The Austrian Presidency has emphasised that the operational programme of the Council of Ministers for 2006 was drawn up by Austria and Finland who will form the Council Presidencies in 2006.  The basis for their work is the Multi-annual Programme for 2004-2006: this document sets out the main objectives for the work to be carried out by the Council in 2006. (http://www.eu2006.at/includes/Download_Dokumente/MAPEN.pdf)

Austria and Finland intend to work together so that they contribute to economic and social welfare, environmental protection, freedom and security for the people of Europe and will increase the significance of the EU in international affairs

At the head of each Presidency is the Council of the European Union, which brings together the Heads of State or Government from each Member States.  As with other Presidencies, various meetings are held grouping Ministers of each Member State who cover the following nine areas: General Affairs and External Relations; Economic and Financial Affairs; Justice and Home Affairs; Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs; Competitiveness; Transport, Telecommunications and Energy; Agriculture and Fisheries; Environment.

Presidency News of interest to the sector:

In the field of public procurement the Council will start work on proposals for a new Public Procurement Remedies Directive, expected in 2006.  Work may also commence on a Commission communication concerning public-private partnerships and defence procurement.

Road Safety will remain a priority on the agenda for action.  Discussions will start on the mid-term review of the “European Transport Policy 2010”.

2006 was set to be the year for the mid-term review of the 6^th Community Environment Action Programme.  However examination of all seven thematic strategies, the backbone of the 6^th environmental programme will be under review by the council.  Air quality, waste prevention and recycling, sustainable use of natural resources, marine environment, urban environment, soil protection and sustainable use of pesticides will be reviewed: some of them will be accompanied by legislative proposals.  Priority will be given to air, waste, natural resources, urban and marine environment.

It is planned to take forward new Commission proposals on flood risk management and priority substances (water quality) once these have been adopted.

It is hoped to clarify and consolidate Community waste legislation to improve implementation.

Climate change is still a high priority and it is aimed to start the process for global agreement on development of a global climate regime after 2012 in line with the Conference of the Parties (COP 11) of the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change and the COP/MOP 1 of the Kyoto Protocol in Montreal.

Discussions on the review of the legislative framework for electronic communications will start in 2006.  Possible legislative proposals are expected from the Commission before year end.

The Joint Interim Report on Education and Training 2010 will be finalised in the first half of 2006.  The Council intends to work towards final adoption of the Integrated Action Programme in the Field of Lifelong Learning (2007-2013).  The Council is expected to adopt conclusions on vocational education and training during the second half of 2006.

The Austrian and Finnish Presidencies will seek final adoption of the European Quality Charter for Mobility and the Recommendation of the Council and the European Parliament on key competences for lifelong learning.  They will also work on the European Indicator of Language Competence and the European Qualifications Framework.

Austrian Presidency pages: http://www.eu2006.at/en/

Presidency, second half 2006: 1st July -31st December 2006:  Finnish Presidency

RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

° Research Commissioner Janez Potočnik urges European Parliament to adopt seventh Framework Programme:  In a speech to the Parliament’s research committee (ITRE) Commissioner Potočnik urged MEPs not to delay in procedures to adopt the 7^th Framework Programme following their rejection of the December agreement of the Council of Ministers (which reduced budget levels).  The text of an inter-institutional agreement was expected to be ready for February discussion.  He also urged Parliament to speed up adoption of the draft Buzek Report in first reading to allow an early vote in Plenary session of the Parliament.

° Buzek report claims that any reduction to the proposed doubling of the programme budget runs contrary to the Lisbon strategy and the prior declarations of EU leaders. The ITRE Committee report proposes 116 amendments to the original text. One key change relates to the proposed operation of the ERC, which goes beyond the 'high degree of autonomy' proposed by the Commission by saying that it should be established as a legally independent structure under Article 171 of the Treaty.   The draft Parliament report is also concerned that the results of research funded by the framework programme are converted into commercial products http://www.europarl.eu.int/meetdocs/2004_2009/documents/pr/571/571070/571070en.pdf

° EU's new Director General of Research, Jose Maria Silva Rodriguez A fact-sheet is available on-line in relation to the new appointee to the post of Research Director General:  José Manuel Silva Rodriguez - New Director-General of the Research DG

° Participation of Non-COST Countries and International/European Bodies in COST Actions,

Full text of Document 275/1/05 Revision 01   Suite of documents 275/1/05

COST, which was founded in 1971, is an intergovernmental framework for European Co-operation in the field of Scientific and Technical Research, allowing the co-ordination of nationally funded research on a European level. COST Actions cover basic and pre-competitive research as well as activities of public utility.   http://www.cost.esf.org/index.php

° IEA study: Hydrogen production and storage - R&D priorities and gaps: The study gives an overview of the technologies for hydrogen production: reforming of natural gas; gasification of coal and biomass; and the splitting of water by water-electrolysis, photo-electrolysis, photo-biological production and high temperature decomposition. For all hydrogen production processes, there is a need for significant improvement in plant efficiencies, for reduced capital costs and for better reliability and operating flexibility. Hydrogen Production and Storage - R&D Priorities and Gaps

° The fifth edition of the European Innovation Scoreboard divides European countries into four groups:  “Leading countries” are: Switzerland, Finland, Sweden, Denmark and Germany

Producing an “Average performance”: France, Luxembourg, Ireland, United Kingdom, Netherlands, Belgium, Austria, Norway, Italy and Iceland

Countries “Catching up”: Slovenia, Hungary, Portugal, Czech Republic, Lithuania, Latvia, Greece, Cyprus and Malta

Those “Losing ground” are: Estonia, Spain, Bulgaria, Poland, Slovakia, Romania and Turkey

The US and Japan are still far ahead of the EU25. The innovation gap between the EU25 and Japan is increasing and the one between EU and US is close to stable.http://www.trendchart.org/

° Final Report of independent Expert Group calls for a Pact for Research and Innovation to be signed by political, business and social leaders to show their commitment to creating an Innovative Europe.  The 4-person Group, chaired by Finland’s former Prime Minister Esko Aho, argues that there is a large gap between political rhetoric about the knowledge society and the reality of budgetary and other priorities. They propose a 4-pronged strategy (i) creation of innovation friendly markets, (ii) strengthening R&D resources, (iii) increasing structural mobility, (iv) fostering a culture which celebrates innovation.  Several recommendations are made to reverse the dramatic fall in venture capital investment (only €946 million raised in 2004 compared to €5,370 million in 2002 and €9,660 million in 2000).  http://europa.eu.int/invest-in-research

° Commission seeks input of young researchers on Europe's innovation performance Young researchers and Master-level students are being asked to provide additional analysis of Europe's innovation statistics to increase knowledge of innovation in Europe as part of the European Innovation Scoreboard.  In 2006 the three best papers will be published on the Trendchart website alongside the European Innovation Scoreboard. European Innovation Scoreboard

° U.K. Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) report on research priorities relating to the possible risks posed by nanotechnology The report identifies three key areas where further research is needed to develop a risk management framework for nanoparticles: (i) characterising, defining and measuring nanoparticles; (ii) understanding the impact of nanoparticles on humans and the environment, (iii) understanding where nanoparticles come from and how they travel through the environment, including the human body Full text of the report

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY:  

° OECD report suggests computer usage in children improves maths performance:  Research published by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development compiled from its 30 member countries suggests that children who are exposed to computers from a young age perform better at key subjects such as maths than those who are not.  Students using computers for more than five years (37% of the sample) scored well above the OECD average. Further information

° e-Dispute© Electronic Arbitration System A prototype of e-Dispute© has already been developed by partners in EU-funded Information Society Technologies projects. The prototype provides fast on-line arbitration, mediation and conciliation services. Disputing parties anywhere in the world can select from a range of languages to work in, can send messages securely and explain their preferences to an arbitrator.  The project currently seeks investment for commercialisation. http://europa.eu.int/comm/dgs/research/i ndex_en.html

General information on ICT policy may be found on: DG Information Society

EDUCATION:

° Directives on recognition of diplomas do not preclude partial recognition, limiting scope of activities that applicant from another EU country may perform: judgement (C-330/03):  

The case was referred to the European Court of Justice by the Tribunal Supremo (Spain)

In its judgement of the Court of Justice (First Chamber) on 19th January 2006 the Court ruled: 

1. When the holder of a diploma awarded in one Member State applies for permission to take up a regulated profession in another Member State, the competent authorities of that Member State are not precluded by Council Directive 89/48/EEC of 21 December 1988 on a general system for the recognition of higher-education diplomas awarded on completion of professional education and training of at least three years' duration from partly allowing that application, if the holder of the diploma so requests, by limiting the scope of the permission to those activities which that diploma allows to be taken up in the Member State in which it was obtained.

2. Articles 39 EC and 43 EC do not preclude a Member State from not allowing partial taking-up of a profession, where shortcomings in the education or training of the party concerned in relation to that required in the host Member State may be effectively made up for through the application of the compensatory measures provided for in Article 4(1) of Directive 89/48. However, Articles 39 EC and 43 EC do preclude a Member State from not allowing that partial taking-up when the party concerned so requests and the differences between the fields of activity are so great that in reality a full programme of education and training is required, unless the refusal for that partial taking-up is justified by overriding reasons based on the general interest, suitable for securing the attainment of the objective which they pursue and not going beyond what is necessary in order to attain that objective.           Full text of this Judgment        European Court of Justice          

THE ENVIRONMENT:  

° PARLIAMENT VOTES ON NEW EU BATHING WATER DIRECTIVE:   New minimum standards are set to be put in place following the European Parliament’s vote of approval to replace the existing 1976 Directive. This bathing water management programme will be introduced over a 13 year period, starting in 2008. Water tests will be simplified, focusing on the two most important types of bacteria, instead of 19 under current rules.  The following categories will be given to beaches: excellent; good, sufficient, poor.  Water will be tested more frequently and information will be posted on the internet almost immediately (currently it is one year old)...

° Common position on protection of groundwater against pollution adopted: At the Agriculture and Fisheries Council on 23rd January 2006 by qualified majority, with Germany, Hungary, Italy and Sweden voting against, on a draft Directive on the protection of groundwater against pollution (12062/05 and 15149/05 ADD 1). The common position will be forwarded to the European Parliament for second reading under the co-decision procedure. Provisional version of 2703rd Council Meeting. Full text of Document 12062/1/05 Revision 01

The Council also agreed a common position with a view to adopting a Directive establishing an Infrastructure for Spatial Information in the European Community (INSPIRE) Full text of Document 12064/2/05 Revision 02

° Council adopts directive on pollution caused by certain dangerous substances discharged into the aquatic environment (PE-CONS 3649/05). This codifies and repeals directive 76/464/EEC: it substitutes the various acts incorporated in the Directive, and adds only those amendments which are required by the codification exercise. General Council provisional version   EU Council

° Proposed Directive on the Assessment and Management of Floods Impact Assessment Following the 2002 floods, a technical document on best practices was drafted by Directive 2000/60/EC of 23 October 2000 establishing a framework for Community action in the field of water policy, OJ L 327 of 22.12.2000 COM(2004) 472 final of 12.07.2004 http://www.floodsite.net

A draft Directive text is in place Full Text  There is also an Impact Assessment of the Proposed Directive   Full text of Document 5540/06 Addendum 01     Suite of documents 5540/06

° Commission proposes new Thematic strategy on the Urban Environment: to help Member States and regional and local authorities improve the environmental performance of Europe’s cities and to facilitate better local level implementation of EU environmental policies and legislation. Actions proposed: (i) Guidance on integrated environmental management and on sustainable urban transport plans (ii) Training and capacity-building using Community programmes so that local authorities may develop the skills needed to manage the urban environment  (iii) Support for EU- wide exchange of best practices. (iv) Commission internet portal for local authorities www.europa.eu.int/comm/environment/urban/home_en.htm

° Oxford Institute of Economic Policy Distinguished Lecture: 'What is the Economics of Climate Change?' - Sir Nicholas Stern, Head of the Stern Review on the Economics of Climate Change - Responses to this paper by 17 March 2006 are welcomed. These can be sent by email to oxonia.responses@sternreview.org.uk  Paper details and annexes on: Detailed discussion paper outlining the key issues in the economics of climate change    Technical annex to the discussion paper     Lecture notes for the Oxonia Distinguished Lecture       Accompanying slides for the Oxonia Distinguished Lecture

° EEA report highlights use of Market based instruments (MBIs), The Copenhagen-based European Environment Agency issued a report indicating that MBIs such as environment taxes and emission trading schemes, are being used more often as a means to implement environmental policy across Europe. EEA report 1/2006 - Using the market for cost-effective environmental policy

EEA Technical report 8/2005 - Market-based instruments for environmental policy in Europe

Environmental breaches:

° Letter from Ombudsman to Commission President on its investigation of allegations that Spain is in breach of environmental duties in developing industrial harbour in Granadilla on Tenerife   Following a number of complaints in relation to the development of an industrial harbour by the Spanish authorities in the city of Granadilla, Spain, the letter opens inquiry OI/2/2006/JMA into the Commission's role as guardian of the Treaty.  According to the complainants, the Commission had been dealing with a number of "Article 226" complaints concerning this development and had concluded that the development would not be contrary to existing Community law (in particular to Article 6 (4) of the Council Directive 92/43/EEC of 21 May 1992 on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora)   Apparently the complainants provided very limited information, and thus the Ombudsman could not consider that there were grounds for him to inquire into individual complaints. European Ombudsman

Legal Cases: 

° Legal opinion on Ireland's referral of dispute with UK over nuclear fuel recycling at Sellafield to arbitral tribunal under UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. (C-459/03). Advocate General Poiares Pessoa Maduro concluded that (i) by instituting dispute settlement proceedings against the U.K. concerning the MOX Plant at Sellafield, Ireland failed to fulfil its obligations under Articles 292 EC and 193 EA; (ii) by instituting the proceedings without previously consulting the Commission, Ireland failed to fulfil its obligations under Articles 10 EC and 192 EA Full text of this Opinion

° Italy was ordered to pay costs for failing to provide for end-of-life disposal of vehicles - Case filing C-394/05. Court notice for the OJ 

° Italy Full text of this Judgment and Portugal Full text of this Judgment were ordered to pay costs for failure failed to introduce water frameworks: two judgments (C-85/05, C-118/05) with regard to the water framework Directive 2000/60/CE .

° The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland was order to pay costs for having transposed directive on environmental impact assessment incorrectly: judgment (C-37/05) Directive 85/337/EEC, as amended by Directive 97/11/EC  - Full text of this Judgment .

° Finland was order to pay costs for failing to introduce system for exchange of greenhouse gas quotas in Aland: judgment (C-107/05) Full text of this Judgment (Ref: directive 2003/87/CE which  modified Directive 96/61/CE)

Further information: The Court of Justice of the European Communities

See also: http://europa.eu.int/comm/secretariat_general/sgb/droit_com/index_en.htm#infractions

For rulings by the European Court of Justice see http://curia.eu.int/en/content/juris/index.htm

ENERGY:

° Commission Policy and Renewable energy  – Communication by the Commission on Biomass Action Plan -  As part of a fundamental review of its energy policy, a Commission Green Paper in spring 2006 will have three main objectives:- competitiveness, sustainability, security of supply.  Based on stronger economic growth, the policy should focus on the need to reduce energy demand; increase reliance on renewable energy sources (given their sustainability and the potential to produce them domestically); diversify energy sources; and enhance international cooperation.

The EU currently meets 4% of its energy needs from biomass. If it made full use of its potential, it believes it would more than double biomass use by 2010 (from 69 million tons of oil equivalent (mtoe) in 2003 to about 185 mtoe in 2010) while complying with good agricultural practice, safeguarding sustainable production of biomass and without significantly affecting domestic food production. It is considered that Bulgaria and Romania's accession will improve availability, and imports would offer more potential still. Full Text of report.

The latest news on developments in renewables is available through: RENEWS, a renewable energy newsletter            Further information on energy projects funded under FP6

TRANSPORT:

° Energy and Transport in Europe Digest - DG TREN's weekly news Energy and Transport in Europe Digest, No. 169 - 27 January 2006

° Transport policy – The results of the meeting of Ministers for Transport held in December is set out in a 51-page series of press releases on: http://ue.eu.int/ueDocs/cms_Data/docs/pressData/en/trans/87389.pdf

Reference point: Energy and Transport DG   

INFRASTRUCTURE FINANCING:

° European Investment Bank  

° The EIB is lending Euro 190 million for providing telecommunication broadband infrastructure in Hungary.  Telecommunication network modernisation is in line with the Hungarian Government’s 2004 Information Society Strategy regarding diffusion and increase of quality of information and communication technologies.  It will increase internet access, despite the recent decline of the number of fixed-lines in Hungary.

 

° The EIB is providing EUR 50 million to Raiffeisen Leasing Polska to finance small-scale investments (EUR 10,000 to EUR 250,000) implemented by SMEs and micro-enterprises with fewer than 10 employees.  EIB funds will finance industry projects in Poland - mostly purchase of transport equipment - and also services or tourism.

 

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

° The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development  

° Information on EBRD activity is to be found on: http://www.ebrd.org

° Commission’s Report to the Council of the Future of the European Agency for Reconstruction (EAR) is now published: Full Text.  The European Agency for Reconstruction was established by  Council Regulation (EC) N° 2667/2000 of 5 December 2000 and designed as an instrument to support EC reconstruction efforts in Kosovo, following the crisis in 1999, and the Emergency Assistance Programme in Serbia after the end of the of Milosevic regime in 20002. Its mandate was extended to the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia in 2001 for supporting the implementation of the Ohrid agreement.

° The European Commission has launched the programming cycle for Aid to Development under the 10th EDF (European Development Fund). In December 2005, the European Council adopted a financial envelope for the 10th EDF which comes to €22.7billion for the period 2008–2013. The 9^th EDF which covered the period 2003–2007 had been allocated the sum of €13.5 billion.

° MEPs met in Strasbourg on 16^th to 19^th January for the first European Parliament plenary session of 2006

Highlights of that session included: First reading of the Port services directive, the third reading of the Bathing water directive (3rd reading) and the third reading of the Mining waste directive.

The European Parliament has approved new EU rules on minimum standards for the quality of bathing water: It simplifies the water tests, focusing on the two most important types of bacteria, instead of 19 under current rules.

Whether or not to liberalise the market in port services has been the subject of a highly contested proposal for EU legislation. Advocates of liberalisation favour greater competition to promote growth and jobs; opponents believe it would result in massive job losses and deteriorating working conditions.  For the second time in two years MEPs have rejected a proposed directive on port services (the previous rejection came at the final reading, after conciliation negotiations between the European Parliament and Council of Ministers).

MEPs heard a statement from the European Commission on the outcome of the recent Montreal Conference on climate change. The European Parliament adopted its resolution on the subject on 16 November 2005.

Parliament’s Transport Committee voiced serious concern on 25th January about the financing of the agreed 30 cross-border Trans-European Transport Networks (TENs). In a meeting with Austrian Transport Minister Hubert Gorbach, MEPs from all political groups attacked the Council's decision to cut the budget for the TENs from Euro 20billion to Euro 7billion for the period 2007-2013.

Parliamentary reports of potential interest to ECCE members:

Working Document on Energy efficiency or doing more with less - Green Paper Committee on Industry, Research and Energy Rapporteur: Alejo Vidal-Quadras Roca MEP Full text

Working Document on the strategic guidelines (cohesion policy) for the period 2007-2013 Committee on Regional Development Rapporteur: Constanze Angela Krehl MEP Full text           

Draft Opinion of the Committee on Budgets for the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy on the proposal for a decision …concerning the seventh framework programme of the European Community for research, technological development and demonstration activities (2007- 2013) (COM(2005) 0119 Rapporteur: Marilisa Xenogiannakopoulou MEP            Full text 

Draft Report on the consequences of the judgment of the Court of 13 September 2005 (C-176/03 Commission/Council) (2006/2007(INI)) Committee on Legal Affairs Rapporteur: Giuseppe Gargani MEP Full text   (please also refer to our September 2005 Brussels Brief for details on this issue)

° Global Conference on Social Responsibility, Vilamoura, Portugal 16th- 18th Feb 2006.

The conference, at Vilamoura in Portugal’s Algarve area will focus especially on The Role of Business in Poverty Alleviation. The World Council for Corporate Governance (WCFCG) is testing the idea of widening the scope of corporate social responsibility (CSR) from roots in labour relations and community, to a way of making business pro-active in alleviating poverty.

° The role of foundations and private philanthropy in funding research, Brussels, 27^th-28th March 2006    

The European Commission conference will discuss how philanthropy (foundations, trusts, charities, etc.) can fund knowledge generation, in particular research activities, and explore strategies and initiatives to strengthen the potential of philanthropy as a source research funding in Europe. Guest speakers will include EU Science and Research Commissioner, Janez Potocnik. Further information

° BETON 2006 Ready Mixed Concrete Congress, Istanbul, Turkey, April 2006

The congress is accompanied by an international concrete-aggregate technologies and equipment exhibition.  Paper topics are Concrete in Human Life, Special Types of Concrete, Concrete Technology, Production and Application Technology, Architectural use of Concrete, Regulations and Quality Management Systems and Marketing and Industrial Problems.  Deadline for abstract papers is 2 May 2005.  e-mail: beton2006@thbb.org Information: www.beton2006.org

° 13th SEFI MWG Seminar, Buskerud University College, Kongsberg, Norway, 11th-14th June 2006 The main themes will be mathematical e-learning and innovative ways of teaching mathematics. Website: http://dmath.hibu.no/sefiseminar/index.html

The seminar is followed by the 3rd European Workhop on MathML and

Scientific e-Contents 13th-15th June 2006. Here the main themes will be all areas of brand new technology related to interactive mathematics on the web and mathematical and scientific e-learning. Website: http://dmath.hibu.no/workshop/

° Joint International Conference on Computing and Decision Making in Civil and Building Engineering, will be held in Montreal (Delta Centre-Ville Hotel), Canada, on June 14-16, 2006.  For the first time three streams of conferences will gather together at a joint Conference under a common theme: Building on I.T. This will be the largest gathering in computing and decision making in civil and building engineering in 2006. (i) ICCCBE-XI - 11th International Conference on Computing in Civil and Building Engineering  (ii) ICCC-ASCE - 2006 International Conference on Computing in Civil Engineering of ASCE and (iii) DMUCE-5 - 5th Conference on Decision Making in Urban and Civil Engineering.  Further information: http://www.icccbexi.ca,

° International Symposium on Dams in the Societies of the XXI Century,Barcelona, June 18^th 2006  Subjects covered will include the role of dams in water management, hydropower, and flood control, viability and acceptability of dams and their alternatives.  Further details from: www.icold-barcelona2006.org.  e-mail: secretariat@icold-barcelona2006.org

° First International Conference on Advances in Bridge Engineering, Brunel University, UK, 26^th -28^th June 2006  CALL FOR PAPERS: Full information and publicity leaflet from www.brunel.ac.uk/sed/bec2006  Further information available by e-mail from: bridgeconf.2006@brunel.ac.uk

° 21st European photovoltaic solar energy conference and exhibition, Dresden, Germany, 4^th-8th September 2006.  The event will combines scientific and technological issues of research institutes, industries, utilities, politics, architects and end-users. There will also be workshops on specific PV issues. The accompanying industrial exhibition will attract over 250 companies and solar organisations from around the world and will provide a showcase for the technology and service providers involved in the PV solar field. Further information

° ITA-AITES World Tunnel Congress 2007, Prague, Czech Republic, May 5^th-10^th 2007

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