1 European Highlights

1 European Highlights, BNU December 2021, Brussels News Updates

The EU Council adopted conclusions on the Pact for R&I and new ERA

On 26 November, the Council of the European Union adopted conclusions on the governance of the European Research Area (ERA) and a Pact for Research and Innovation (R&I) in Europe.

The ERA policy agenda for the 2022-2024 period establishes 20 priorities and a governance framework for the ERA. The actions listed in the ERA policy agenda include the promotion of attractive and sustainable research careers, bringing science closer to citizens, and improving EU-wide access to excellence. This document is conceived as a political guide for creating a single market for research in Europe.

EU research ministers also agreed on the Pact for R&I, one of the main tools in the implementation of the new ERA. Under the Pact, the EU member states commit to the following:

  • a set of common EU principles and values for R&I;
  • shared priority areas for action;
  • investments and reforms;
  • a simplified policy coordination and monitoring process.

As a reminder, the Pact is a long-term plan, with similar goals as the ones for ERA when it was implemented in 2000, but adapted to current challenges (e.g., the COVID-19 pandemic). You can read our full debrief on the Pact for R&I in the August issue of our BNU newsletter.

However, the Pact is a non-binding agreement: member states will implement it on a voluntary basis. These conclusions are the result of the deep reform of the ERA, which started in 2020.

For more details, please read the press release of the Council of the EU.

Following the adoption of the conclusions of the Council of the EU, the European Parliament Committee on Industry, Research and Energy, the ITRE committee, held a public hearing on the “New ERA for Research and Innovation” on 6 December. During this meeting, many topics were covered, including the prioritisation of investments and reforms in R&I towards the green and digital transition, supporting Europe’s recovery, increasing cooperation among member states, strengthening mobility of researchers, boosting market uptake of R&I results, and improving access to excellence for researchers across the EU.

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Slovenia about to conclude the term of its Presidency of the Council of the European Union: milestones reached for R&I in the EU

On 1 July 2021, Slovenia took over the Council of the EU’s Presidency from co-member state Portugal. During its 6-month term, the Slovenian Presidency has committed to fulfil the previously agreed on common priorities while narrowing their action down to specific guidelines in line with its motto “Together. Resilient. Europe”.

Slovenia is concluding its Presidency with the successful Ljubljana Declaration on Gender Equality in Research and Innovation: Simona Kustec, Slovenian Minister for Education, Science and Sport, presented the declaration at the Competitiveness Council meeting in Brussels on 26 November which was signed by 37 parties. This declaration aims to rectify imbalance in research and innovation by:

  • ensuring fair, open, inclusive and gender equal career paths in research;
  • evaluating intersectional perspectives on gender inequalities;
  • facilitating mutual learning opportunities through form-follows-function robust governance;
  • employing existing and newly developed tools, such as Gender Equality Plans, to facilitate systemic institutional change and remove institutional barriers;
  • addressing and counteracting gender-based violence;
  • supporting active monitoring and evaluation to ensure continuous improvement.

Signatories of this declaration commit to achieve these goals by 2025. It will be supported through joint actions of the European Research Area (ERA) – the conclusions on the governance for a renewed and more inclusive ERA were adopted by the Council in November, together with the Pact for Research and Innovation.

In addition, fostering EU private-public partnerships to maximise excellence in research outcomes remained an important item on Slovenia’s agenda. Slovenia completed negotiations on public-private (9) and public-public (1) partnerships under Horizon Europe. The European Parliament approved the €10 billion budget for these partnerships, which now entered into their set-up and implementation phase. They aim to drive European competitiveness in the sectors of healthcare, clean energy, and transport. These partnerships will be key in the realisation of the EU green and digital transition and to solving other important societal challenges.

The Council addressed climate related issues by welcoming the Fit for 55 package, an initiative expected to provide the EU with tools to meet the Green Deal’s objectives of reducing by 55% the EU’s greenhouse gas emission by 2030. Slovenian Minister of Environment and Spatial Planning, Andrej Vizjak, enhanced the debate by organising a meeting on this topic during the COP26 in Glasgow with EU ministers and representatives.

This Trio Presidency was also a leader in bringing together EU member state to join cancer research efforts by adopting the Principles of Successful Patient Involvement in Cancer Research.

Slovenia will pass the Presidency over to France on 1 January 2022 – opening member state of the next Trio Presidency, composed of Czechia and Sweden. We will write about the new Trio Presidency priorities related to R&I in the January 2022 issue of the BNU newsletter. In the meantime, you can find out more about the upcoming French Presidency here.

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 1 European Highlights, BNU December 2021, Brussels News Updates

300+ attendees to the last 2021 EuChemS webinars

The past few weeks have been busy in terms of EuChemS webinars, we kindly invite you to read about them below.

Towards a more inclusive chemistry community

EuChemS organised the webinar ‘Towards a more inclusive chemistry community’ on 18 November 2021. Our invited speaker, Dr Alejandra Palermo, discussed some interventions that can make chemistry fairer and more inclusive for everyone. She also presented the strategies implemented by the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC), a EuChemS Member Society, to increase the diversity of people choosing the chemical sciences.

The event was moderated by Pilar Goya, EuChemS Vice-President, who welcomed the attendees. They were invited to share their views during the Q&A session, which led to engaging debates. The EuChemS Task Group on Inclusion and Diversity is currently evaluating the outcomes of this webinar to propose follow up actions in the near future.

This webinar can be watched on the EuChemS YouTube channel.

The Lithium Element – Enabler of the Energy Transition

On 1 December 2021, EuChemS hosted a science policy workshop on the lithium element. An impressive line-up of speakers from the international scientific community and the European institutions addressed topics around the energy transition, including new European sustainability regulations, lithium batteries and their alternatives, geopolitical issues, and recycling. This online event also saw a wide range of scientific and EU policy discussions on the endangered elements and on the EuChemS Periodic Table. Interesting debates ensued during the panel discussions.

This workshop, chaired by Nicola Armaroli, gathered attendees from 22 different countries who were invited to ask questions, as well as answer polls related to the webinar discussions. Their feedback will be carefully considered by the EuChemS Task Group on the EuChemS Periodic Table, also chaired by Nicola Armaroli, for follow up actions. Welcome and closing words were given by Floris Rutjes, EuChemS President.

We invite you to watch the recordings of the Morning Session and Afternoon Session of this webinar on the EuChemS YouTube channel – and consider subscribing!


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High Level Roundtable on the implementation of the Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability: EuChemS’ participation to its second meeting

The second meeting of the High Level Roundtable on the implementation of the Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability was held online on 25 November 2021. Floris Rutjes, EuChemS President, in his capacity as EuChemS’ representative within this expert group attended this meeting, together with Nineta Hrastelj, EuChemS Secretary General, as a Sherpa (substitute).

The topic of the meeting was enforcement aspect of the Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability.

Virginijus Sinkevičius, Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries, chaired this meeting and provided information regarding the state of the implementation of the Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability. He also thanked all stakeholders, especially the Sherpas, for their work in preparing this meeting and contributing actively to the debate around the Strategy.

The recording of this meeting can be watched here.

The third meeting of the High Level Roundtable on the implementation of the Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability is scheduled to be held in-person in Brussels (Belgium) in May 2021.

As a reminder, the European Chemical Society, EuChemS, has been invited to the expert group “High Level Roundtable on the implementation of the Chemicals Strategy” set up by the DG Environment of the European Commission. EuChemS has set up an internal expert group to discuss topics regarding the implementation of the Chemicals Strategy and to propose a diversity of perspectives from EuChemS wide network to the European Commission.

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Studying Sustainable Chemistry in Germany

The Leuphana University in Lüneburg, Germany, is offering a Professional Master’s Programme in Sustainable Chemistry M.Sc. tailored for working professionals with a background in chemistry. For 4 semesters, students will be taught how to understand and apply chemistry in the context of sustainability.

This programme, offered in English, enables working professionals to pursue their career while continuing higher education. In place since 2020, it was recently listed among the SDGs Good Practices by the United Nations (UN) for its active contribution to the achievement of SDGs 4, 9, 12 and 17.

If you wish to discover more about this master programme, the Leuphana University is organising an “Online Info Session Application & Admission“ on 25 November 2021. The programme will start in March 2022, and the deadline for application is 10 December 2021.

Download here the flyer for more information.

The Leuphana University will also launch in March 2022 another Master programme, which is the MBA Sustainable Chemistry. It is open for students with different disciplinary background and focuses on sustainability-oriented management in various sectors connected to the chemical enterprise. More information about it is available here.

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Women and Girls in STEM Forum: a step closer to gender equality?

On 28 October, the Girls Go Circular initiative, in collaboration with the European Commission, Directorate-General for Education, Youth, Sport and Culture (DG EAC), organised the first edition of the Women and Girls in STEM Forum.

This online forum gathered researchers, professionals, and stakeholders in STEM and equal opportunities to discuss the challenge of eliminating gender bias and achieving gender equality in digital and STEM-related disciplines. They highlighted gender gaps in leadership, pay and investment, and the importance of peer support and role models. The aim was to inspire future policy actions in the European Union on these topics. More than 1,000 people registered for this online event and had the opportunity to exchange with the speakers, mentors, and their peers.

Mariya Gabriel, Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth, opened the Women and Girls in STEM Forum and invited the attendees to join the upcoming editions, including the one that will be held next year. Stay tuned!

More information about the Women and Girls in STEM Forum is available here.

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More collaboration on Intellectual Property to ensure market uptake of research results within the EU

On 10 November, the European Commission Directorate General Research and Innovation (DG RTD), the European Innovation Council (EIC), SMEs Executive Agency (EISMEA), and the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) signed a letter of intent for co-operation on intellectual property (IP) management.

This commitment will enhance efforts of coordination between all parties in the field of IP management. It will come to support the objectives of the European Research Area (ERA) to ensure the EU’s competitive leadership in R&I and the market uptake of research results.

This initiative will translate to the implementation of various activities, such as awareness raising actions on IP, measures to support SMEs in the economy, and upcoming IP policies development.

More information is available here.

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Experts call for a more ambitious Fit for 55 package

The energy aspects of the “Fit for 55 package” have been discussed during a public hearing organised by the European Parliament Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE) on 9 November.

Members of the ITRE Committee exchanged views on this topic with experts from academia, industry, and NGOs, who called for a more ambitious Fit for 55 package. The focus was on the revision of the Energy Efficiency Directive and the Renewable Energy Directive.

The recording of the public hearing is available here.

As a reminder, the Fit for 55 package is an initiative expected to provide the EU with tools to meet the Green Deal’s objectives, comply with the European Climate Law, and keep its Paris Agreement commitments launched by the European Commission in July 2021. You can read our complete debrief in the August issue of our Brussels News Updates (BNU) newsletter.

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New limits for organic pollutants in waste

On 28 October, the European Commission adopted a proposal to eliminate Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) present in waste. The proposal, in line with the Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability, tightens the limits for these harmful chemicals in waste: as POPs can still be found in waste, they may re-enter the economy when it is recycled and the resulting materials are used in new products.

POPs are toxic chemicals that accumulate in the food chain and remain in the environment for a long period of time. With this proposal, the European Commission wants to prevent harming human health and to protect the environment, thus delivering on the European Green Deal.

The following three substances (or group of substances) are targeted in the proposal:

  • perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and its salts and related compounds;
  • dicofol;
  • pentachlorophenol, its salts, and esters.

 

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From EU institutions to COP26, methane is under the microscope

On 21 October, members of the committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI) adopted a resolution on the EU strategy to reduce methane emissions and called on the European Commission to present actions and targets to reach this goal by 2030. The ENVI committee also called for a binding global agreement on methane at COP26, held from 31 October to 12 November in Glasgow.

Methane is the second largest contributor to the climate crisis: over a short-term period, it is about 80 times more potent at warming the climate than carbon dioxide. As most methane emissions come from human activities – mainly from the agricultural, waste, and the energy sectors – MEPs asked for a mandatory monitoring, reporting and verification of these sectors and emphasised the need to implement methane leak detection and repair programmes.

You can read the ENVI Committee press release here.

On 2 November, the European Union and the U.S. launched during COP26 the Global Methane Pledge, an initiative to cut methane emission by 30% by 2030. 103 countries signed this pledge, representing 70% of the global economy. According to EU estimates, delivering on the Global Methane Pledge could reduce projected warming by 0.2 degrees Celsius by 2050 and prevent over 200,000 premature deaths as methane contributes to ozone formation causing air pollution and thus serious health problems.

“Methane emissions come from various sources, we all know: oil, gas, coal, agriculture, and landfills. These sectors have different potential for short-term action. The greatest potential for cuts is, without any doubt, in the energy sector. This is why, next month, us, the European Commission, we will propose to regulate methane emissions. We will introduce rules to measure, to report, to verify methane emissions, rules to put limits on venting and flaring, and rules to detect leaks and repair them. And of course our Common Agricultural Policy is also increasing its focus on tackling methane emissions.”

– Speech by European Commission President von der Leyen on the launch of the Global Methane Pledge
2 November 2021, COP26 Glasgow, UK

The pledge came without the participation of the top three world methane emitters – China, India, and Russia.

On the eve of COP26, the European Commission launched the International Methane Emissions Observatory (IMEO) during the G20 Summit. This initiative aims at driving global actions in reducing methane emissions, starting with the energy sector. It will ensure public transparency on anthropogenic methane emissions.

Nicola Armaroli, a EuChemS Executive Board member, addressed the issue of Methane leakage during an online event on Wednesday 3 November, held during the COP 26. During his presentation, he pointed out that methane is not only a climate problem, but also a local air pollution issue that shall be tackled. He also discussed methane waste management. You can watch his talk here.

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EuChemS Awards nomination process explained in 7 minutes!

EuChemS organised on 9 November an online Information Session on its Awards. The event was opened by Floris Rutjes, EuChemS President. During this webinar, the nomination procedures and selection process for each EuChemS Award were presented by Laura Jousset and Anna Robinson, while chairs of respective Selection Committees provided the attendees with tips and advice and answered their questions.

Nineta Hrastelj, EuChemS Secretary General, who moderated this Information Session, invited the participants to contact the Secretariat at awards@euchems.eu, should they have any questions.

Currently, four calls for the EuChemS Awards are open until 31 December 2021 (18:00 CET). Short videos summarising the procedures for these awards are available on the EuChemS YouTube Channel. These videos were shown during this online Information Session and each last up to 7 minutes.

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EuChemS discussing green and sustainable chemistry

Various chemistry events focusing on sustainability were organised this month. As an important contributor to this topic, the European Chemical Society took part in the discussion on green and sustainable chemistry by participating in two major events: the first “Global Sustainable Chemistry Week” and the “6th Green & Sustainable Chemistry Conference”.

1st Global Sustainable Chemistry Week

On 12 November, Nineta Hrastelj, EuChemS Secretary General, joined a panel discussion on the EU Chemicals Strategy on Sustainability during the first “Global Sustainable Chemistry Week” – organised by the International Sustainable Chemistry Collaborative Centre (ISC3).

Nineta Hrastelj addressed four major points from the EU Chemicals Strategy on Sustainability: the challenges towards its harmonised implementation across the EU, the importance of strengthening science-policy discussion, also at the regional level, the need for the EU’s strategic independence, and the crucial role of education. She concluded her presentation on the opportunities offered by the EU Chemicals Strategy on Sustainability, including how it can enable EU citizens to better understand the role of science in their everyday life.

6th Green & Sustainable Chemistry Conference

On 16 November, Floris Rutjes, EuChemS President, gave an opening address at the 6th Green & Sustainable Chemistry Conference organised by Elsevier.

During his talk, he presented the main activities that EuChemS is involved in relating to green and sustainable chemistry, which include:

  • EuChemS joining the European Commission’s High Level Roundtable on the implementation of the Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability;
  • the many EuChemS replies to the European Commission public consultations related to sustainable chemistry;
  • the recent updates made to the EuChemS Periodic Table.

In addition, he discussed the role Chemistry plays in the UN 17 SDGs.

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The new colour of Carbon in the EuChemS Periodic Table

On 3 November, the European Chemical Society (EuChemS) released an updated version of its iconic Periodic Table, first produced for the International Year of the Periodic Table in 2019 (IYPT19).

Conceived as a living document, to be periodically updated in the light of technological, societal, and geopolitical developments – which may affect the availability or status of specific elements – this unique periodic table highlights the availability and vulnerability of elements to raise society’s awareness of the limited mineral resources of our planet.

In view of the conclusions drawn during the successful Workshop, The Carbon Element – key towards a sustainable society, and after considerable scientific discussion, the colour of carbon in the EuChemS Periodic Table has been changed from green to partially green, red, and grey, denoting plentiful supply, a serious threat in the next 100 years, and elements from conflict minerals respectively.

This multi-colour coding of the carbon element reflects its distinctive position at the crossroads of a very large natural cycle and a very large anthropogenic usage with considerable geo-strategic stakes – as a major component of oil, carbon was and is connected to several armed conflict worldwide.

By updating the colour of the carbon element in its Periodic Table, EuChemS wants to address issues surrounding this specific element, such as the carbon cycle, fossil fuel reserves, recycling, and the need for a transition in the energy sector.

Read more about it here.

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EIC and EIT team up for EU Health start-ups

On 23 august 2021, the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) Health Bridgehead programme expanded to the European Innovation Council (EIC) start-ups, achieving its first link since the beginning of the EIT Health-EIC Collaboration Pilot. This cooperation aims to enhance innovation, competitiveness, and stability of start-ups.

Now in its fourth year, the Bridgehead programme plans to support start-ups that have delivered effective solutions in one or more domestic markets to expand into new international markets. The Bridgehead programme is divided into three types of programmes: Europe (for scale-up inside Europe), Global (to develop an international expansion), and Inbound (for supporting the non-European ventures to gain access to the European market).

“We are happy that the EIT and EIC pilot collaboration is now stretching its wings via three new Horizon 2020 funded projects, among which is the ‘EIT-EIC CollabPilot’ coordinated by EIT Health. The collaboration will provide the opportunity to test synergies between organisations and programmes, exchange ideas, support the best innovators and entrepreneurs and reach out to local innovation communities. We look forward to collaborating with EIT Health”

– Jean-David Malo
Director of the European Innovation Council
Source: https://bit.ly/3BPj5Ly

The ‘EIT-EIC Collab Pilot’ is a €1 million project funded under Horizon 2020 and coordinated by EIT Health. It covers 28 European health start-ups granted with special benefits from EIC. This includes the bridgehead, the Gold Track, the Finance Booster and the Bootcamps.

For more details about the Bridgehead programme, click here.

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MSCA Conference on unbalanced mobility flows

The Slovenian Presidency of the Council of the EU is organising the MSCA Conference on 15 and 16 November. This 2-days conference aims to address EU researchers’ unbalanced mobility flows, the reintegration of researchers, and to make a recommendation for the implementation of the new European Research Area (ERA). This online event will provide participants with a platform for discussion and showcase examples to promote the return of migration and reintegration of MSCA researchers, bringing their research careers, knowledge, and skills back to their country of origin at the end of their fellowship.

MSCA former, current fellows, and stakeholders are invited to take part in the conference by sending their submissions to the call “MSCA Story”: they have until 5 November to share their story of migration flow to their host country and the relationship they have with their home country.

More information about the MSCA Conference is available here.

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2021 Nobel Laureates in Chemistry

On 6 October 2021, the Royal Swedish Academy of Science announced that Benjamin List (German) and David W.C. MacMillan (British) are the 2021 Nobel Laureates in Chemistry for the development of asymmetric organocatalysis. These new tools for building molecules can be used to make medicines, plastics, perfumes, and flavours in a more environmentally friendly way.

In 2000, Benjamin List and David W.C. MacMillan, independently from each other, discovered a new way to produce asymmetric molecules – when two versions of chemicals can form, which are each other’s mirror image – through small organic molecules. It is used to drive multitudes of chemical reactions. Before their findings, only metals (often including toxic and rare metals) and enzymes were known as the two types of catalysts available. Asymmetric catalysis is precise, fast, green, and cost-effective. It is being used widely today, especially to produce pharmaceuticals.

Despite the impressive development of organocatalysis since 2000, Benjamin List and David MacMillan have remained leaders in the field. Benjamin List is currently Director at the Max-Planck-Institut für Kohlenforschung (Germany) and David W.C. MacMillan is currently Professor of Chemistry at Princeton University (US).

More information is available on the official Nobel Prize website.

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OPCW builds a ChemTech Centre in The Hague

On 23 September, the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) organised the  ‘First Pillar Ceremony’ led by H.E. Mr Fernando Arias, OPWC Director-General, during which the first pillar of the new Chemistry and Technology (“ChemTech Centre”) was secured in place in The Hague (The Netherlands). This building, scheduled to be fully operational by the end of 2022, will host laboratories as well as training and equipment facilities to support the work of the organisation in implementing a global ban on chemical weapons.

Floris Rutjes was invited to attend this ceremony in his capacity as President of the European Chemical Society (EuChemS). This event symbolically marked the start of the construction of the ChemTech Centre.

Read more about it here.

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European Strategy for Critical Raw Materials

On 27 September, the members of the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE) voted on a European strategy for critical raw materials. The report prepared by MEP Hildegard Bentele discusses imposing stronger controls on critical raw material waste stream and to prevent their illegal export.

You can find the procedure file here.

During the same plenary meeting, ITRE committee members also voted on its report and the decision to enter interinstitutional negotiations on the proposed revision of the 2013 regulation on trans-European networks in energy (TEN-E) – a EU policy that focuses on linking energy infrastructure of members states.

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EU research ministers adopted Council conclusions on the global approach to research and innovation

On 28 September, EU research ministers met in Brussels (Belgium) during the Council of Ministers Responsible for Competitiveness (Research) to discuss the European Union’s global approach to research and innovation and the new European Research Area (ERA).

The conclusions adopted will advance the implementation of measures for a globally strong and resilient European Union. Key actions were identified, including building a modern, efficient, and simplified structure for the new European Research Area (ERA) to boost multilateral cooperation. In addition, ministers called the Commission and member states for more cooperation with third countries in research and innovation and through the programme Horizon Europe. The importance of enhancing cross-sectoral cooperation was also emphasised.

During this Council meeting, the Slovenian Presidency presented the Ljubljana declaration on gender equality in research and innovation. This declaration aims to ensure equal and balanced consideration of male and female researchers under ERA. It is expected to be published by the end of November this year.

Furthermore, the Slovenian Presidency updated ministers on the state of 10 Institutionalised European partnerships under Horizon Europe. With a €10 billion euro package, these nine industrial partnerships and public partnership on metrology aim to contribute to the realisation of the green and digital transition and to solving other important societal challenges. The first initiatives are expected to be launched as of December this year and the first calls for projects to open in early 2022.

You can read our full debrief on the Slovenian Presidency priorities for Science, Research and Innovation in the July issue of our Brussels News Updates newsletter here.

For more information about the Competitiveness Council (Research), please visit the website of the Slovenian Presidency.

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Welcome to the 1st Global Sustainable Chemistry Week

The International Sustainable Chemistry Collaborative Centre (ISC3), a EuChemS Supporting Member, is organising the first “Global Sustainable Chemistry Week”, from 8 to 12 November. For five days, ISC3 will host various online events, including panel discussions and lectures during which ISC3 partners and stakeholders will present their research activities and projects related to sustainable chemistry.

Nineta Hrastelj, EuChemS Secretary General, will join a panel discussion on the EU Chemicals Strategy on Sustainability on Friday 12 November 2021. She is invited to share her expertise in outlining the challenges, opportunities and potential pitfalls connected to this strategy.

Find out more about the Global Sustainable Chemistry Week in the ISC3  website.

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Ethics needs chemists!

On 7 October, the European Chemical Society (EuChemS) hosted the webinar ‘Good Chemistry – Do Chemists Need Ethics?” chaired by Dr. Jan Mehlich, recipient of the 2020 EuChemS Award for Service and member of the EuChemS Working Party on Ethics in Chemistry. Floris Rutjes, EuChemS President, welcomed with an opening speech the 177 attendees from 31 different countries who participated in this online event.

“EuChemS seeks to stimulate chemical education and aims to contribute to an integral education of students as important future enactors of progress and influential decision-makers in academia, industry, and the public sphere.”

– Floris Rutjes, EuChemS President,
Opening speech of the webinar ‘Good Chemistry – Do Chemists Need Ethics?’

During this interactive webinar, Dr. Jan Mehlich invited the attendees to reflect on the role of ethics in the chemical sciences through various examples and case studies. You are invited to watch the recording of this webinar on the EuChemS YouTube channel to discover all about the conclusions of this online event.

Dr. Jan Mehlich will be presented with the 2020 EuChemS Award for Service at the 8th EuChemS Chemistry Congress 2022 (ECC8) in Lisbon (Portugal) in recognition of his outstanding commitment and hard work in fostering chemistry in Europe, along with the activities and goals of EuChemS.

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Winner announced for the EuChemS Historical Landmarks Award 2020 (European Level)

Each year, EuChemS opens a call for a Historical Landmarks Award, to recognise various sights of cultural heritage that are significant for the history of Chemistry. The 2020 EuChemS Historical Landmarks (European level) goes to the Justus Liebig Laboratory in Giessen (Germany), where Justus von Liebig worked in the 19th century. You can read more about it here.

The call for the 2021 EuChemS Historical Landmarks Award nominations is currently open until 31 December 2021 (18:00 CET). Please visit this page for more information.

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Chemistry in Europe #newsletter: third issue of 2021 oriented on the future of chemistry

Earlier this month, EuChemS released the third edition of the 2021 Chemistry in Europe newsletter.   

This issue includes an editorial from Slavica Ražić and Péter G. Szalay, members of the EuChemS Executive Board, in which they bring their point of view as Chairs of a EuChemS Professional Networks on the future challenges for sustainable chemistry in Europe. 

For this issue of Chemistry in Europe, the new section ‘Chemistry Talks’* features an interview with Mai Thi Nguyen-Kim who was recently awarded the GDCh Prize for Journalists and Writers, and an article on paradigm shift in organic chemistry. Floris Rutjes, EuChemS President, also expresses his views on the Conference for the Future of Europe in the new “President’s column” section of this newsletter.  

In addition, this issue also contains an interview with Jan Mehlich, recipient of the 2020 EuChemS Award for Service, a report from the Inaugural Meeting of the Swiss Chemical Society’s “Section Chemistry and the Environment”, an EFSA article on the European Commission’s approval of placing insects as Novel Food on the EU market, inputs from the European Young Chemists’ Network (EYCN), and many more! 

You are invited to read the full newsletter here. 

About Chemistry in Europe

Chemistry in Europe is a EuChemS quarterly publication mainly intended for an audience of chemists, but everyone is welcome to subscribe! Its objective is to inform about research in Europe, to provide updates from EuChemS Member Organisations, and to look into policy-related developments. 

If you wish to receive your quarterly update via email, subscribe here.  

*All EuChemS member organisations are invited to contact us and exchange with us their articles published in national journals (either in their native language or in English). With your cooperation, we can re-publish them in the section “Chemistry Talks” of the Chemistry in Europe newsletter, thus making them available for a wider audience. 

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Upcoming parallel consultations from EFSA and ECHA on Glyphosate

The European Chemical Agency (ECHA) and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) will open parallel consultations on the Renewal Assessment Report (RAR) and the Harmonised Classification and Labelling (CLH) report on glyphosate by 24 September. This step is part of the renewal process of the glyphosate which ends at the term of its authorisation in December 2022.   

The draft Renewal Assessment Report (dRAR) was published on 15 June by the Assessment Group of Glyphosate (AGG) and concluded that there was a risk of causing “serious eye damage” and being “toxic to aquatic life with long lasting effects”. You can read more about it in our July newsletter. 

EuChemS on Glyphosate

The European Chemical Society (EuChemS) held the workshop “Glyphosate, Harmless Tool or Sneaky Poison?” at the European Parliament in 2017. Members of the European Parliament, policymakers, and researchers discussed the toxic potential of the chemical in health, environmental and plant protection domains. 

The following conclusions made were: 

  • Increase transparency by making Horizon 2020 funding open studies linked to ECHA and EFSA dossiers 
  • Formulations and not just active substance should be assessed 
  • Daily intake is lacking evidence, more research needed
  • Rethink the long-term unconditional authorisation 
  • Carcinogenicity, DNA damage but also ecotoxicity needs to be studied 
  • Current analytical method not well defined; need for standards methods with different samples 
  • Awareness for excessive use of glyphosate and on the experience of users 
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 1 European Highlights, BNU September 2021, Brussels News Updates

MEPs against Horizon Europe budget cut

On 2 September 2021, the Members of the European Parliament of the Industry, Technology, Research and Energy (ITRE) committee gathered to discuss the 2022 general EU budget. Special focus was given to the budget cut of €316 million for the Horizon Europe programme proposed by the European Council last July. 

On 15 July 2021, against all expectations, the European Council decided to reduce the budget for 2022 of the Horizon Europe programme by €316 million. At the same time, the instruments Digital Europe (digital technology programme) and InvestEU (facilitating investment programme) will also see their budget cut by €50 million and €45.5 million respectively. The main argument of the European Council was that there was not enough demand to invest in this domain.  

The ITRE committee recently expressed its opinion on the topic and strongly disagreed with the budget cut proposal. To achieve the goals set for decarbonisation by 2030, research and development areas need these funds to establish a solid response.  

“As expected, it is as counterproductive as it could be […] while we are still in a pandemic, the Council cuts €45 million on health research under Horizon Europe […] This completely undermines the idea that the recovery fund does additional money to boost recovery. It also is unrealistic if you are serious about the 2030 objective because those require investments now. It will be up to the Parliament to fight for a budget that delivers on recovery, resilience and the twin transition, digital and substantially.” 

– Christian EHLER
Member of the ITRE Committee
Source: https://bit.ly/3E3CBWz  

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