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3 Consultations and Roadmaps, BNU December 2017, Brussels News Updates

Public Consultation on The Initiative to Limit Industrial Trans Fats Intakes in the EU

The European Commission is carrying out an Impact Assessment on a possible EU-based initiative to limit intakes of industrial trans fats in the diet of EU consumers, such as to limit industrial trans fats content in food through self-regulation or through a legally-binding measure, to introduce mandatory labelling of the trans fats content of foods on food labels or to prohibit the use of partly hydrogenated oils, which are the main source of industrial trans fats, in foods manufacturing/preparation through self-regulation or through a legally-binding measure. The present public consultation integrates the targeted consultations with interested stakeholders and national competent authorities already carried out by the Commission and an external contractor which supports the Commission’s work on trans fats. This public consultation is aimed at giving an additional possibility to all stakeholders and individual citizens with a possible interest in trans fats to provide their views on key elements of the Impact Assessment.
Deadline: 9 February 2019
Website: http://ec.europa.eu/

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3 Consultations and Roadmaps, BNU December 2017, Brussels News Updates

Public Consultation on Pharmaceuticals in the Environment

The consultation seeks views on possible actions to address the risks from pharmaceuticals in the environment and to obtain views and information to support the development of the Commission’s strategic approach to pharmaceuticals in the environment. At EU level, the issue of pharmaceuticals in the environment is only partially addressed in legislation and policy. Practices are further influenced by many other factors, which could be acted upon to leverage more sustainable and prudent management and use of pharmaceuticals, in line with the circular economy.

Deadline: 21 February 2018
Website: https://ec.europa.eu/

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3 Consultations and Roadmaps, BNU December 2017, Brussels News Updates

Public Consultation on Revision of the EU Regulation on Explosives Precursors

The aim of the public consultation is to gather the views and concerns of all interested citizens, authorities and organisation regarding the EU restrictions and controls limiting the availability of and access to substances which can be used for making home-made explosives. Your input will help the Commission to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the EU policy framework in this area, enhancing protection of EU citizens and security in the EU.
Deadline: 14 February 2018
Website: https://ec.europa.eu/

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3 Consultations and Roadmaps, BNU December 2017, Brussels News Updates

Evaluation of The Legislation on Medicines for Children and Rare Diseases

The EU Regulation on medicines for rare diseases (‘orphan medicines’) and the Paediatric Medicines Regulation especially for children are intertwined and partly complementary as they both intend to redirect investment in previously neglected therapeutic areas through a scheme of incentives, rewards and obligations. The scope of this evaluation will be focused on the output and results of the two regulations: in what respect have patients’ needs been fulfilled, what have been the societal consequences and what has been the synergy between the two. It will also focus on the cost-effectiveness when providing the incentives and rewards incorporated in the legislation and how they have been used in practice; it will make a cost-benefit analysis, both from a general point of view and per group (patients, industry, payers etc).
Deadline: 8 January 2018
Website: http://ec.europa.eu/

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3 Consultations and Roadmaps, BNU December 2017, Brussels News Updates

Evaluation of Food Contact Materials

Food contact materials (FCMs) are all materials that come into contact with food including packaging as well as every-day items such as kitchen and tableware and those used in professional food manufacturing, preparation, storage and distribution. Regulation (EC) No 1935/2004 (the FCM Regulation) provides that these materials shall not transfer their components into food in quantities that could endanger human health or change the composition, or organoleptic properties of the food. The purpose of this evaluation is to assess whether the current EU legislative framework for FCMs is fit for purpose and delivers as expected.
deadline: 26 December 2017
Website: https://ec.europa.eu/

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2 Innovation & Entrepreneurship, BNU December 2017, Brussels News Updates

Commission Publishes Study on The Impacts of REACH Authorisation

The study on the impacts of REACH (registration evaluation authorisation and restriction of chemicals) authorisation indicates that the system is achieving its objectives. The authorisation system is progressively promoting substitution of substances of very high concern (SVHCs) by available alternatives and reducing risks associated with the use of SVHCs.
Source: http://ec.europa.eu/

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2 Innovation & Entrepreneurship, BNU December 2017, Brussels News Updates

Patents, trade and foreign direct investment in the European Union

The European Patent Office (EPO) has published a study addressing the role played by Europe’s patent system in promoting technology transfer in the European Single Market. It shows that the fragmented nature of the system imposes limitations on trade and foreign direct investment (FDI), preventing the realisation of the economic benefits which could be expected from a more harmonised system, i.e. unitary patent. Among other, the study highlights that compared with other industries, IP-intensive industries such as analytical instruments, biopharmaceuticals, chemicals, ICT, medical devices and production technologies make a greater contribution to outgoing than to incoming or intra-EU trade and FDI flows.
Source: http://www.epo.org/

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2 Innovation & Entrepreneurship, BNU December 2017, Brussels News Updates

2017 Industrial R&D Investment Scoreboard

The European Commission has recently published the 2017 Industrial Research and Development (R&D) Investment Scoreboard. One of the main findings shown in this scoreboard is that European Union companies have significantly increased their investments in R&D, rising above the world’s average growth rate. While the world’s top 2500 companies in terms of investment into R&D increased this investment by 5.8% over 2016, companies with headquarters in the EU did so by 7%, with growth driven mainly by the information and communications technology, health and automotive sectors. The analysis also shows that the EU has the most productive companies in Chemicals (in terms of sales/employee) but that the R&D investment has decreased in this essential sector by -0.8%.
Source: http://iri.jrc.ec.europa.eu/

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