In Europe EU Regulation (EC) No 765/2008 sets out the requirements for accreditation and market surveillance and demands that accreditation has to be based on harmonised International Standards. In this context, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) has published ISO 17034 which outlines the general requirements which producers of all types of reference materials must fulfil. The structure of ISO 17034 has been aligned with that of ISO/IEC 17025, the International Standard for the competences of testing and calibration laboratories.
Source: https://ec.europa.eu/

The Council of the European Union discussed and adopted conclusions on the Eastern Partnership which encompasses Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine. In its conclusions, the Council mentions that “Cooperation in education, science, research, culture, training, youth and innovation is crucial for deepening mutual understanding, strengthening institutions, and promoting modernisation and sustainable development. The Council recognises that people to people contacts, including capacity building measures in these areas, contribute to job creation, increased entrepreneurship, mobility and a stronger engagement with society.”

Source: http://www.consilium.europa.eu/

The EU should place mandatory limits on industrially-produced trans-fatty acids (TFA) which may increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, infertility, Alzheimer’s, diabetes and obesity for consumers, says a resolution voted on Wednesday. TFA intake is mostly linked to consumption of industrially produced, partially hydrogenated oils. MEPs mention the fact that, according to the European Commission, only one in three consumers in the EU knows about TFAs which shows that labelling measures are not enough. The Commission should therefore propose an EU legal limit on the industrial TFA content of all foods as soon as possible, and preferably within two years, say MEPs.
Source: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/

The Paris Agreement legally entered into force on 4 November. This historic event occurs less than a year after the landmark agreement was adopted in Paris and just days ahead of the UN climate conference in Marrakech, Morocco. The Marrakech conference aims to demonstrate that commitments made in Paris towards a low-carbon economy are being implemented, and to act as a catalyst for further action.
Source: http://europa.eu/

Earlier this month at the European Parliament, Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) and scientists met in a series of bilateral meetings, and at the Science and Technology Options Assessment (STOA). EuCheMS was represented by Prof. David Cole-Hamilton, paired with MEP Catherine Stihler, and by Prof. Pavel Drašar, paired with MEP Pavel Poc.
These meetings took place under the initiatives “Science Meets Parliaments” and the “MEP-Scientist Pairing Scheme” which aim to show the links between policy-making and research and to promote mutual understanding and long-term cooperation between MEPs and researchers.
Source: http://www.euchems.eu/