° For details of the informal ministerial meeting on spatial and urban policy: http://www.eu2004.nl/20041101-92945-G

° Presidency conference on 'Permanent access to the records of science': “Circumstances under which scientific publications are now stored are like quick sand", said Dutch Minister of Education, Culture and Science, Maria van der Hoeven. At the minister's initiative this problem has been placed on the European agenda. Academics nearly always publish their findings digitally. The life of digital information is limited, in view of the fact that soft and hardware becomes quickly outdated. Collaboration is sought for the sustainable preservation of digital and scientific information for the future. If they do not, the minister fears that our digital inheritance will soon become inaccessible.

(A convention on 'The future of memory: preservation of culture in the digital world', was organised by the CSI-Piemonte technical scientific committee in Turin, Italy, on 10^th and 11th November, dealing with similar issues to those raised by the Dutch Presidency): http://www.memoriadigitale.csi.it/

Internet: http://ue.eu.int/

RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

° Commission launches new website on FP7 research themes: The European Commission has launched a new website providing information on the ongoing efforts to identify thematic research priorities for its proposals for the Seventh Framework Programme (FP7). The site outlines the three criteria being used to identify FP7 priorities: contribution to EU policy objectives; European research potential; and European added value. In addition, it provides information on how interested parties can contribute to the debate, either via the various ongoing thematic fora, or by submitting a comments form for those suggestions that fall outside current thematic activities. To view the site or make a contribution, please consult the following web address: http://europa.eu.int/comm/research/futur e/themes/index_en.html

° Classification of the FP 6 Instruments - The Instruments have been classified into 3 different groups on the basis of their purpose. Group 1 - comprises instruments to generate, demonstrate and validate new knowledge through research and development.  It is composed of Integrated Projects (IPs) and Specific Targeted Research Projects (STREPs); Group 2 -composed only of the Networks of Excellence (NoEs), an instrument to enable durable integration of the participants' activities/ capacities; Group 3 - comprises instruments to support collaboration and coordination, and other activities (e.g. conferences and studies).  It is composed of Coordination Actions (CAs) and Specific Support Actions (SSAs).Full text and tables Detailed description .

° SCATTER project concludes with recommendations to combat urban sprawl: Experts say sustainability, smart growth and a multi-sectoral integrated strategy are the key concepts in the European debate on urban sprawl. At the final seminar of the SCATTER (sprawling cities and transport: from evaluation to recommendations) project, financed under the Fifth Framework Programme (FP5), four policy measures were presented to counteract urban sprawl. These include: fiscal measures to control land use by putting a tax on suburban residential developments as well as offices; road pricing; transport pricing measures and measures to control housing prices and to promote the development of intermediate type housing. http://www.casa.ucl.ac.uk/scatter/

° New guidance notes for participants in FP6 available through CORDIS:  CORDIS, the Community Research and Development Information Service has issued guidelines to cover the issuing of calls for new contractors to join existing Integrated Projects (IPs) or Networks of Excellence (NoEs). During their initial negotiation with the Commission, Integrated Projects or Network of Excellence may reserve a portion of the project budget for specific tasks to be carried out by a new contractor or contractors, who will join the consortium at a later date. These new contractors must be selected by means of competitive calls, and one set of new guidance notes aim to assist the coordinator in preparing and launching the calls. http://www.cordis.lu/fp6/find-doc.htm#co mpetitive

° 2004 edition of the Commission's annual report on European Competitiveness stresses importance of direct government funding of R&D as well as tax incentives for research both have a 'significant and positive impact on business R&D spending in OECD and EU countries’.

° Germany and U.K. point to shortage of scientists and engineers: A new report commissioned by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research claims that Germany will face a shortage of scientists and engineers in the near future, with an increase in student numbers set to be off-set by a wave of retirements in the sectors.  The Fraunhofer Institute, which authored the report, states that small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are moving away from research and development (R&D). In the US it was particularly SMEs that were the driving forces behind state-of-the-art technologies in information technologies (IT), communications, biotechnology and pharmaceutical fields, areas in which the US is generally ahead of Germany.  Tax concessions are seen as a means of useful support to innovation.  Meanwhile the UK, despite its flourishing economy, is facing a similar predicament, according to warnings from UK Trade and Industry Secretary Patricia Hewitt.  At the launch of the U.K. Department of Trade and Industry’s 5-year plan, she stated that the UK needs to attract more foreign talent if it wants to meet the growing economic challenge from countries like India and China.

° 'RUSERA' project supports Russian participation in EU research and technological development (RTD) programmes): The project aims to foster collaboration between the EU and Russia within the Sixth Framework Programme (FP6). Current research cooperation between Russia and the EU is concentrated around the main economic centres of Moscow and St. Petersburg.  A network of Regional Information Nodes will be based on the existing network of the regional offices of the Russian Association for Engineering Education (AEER). http://www.rusera.tpu.ru

° European Trend Chart on Innovation re-launched on CORDIS, The 2004 European Innovation Scoreboard (EIS) confirms Sweden and Finland as the EU's innovative leaders, with Estonia and Slovenia leading the ten new Member States.  Trend Chart tracks innovation policy developments in all 25 EU Member States, plus Bulgaria, Iceland, Israel, Liechtenstein, Norway, Romania, Switzerland and Turkey. It also provides a policy monitoring service for three other non-European zones: NAFTA/Brazil, Asia and the MEDA countries.  A database of innovation policy measures across 33 European countries;  a news service and related innovation policy information database;  a 'who is who' of agencies and government departments involved in innovation. http://trendchart.cordis.lu/   and http://register.consilium.eu.int/pdf/en/ 04/st15/st15189.en04.pdf

° Comments on FP7 from member states – sources of information:

INFORMATION and COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY (ICT)

° European Commission launches public online consultation on the challenges for the EU's Information Society policy beyond 2005: The Commission’s view of the challenges that the future Information Soicety strategy will need to address are set out in its Communication on "Challenges for the European Information Society beyond 2005", which was adopted on 19 November 2004. Contributions to the European Commission’s consultation should be submitted by 16 January 2005 to the following e-mail address: infso-eeurope@cec.eu.int  See also News release by the European Commission, and Information on the public consultation and questionnaire (The public consultation is part of the broad policy debate on an European Information Society strategy beyond 2005, which was launched by the Commission in May 2004 with EU Member States and the eEurope Advisory Group) .

° IST 2004 event in The Hague from 15 to 17 November:  Over a hundred collaborative EU and national technology projects were on show.  Details of some of these projects may be found at the following web addresses:  http://www.techfak.uni-bielefeld.de/ags/ ai/projects/BIRON/ ,http://www.cogniron.org/ , http://www.mmi.tudelft.nl/~vrphobia/inde x.html , http://www.upf.edu/ec/proyectoseuropeos/ simac.htm

A more general overview of the themes being discussed and promoted at the event are to be found on:

http://europa.eu.int/information_society/istevent/2004/topics/index_en.htm

° ICTs could have positive or negative impact on environmental sustainability, according to report: The study, 'The future impact of ICTs on environmental sustainability',  commissioned by the Institute for Prospective Technological Studies at the Commission's Joint Research Centre (JRC), sought to assess how telecommunications and information technologies would affect Europe's environmental performance between now and 2020 according to several key indicators, including: the volume of transport relative to GDP; energy consumption and the share of renewables; and the management of municipal waste.

EDUCATION, TRAINING AND PROFESSIONAL RECOGNITION:

° 2003 Eurobarometer survey on lifelong learning published: ‘Lifelong learning: citizens' views in close-up’ by Lynne Chisholm, Anne Larson and Anne-France Mossoux has been produced by Cedefop, 2004 (publication stock number 4038 EN).  The report may can be downloaded in pdf-format and ordered in hard copy from the European Training Village (ETV) Bookshop. Further info on: http://www.trainingvillage.gr

ENVIRONMENT:

° 25th anniversary of the European Birds Directive: At a conference jointly organized by the Netherlands and the European Commission, over 150 delegates agreed on a package of recommendations and actions to be presented to the Environment Council in December 2004. The proposals aim to make a substantial contribution to the EU target of halting the loss of biodiversity by 2010.  Recommendations include completion of the European network of Special Protection Areas by 2005 and further extension of these zones to the open sea by 2008. As of Oct. 15, 2004, the special protection areas in the Union comprise more than 356,000 square kilometres, roughly 10 times the size of the Netherlands. (Conference papers are available on line on the Dutch Presidency web-site including the Context paper for the workshop on ‘Safeguarding Europe’s most valuable species and sites: http://www.eu2004.nl/default.asp?CMS_TCP=tcpAsset&id=2AEEE1D5F5D24DC7A3AA10F5331C2C07)

° The Kyoto Protocol on Climate Change is due to come into effect early in 2005. The European Commission and Council made statements to MEPs in November in the wake of Russia's recent signing of the Protocol. The EU's emissions trading scheme will come start operating from 1 January 2005, with each member state due to adopt a national action plan for its implementation. Further information from http://unfccc.int/essential_background/kyoto_protocol/background/items/1351.php and http://europa.eu.int/comm/environment/climat/home_en.htm

° The European Environment Agency (EEA) presents results of its Corine Land Cover (CLC) 2000 project – first digital map of Europe’s changing landscape.  Using a common methodology, CLC2000 (Corine land cover) provides the first standardised survey of Europe's land cover for the year 2000 and of the changes that happened over the decade since the first CLC was undertaken.  It shows the effect of agriculture, transport etc on Europe’s finite resources. The map illustrating CLC2000 is available at http://dataservice.eea.eu.int, where illustrative maps highlighting the changes between 1990 and 2000 in selected areas can also be found. Data from IMAGE 2000,a satellite imaging programme undertaken together with the European Commission's Joint Research Centre, can be accessed from http://image2000.jrc.it.

° Commission issues public consultation on its action plan to reduce air pollution: the plan is due by mid-2005. The Commission has launched an internet consultation which will run until 31 January 2005.  Results will be published by March 2005.  Recent studies show that over 22,000 premature deaths each year are due to high levels of ozone, reduction of life expectancy between 3-14 months is due to particulate pollution. Excess acid rain endangers 23% of European forests. 63% of European ecosystems suffer from excessive nitrogen deposition. To participate in the public consultation access: http://europa.eu.int/yourvoice/forms/dispatch?form=356&lang=EN   The CAFE (“Clean Air for Europe”) web site includes most recent studies on air quality: http://europa.eu.int/comm/environment/air/cafe/index.htm

° European Parliament (EP) Briefing - Packaging waste targets for 10 new Member States: The EU's directive on packaging and packaging waste was revised and updated in 2004, setting ambitious targets for recycling and recovery of packaging. The measures were adopted before the accession of the 10 new Member States in May 2004, and it is now necessary to amend the directive to set target dates for the new countries.  The EP report references are given in the EP section of this Brief, below.

° EU ratifies Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs). EU legislation already implements all its provisions (Regulation 850/2004). By becoming a Party to the Convention, the EU can promote efficient implementation and inclusion of additional substances to be banned globally.  POPs have been widely used in industry and pesticides.  They are toxic, persist for generations, can travel long distances and accumulate in human and animal bodies. The EU deposited its ratification instrument with the United Nations in New York. It will become a full Party to the Convention 90 days later.http://europa.eu.int/comm/environment/pops/index_en.htm  Further information on dioxins is found on: http://europa.eu.int/comm/environment/dioxin/index.htm

° Environmental cases:

RULING: List of wastes under Directive 75/442 is not exhaustive so as to exclude effluents: judgment (C-457/02) Full text of this Judgment

RULING:Directive 1999/31 allows national laws that prescribe standard higher than EU's on percentage of organic matter in municipal waste: opinion (C-6/03) Full text of this Opinion

JUDGEMENTS: Austria has failed to transpose EU directive on integrated reduction of pollution in several respects: judgment (C-78/04) Breach of Directive 96/61/CE (Full text of this Judgment ).  Austria was order to pay costs; Italy failed to clean up chemical and other wastes in Manfredonia contrary to EU law: judgment (C-447/03) Full text of this Judgment (Breach of Directive 75/442/CEE modified by Directive 91/156/CEE - Articles 4 et 8 ).  Italy was obliged to pay costs; Greece failed to ensure recovery and safe disposal of waste at Heraklion: judgment (C-420/02) – breach of Directive 75/442/EEC on waste, as amended by Directive 91/156/EEC - Articles 4 and 9. Greece was ordered to pay costs.

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

ENERGY:  

° Consultation for revision of the FP6 Energy Work Programme (mid-term review) The FP6 objectives were defined in Council Decision (2002/834/EC) of 30th September 2002, adopting a specific programme for research, technological development and demonstration "integrating and strengthening the European Research Area" (2002 – 2006). The Commission is working with the Programme Committee and the Energy and Transport Forum to review the Work programme, including the Timetable for implementation of Calls for Proposals (roadmap) addressing the remaining programme period until end 2006. Interested European organisations are invited to contribute to the consultation – views must be submitted before 29 February 2005.  Summarised consultation results will appear in due course on: http://europa.eu.int/comm/dgs/energy_transport/rtd/wp_revision/index_en.htm

° The Commission's intention to draw up a European biomass action plan has been welcomed by the EU Transport, Telecommunications and Energy Council which emphasised that it must address research.  Ministers called for the plan to be based on scientific data and commercial experience, and to include an analysis of the potential of biomass in three areas: electricity; heating and cooling; and transport. Ministers emphasised that the development of renewable energy should be given 'adequate priority in Community funding', and proposed the Seventh Framework Programme, the European Regional Development Fund, the Cohesion Fund and the next Intelligent Energy-Europe programme as potential sources of this funding.

TRANSPORT:

° Executive Director of the European Railway Agency appointed: Mr Marcel Verslype has been appointed as the first Executive Director of the European Railway Agency.  The Agency was established in 2004 (under Regulation no.881/2004/EC). It will be located in Lille/Valenciennes (France). Its main task will be to reinforce safety and interoperability of railways in Europe. The Agency will be progressively set up until May 2006. After this phasing in period, the Agency shall be fully operational with about 100 professional members of staff, mostly drawn from the railway sector.

INFRASTRUCTURE FINANCING

° Lending from EIB 

° The European Investment Bank is providing a EUR 250 million contract euro with the ASF Group of France to improve the quality of its motorway network. This is the first agreement concluded directly between the EIB and ASF following the reform of the French motorway system and the partial privatisation of ASF.

° The EIB is lending GBP 200 million to United Utilities Water for the improvement of water and wastewater infrastructure in the North West of England in 2005-10.

° The EIB is financing a series of projects in Italy under the European Growth Initiative, (launched during Italy’s six-month Presidency of the EU in 2003). Over EUR 1.6 billion is being advanced for both research, development and innovation (RDI), in keeping with the guidelines of the EU’s 2000 Lisbon Strategy, and the development of infrastructure and Trans-European Networks.

° The EIB is providing a EUR 16 million Global Loan to BRD – Groupe Société Générale S.A. (BRD) to finance small and medium-sized projects in the field of public infrastructure in Romania including environmental protection, energy and energy savings.

° The (EIB) has signed a new loan of EUR 30 million for the construction of a new 25.8km section of the D1 motorway between Mengusovce and Jánovce in Eastern Slovakia, part of the most significant road connection linking the West to the East Bratislava–Zilina–Kosice–Uzgorod section on Pan-European Corridor No V. Construction of the Mengusovce–Jánovce motorway will be co-financed by the EU Cohesion Fund. (The project includes a number of bridges and one two-tube tunnel (Bôrik) with a length of 995m).

° The Syndicat Mixte de Transport en Commun de l’agglomération clermontoise (SMTC) and the EIB have signed the financing agreement for the  Euro 155.7 million Clermont-Ferrand tramway.   The EIB’s initial advance is for Euro 120 million. The tramway is the first of two key arteries recommended by the Urban Mobility Plan; the second artery, running from East to West (Léo 2000), is the subject of a three-year long pilot scheme that will enable a tram-bus (an intermediate vehicle with an optical guidance system) to undergo trials on a dedicated site in the city centre

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

° Lending from EBRD, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development  

 

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

° A European Court of Justice judgement has condemned Germany to pay costs for its failure to make full

provision for minimum standards of health and safety at work Directive 89/654/CEE: judgment (C-16/04)

Full text of this Judgment

° Agenda Highlights from European Parliament session of 15-18^th November – new Commission

The European Commission President-designate José Barroso revised the line-up of proposed European Commissioners following indications in October that the European Parliament would not support the original team. Two new names were put forward: Mr Frattini from Italy; and Mr Piebalgs from Latvia. The reshuffle also saw the proposed Hungarian Commissioner, Mr Kovacs, moved to taxation from energy policy. The proposed new Commissioners faced hearings in the Parliament.  (For the questionnaires sent to the Commissioners-designate: http://www.europarl.eu.int/hearings/commission/2004_comm/secondround_en.htm)

Under the new proposal Mr Piebalgs was proposed to replace Mrs Ingrid Udre.  He has now been assigned the Energy portfolio previously assigned to Mr KOVÁCS; Mr. Frattini is nominated Commissioner-Designate for Freedom, Justice and Security in place of Mr. Buttiglione and Mr. Kovacs, previously Commissioner-Designate for Energy takes over the Taxation and Customs Union portfolio previously assigned to Mrs Udre.

Also on the Agenda in November were Services in the internal market.  A Public Hearing took place on the proposal for a directive, organized by the Parliament’s Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection. Discussions on the proposed directive also included its interaction with adopted secondary legislation (e. g. Posting of Workers Directive, Procurement Directive, Directive 1408/71) and pending legislation (Directive on the Recognition of Professional Qualifications, Directive on Temporary Work).

° Reports under discussion in November

Report on the proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Directive 94/62/EC on packaging and packaging waste Doc Ref: A6-0027/2004 Rapporteur Dorette Corbey MEP, NL

° Link to the European Parliament's session calendar 2004 (pdf) - http://www.europarl.eu.int/plenary/cal2004_en.pdf

° Briefing on FP6 financial management, reporting & auditing, Brussels, Belgium, 2^nd December

Special reference will be made to Integrated Projects, Networks of Excellence and STREPS, main themes will be:  the principle sources of reference for the financial rules; the financial rules and the FP6 instruments; eligible costs and subcontracting; building a budget and the allocation of resources; collective responsibility and the management of liability; reporting and annual reviews under FP6; audit and practical issues. For further information, Berkley Associates e-mail berkleyassociates@skynet.be

° International conference 'clean energy power 2005' , Berlin, Germany, 26th to 27th January 2005.

The conference will address the issues of renewable energy, energy-efficiency, and sustainable building and renovation. For further information: http://www.energie-server.de

° Advantages for Real Estate and Construction Sector, Helsinki, 13^th - 16^th June 2005