview level to national and regional level through monitoring and detection of drought events, thus contributing to preparedness and early warning on droughts in Europe.
19/05/10 View related content
Innovation for a sustainable growth of maritime sectors
At the third edition of the European Maritime Day in Gijón ,Spain, scientists from the JRC's Institute for the Protection and Security of the Citizen (IPSC) will present the latest research developments for improved capabilities in maritime surveillance, with particular emphasis on information derived from satellite-based observations.
The Vessel Detection System (VDS), developed by the JRC-IPSC, is just one successful example of how satellite-based systems can help monitoring compliance with EU regulations at sea. By integrating vessels positions from different sources and comparing them with vessels detected on the satellite image, the VDS can facilitate the work of coastal guards by better targeting inspection areas. Since 2009, EU legislation foresees the use of VDS in contexts where its cost-effectiveness can be proven. From detecting illegal fishing vessels to oil spills monitoring and enhanced border security, technologies and concepts developed by the JRC-IPSC support the European Commission towards an integrated European maritime policy.
18/05/10 View related content
ICT account for 25% of total corporate R&D investment in Europe
The Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) sector is by far the largest investor in private research and development (R&D) in the EU, with 25% of total investment in 2007. According to a
new report published by the European Commission's Joint Research Centre, the ICT sector's leadership is due to its market dynamism, technological innovative capacity and the fact that ICT fosters competitiveness and productivity in the rest of the economy. In 2007, ICT companies employed 32% of the researchers working in the private sector and accounted for 4.8% of GDP in the EU, while in the US the percentage reached 6.4%.
12/05/10 View related content
The role of bioenergy in the energy system of the future
The 18th European biomass conference & exhibition, which took place in Lyon, France from 3 to 7 May, covered the entire range of bioenergy issues: resource availability, conversion technologies, demonstration projects, integration in the energy system, environmental impact and market deployment as well as the need for policy actions. The JRC Institute for Energy (IE) coordinated the technical programme of the event, which attracted more than 1000 delegates from 70 countries.
On 6 May, Giovanni de Santi, Director of JRC-IE, presented the Strategic Energy Technology Plan (SET-Plan) focusing on the JRC-run information system SETIS. This was followed by an interesting debate on the European Industrial Initiatives, and particularly on the European Industrial Bioenergy Initiative (EIBI).
07/05/10 View related content
JRC exhibition at the European Parliament
On 4 – 6 May, the JRC is hosting an exhibition of its activities at the European Parliament (EP) in Brussels. The exhibition was opened by Vice President of the EP Diana Wallis and EU Research Commissioner Máire Geoghegan-Quinn, who presented the just published Soil Atlas of the Northern Circumpolar Region. During the three days, leading scientists from the JRC Institutes demonstrate their work and discuss with Members of the EP and visitors how the JRC's research supports EU decision makers in the conception, development, implementation and assessment of EU policies.
Following the election of a new Parliament in 2009, the event offers the possibility to the MEPs to gain first-hand knowledge of the JRC's activities, which closely reflect many concerns of the citizen, particularly in such areas as energy, environment, nuclear safety and security, security and crisis management as well as consumer protection and food safety.
05/05/10 View related content
First Soil Atlas of the Northern Circumpolar Region published
The JRC Institute for Environment and Sustainability (IES) has published the first Soil Atlas of the Northern Circumpolar Region bringing together soil data for all the land masses above the latitude of 50° North. The maps describe the major soil types found in this region, together with their principal properties and characteristics, their main forming processes and their use.
Although representing only 15% of global land surface, the northernmost regions of our planet store more than half of the carbon present in the Earth's soils. So far, the public perception focuses on the melting of arctic ice as one of the indicators for climate change. However, 1700 billion tons of organic carbon are kept in the soils of the northern permafrost region and their thawing could lead to substantial release of green house gases into the atmosphere and would further increase global warming. The new Atlas is the first compilation providing all the available information on this carbon pool as well as other important data on northern soils. The atlas will therefore provide a valuable scientific input to climate change and sustainable development models.
04/05/10 View related content
Tackling climate change at local level
More than 500 European mayors are committing today to cut CO2 emissions by more than 20% by 2020. By signing the Covenant of Mayors, they pledge to save energy, foster renewable energy and raise awareness among their citizens. The Covenant of Mayors, an annual conference initiated by the European Commission in 2009, has already more than 1600 signatories in 36 countries representing 120 million citizens.
The JRC Institute for Energy (IE) provides the scientific and technical support to this initiative, with regard to the Sustainable Energy Action Plans (SEAPs) of the participating towns and cities. It has in particular analysed existing methodologies for SEAP elaboration and CO2 baseline emission inventories at local level and established guidelines on their implementation. The JRC analyses all submitted SEAPs, provides a helpdesk function for the signatories and monitors initially how the plans are put into practice.
04/05/10 View related content
JRC newsletter May / June: editorial by Jerzy Buzek
The May / June edition of the JRC Newsletter has been published and can be
downloaded here. It features an editorial from Jerzy Buzek, President of the European Parliament, on the role of research and innovation on the way towards a competitive and dynamic economy.
This month's issue also contains news about the just published Soil Atlas of the Northern Circumpolar Region as well as reports from the fields of food safety, disaster risk mitigation and response, energy, environment, nuclear research and more. The newsletter also lists 46 currently open positions for temporary scientific staff and trainees.
03/05/10 View related content
Nuclear safety: learning from others
On April 28-29, the EU Clearinghouse on operational experiences feedback of nuclear power plants organised a kick-off meeting its enlarged composition. Safety authorities from Bulgaria, France, Germany, Slovak Republic officialised their decision to participate to the EU Clearinghouse as observers.
The EU Clearinghouse, operated by a centralised office at JRC's Institute for Energy (IE), is a regional network of safety authorities and technical support organisations. Its main objective is to improve the safety of nuclear power plants by effectively and efficiently implementing the operational experience feedback.
03/05/10 View related content
John Bensted-Smith new Director of JRC-IPTS
As from 1 May, John Bensted-Smith has been appointed Director of the JRC Institute for Prospective Technological Studies (IPTS) in Seville, Spain. He has been working within the European Commission since 1983, most recently as Director responsible for International Affairs II, in particular enlargement, at the Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development. John Bensted-Smith succeeds Peter Kind, who is leaving the services of the Commission to enter into retirement.
The IPTS supports the formulation of EU policies by responding to policy challenges that have a socioeconomic as well as a scientific/technological dimension. The Institute provides its customers with forward looking techno-economic analysis, applying a broad range of expert based and quantitative methodologies.
01/05/10 View related content
Radioactive waste: majority of citizens in favour of European legislation
The European Commission has published today a Eurobarometer survey showing that an overwhelming majority of Europeans would find it useful to have European legislation on radioactive waste management. Due to the use of radioactive substances and materials also for medical applications and for research, the concern for the safety risk related to radioactive waste is shared both in countries with and without nuclear power plants .
Research plays a major role in addressing particular aspects of nuclear waste management and the monitoring and reduction of its environmental impact. It is primarily needed to reduce prediction uncertainties and thus increase general confidence. The JRC has a long-standing track record in independent and reliable research and science and technology assessment in the nuclear field, with a view to providing science-based options to address issues of nuclear stakeholders, public acceptance and policy concerns.
29/04/10 View related content
Energy security and the role of nuclear energy in Europe
A workshop for nuclear & energy security experts, organised by the JRC
Institute for Energy (IE) on 26-27 April, aimed to explore, discuss and debate the challenges and solutions for the global energy sector. While energy demand is still rising, the evidence is clear that CO2 emissions must be reduced globally. Abundant, affordable, and environmentally responsible energy must be developed to meet that demand. Nuclear power, as a secure alternative to fossil fuels, has technical risks and lack of public acceptance. How can it help Europe to solve the energy challenge?
29/04/10 View related content
Conference on remote sensing of the sea
The 4th "Oceans fom Space" conference from 26 - 30 April 2010 - organised by the JRC, the European Space Agency (ESA), the US Office of Naval Research, Global (ONRG), the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) - is gathering specialists and experts on remote sensing of the sea to address every facet of satellite oceanography, including missions, satellites, sensors, passive and active techniques, calibration and validation, algorithms and models. The emphasis of the symposium will be on the key information provided by satellites to promote a sustainable use of marine resources and to improve our knowledge of the role played by the oceans in regulating climate.
28/04/10 View related content
The BioSoil Demonstration Project: first findings
Thanks to the success of the BioSoil Demonstration Project, JRC scientists have concluded that large scale monitoring of soil conditions and biodiversity in forests is achievable. This goes part way towards fulfilling the main aims of the project: to provide harmonised soil and biodiversity data EU-wide, to evaluate the methodology of European soil and forest biodiversity monitoring programmes, and to provide a baseline to assess future trends in the soil condition and biodiversity of forests in the EU.
Soil characterisation data are essential to discover how an ecosystem works. Within the Forest Focus Biosoil project, participant countries have increased the range of forest monitoring activities (on atmospheric pollution and forest fires) by intensifying surveys on soil characteristics and forest biodiversity indicators.
23/04/10 View related content
JRC Annual report 2009 now available
The JRC Annual Report 2009, published today, provides an overview of the activities, accomplishments and resources related to the JRC’s work carried out in 2009.
In 2009, the JRC took on the challenge of reinvigorating its organisation by the creation of a new vision and strategy for 2010-2020, which are expected to be approved by mid-2010.
In this year’s Annual Report, various examples from the JRC's policy support work are presented, including actions in the field of crisis response as well as input to the various stages of the policy cycle, from anticipation and formulation to policy adoption, implementation and evaluation. The report also presents particular highlights of the JRC Institutes' work in 2009.
19/04/10 View related content
Dutch Minister for Foreign Affairs visists Energy Research Park Petten
Dutch minister for Foreign affairs Maxime Verhagen today visited the Energy Research Park in Petten, The Netherlands. On invitation by the Dutch Nuclear knowledge centre (NRG), the visit was primarily focussed on the Petten High Flux Reactor. However, the Minister was also highly interested in all other energy activities at the site.
Presentations from both the JRC Institute for Energy (IE) on the role of the JRC in supporting the development of European energy policy and from the Dutch Energy Research Centre (ECN) were well received by the Minister and members of his cabinet.
16/04/10 View related content
Hiroshima steel sample measurements help understanding exposure effects
Scientists at JRC's Institute for Reference Materials and Measurements (IRMM) have performed extremely low-level measurements of radioactivity in old steel samples from Hiroshima. These latest measurements provide robust support to Hiroshima dosimetry calculations, which are crucial for our knowledge about the effects of radiation on the human body.
The measurements were successful in resolving a pending discrepancy between computer models and previous measurements (which were almost a factor of 100 too high). The new results support the computer models, and thus provide greater confidence in the existing dosimetry system for radiation protection.
15/04/10 View related content
Initiatives for reduced energy consumption receive EU awards
The winners of the 2010 GreenLight and GreenBuilding awards save up to 85% of their energy consumption. During the "Improving Energy Efficiency in Commercial Buildings" conference in Frankfurt, 24 participants from all over Europe received recognition for their results or their innovative projects. These initiatives count over 700 participants in total, who save approximately 545 GWh each year. This is equivalent to the energy used by two mid-size European cities over the same period.
Managed by the JRC's Institute for Energy (IE), the GreenLight and GreenBuilding programmes are voluntary schemes that invite private and public organisations to reduce their energy consumption in their premises. GreenLight encourages partners to install energy-efficient lighting, while the GreenBuilding initiative promotes improved energy efficiency in buildings through several measures such as thermal insulation, efficient heating and cooling, intelligent control systems, solar panels etc.
14/04/10 View related content
Still places available for conference on inequality measurement
“Over the past two decades, the dominant pattern in OECD countries is one of a fairly widespread increase in income inequality”, says the Stiglitz report, completed in 2009 but based on data preceding the onset of the present crisis.
This if inequality increased in the past two decades, what happened in the three years since the global economic crisis struck? Are public finances and competitiveness the only dissonant elements of the EU fabric? Or is a social alarm likely? What will be the consequences of increased inequality (in wealth, health, education, employment) on the EU cohesion? What are the links between increasing citizens’ apathy toward EU policies and the perceived unfairness of the game?
To answer this question, the JRC Institute for the Protection and Security of the Citizen (IPSC) and other Commission services, in cooperation with the Maltese government and the Spanish Presidency of the EU, organises a two day conference on Inequality Measurement and the Progress of Society.
09/04/10 View related content
New Skills for New Jobs for a more competitive Europe
Organised under the Spanish EU Presidency on 8 and 9 April, the conference explores how to concretely advance a comprehensive skills and jobs agenda in the framework of the Europe 2020 Strategy, focusing both on skills upgrading in line with future needs, and the better matching of skills and jobs.
At the event, the JRC Institute for Prospective Technological Studies (IPTS) illustrates the key findings of its research on the role of ICT for socio-economic inclusion of youth at risk and migrants, in support of the flagship initiative "An agenda for new skills and jobs". In particular, IPTS scientists present the key challenges in education and training, skilling and employment for three key population groups: young people; migrants and ethnic minorities and women carers, and illustrate how ICT can support in addressing these challenges.
08/04/10 View related content
Prospects of mobile search
Mobile search is likely to become an attractive expansion market: by 2012, there will be an estimated five billion subscriptions to mobile telephony. By the end of 2013, broadband mobile connections will account for more than half of all connections and 40% of all subscribers will be using mobile internet. The report “Prospects of Mobile Search”, established with input from the JRC’s Institute for Prospective Technological Studies (IPTS), aims to understand how mobile search will impact Europe's economy and society. It also explores possible strategies for the EU to take a lead in upcoming technological developments and business opportunities. The report concludes by presenting some policy recommendations in view of the likely socio-economic implications of mobile search in Europe.
07/04/10 View related content
New tool to measure rural poverty: robustness assessment by the JRC
Scientists at the JRC's Institute for the Protection and Security of the Citizen (IPSC) carried out an independent analysis and provided recommendations for additional improvements to the United Nations' International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) Multidimensional Poverty Assessment Tool (MPAT) framework and surveys. This analysis also statistically confirmed the suitability of using a thematic indicator, as opposed to a composite indicator, and verified the overall robustness of MPAT’s architecture.
MPAT is a multi-purpose tool that can be used to assess and support rural poverty alleviation efforts in developing countries. This survey-based (household and village level) thematic indicator is primarily designed to support monitoring and evaluation, targeting, and prioritisation efforts at the local level.
30/03/10 View related content
Global Forest Resources Assessment 2010: key findings
On 25 March, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) published the key findings of the Global Forest Resources Assessment 2010 (FRA 2010), concluding that world deforestation, mainly the conversion of tropical forests to agricultural land, has decreased over the past ten years but continues at an alarmingly high rate in many countries. FRA 2010 is the most comprehensive assessment of forests and forestry to date - not only in terms of the number of countries and people involved - but also in terms of scope. It examines the current status and recent trends for about 90 variables covering the extent, condition, uses and values of forests and other wooded land, with the aim of assessing all benefits from forest resources.
29/03/10 View related content
Measuring European Innovation
The JRC's
Institute for the Protection and Security of the Citizen (IPSC) provided statistical support to the ninth edition of the European Innovation Scoreboard (EIS), published on 17 March by the European Commission. The EIS 2009 shows that the current economic crisis may be hampering the progress in innovation performances achieved by most EU Member States up till 2008. Member States with lower levels of innovation performance seem to be the worst hit, potentially reversing the convergence process witnessed over recent years. The latest statistics show also that the EU is no longer catching up with the US in innovation performance, although it maintains a clear lead over emerging economies.
18/03/10 View related content
Haiti: new atlas shows building damage ten times higher than thought
A comprehensive atlas of all damage caused in Haiti by the magnitude 7.0 earthquake on 12 January 2010 is now available to help planning recovery and reconstruction measures. The atlas, based on the comparison between pre-disaster satellite imagery and post-disaster aerial photos, provides an overview of building damage in the main affected cities in Haiti showing that almost 60,000 buildings were either destroyed or very heavily damaged.
Residential buildings and buildings in slums bore the worst damage, particularly in Port-Au-Prince, Carrefour, Delmas and Leogane communes. The damage is now assessed to be ten times higher than first estimates given immediately after the event, which can be attributed to the availability of better resolution airborne data.
17/03/10 View related content
JRC and ENEA strengthen science & technology collaboration
The JRC and the Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development (ENEA) have today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). This agreement promotes collaboration in scientific and technology areas such as energy, environment, security, high performance scientific computing and nuclear security.
Building on a longstanding scientific relationship and the shared objective of research, both organisations have identified in particular the following areas of common interest: energy, nuclear security, environment, security of critical infrastructures, as well as high performance scientific computing.
17/03/10 View related content
Determining the source of plutonium contamination
A paper published in February by scientists from the JRC Institute for Reference Materials and Measurements (IRMM) represents a significant advance in the 'fingerprinting' of plutonium contamination, giving nuclear safety and safeguards authorities more information on how nuclear material was produced and helping to identify sources of environmental contamination.
Using a technique known as Thermal Ionization Mass Spectrometry (TIMS), the researchers measured the ratio of plutonium isotopes with unprecedented accuracy in reference samples obtained from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology, and also on soil and moss samples collected from the site of the Chernobyl accident.
16/03/10 View related content
Lifecycle Thinking: reducing the environmental impact of products
The European Commission today launched a guide for policy-makers and business on how to assess the environmental impact of products. The guidance is part of the Commission's drive to promote more sustainable consumption and production patterns and reduce Europe's environmental footprint.
The products we buy and use everyday contribute to our comfort and well-being. However, they also contribute to environmental problems such as climate change, air and water pollution and the depletion of natural resources.
Businesses are increasingly turning to Life Cycle Thinking and Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) in order to improve the environmental profile of their products and supply chains, thus gaining competitive advantages. Public bodies are also using LCA to help assess policy options and support measures for promoting greener products such as ecolabels, ecodesign, green public procurement and better waste management.
12/03/10 View related content
March / April issue of the JRC newsletter
The March / April edition of the JRC Newsletter has been published and can be
downloaded here. It features an editorial from Cristina Garmendia Mendizábal, Spanish Minister for Science and Innovation, on the EU innovation plan and the related efforts of the Spanish EU presidency.
This month's issue also contains news about the nomination of the EU Research Commissioner Máire Geoghegan-Quinn and the new Deputy Director-General of the JRC as well as reports from the fields of energy, environment, nuclear research and more.
05/03/10 View related content
EU and US discuss Critical Infrastructure Protection
The European Commission and the EU Presidency organised the first EU-US expert meeting on Critical Infrastructure Protection in Madrid on 4-5 March. The meeting brought together almost 100 experts from the EU Member States, the US and the European Economic Area countries, and constituted the opening event for the future EU – US cooperation process in the field of Critical Infrastructure Protection.
At the event, the JRC Institute for the Protection and Security of the Citizen (IPSC) presented the principles behind the identification of European critical infrastructures. The JRC-IPSC carries out research work in support to European policies in this field by providing policy makers and stakeholders with information, instruments and methods for the identification of critical infrastructures, for a better understanding of the risks, for the qualitative and quantitative evaluation of the security issues as well as for the determination of the security condition of systems.
05/03/10 View related content
Science in schools: a day at the JRC
On Monday 1 March, the JRC's Ispra site in Northern Italy hosted 1000 young guests from 23 different schools. The day's programme, tailored according to the needs of each school and age category, included 18 laboratory visits, from vehicle emissions to the European Laboratory for Structural Assessment and 11 seminars, on topics such as the traceability of animals or radioactivity in the environment. The pupils and students were between 10 and 18 years old and their feedback indicates that the day was a real success. Quite a few of the young visitors even indicated they may be seriously considering a future career in science and technology.
02/03/10 View related content
JRC Publications Repository online
The JRC launched today the Internet version of its Publications Repository. Bibliographic data of almost 10000 articles and papers representing a wealth of knowledge are now available to the public. In addition, more than 1700 technical reports (EUR series) are freely available for download.
Publications can be found by free-text search, or advanced search based on bibliographic data. The publications can be browsed by JRC Institute, publication year, author, or title and cross-links are supplied to find all works of a particular author.
01/03/10 View related content
Visit of Commissioner Geoghegan-Quinn to JRC-IRMM
As one of her first activities since taking office on 10 February, newly appointed European Commissioner for Research, Innovation and Science Máire Geoghegan-Quinn today visited the JRC Institute for Reference Materials and Measurement (IRMM) in Geel, Belgium.
"I am delighted to be today at the Joint Research Centre and have the opportunity to witness personally the superb quality of the scientific support provided by its staff. It is reassuring to know that the European Commission can count on the scientific expertise of the JRC during the policy making process", said the Commissioner.
25/02/10 View related content
Nuclear physics unveils secrets of Bronze Age sword
Physicists at the JRC Institute for Reference Materials and Measurements (IRMM) have helped unveil the secrets of a Bronze Age sword with neutron beams otherwise used to study materials for nuclear reactors. The work was carried out by a team of European researchers investigating the application of modern scientific methods to cultural heritage objects.
Scientists at the IRMM studied the composition of the Buggenum sword using pulsed neutron beams as part of the European-funded project ANCIENT CHARM. In close collaboration with scientists from the Delft University of Technology, ten scientific institutes and museums collaborated to improve and develop certain neutron-based non-destructive analytical and imaging methods for cultural heritage objects.
25/02/10 View related content
Robert-Jan Smits appointed Deputy Director General of JRC
The European Commission has today appointed Robert-Jan Smits as Deputy Director General of the JRC. He follows Anneli Pauli, who had left the JRC to become Deputy Director General of the Commission's Research Directorate-General.
Robert-Jan Smits is the Director for the European Research Area: Research Programmes and Capacity at the Commission's Research Directorate-General, where his current responsibilities include: joint programming, coordination of national research programmes, cooperation with intergovernmental research organisations (EIROforum, EUREKA, COST), research infrastructures, regions of knowledge, research potential and the relations with the European Investment Bank (EIB).
24/02/10 View related content
Call for papers: workshop on the internationalisation of R&D
The JRC is organising a two-day workshop on the internationalisation of Research and Development (R&D), in cooperation with Turkish partners METU TEKPOL (Middle East Technical University Science and Technology Policies Research Centre) and TUBITAK (The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey). This workshop will take place in Ankara (Turkey) on the 25th and 26th of May 2010. Abstracts for participation in the event can be submitted until 31 March 2010.
The aim of the
Workshop on the Internationalisation of R&D and Policy Outcomes at Governmental and Institutional Level is to identify the challenges faced by the internationalization of R&D and increased collaboration both at public and private level.Over the two days of the workshop, there will be plenary presentations by invited speakers, as well as poster sessions, where participants will have the opportunity to present related research activities. JRC Enlargement and Integration funding will assure participation of representatives from the enlargement and neighbourhood countries. The event will have a strong policy orientation and is targeted both at policy makers and at the research community.
24/02/10 View related content
ICT for energy efficiency
The second edition of the high level event on ICT for energy efficiency is organised by the European Commission's Information Society and Media Directorate-General, in cooperation with the Spanish Presidency of the European Union.
The JRC plays a significant role in supporting energy efficiency policies, through the development of voluntary energy efficiency standards (codes of conduct) for ICT equipment manufacturers and service providers. This includes for example external power supplies, digital TV equipment (set top boxes), uninterruptible Power systems, broadband equipment and data centres. The JRC
Institute for Energy (IE) is presenting its activities at this event.
23/02/10 View related content
Detecting food crises
Satellite observation is the key instrument that will allow to double in 2010 the number of countries monitored in real time for detecting first indications of adverse agricultural outcomes. The new Integrated Phase Classification (IPC) system facilitates and accelerates the reaction time in responding to food security crises by providing a common and internationally recognised classification of their severity.
The JRC, the
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the
American Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET) are working to innovate and reinforce their food security monitoring systems and to develop more efficient early warning tools. These efforts come as a response to the 2007-2008 global food crises that significantly increased the number of countries under threat of famine.
22/02/10 View related content
EU and US scientists discuss nuclear waste management
While in the US the Obama administration has said it will abandon the nuclear waste disposal project at Yucca Mountain and has set up a "blue-ribbon" commission on America's future management of nuclear waste, in Europe, two countries (Sweden and Finland) have already selected a disposal site for nuclear waste and France will specify a location by 2013. In a number of other European countries (e.g. Switzerland and UK), geological disposal is the reference management option and things are moving forward to the site selection stage.
20/02/10 View related content
Smarter power grids needed
A recent report by the Joint Research Centre (JRC) on transmission network planning and grid controlling underlines that a radical change, in coordinated network planning and operation, is needed to accommodate market liberalisation and the increasing integration of renewable power sources. Smarter power grids have a central role in moving Europe towards a low carbon energy economy, as underlined by the European Union's
Strategic Energy Technology Plan Information System (SETIS) , led by the JRC.
19/02/10 View related content
Nuclear verification: new facility for trace analysis
To further strengthen its activities in the detection of single uranium particles, the JRC and Euratom Safeguards have decided to jointly establish a high-sensitivity particle analysis laboratory. The new laboratory's core facility will be a large geometry secondary ion mass spectrometer (LG-SIMS) for trace analysis of aerosol particles. It will allow the detection speed and sensitivity of nuclear material to be increased by at least a factor of ten. The minor isotopes of uranium will become accessible, which is important for identifying the source of the material.
19/02/10 View related content
Launch of the JRC Enlargement and Integration Action 2010
In support of the EU enlargement and integration, the JRC promotes the integration of organisations and experts from the two new Member States Bulgaria and Romania as well as candidate countries, potential candidate countries and non EU countries associated to FP7 within its research and technical activities. To some extent, partner countries under the European Neighbourhood Policy can participate as well.
The JRC Enlargement and Integration Action is promoting training, mobility and joint projects addressing specific needs of these countries and regions. Focus is on complex scientific and technical (S&T) issues underpinning EU legislation in areas such as sustainable energy, biotechnology, nuclear safety and security, food safety and quality, environment.
12/02/10 View related content
Enhanced scientific cooperation with Serbia
The JRC promotes, as part of its mission, collaboration with organisations and researchers from potential EU candidates. In this context, the JRC has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Serbian Ministry of Science and Technological Development. A Serbian delegation, led by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Science, Božidar Đelić, took part today in the signature of the agreement at the JRC headquarters in Brussels.
The aim of this collaboration is to co-ordinate as far as possible the research activities in the fields of common interest, such as: environment, food safety and quality, energy agriculture and nuclear safety.
11/02/10 View related content
February edition of the JRC newsletter
The February edition of the JRC Newsletter has been published and can be
downloaded here. It features an editorial from Enrico Predazzi, Chairman of ESOF 2010, on the preparation of this conference that will take place in Torino on July.
This month's issue also contains an account of the annual JRC Excellence Awards ceremony, news on JRC's support to the relief efforts in Haiti, on international collaboration for early warning systems and from the European Solar Test Installation, new data on persistent organic pollutants and much more.
05/02/10 View related content
Still places available for participants to Policy Forum of Concord 2010
The deadline for registration to participate in the Policy Forum of the European Conference on Corporate Research and Development (CONCORD-2010), focussing on Corporate R&D – An engine for growth, a challenge for European policy, to be held in Seville, Spain on 4 March 2010 has been extended to 15 February.
This conference, organised by the JRC Institute for
Prospective Technological Studies (IPTS) and the Spanish Centre for Development of Industrial Technology (CDTI) in close collaboration with the Commission's Directorate-Generals Research and Enterprise and Industry, is one of the highlights of the Spanish EU Presidency Programme in the fields of research and innovation.
04/02/10 View related content
Reliability of the 2010 Environmental Performance Index
The JRC's Institute for the Protection and Security of the Citizen (IPSC) has provided input to the 2010 Environmental Performance Index (EPI) released by Yale and Columbia University at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting, 27-31 January 2010 in Davos.
With its expertise on composite indicators and sensitivity analysis, the JRC-IPSC has contributed to the EPI by evaluating the uncertainties underlying the index and the sensitivity of the country rankings to the methodological choices made during the development of the Index. This is the third edition of the EPI, which has been revisited biannually since 2006 with the collaboration of JRC-IPSC.
03/02/10 View related content
Policy support on assessment of nanomaterials under REACH
The current EU chemicals legislation REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemical substances) and the related guidance documents apply to, but do not specifically address nanomaterials. Therefore, the European Commission's Directorate General for Environment requested the JRC Institute for Health and Consumer Protection (IHCP) to coordinate three projects to develop advice for possible future modifications in the REACH guidance documents.
The new projects deal with Substance Identification, Information Requirements and Chemical Safety Assessment. The projects' steering group consists of the JRC, the Commission's Directorates General for Environment and for Enterprise & Industry as well as the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA). The final output of the projects will be considered by ECHA, responsible for potential REACH guidance updates.
02/02/10 View related content
Green light for new constructions at Ispra site
Today, the European Parliament budgetary committee gave the green light for the construction of two new buildings at the JRC's Ispra site. The EP's positive opinion, following that of the Council, effectively clears the way towards the signature of the construction contract in the coming weeks, allowing works to start shortly afterwards.
This project is probably the largest infrastructure effort at Ispra ever since the construction of the Ispra-1 and ESSOR reactors some 50 years ago. The new buildings should accommodate, from 2012 on, about 400 staff of the
Institutes for Environment and Sustainability (IES) and for
Health and Consumer Protection (IHCP). They will be erected simultaneously in the heart of the so-called future "science zone", and will provide a net surface area of 10,000 square metres for offices, laboratories and meeting space.
27/01/10 View related content
New data on persistent organic pollutants
Measurements of Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) were carried out by the JRC's Institute for Environment and Sustainability (IES) within the framework of the environmental assessment of European waste and sustainable use of resources. Emission factors were provided for POPs' from three specific activities in developing countries, where no data had previously been available: brick production, open cooking with biomass and the use of simple stoves. A study on the impact of brick production on nearby soil quality was also included. Final reporting will be made through EU reports, which will be published on the webpage of the Stockholm Convention Secretariat.
21/01/10 View related content
Haiti earthquake: first damage assessment in support of relief efforts
More than 4000 physical structures were destroyed or damaged in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, by the magnitude 7 earthquake that struck the country on 12 January 2010. About 2000 residential buildings have partially or totally collapsed and the same number of buildings shows severe damage. A number of critical infrastructures such as government buildings, educational structures and hospitals have collapsed or are severely damaged. These are the preliminary findings of a
rapid damage assessment carried out by the JRC based on the analysis of very high resolution satellite imagery acquired before and after the disaster.
15/01/10 View related content
January issue of the JRC Newsletter
The January edition of the JRC Newsletter has been published and can be
downloaded here. It features an editorial from Killian Halpin, Chairman of the JRC Board of Governors, on the JRC's efforts to define a new corporate strategy.
This month's issue also contains news on potential economic impacts of global warming, the positive effects of EU energy efficiency measures, chemicals in ground water, the 2009 regional innovation scoreboard and much more.
05/01/10 View related content
Re-organisation of JRC corporate services
The European Commission has decided a significant reorganisation of the JRC's horizontal services. Taking effect on 1 January, the reorganisation aims to streamline these services and in doing so, making them more efficient. A clearer separation of centralised and decentralised tasks, in particular in the areas of human resource management and finance, is for example aiming at more efficient and timely recruitment of specialized staff.
Other changes include the creation of a new Unit "Knowledge Management and Evaluation" in the Programmes and Stakeholder Relations Directorate, and the merging of the two former "Work Programme" Units 'EC' and 'Euratom') into a single one. The
detailed organisational chart is available on the JRC website.
05/01/10 View related content
