Call for exhibition applicants – Deadline 7 June 2013

Do you have a specific topic to propose for discussion? Bid for a dedicated networking slot at the event! Propose a topic for a Horizon 2020-related networking session. Deadline: 10 May

The European Commission and The European Travel Agents' and Tour Operators' Associations (ECTAA) are asking tour operators, travel agents to promote the pan-European emergency number '112' on their websites, on e-tickets, and at major tourist destinations.

A European passenger car talking to a US pick-up truck is shown at a joint EU-US stand at the current World Congress on Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) in Vienna. The European Car sends an Emergency Electronic Brake Light message to the pick-up which understands it and warn its driver about the emergency braking ahead. Although both cars involved in this ‘cooperative mobility’ instance do not exactly 'speak' the same language, they can 'understand' each other thanks to EU-US harmonization efforts carried out over the past three years with the aim to bring these systems more quickly and cost-efficiently onto the roads. The joint EU-US efforts allow the use of the same communication hardware (platform) on both sides of the Atlantic, resulting in a decrease of system costs for carmakers, quicker deployment of applications based on car-to-car communication and finally lower costs for vehicle buyers. The platform can be used for a host of other messages as well, and it goes without saying that it also works in the other direction (US vehicle to EU vehicle), i.e. it is fully bi-directional.

Mr Koichi Sakai, from the Japanese Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport & Tourism, joins the European Commission, DG CONNECT, for 6 months, as of 1st of October 2012, to enhance the EU-Japan cooperation in the field of Intelligent Transport Systems research.

RegioNetwork is an on-line collaboration platform for representatives of European regions and others who are interested in the European Union's regional policy. The platform offers you the possibility to participate to various groups on different topics (such as eHealth, Smart Cities, Jobs and Growth, Public Services, etc) to share your good practices, to check what's going on in your region or to tell people what you are doing in your region and to follow/interact with people. Don't miss this opportunity to discover what's around the corner and express yourself!

The on-going EU-funded OpEneR project works to increase the driving range in fully electric vehicles (FEV). During the first year of the project two fully electric prototype cars were built. Read more on the successful OpEneR project in their brochure .

The ICT Proposers' Day on the 26-27 of September is getting closer. You can already go get a head start on networking on the online platform that is now open. Here also the ICT Work Programme for 2013 will be presented and you have the opportunity to present your project ideas as well as get guidance on proposals. For the 2013 Work Programme our unit is involved in three objectives that are 3.1 Nanoelectronics , 3.3 Heterogeneous Integration and take-up of Key Enabling Technologies for Components and Systems and 6.7 Electro-mobility . In case you have any questions you can contact us at CNECT-ICTPROPOSERSDAY@ec.europa.eu .

The on-going EU-funded OpEneR project is on a road to success in its aim to increase the driving range of fully electric vehicles as two fully electric prototypes of Peugeot 3008 e-4WD have been developed during the first year of the project. Both of these prototypes are driven by two e-machines, each with 50kW power. In addition a battery pack of 40kWh enables the vehicles to drive approximately 200 km purely on electricity. These prototypes will now be used in developing and testing new functionalities in order to realize an overall energy manager caring for an optimal driving range.

The European "Green Cars" Initiative is a leap towards more sustainable and greener mobility in Europe. This Public Private Partnership is a package of 5 billion Euros consisting of loans from the European Investment Bank and research grants from the EU's Seventh Framework Programme as well as from the private sector. You can find out more about the quest for the fully electric vehicle from our newly updated brochure focusing on the still existing research needs and challenges that lie ahead.

The fourth and last call for proposals under FP7 has been recently launched and will close on December 4th 2012. It has a funding budget of €40 million for two research target outcomes (39 million) and one Coordination and Support Action (1 million). Research projects (STREPs and IPs) may address one or both R&D topics, i.e. “Advanced System Architecture” and “Comprehensive Energy Management”. The Coordination Action is expected to focus on SME activities and international cooperation. All details concerning the rules of participation, the target outcomes and the expected impact of this and the simultaneous coordinated calls of the EGCI are available through the FP7 Participants’ Portal on Cordis. The ICT Proposers’ Day 2012 is an opportunity for stakeholders to network, present ideas for proposals and establish consortia. The high success rate of the previous calls of 40-50% is expected to be a strong incentive for participation. Call identifier: FP7-2013-ICT-GC

By launching a Smart Cities and Communities European Innovation Partnership (SCC) the European Commission aims to boost the development of smart technologies in cities – by pooling research resources from energy, transport and ICT and concentrating them on a small number of demonstration projects which will be implemented in partnership with cities. For 2013 alone, € 365 million in EU funds have been earmarked for the demonstration of these types of urban technology solutions.

Many online banking systems dangerously rely on PCs being secure, but banks should instead presume customer PCs are infected, says the EU’s cyber security agency ENISA in response to the reports about the “High Roller” cyber-attack. The attacks drew much attention because they were highly automated, sophisticated and targeted.

Passengers stranded at airports or awaiting missing luggage may now use a smartphone application to check their rights immediately and on the spot. Just in time for the summer holidays, the European Commission has launched an application for smartphones which covers air and rail transport and works on four mobile platforms: Apple iPhone and iPad, Google Android, RIM Blackberry and Microsoft Windows Phone 7. The app is available in 22 EU languages. It currently covers air and rail transport and will be extended to bus / coach and marine travel in 2013 when these rights come into force.

The Information society and Media Directorate-General is being reorganised into Communications networks, content and technology Directorate-General . The new name will come into force in the beginning of July 2012. At the same time also our current Nanoelectronics unit will merge with the Micro-nanosystems unit into one unit called "Components". This new unit will then follow the topics of micro- and nanoelectronics, smart embedded components and hardware and software integration. Among the priorities of the Components unit, you will find: Horizon 2020 preparation and stakeholder engagement. Future JTI on electronics (nano-electronics, micro-systems & embedded systems). Innovation and industrial competitiveness including follow-up on KET's. Technical, scientific, financial and administrative monitoring of projects.

Five Catalan Universities launch their eParticipation portals today, in addition to the nine initial portals that were launched in September 2011, in an ongoing effort to provide university members and the local, national and EU stakeholders in the higher education system a chance to be a part of a decision – making process. These five end-user universities and the website address of their eParticipation portals are: Autonomous University of Barcelona - www.e-myuniversity.eu/uab Polytechnic University of Catalonia - www.e-myuniversity.eu/upc University of Barcelona - www.e-myuniversity.eu/ub University of Girona - www.e-myuniversity.eu/udg University of Lleida - www.e-myuniversity.eu/udl The portals of these five Catalan Universities are a part of the MyUniversity project and will run in pilot phase until the end of MyUniversity project. They all use the same processes and e-Participation tools that create the unique experience of interacting and participating in the decision-making processes in higher education. Launched on October 1st, 2010, MyUniversity is a two and a half year project that will demonstrate how the universities could use an array of specific e-Participation tools for involving university members and stakeholders in transparent higher education decision-making processes at local, national and EU level. MyUniversity is currently supported by the European Commission (ICT Policy Support Programme) and involves 13 partners from 7 EU Member States: Belgium, Bulgaria, Greece, Lithuania, Slovakia, Spain and Sweden. For more information, please visit the project website at www.myuniversity-project.eu

This online space for discussion/collaboration allows us (1) to prepare the Digital Agenda Assembly 2012, (2) as well as the review of the Digital Agenda for Europe, planned for adoption in October.

This issue whose submission deadline is 31 May 2012 focuses on possible new business models for eGovernment. Welcome submissions include real-world eGovernment modifications to business models in both the European Union and internationally, including the necessary supporting legal and regulatory frameworks, and public accountability and reassurance (trust) mechanisms; examples of alternative eGovernment business models, such as gains-sharing – including benefits-funded models and shared savings models; enablers and barriers, and cost-benefit analysis of new business models in eGovernment.

This issue whose submission deadline is 31 May 2012 aims to tackle questions such as: how should governments themselves use social media, and what are the impacts likely to be? Can these technologies empower users not just to collaborate in service design and delivery, but also to participate in public policy and decision making, as well as in the workings and arrangements of the public sector and public governance more widely? Is there a business case for government in using social media rather than, or in addition to, more traditional tools? How effective is social media monitoring for government whilst they shift to preventive government models in for example healthcare, or security?

This issue whose submission deadline is 31 May 2012 aims to tackle a number of questions, among which: What does it take to transform government by ICT? Or, should the ambitions be lowered? What can realistically be achieved and what cannot? Which strategic frameworks do or should inform the deployment of ICT-based solutions in government?