ECCE BRUSSELS BRIEF: A quick news roundup on Presidency activities, EU policies and actions on Research and development; Education; Environment, Energy; Transport/Infrastructure; Information Technology; General Interest; Project Financing; News from the European Parliament

 ° In the six months ahead, you will be able to find news and background information on the Greek EU Presidency on www.eu2003.gr   Greece is presiding over the European Council for the fourth time since it became a part of the European Community in 1981.

The priorities for the Greek Presidency of the European Union are:

-          Enlargement.  Signature of the Accession Treaty for 10 new member states is expected on 16th April 2003.

-          Preparation of the next inter-governmental conference on the future of Europe.

-          Co-ordination of economic and employment policies and social policy questions

-          Co-operation with the Balkans.

Specific Greek Presidency priorities in research are listed below.

RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

° ERA concerns raised during research conference – Athens 17 January: At a Presidency Benchmarking Conference on research, Greek General Secretary for research and development, Dimitris Deniozos, admitted to sharing Commission concerns on the slow progress towards the creation of a European Research Area (ERA).    He supported development of a method for open coordination 'as a tool to maximise synergies between national and Community RTD activities.' This, he believed, would work since the Competitiveness Council has already agreed to develop mechanisms for networking national and joint research programmes on a voluntary basis around freely chosen objectives. For further conference information: http://www.cordis.lu/greece/press5.htm .  Also discussed at the conference was the usefulness of benchmarking as a tool for defining national policies.  Human resources and private research investment are key themes for the forthcoming two year research policy benchmarking cycle.   http://www.cordis.lu/rtd2002/era-developments/benchmarking.htm#results

Using Sixth Framework Programme to achieve competitiveness For Akis Tsohatzopoulos, Greek Minister of Development, a key challenge is achieving an increase in research spending levels to 3% of GDP, 2/3rds of which must come from the private sector.  Another objective during the Greek Presidency will be definition and adoption of a cheap and effective patenting system for Europe, a fundamental element in the innovation process.  Finally, he asserts that laboratory-based research alone does not hold the key to Europe’s competitiveness.  Greek Presidency activities in research: http://www.cordis.lu/greece/home.html

EDUCATION:

Commission prepares for Turkey’s participation in education, training and youth programmes: A series of agreements have now been signed between the European Commission and the Turkish Government in preparation for Turkey’s participation in the Community’s Socrates, Leonardo da Vinci and Youth programmes from 2004 on.  The agreements are accompanied by a Euro 6 million budget, of which the EU is providing Euro 4.7 million. Turkey will be fully integrated into all 3 programmes by 2004. Programme details on: http://europa.eu.int/comm/education/index_en.html

One out of 19 education and training co-operation projects with Canada and the USA selected in 2002, relates to engineering: “Prestige” – “Preparing Engineering Students to work in the Global Economy” will run for 3 years.  Proposed EU funding of Euro 112,500 will assist 44 students to study and go on transatlantic internships.  Recruitment of around 700 American, British, French and Spanish students into international design teams using IT will be enhanced.  Participants are: University of Leeds (UK), University of Artois and Ecole Centrale de Lyon (FR), Universidad de Navarra (ES), Pennsylvania State University (PA), Arizona State University (AZ) and University of Washington (WA).

The ENVIRONMENT:

Protecting the Marine Environment: The Council of Ministers has called for the Commission to bring forward a thematic strategy on the marine environment before May 2005.

European Environment Agency report on waste “Case Studies on Waste Minimisation Practices in Europe” draws studies from 8 countries in support of the EU policy goal of minimising waste.  Further information: Web: http://eea.eu.int also from: information.centre@eea.eu.int

In her speech at the Environment Governance and Civil Society Conference in January, Environment Commissioner Margot Wallstroem focused on the following themes: need to keep sustainable development high on the political agenda; importance of good environmental governance to the European public (possibly exacerbated by recent man-made disasters) and the need to improve environmental governance.  She exhorted Civil Society to contribute to the Convention on the Future of Europe which has now reached a sensitive phase with work currently taking place on a draft European Constitution.

Environmental breaches: Court Judgements have been made against Denmark for failing to fully implement the Bathing Water Directive (76/160/EEC) and against Spain for failing to identify all sensitive zones under the Urban Wastewater Directive (91/271/EEC). Action is being brought against the UK for failure to fully implement the directive on landfill disposal of waste (1999/31/EC); failure to properly implement the law on hazardous waste (91/689/EC)  and for failure to implement the law on waste oils (75/439/EEC) & (87/101/EEC). Infringements proceedings are being taken against Luxembourg, U.K., Austria, Italy, Spain, Finland, Germany and Greece regarding the Environmental Impact Assessment Directive (85/337/EEC & 97/11/EC).

European Parliament tackles Commission failure to enforce end-of-life vehicles: Only five Member States (Austria, Denmark, Germany, Sweden and the Netherlands) have taken steps to apply the directive, which should have been transposed into national laws in the EU by April 2002.  A number of MEPs have complained that the Commission fails to punish Member States for not complying with EU laws (only one Member State has been fined – 10 years after an EU legislation breach).

ENERGY:

Directive 2002/91 on energy performance of buildings now published (Ref: OJ L1/65 4.1.2003).  Member states shall bring into force the laws, regulations and administrative provisions necessary to comply with the Directive at the latest on 4th January 2006.  Derogations of 3 years are given to Member States who are unable to fully apply provisions of Arts. 7 ,8 and 9 because of lack of qualified and/or accredited experts.

TRANSPORT / INFRASTRUCTURE:

During Council examination of the transitional system for Austria for regulating transit of heavy goods road vehicles (>7.5 tonnes) in 2004-2006, Austria confirmed it will speed up plans for a Brenner railway tunnel with the aim of completing it by 2012; Commission confirmed its intention to present a Community framework on the pricing of infrastructure, on the basis of the current “Eurovignette” Directive (99/62/EC) no later than first semester 2003.  http://ue.eu.int/pressData/en/trans/7401_8.pdf

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY:

Austria brings e-learning to the classroom: From spring 2003, Austrian schoolchildren will be able to obtain additional information from their school books via the internet “Schulbuchextra” initiative.  A special code in school books will allow access to the “Schulbuchextra” portal.  Specialist authors will develop online content to be approved by the Ministry of Education.  http://www.schulbuchextra.at/home.htm

UK Managers suffer ‘information overload’.  A survey by the British Computer Society indicates that managers complain that e-mail take up an average of almost 2 hours every working day – almost 1/3rd are deemed irrelevant and often poor quality.  Out of 7 common management tasks, respondents reported spending an average 2.8 hours a day in meetings, dealing with e-mails took an average of 1.7 hours whiles assessing internet information required 0.75 hours.  Together these accounted for over ½ the average working day of 8.5 hours.  More information: http://www.bcs.org.uk

E-commerce is growing in France at a steady rate of 25% a year

Use of computers and mobile phones by older people: a recent study shows that older people in Finland use internet, computers and mobile phones more than the EU average.  58% of older Finns have used a computer as against EU 40% average; 35% older Finns have surfed the internet against 22% EU average and 80% of older Finns have sent or received a text message – twice the EU average.  Further information from: http://www.seniorwatch.de/swa/frame.html

°  The November 2002 Brussels Brief noted development of nuclear safety issues.  Press reports in mid-January detailed the project to cap the contaminated site of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in Ukraine with a huge vault designed to “seal” the plants remains for decades.  The £478 million clean up, of which the shield is a £155 million component, will be funded by 28 countries including the G8 and the Ukraine.  The 20,000 tonne steel arch, designed by architects in San Francisco, should be ready by 2007.  A failed experiment sent the plant’s fourth reactor into meltdown on 26th April 1986.

°  An international centre of excellence to tackle nuclear clean up is being planned for Caithness, a few miles from Scotland’s Dounreay complex.  The North Highland College in Thurso is leading the bid to set up the Decommissioning and Environmental Remediation Institute as part of the UHI Millennium Institute, the proposed university of the Highlands and Islands.

°  Commission acts on failure to implement EU legislation: The Commission is taking Belgium, Germany, Spain, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Austria and Portugal to the European Court of Justice for failure to implement the Directive on the legal protection of designs. It is sending reasoned opinions to Belgium, France, Greece, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands and Portugal for failure to notify national measures implement Directive 2000/31/EC on electronic commerce.  Infringement information against Member States: http://europa.eu.int/comm/secretariat_general/sgb/droit_com/index_en.htm

°  Project financing: Projects receiving financing

EIB:     Information on European Investment Bank loans is to be found on http://www.eib.org

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development has published an invitation for prequalification: The tender is for Design, Construction and Commissioning of New Solid Waste Management and Storage Facilities at the Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant, Lithuania.  Facilities must be completed by June 2007.  For information to firms, contact: John Millar – e-mail: pmu@mail.iae.lt   http://www.ebrd.org

The European Parliament  held a plenary session in Strasbourg from 13th to 16th January 2003.

Following the retirement of Jacob Soederman, the current European Ombudsman, an election was held for his successor who will be …… of Greece.  The role of the Ombusman is to help members of the public in Europe obtain redress following maladministration from Europe Institutions or bodies.

A debate was held on the subject of European railways and four reports were discussed; these were at first reading stage in the co-decision procedure.  Also on the agenda was road transport – discussion was on rules for driving time, rest periods and breaks for the road transport industry.

A further plenary session was held on 29th and 30th January.  Key features involved a statement by High Representative for Common Foreign and Security Policy, Mr Javier Solana, on the situation in Iraq; conclusion of legislative reports on environmental planning and the quality of petrol and diesel fuels; trade with and aid for the world's poorest countries

The Prime Minister of Greece, Mr Simitis presented the Greek Presidency programme for the next six months.  (Please see Presidency News).

Recent reports of potential interest to the engineering/construction sector include rail freight and passenger markets, also another on inter-operability.  Further reports are:

• Report on the proposal for a regulation on establishing a European Railway Agency.  Rapporteur: Gilles Savary MEP Ref: A5-0441/2002 of 5th December 2002
• ~on the Commission White Paper “European transport policy for 2010: time to decide” Rapporteur Juan de Dios Izquierdo Collado Ref: A5-0444/2002 of 9th December 2002
• ~ on the proposal for a directive on safety on the Community’s railways. Rapporteur: Dirk Sterckx MEP (NL) Ref: A5-0424/2002 of 3rd December 2002
• ~ on the joint text for a directive on providing for public participation in respect of the drawing up of certain plans and programmes relating to the environment . Rapporteur: Eija-Riitta Anneli Korhola  Ref: A5-0004/2003 of 20th January 2003
• ~ on an approved text for a Directive on public access to environmental information (repealing Directive 90/313/EEC) Rapporteur: Eija-Riitta Anneli Korhola  Ref: A5-0435/2002 of 4th December 2002
• ~ on the activities of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development .Rapporteur Helmuth Markov  Ref: A5-0421/2002 of 4th December 2002

Further details of the session may be found on http://www.europarl.eu.int

° ICT in European Construction at BUILD IT,  Berlin - 13 February 2003

This Conference will look at “Perspectives for the on-going and future development of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) and their application in the construction industry in Europe”. It will consist of 4 papers each addressing the present and future perspectives for the development of ICT and its application in the construction industry.  It will also launch the Competitiveness in Construction IT report from the Working Group in which ECCE has played an active part for over two years.  Further details to be found on: http://www.build-it-berlin.com

° Medium to long term actions for renewable energy technologies, FP6 information day, Brussels, - 14th February 2003

The information day aims to help participats prepare proposals for first calls for proposals in the area of sustainable development, global change and ecosystems.

° UNESCO, Paris 19th February 2003

Conference to discuss the possibility of establishing a European Research Council (ERC) to support high quality basic research in Europe.  More information from:  http://www.elsf.org

 ° E-government Europe summit, Netherlands, 3rd to 5th March

The second annual e-government Europe summit will take place in Noordwijk aan See.  It aims to bring together decision-makers across Europe on key issues: successful knowledge management; moving from technology-led to citizen-led; overcoming the challenge of interoperability; knowledge management; improving communication and efficiency.  http://www.egovernmenteurope.com/html/event.htm

° Information Society Conference, Prage 23rd to 25th March 2003

The Conference will look at IST services and public administration and evaluate progress in eGovernment.  It will also prepare the framework for virtual twinning between cities in EU and Central Eastern Europe.

 http://www.isss.cz/loris/

° International Congress in Civil Engineering Education, Ciudad Real (Spain) 18th-20th September 2003

The Conference is being held in conjunction with EUCEET.  Some of the subjects to be looked at are: at university programmes and professional requirements, existing and new training contents in civil engineering scientific areas and adaptation to the Bologna Agreement.

http://www.uclm.es/cr/caminos/Congress/index.htm  e-mail: congreso.caminos@uclm.es