CORDIS focus

European Commission Directorate-General For Enterprise And Industry

Description

Issue number 230, 6 October 2003
Scientific and technical research
Target audience: Specialised/Technical

Sujets

• Periodical publication
• RE/Search
• Research and development
• Sciences et techniques

Informations

• Publié par: EUROPEAN-COMMISSION-DIRECTORATE-GENERAL-FOR-ENTERPRISE-AND-INDUSTRY
• Nombre de lectures: 29
• Langue: English

Extrait

IN THIS ISSUE

EU awards young scientists The award ceremony of the 15th EU contest forYoung Scientists took place on 25 September in Budapest, Hungary page 3 Council outlines actions to increase investment in R&D In support of the Commission’s recent communication on raising the level of expenditure for research and innovation, ministers attending the Competitiveness Council in Brussels on 22 September invited the Commission and Member States to make more effective use of financing instruments, including the EU’s structural funds, for research and development (R&D) page 4 Commission sets out initiatives to reduce death toll on Europe’s roads The European Commission has no immediate plans to introduce legislation requiring the automotive industry to adopt new vehicle safety technologies, according to EU Commissioner for Enterprise and the Information Society, Erkki Liikanen page 6 Dutch innovation grants stimulate researcher careers and universities The Dutch Innovational Research Incentives Scheme is not only ensuring that the Netherlands’ best researchers secure a position at one of the country’s universities, but is having the add-on effect of encouraging competition between the universities,the scheme’s co-ordinator has told CORDIS News page 9 NCPs provide feedback on first FP6 calls While preparations for the next calls for proposals for the Sixth Framework Programme are already underway at the Commission, the first calls remain a topic for fervent discussion among stakeholders page 11 Highlights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Innovation: Policy and Practice . . . 9 Programme Implementation . . . . . 11 Calls and Tenders . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 General Policy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Miscellaneous . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Results . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Other Items Online . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 CORDIS on the Web . . . . . . . . . . 27

B a s e d

o n i n f o r m a t i o n f r o m C O R D I S N e w s a v a i l a b l e

o n t h e W e b a t

ISSN 1022-6559

h t t p : / / w w w . c o r d i s . l u / n e w s

Busquin - Europe should be motor for increased international collaboration

‘Europe is not a fortress, it’s open to the world,’as diE  UeResrahcC ommissioner PhileppisuB niuq ni an interview with CORDIS News, explaining his many overseas trips in recent months. Research co-operation between the EU and third and developing countries clinical trials programme countries has increased significantly over the last (EDCTP). The initiative will see a total of€600 mil- few years, with the establish- lion channelled towards re- ment of truly international search into HIV/AIDS, ma- projects and discussions in laria and TB. ‘Africa has areas such as poverty-related  problems, and of course we diseases, space, nuclear fu- will help Africa, but not just sion, hydrogen and in a development sense. It’s genomics. Science and tech- a partnership,’ said Mr nology co-operation agree- Busquin. It is extremely im- ments have also been signed portant that African re- with a plethora of countries,  searchers participate in the including Chile, Morocco, DROCN SI uqsu  © niilippe BPh initiative, and that they de- Tunisia, Argentina and Rus- ews velop their own research in- sia. The Commissioner, however, wants more than frastructure in the process, he emphasised. the mere signing of an agreement.  Strong partnerships may be difficult as some coun- ‘My idea is that they may be more than simply tries do not award or cannot afford to award re- formal, diplomatic agreements. They should be search the same priority as is the case in Europe. agreements which are actually used,’ said Mr The Commissioner concedes this difficulty, but his Busquin. ‘For this to happen, we need to encour-  meetings in Africa have left him optimistic. He was age researchers from third countries to partici-  ‘struck’ to see, for example, how high a priority pate in the Framework Programme - which they research and innovation are being given in Tuni- are doing - much more than was the case with its sia. The government recognises the importance predecessor.’ of preparing for the graduation of the 31% of the The reason for travelling to both Northern and  population aged between 19 and 24 which is cur- Southern Africa, as well as Chile, was ‘to make re e n ry t   l y y  o a u t  n u g  n p iv o ers l ity t . i   o A n n . d this in a country with a people aware of Europe in the field of research  v pu a and to say that we are open to partnerships every- Mr Busquin spoke of an enormous interest in Af- where in the world,’ said the Commissioner. ‘I al-  rica for collaboration with Europe.‘They can’t do it ways said that Europe will succeed, and that the  completely alone, they have to do it in a partner- European Research Area will be effective, when ship, and why not with Europe? Because Europe is the world’s best researchers come to Europe.’ the closest and most open partner,’ he said, refer- The Commissioner’s visits to South Africa, Tanza-  ring in particular to Tunisia. nia, Mozambique, Tunisia and Morocco could be As in any solid relationship, give and take is the key, interpreted as signalling a new era of co-opera- and the Commissioner is adamant that Europe is set tion between Europe and Africa. His trip to South to benefit from collaboration with less developed Africa saw him attending the World Health Or- countries. Genetics research in Tunisia, where ganisation (WHO) conference and urging mobili-  sections of the population have remained isolated, sation by African governments on the European continued on page 4

PUBLISHED BY THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION  INNOVATION

2

The future looks bright with Europes next generation of scientists

With stars in their eyes, curiosity in their minds and enthusiasm in their hear ts, some of the world’s most promising young scientists gathered to compete in this year’s European Union contest for young scientists, in Budapest, Hungary. The competition is now in its 15th year, it is shaping their ideas and goals for the strumental in shortening the first fermen- and has grown in that time so that in this future. tation process of brewing beer from as year’s competition a total of 114 young Bryndis Guomundsdottir, 20, with her i m nt u e c n h d  a e s  d f   i t v o e     m da a y k s e  t  b o  e fi e v r, e     b h u o t u  w rs e .    ´ e W n e d   e n d e   v u e p r people, between the ages of 15 and 20  classmates Anna Kristjansdottir, 18, and  with it,’ explained Mr Ruigrok. F r re-and representing 37 countries across Eu-   rope - as well as China, Japan, South Ko- Boovar Sturluson, 20, de i ci n dedto pursue o rea and the US - exhibited their work. an interest they had in usg hydrogen as y se e a a r s c t  h s   u p p ur p p li o e s d e  i s, n  t   h a  e n  c o o r n m te al s   t b a e nt e s r   - to m o a k k   i t n h g e an alternative source of energy. ‘Hydro- The 75 competing projects were as var-  lar Iceland and is ied as they were plentiful, covering a wide gen is a poputopic in l k e it f , t     p t l h a e c   e y d e  i a t s  i t n  t  s o o  f m er e  m p e ro n t t  e i c n t   i a v   e s   u b c e r a o d s s e     a s n o d - seen as the way forward,’ explained Ms range of scientific disciplines, from social  Guomundsdottir. ‘We understand that this  lution. When protected, the yeast cells are sciences and astrophysics, to environmen-  ’ tal investigation and mathematic model-  is the future and we want to be part of it.  no longer affected by external conditions, ling. I la n  n t d h e is r   s c   o h n a t v e e x   t c ,  o th m e e     g u r p o   u w p i   t o h f     t y h o e u   n p g a   r I a c m e- - i T a n n h  a e d      t y m h o o u u r s n e  t   g e h   f e c f i i o r c   n i a t e c e n ti s t v t  f i a t e n y r   t i s m n   e c b r n e e l t i a a e t s i v e o e s   n , t     r h p e a r s t o u  t c lt h e i s e n i s g r . CORDIS News spoke to some of the con- eters necessary to design a hydrogen  method may help reduce production costs testants and asked them why they de- house.  and hence, the cost price of a glass f cool, cided to get involved in science and how  The group claims that this is the first time  refreshing beer.  o that three alternative energy sources - solar, hydroelectric wind and geothermal r D e e c s e p iv it e e d  t   h fr e o  n m e   g o a t t h iv e e r   r s e t s u p d o e n n s t e s   t a h t  e s y c  h h a o v o e l energies - have been used together to provide electricity within in a house. Any  about being involved in a scientific extra energy that is produced is stored  project, both contestants say that they are publisd he:by and used to geneelfuel cl,etarh a ordy neg yhs icneecm toviates them, tsnietli led irestrsuin puics a gn cifitne r.ee - r ca  wedsk A EUROPEAN COMMISSION  Ruigrok explained: ‘I love the experi- Mr which provides energy to run a car or power electrical appliances. While the Enterprise Directorate-General g a resuto havintl  fin andentsmtu .ffo s utidgn m ro s f esocpre Th  gnihton gniwonk ohsu esidyoreg nlandic hIcee0% 3or m Communication and Awareness Unit expensive than a regular grid-only con- L-2920 Luxembourg  hopese r th Fax: [phone] guo p d   e y s x i e g i n c   i c t at  s t i h v e   i r r e mae  ony .’ng ilWhc s e e j o o u c t   h s , t   h c t t   n f e r   p h   e e d -u a ni desu eb na for frytorabola rof epmognit E-mail: [e-mail] ture analysis of the technologies used. the grand prize were focused on tackling CORDISfocus also available at: is Presenting their results and participating  of the environmental, technologi- some http://www.co rdis.lu/focus/en/ and health issues affecting our daily  cal in the contest, Ms Guomundsdottir ex- B a s e d o n i n f o r m a t i o n  one project in particular sought to plained, holds as much national impor-  lives, f r o m C O R D I S N e w s ensss icneitif c ah d har s ‘Icelanersonal. todsep cn esai  htnaeh rt ehf anes os otimalevorp -mi vil eht  s odthmep el hto at availableon theWeb at: been working towards creating a hydro- -  http://www.cordis.lu/news wt-o ,own sraey evif tsahe lor tmy fcononee g tweN ,nob az  hteedgnn  a, 19side raeiytU.elggdev tant EliK contes tnhcemneir by converting its sustainable electric en-  device to improve the nutritional intake ergy into hydrogen. I feel that our project will contribute to this national goal,’ she  of a small species of monkey from the said. On a personal note, Ms  Amazon known as callitrichids. ‘Enrich- Guomundsdottir said that visiting a part d m i e sp n l t a  i y s     n a a ll t   u a r b al o   u b t e  s h t a i v m io ul u a r t   i w ng h   e a n n   i th m e a y l   s a  t r o e of Europe so different to Iceland and meeting the other contestants has been i w n  a c y a  o p f t   i d vi o t i y n ,’  g e  t x h p i l s a  i i s n   e by d     p M r s o   v N id e i w n t g o  t n h .  e  O an n i e - a lot of fun. ‘It has been a social experi- CORDISfocsu published every two is  with a food they eat in the wild. ‘Ara- ence as well as a scientific one.’  mal weeks by the Communication and bic gum is an important supplement for Awareness Unit of the Enterprise  animals when they are in the wild, these Another group which got into the spirit of Directorate-General as part of the  but in captivity, they don’t know what to the contest is the Dutch entry. Although Eu r o m m Co p e a nun i t y ’ R e s e a r i x t hs Sch  do with it,’ explained Ms Newton. ‘I had to their project initially began as an investi- F r a m e w o r kP r o gr a m m e ,a n dp r es e n t s gation into yeast, Vincent Ruigrok, 18, and  a way to get the monkeys to feed on find the latest news on European Union his friend Geert De Veerde, 20, discov-  Arabic gum as they would in the wild.’ the research and innovation and related ered that their findings could also be in- p r o g r a m m e s a n d p o l i c i e s . continued on page 3

CORDIS FOCUS - NUMBER 230

6 OCTOBER 2003