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BRUSSELS BRIEF - APRIL 2002 |
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This brief is intended to provide a monthly up-date on matters within
the European Institutions.
More detailed reports of meetings with European Commission and
Parliament are provided to ECCE member organisations with Working Papers
and Minutes of Meeting. |
To mark the European Commission’ Green Week, this Brief is
accompanied by a
NEWS
ITEMS FROM THE EUROPEAN INSTITUTIONS:
RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT (R&D)
Expressions
of Interest (EoI)
for FP6: The European Commission is
inviting those interested in submitting proposals for “Integrated Projects”
or “Networks of Excellence” (both are new instruments for the Sixth
Framework Programme) to submit EoI to participate in research actions for topics
that could be the subject of proposals for these two instruments.
The documents required to prepare the Expression of Interest are to be
found on the ‘Cordis’ web-site: http://www.cordis.lu/fp6/eoi-instruments/
EoI
must be prepared as set out in the guide for submitters and must be sent by
e-mail to arrive no later than 5.00 p.m. Brussels time on 7th June
2002 to fp6-eoi2002@cec.eu.int
Expressions
of Interest (EoI)
to compile file of researchers: The
European Parliament has published a call for EoI for various research services.
The European Parliament will compile a file of institutes and experts
covering a number of fields with a view to issuing restricted invitations to
tender in the research field. The
file will be used exclusively for contracts where the value is estimated to be
below the thresholds in the public contracts directives concerned.
The file will remain valid for maximum 3 years; an initial selection for
inclusion on the file will take place no later than 1 June 2002.
Applications after this date will be assessed on a regular basis.
The final deadline for submitting tender documents is 15 April 2005.
Tenderers
are strongly advised to refer to the original call text in the OJ of the
European Communities at: Doc Ref: OJ No S 83-064316 of 27.04.2002 page 59.
For further information please call: European Parliament, Research DG,
STOA, Schuman Building, Office SCH 06 B 041, Plateau du Kirchberg, L2929
Luxembourg TEL: +352 43 0022060 FAX: +352 43 0027718
Research
and Environment/Energy issues:
1. In advance of an informal seminar of
EU energy Ministers held in Pamplona on 26-28 April, the Spanish Presidency
has stated that incentives are needed to encourage R & D investment in
renewable energies. The paper
stated that the reduction in generation costs for renewable energy will not be
sufficient unless accompanied by R&D investment incentives. Renewable energies should compete with each other over a
sufficiently long transition period to promote the best combination of
technology to obtain most efficient product in terms of profitability and risk.
The Presidency claims that renewable energies are a
”guarantee for reducing uncertainties before the shortage of fossil
fuel reserves reaches critical levels”. The
full working document is to be found on: http://www.ue2002.es/principal.asp?opcion=1&subopcion=1&idioma=ingles
2.
News from a project carried out in Norway suggests that underground
storage of carbon dioxide could
help Europe to meet future Kyoto emissions trading targets. The EU-funded ‘SAC’ (Saline aquifer carbon dioxide
storage) project at the Sleipner field in the North Sea
began in 1998 with Euro 500,000 funding for two years with a further Euro
740,000 for 2000-2002. The project
is cooperating with geophysical researchers from Western Australia and Canada.
Data collection and experiments carried out should lead to a good
practice manual on feasibility of carbon dioxide storage in other areas and
industries. Carbon dioxide at
Sleipner is compressed under 73 atmospheres of pressure, turning it from gas to
liquid from which flows from the compressor to an injection well 1,000 metres
deep. Liquid gas is squeezed into
an underground storage chamber under the seabed filled with thick, water-bearing
sandstone. The liquid gas displaces the water and over 2-3 years absorbs
into it “in the same way as carbon dioxide is dissolved to make a fizzy
drink”.
Further
information:Tore A Torp, Project Manager, Research Centre, Statoil ASA, Rotvoll,
N-7005 TRONDHEIM, Norway Fax: +47 73 58 46 30; e-mail tat@statoil.com
http://www.statoil.com
http://www.ieagreenorg.uk/sacshome.htm
Study
indicates that Commission funds 24% of European R & D projects:
The study commissioned by KoWi, the German R & D liaison office in Brussels
cover 11 EU Member States and found that the percentage of funding directed
towards civil research projects is highest in Finland (41%), followed by
Denmark, Sweden and Germany. France
(+/- 7%) directs the smallest proportion of its R & D budget towards project
funding (estimated figure, exact statistics not available). Total project funding in the 11 Member States in 2000 was
Euro 14,657.00 million of which 3,485 million was provided by the Commission and
11,172 million by national Governments. Further
information on KoWi can be found on: http://www.kowi.de
EDUCATION:
EU’s position in international training market
A
report from the European Parliament’s Committee for Culture, Youth, Education,
the Media and Sport on a European Commission Communication notes that an
international training market is emerging in which the main providers (USA and
various European countries) are beginning to compete with each other.
The US attracts most foreign students and EU countries most in demand are
Britain, Germany and France. The
Commission is asked to consult with the European University Association on the
possibility of creating a group of independent international experts whose task
would be to award university establishments recognised for their quality of
teaching and their reception facilities for foreign students.
Further
Committee recommendations:
·
Commission
should continue to improve and promote the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS)
Leonardo
Conference:
A conference will be held regarding the Commission’s Leonardo programme in
Madrid on 29th and 30th April.
The conference is held under the auspices of the Spanish Presidency and
D.G. Education and Culture.
ENVIRONMENT:
Soil
protection
is placed on a par with clean water and
air as Commission launches new policy.
The
new Commission Communication (19 April 2002) “Towards a Thematic Strategy for
Soil Protection” is a first step in developing a comprehensive EU policy to
protect soils against erosion and pollution.
Available data indicated that land degradation affects over 50 million
hectares (about 16% of EU land area). In
candidate countries this figure is about 35%.
Future Commission measures will relate to air quality regulations (heavy
metals and PAH); mining waste; sewage sludge and compost and biowaste.
In 2003 the Commission will issue a Communication on “Planning and
Environment, the territorial dimension”.
Energy:
New multi-annual energy programme “Intelligent energy for Europe”
(2003-2006)
The
new programme, with a budget of Euro
215 million (less than the Euro 265 million sought, though Euro 50 million is
envisaged in the context of enlargement) aims to improve energy efficiency.
By increasing development of renewable energy sources it is hoped that
the share of renewable energy sources in gross internal energy consumption will
rise from 6% to 12% by 2010 (electricity, heating, bio-fuels) and that the share
of electricity produced from renewable sources will increase to 22.1% by 2010.
Four
specific fields of action are covered:
a)
rational use of energy and demand management (SAVE)
(Total
budget Euro 75 million)
b)
new and renewable energy sources (ALTENER)
(Total budget Euro 86 million)
c)
energy aspects of transport (STEER)
(Total budget Euro 35 million)
d)
promotion of co-operation at international level, particularly with the
developing countries regarding renewable energy sources and energy efficiency (COOPENER)
(Total budget Euro 19 million)
Each
field of action will contain six segments: (i) implementation of structures,
development of standards, studies, etc.; (ii) Creation of structures and
financial and market instruments, including local and regional planning; (iii)
promotion of systems and equipment to facilitate transition from demonstration
to marketing; (iv) development of information and education structures and
utilisation of the results; (v) monitoring;
(vi) impact assessment of the action.
COOPENER
aims to promote the mechanisms of the Kyoto Protocol in both developing
sustainable energy systems and helping to reduce poverty by improving access to
energy services to the energy-poor.
The
12 key actions of the programme are: “sustainable energy for the islands;
“economic buildings”; “energy and urban safety”; ”water and energy”;
“Communities towards 100% renewable energy sources”; “green transport”;
“learning about sustainable energy”; “analysis and evaluation of the
impact of energy production and use on the environment, in particular in terms
of climate change”; “analysis and evaluation of the impact of energy
production and use on the environment, in particular in terms of climate
change”; “promotion of co-ordinated analyses of energy policies and markets
at Community level and of measures to implement the Community legislation in
these areas”; and "Developing a shared Community approach to studies,
analyses and forecasting in the energy sector”.
Whilst combating climate change is a major concern, the EU has made it clear that no action will result in over 70% of EU energy being imported by 2030. The transport sector, almost entirely dependent on oil, would have to import 95% of its oil needs.
Current
legislative measures includes specific energy objectives: http://europa.eu.int/eur-lex/en/lif/ind/en_analytical/index/12.html
Nuclear
Health Effects:
Following publication of the ‘WISE’ report into possible toxic effects from
nuclear reprocessing, the European Parliament’s Petitions Committee invited
the Nuclear Safety Inspectorates in the UK and France to attend a public hearing
in Brussels on 17 and 18 April to respond to concerns about radioactive
discharges from nuclear reprocessing plants.
The WISE report was commissioned by the Committee in response to
petitions received expressing concern about health risks.
The executive summary, available on http://www.europarl.eu.int,
indicates that a statistically significant increase in the incidence of
leukaemia has been established in the regions around Sellafield and La Hague,
although no conclusive link has been established.
European
Mobility Week launch.
On 19th April the Commission launched European Mobility Week
– a week of events to take place from 16-22 September 2002 that will include
the traditional European Car Free day. Further
information may be found on http://www.mobilityweek-europe.org
& http://www.22september.org
Compliance
issues: (1) Waste: The
European Commission has sent Reasoned Opinions to Luxembourg, Belgium, Germany,
Italy, UK, Greece, Portugal and Finland, asking them to comply with legislation
on landfills. The eight Member
States failed to meet the 16th July 2001 deadline for transposing EU
legislation into national legislation. Sweden
and Denmark have been sent Reasoned Opinions for their failure to adequately
prioritise regeneration of waste oils. The
legislation in question is (i)
Council Directive 1999/31/EC on the landfill of waste (ii) Council Directive
75/439/EEC on waste oils as amended by Directive 87/101/EEC
Current
statistics on legislative infringements can be found on http://europa.eu.int/comm./secretariat_general/sgb/droit_com/index_en.htm#infractions
(2) Environmental impact: In a legal opinion issued on 18 April, Advocate General Alber concluded that Greece had failed to provide for environmental assessment of public works and should pay costs. The opinion is published on the European Court of Justice web-site http://curia.eu.int