Newsletters   Subscription   Contributions       Newsletter issue n° 16 - August 09

The 2010 call for proposals has been launched

The European Commission calls for proposals under the Work Programme 2010 'Cooperation', Theme 6 - Environment (including Climate Change) of the 7th EC Framework Programme for Research, Technological Development and Demonstration Activities. In 2010, the aim is to continue supporting the main environmental policy and S&T drivers in the area of climate and environmental change, their consequences and the link to other sectors such as energy, transport, agriculture etc. Furthermore, the goal is to address concretely several new policy drivers such as European Economic Recovery Plan, The Energy-Climate Package as well as by taking into account the Strategic Agenda of the Community Lisbon Programme (2008-2010), in particular, the '10 key objectives' including sustainable consumption and production, renewable energies and low-carbon and resource-efficient products in order to enhance the development and uptake of environment friendly technologies and services.

In the current context of economic insecurity and the emerging and increasing competition for natural resources and environmental services the aim of the WP2010 is to address 'Environmental safety and welfare' as an overarching theme for all activities across the work programme 2010. The objective would be, through research, to contribute to assessing, reducing and preventing tensions and conflicts related to the depletion of natural resources and environmental services which are arising due to rapid environmental changes and/or natural and man-made hazards.

To provide solutions to tackle pressing societal issues the following research priorities (and related socio-economic aspects) will be addressed in a balanced way both using the 'top-down' and 'bottom-up' approaches: (i) Lifecycle of scarce resources (optimisation of their use, systems based approach, integration of land use, air, water, energy, sanitation systems in urban and rural context); (ii) Resource productivity through environmental technologies for reduced use of materials e.g. compatibility for re-use, conservation and recycling of building materials; (iii) Development and integration of environmental models (systems approach to investigate the balance between natural resources and livelihoods, and to disaster prevention, resistance and resilience); (iv) Environmental impact of consumption: assessment and evaluation of environmental awareness and education, new tools for consumption policy; (v) Scenario development for resource distribution; (vi) Innovative methods for efficient integrated management and use of resources and (vii) Valuing ecosystem services.

Actions to promote industrial and SME participation will be sought while addressing the priority "Resource productivity through environmental technologies" and participating in the cross-thematic calls in relation to the European Economic Recovery Plan. Scientific and technological cooperation with Africa will be given priority in 2010 concretised with the launch of  activities with other themes to promote interdisciplinary and cross-thematic research in the area of 'Water and Food Security for Africa'. A further cross-thematic call will address "The Oceans of Tomorrow". Visibility, effectiveness and uptake of EU research results will be enhanced in 2010 and beyond. Concrete measures promoting the structuring of European research will include broad ranging ERA-Nets which will be called for in the areas of 'Biodiversity', 'Water management' and 'Eco technologies'.

Notices on the launch of the calls are given in the Official Journal of the European Union. Further information on the modalities of the calls, the work programmes, deadlines and budgets and the guidance for applicants on how to submit proposals are available through the CORDIS website (see details, please, under the column of the "Open Calls")

FP7-ENV-2010 Environment (including climate change) Call

Call Reference: OJ C177 of 30 July 2009

Deadline: 05 January 2010

The call allocates €170 000 000 million for research topics (49 topics) in all the four activities of the Theme:

Activity 6.1: Climate change, pollution and risks

Activity 6.2: Sustainable management of resources

Activity 6.3: Environmental technologies

Activity 6.4: Earth observation and assessment tools for sustainable development

Among those topics are actions to promote industrial and SME participation, specific actions to reinforce international cooperation (international cooperation is supported and encouraged throughout all areas), dissemination actions to strengthen the visibility, effectiveness and uptake of EU research results, and Era-Nets in the field of 'Biodiversity',  'Eco innovation' and 'Water management'. In addition, in this call, several "bottom-up" topics have been introduced to further exploring new and innovative approaches and to encourage participation of stakeholders including the SME and industrial participation. Finally, several cross-cutting actions between various Themes of the FP7 Cooperation programme have been foreseen in order to encourage pluri-disciplinarity in marine sciences and technologies (Ocean for tomorrow call), strengthen Africa's research base and the EU-African Union scientific partnership (Africa call) and participate in actions within the European recovery package (Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs), on "Energy-efficient Buildings" and "Green cars").

FP7-Africa-2010 Africa Call

Call Reference: OJ C177 of 30 July 2009

Deadline: 14 January 2010

Budget: € 63 000 000

The Africa call represents a great opportunity for strengthening Africa's research capacity to cope with water, food security and health problems. The call is structured around two major issues: Water and Food Security, and, Better Health for Africa. It has a multi-disciplinary approach involving various scientific and technological research fields, such as food, agriculture, health, land and water resources, including their interaction with climate change, and integrating broader socio-economic factors, such as, migration and resettlements, urbanisation, health care systems and programme interventions, destabilisation of national food reserves, variations of food and oil prices, etc. Research activities are intended to strengthen local capacities. The involvement of local stakeholders and regional actors is of paramount importance to achieving the expected impacts. Funded projects will provide high quality research collaboration and results, innovative management, governance tools and technologies suitable for the relevant authorities and stakeholders, empowering them to reduce poverty, increase food security and enhance public health. Further expected benefits are related to the promotion of academic research and training, the setting up of health research networks and the strengthening of the science and technology potential for efficient water management and the protection of natural ecosystems in Africa. The call is implemented jointly by the following Themes of FP7 Cooperation programme: 'Health'; 'Food, Agriculture and fisheries, and Biotechnology'; 'Environment (including Climate Change)'. The total call budget is €63 000 000. To see the full details of the call, please consult the following web address:

http://cordis.europa.eu/fp7/dc/index.cfm?fuseaction=UserSite.FP7DetailsCallPage&call_id=268
 

FP7 Joint Technology Initiatives (Annex IV-SP1) Calls: FCH JU Call for Proposals 2009 Part 1

Call identifier: FCH-JU-2009-1             Indicative budget 1: EUR 71.3 million from the FCH JU 2009 budget

Date of publication: 2 July 2009          Indicative deadline: 15 October 2009 at 17.00 (Brussels local time)

The final budget awarded to this call, following the evaluation of projects, may vary by up to 10% of the total value of the call. All budgetary figures given in this call are indicative. The repartition of the sub-budgets awarded within this call, following the evaluation of proposals, may vary by up to 10% of the total value of the call. Areas called:

Area SP1-JTI-FCH.1: Transportation & Refuelling Infrastructure (26.4 m€)

Area SP1-JTI-FCH.2: Hydrogen Production & Distribution (5.7 m€)

Area SP1-JTI-FCH.3: Stationary Power Generation & CHP (25.9 m€)

Area SP1-JTI-FCH.4: Early Markets (10.3 m€)

Area SP1-JTI-FCH.5: Cross-cutting Issues (3.0 m€)

Calls for Proposals will be selective. There will be competition, based on quality and excellence, between proposals primarily, but nor exclusively, within activity areas, which may result in some topics not being supported in a given call. For more information visit the http://cordis.europa.eu/fp7/dc/index.cfm?fuseaction=UserSite.CooperationDetailsCallPage&call_id=225 homepage

Conference of the Swedish presidency of the Council of the European Union on "New worlds - new solutions - research and innovation as a basis for developing Europe in a global context"

The Swedish presidency of the Council of the European Union organised a Conference on "New worlds - new solutions - research and innovation as a basis for developing Europe in a global context" in Lund, Sweden on 7th-8th July 2009. The detailed programme including Speakers, press releases and documents of the of the Conference can be a found at the website: http://www.se2009.eu/en/meetings_news/2009/7/7/new_worlds_new_solutions_research_and_innovation_as_a_basis_for_developing_europe_in_a_global_context

Gender in Research Toolkit and Training. Gender in research as a mark of excellence. Training courses and information sessions in Brussels from June to October 2009

The 7th Framework Programme strives to promote gender equality in scientific research by facilitating the participation of women scientists and integrating the gender dimension into research content in all research areas. The toolkit and training packages will give the research community practical tools to integrate gender aspects into FP7 research including equal opportunities for women and man, and the gender dimension of research, thereby contributing to excellence in research. Courses will be organised in Brussels from September 2009 until December 2010. The one-day training sessions consist of a general introduction to gender in research in the morning, while in the afternoon two specific research fields are addressed with practical exercises in parallel sessions. The method combines cognitive and inductive elements. More information is available at the http://www.yellowwindow.be/genderinresearch homepage. This project is funded by the European Commission under the FP7 Capacities programme.

Four half-day information seminars on the project are scheduled to take place in Brussels between June and October 2009. The first half-day information session was organised on 24 June 2009. Further information seminars will be organised on 11 and 21 September and 16 October 2009. More information is available on the http://www.yellowwindow.be/genderinresearch/index_information.html homepage and registration is possible  at the  http://www.yellowwindow.be/genderinresearch/pages/register.html homepage. Participation is free of charge. The language of the information sessions is English.   

Networking Event in the field of water management and sanitation Europe – Africa – EECA. FFG - Austrian Research Promotion Agency, Vienna, Austria, 16-17 September 2009

In order to continue the dialogue between Europe, Africa and EECA on networking and cooperation an International Workshop will be organised in Vienna in mid-September this year. The Workshop in the frame of FP6 Project INT-ER-LINK aims to disseminate the project results and to facilitate networking with R&D and development cooperation players from Member States, Associated Candidate Countries, African and EECA Countries with focus on water management and sanitation. The second day will be a brokerage event on water research in the EU-FP7. Following the joint Africa-EU strategy (2007) the Environment Directorate of DG Research launched on the 30th of July 2009 a cross thematic ‘Africa call’ (with a deadline 14 January 2010). The Brokerage Event in the frame of FP7 Project ENV-NCP-TOGETHER aims to initiate competitive proposals for the open calls of the EU Framework Programme in the field of water management and sanitation and to help lift the barriers for cooperation between Europe and Africa and between research organisations and companies. For further information please visit the http://www.b2match.com/watervienna09 homepage.

Info Day on FP7-ENV-2010 Environment (including climate change) Call. Centre Albert Borschette, Brussels, 17 September 2009

The aim of the Call FP7-ENV-2010 is to continue supporting the main environmental policy and S&T drivers in the area of climate and environmental change, their consequences and the link to other sectors such as energy, transport, agriculture etc. Furthermore, the goal is to address concretely several new policy drivers such as the development of a post-2012 climate agreement, the Adaptation White Paper, the Communications on prevention and disaster risk reduction, the European Economic Recovery Plan, the Energy-Climate Package as well as the Renewed Lisbon Agenda by taking into account the Strategic Agenda of the Community Lisbon Programme (CLP) (2008-2010) particularly the '10 key objectives' including sustainable consumption and production, renewable energies and low-carbon and resource-efficient products in order to enhance the development and uptake of environment friendly technologies and services. The indicative budget of the call is 175 million Euro. In the current context of economic insecurity and the emerging and increasing competition for natural resources and environmental services, the aim of the WP2010 is to address 'Environmental safety and welfare' as an overarching theme for all activities across the work programme 2010. The objective would be to contribute to assessing, reducing and preventing tensions and conflicts related to the depletion of natural resources and environmental services. For more information please visit the http://circa.europa.eu/Public/irc/rtd/rtdenv2010call/library?l=/programmepdf/_EN_1.0_&a=d homepage.

Info Day on FP7-Africa-2010 Africa Call. Centre Albert Borschette, Brussels, 18 September 2009

The Info Day on the Africa Call will be opened by the European Commissioner for Science and Research, Janez Potočnik and a representative from the African Union. The EU-AFRICA Strategic Partnership has paved the way to this call (implemented jointly by the Themes: ‘Health’, ‘Food, Agriculture and Fisheries, and Biotechnology’ and ‘Environment (including climate change)’ of the 7^th Framework Programme), which will fund projects aimed at enhancing African socio-economic development and capacity building. The call is structured around two major areas: (i) Water and Food Security and (ii) Better Health for Africa. It has a holistic approach involving various scientific and technological research fields, such as food, agriculture, health, land and water resources, including their interaction with climate change and integrating broader socio-economic factors such as migration and resettlement, urbanisation, health care systems and programme interventions. Funded projects will provide innovative management, governance tools and technologies suitable for the relevant authorities and stakeholders, empowering them to reduce poverty, increase food security and enhance public health. Further expected benefits are related to academic training and the setting up of health research networks, efficient water management and the protection of natural ecosystems in Africa. The call has been published on CORDIS homepage on 30th July 2009, see http://www.cordis.europa.eu/fp7/cd/index.cfm. More information on the programme is available at the http://circa.europa.eu/Public/irc/rtd/rtdafr2010call/library?l=/africa-programmepdf/_EN_1.0_&a=d  and online registration is possible at the http://ec.europa.eu/yourvoice/ipm/forms/dispatch?form=AFRICAInfoday&lang=en homepage.

Forest Based Sector - Towards Progressive Future. International Conference, Krtiny, Brno Czech Republik, 8-10 October 2009

The conference will bring together researchers, policy makers, environmentalists and experienced persons from all over the world in discussion about the Forest Based Sector. The aim is also to present recent advances and to review the state-of-the art, techniques and methods related to the Forest Based Sector. The management of forests influences carbon sequestration and the production of biomass that can be used for substitution of fossil fuels. Additionally, climate change may affect future management practices. Site requirements for certain species may shift and new potential risks may have to be considered when designing future management programs. The conference will focus on a wide range of issues and areas relating to all aspects of the Forest Based Sector. For more information please visit the http://www.fbs-brno.eu homepage.

8th Aachen Conference Water and Membranes, Membranes in water and waste water treatment, Eurogress Aachen, Germany, 27 – 28 October 2009

The Chair of Chemical Process Engineering (AVT, Aachener Verfahrenstechnik) and the Institute for Water and Waste Management (ISA, Institut für Siedlungswasserwirtschaft) as the organisers invite all interested operators, producers and scientists to the well-known AACHEN CONFERENCE WATER AND MEMBRANES, formerly known as Aachener Tagung Siedlungswasserwirtschaft und Verfahrenstechnik. The conference will focus on the application of membrane technology in the field of drinking water and waste water treatment. The following keynote lectures will be presented: (i) T. Melin, RWTH-Aachen University: Membranes in Water Reuse - Reducing Contamination and Risk; (ii) M. Schouppe and A. Tilche, European Commission DG Research: European Commission activities and strategy on membrane Research & Development; (iii) S. Panglisch, IWW Water Centre: Use of Ceramic Membranes for Drinking Water Treatment. The programme, online registration and further information can be found on: www.awm.rwth-aachen.de

From research to business. Annual Conference of the Forest-based Industry Technology Platform, Stockholm, 9-11 November 2009

This is the 6th FTP conference since the start of the Forest-based sector Technology Platform. As it is almost a year and a half since the last conference, it will offer a meeting point for the sector as well as an excellent possibility for networking. From research to business is the theme for the FTP Conference 2009 in Stockholm. A large number of fruitful results from research will be presented. Many of the results are already being used or are close to be implemented by companies and can offer the new possibilities you are looking for. In difficult times it is even more important to realise the possibilities  that research can offer to successful innovation and for enhanced businesses. The conference will run on Monday and Tuesday November 9-10 with a welcome reception on Sunday evening (November 8th) and possibilities of interesting study tours on Wednesday 11th. The Conference is open for registration through the http://www.nra-sweden.se/NRAStartPage____8374.aspx?epslanguage=EN homepage

WATEC 09: The 2nd International Conference and the 5th International Water Technologies & Environmental Control Exhibition, Tel Aviv, Israel, 17-19 November 2009

The conference and exhibition "WATEC 09" is the international showcase of technologies, products, and services to support a sustainable economy. With water and energy challenges at the top of the global agenda, "WATEC 09" features compelling solutions and proven, practical applications in areas such as water and energy efficiency, water quality, desalination, and water supply. Hosting participants from the Americas, Europe, Asia, and Africa, and Australia, the exhibition is a unique opportunity to discover the latest innovations from start-up businesses, established companies, and researchers that can help drive private and public initiatives and accelerate results. More info on the http://www.watec-israel.com/index.php homepage is available.

NORMAN Workshop on Mixtures and metabolites of chemicals of emerging concern. VU University, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, 18-19 November 2009

This workshop is planned to be a wide-scope workshop, addressing people at the "interface between science and policy", and aimed at providing an overview of the critical issues going from fate of emerging pollutants (methods for studying transformation, metabolisation, etc.), to the progress in: monitoring / analytical techniques, metabolites prediction and validation of predictive models, metabolites toxicity, risk assessment. Given the close link between the two topics, the workshop will start with an overview of the fate, toxicity and emerging research questions in the broader area of mixtures of chemicals. Sessions to be covered are: (i) Fate of emerging chemicals: methods for studying the transformation, metabolisation, and bioavailability of chemicals and their application; (ii) Monitoring of (mixtures of) metabolites and transformation products of selected groups of chemicals in surface and groundwater: recent developments in the analytical technology regarding the evaluation of mixtures of emerging pollutants and metabolites/transformation products in environmental samples: adsorbents, columns, equipment, detection systems, etc.; (iii) Routine level validation (V3 level according to the NORMAN protocol) of methods to measure mixtures of metabolites and transformation products of pesticides in surface and groundwater; (iv) Metabolite prediction and validation of predictive models; (v) Mixture toxicity as related to modes of action; (vi) Inclusion of information on metabolites and mixtures in regulation: REACH. The language of the platform presentations and posters will be English. For more information please visit the http://www.norman-network.net/index_php.php?module=public/workshops/workshops2009_rivm&menu2=public/workshops/workshops&interface=1024&lang=en homepage.

MODELKEY - How to assess the impact of key pollutants in aquatic ecosystems. The Final Conference of the FP6 IP MODELKEY project. The Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ in Leipzig, Germany, 30 November to 2 December 2009

The FP6 IP MODELKEY invites European scientists and stakeholders for its final conference “MODELKEY - How to assess the impact of key pollutants in aquatic ecosystems”. This event will take place from 30 November to 2 December 2009 at the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ in Leipzig, Germany. MODELKEY scientists and outstanding invited experts will provide their view on the highlights of five years of research for linking adverse effects on biological quality elements to environmental pollution in a multiply stressed environment. Novel approaches for the identification and assessment of causes for insufficient ecological status integrating investigative monitoring with modelling and decision support will be presented. New evidence of toxic stress affecting ecological quality together with suggestions for responsible key pollutants will be provided. At specific case studies it will be shown how the establishment of conclusive exposure-effect chains helps to identify key pressures as a first step towards a risk-based river basin management. Large scale exposure and effect modelling in the frame of a user-friendly decision support system help to prioritise local and regional issues on a basin scale to support next generation river basin management plans. Please visit http://www.modelkey.org for more information on the project and the final conference.

FORCE: the new on-line FORM C editor for FP6 and FP7 research projects (Presentation)

The FORCE is a Web based tool to edit and submit Forms C, both for FP-6 and FP-7 research projects. For FP6 projects is still possible to prepare and submit Forms C by Excel sheets as before, but from now on the new Web based application is also available. For FP7 research projects the only way to submit Forms C in the future will be the Web based application FORCE. Both Coordinators and Beneficiaries have access to this new version. Beneficiaries have only access to their own Forms C, while the Coordinator has access to all Forms C. Access rights for the Coordinator continue to be attributed by the Commission, while access rights for the Beneficiaries delegated to the Coordinator. It is recommended to access to FORCE via the European Commission Authentication Service (ECAS). Key services offered by FORCE: (i) the preparation of FP-6 FORMS C and FP-7 FORMS C with updated and correct contract/grant information of each beneficiary participating in the project/grant; (ii) printing of Forms C; (iii) electronic submission of FORMS C to the Coordinator; (iv) electronic submission of FORMS C to the Commission (signed paper version to be sent afterwards); (v) easy correction of Forms C after refusal by the Coordinator or the Commission. Automatic calculation of the indirect costs in the Form C will be made in case a flat rate is used as ICM. Expected advantages of FORCE are: (i) less error prone than excel sheets because Forms C are pre-filled containing the correct information of the grant, the periods and the beneficiaries; (ii) automatic verification whether requested EC contribution does not exceed maximum value that can be requested; (iii) Forms C are automatically transferred to internal Commission module to treat the Forms C and to calculate the payment parameters. Detailed presentation on FORCE is available at the ftp://ftp.cordis.europa.eu/pub/fp7/docs/presentation-force_en.pdf homepage.

Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Joint Undertaking (FCH JU) rules for submission of proposals, and the related evaluation, selection and award procedures (Adopted by the FCH JU Governing Board on 26 September 2008)

This document establishes the rules of the Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Joint Undertaking (FCH JU) for the proposals submission, and the related evaluation, selection and award procedures, in relation to the Seventh Framework Programme of the European Community for research, technological development and demonstration activities (FP7). It describes the basic procedures that the Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Joint Undertaking will follow in accordance with its Financial Rules. The document is based on the provisions of the FP7 “Rules for submission of proposals and the related evaluation, selection and award procedures". The FCH JU publishes calls for proposals based on topics stemming from its Annual Implementation Plan. Applications for financial support under the FCH JU are made in the form of proposals submitted to the FCH JU in response to calls for proposals, which set out details of planned work, budget and participants. The FCH JU evaluates proposals in order to identify those of best quality for possible funding. The FCH JU shall appoint independent experts to assist with the evaluation of proposals. The FCH JU enters into a negotiation with the coordinators of proposals that successfully pass the evaluation stage, and for which there is budget available. If negotiations are successfully concluded, the project is selected and a grant agreement providing for a FCH JU financial contribution is established with the applicants. The FCH JU Annual Implementation Plan may set out specific evaluation criteria and/or provide further details on the application of the evaluation criteria, which will be reflected in the call for proposals. The call and the Guide for Applicants may spell out in more detail the way in which these rules and procedures will be implemented and, where relevant, which options are to be followed. The document is downloadable at the ftp://ftp.cordis.europa.eu/pub/fp7/docs/fch-ju-rules-submission-proposals_en.pdf homepage. Templates for Description of Work in MS Word format is downloadable at the ftp://ftp.cordis.europa.eu/pub/fp7/docs/fch-ju-templates-description-work_en.doc website. 

Checklist for a Consortium Agreement for Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Joint Undertaking (FCH JU) projects

This checklist is aimed at assisting participants in an FCH JU-funded project to identify issues that may arise during the project and which may be facilitated or governed by means of a Consortium Agreement (CA). The checklist is provided for information purposes only and its contents are not intended to replace consultation of any applicable legal sources or the necessary advice of a legal expert, where appropriate. The FCH JU is not party to the CA and takes no responsibility whatsoever of the contents of the CA signed between participants. The CA is an agreement made between participants in an indirect action (i.e. a project) receiving financial contribution from the FCH JU to govern a number of issues that will or may arise during the project. A CA is required for all projects receiving financial contribution from the FCH JU unless otherwise stipulated in the call for proposals. A CA may take different legal forms. Although a normal written agreement between the participants is likely to be by far the most common form chosen by the participants, it may for example also take the form of a separate legal entity (for example a European Economic Interest Grouping, association or joint venture). The advantages and disadvantages of each particular legal form should be carefully examined by the participants and determined in accordance with the needs of the consortium. The CA should in principle be negotiated and signed before starting the project. The FCH JU Grant Agreement foresees that the participants are deemed to have concluded a consortium agreement. The checklist is downloadable at the ftp://ftp.cordis.europa.eu/pub/fp7/docs/fch-ju-consortium-agreement-checklist_en.pdf homepage.

NEGOTIATION GUIDANCE NOTES for Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Joint Undertaking (FCH JU) Collaborative Projects, Coordination and Support Actions.

This document is aimed at assisting participants who are invited for project negotiation following the evaluation of their proposal. It outlines the information and procedures in the negotiation process. It is provided for information purposes only and its contents are not intended to replace consultation of any applicable legal sources or the necessary advice of a legal expert, where appropriate. According to Article 16 of the FCH JU Regulation the Commission shall be responsible for the establishment and initial operation of the FCH Joint Undertaking until the Joint Undertaking has the operational capacity to implement its own budget. Therefore, the first Call for proposals will be managed by Commission officials and the infrastructure to be used for submission of proposals will be the one of the Commission. These guidance notes are provided for applicants who have been invited for project negotiations following the evaluation of proposals for Collaborative Projects and Coordination and Support Actions under the Annual Implementation Plan(s) of the Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Joint Undertaking (FCH-JU). The guideline is downloadable at the ftp://ftp.cordis.europa.eu/pub/fp7/docs/fch-ju-negotiation-guidance-notes_en.pdf homepage

Preserving our heritage, improving our environment – 20 years of EU research into cultural heritage, 33 pp; OPOCE, Luxembourg, 2008; EUR 22050; ISBN 978-92-79-09027-1; DOI 10.2777/17146

The first volume of this publication highlights nearly 20 years of European Commission-supported research in the field of ‘tangible’ or physical cultural heritage. This cooperation has helped reinforce Europe’s research and technological foundations for protecting and renovating our movable and immovable cultural heritage through new scientific methodologies, tools, materials and processes. In particular Volume 1 provides the reader with an overview of the EU’s commitment to research in cultural heritage, the different forms of scientific and research cooperation and how they have developed over the years. The impact of such cooperative efforts also includes their economic contribution to the Lisbon Strategy and affects a wide range of related EU policies embracing the environment, tourism, the construction sector, regional policy, culture, etc. From its beginning in 1986, EC research in cultural heritage has been supported or managed within the framework of the Commission’s environmental research policy. Since then, about 120 projects have been supported involving more than 500 stakeholder organisations from all European countries… The publication is downloadable at the http://ec.europa.eu/research/environment/pdf/cultural_heritage_volume1.pdf homepage.

FP6 MODELKEY (511237): Models for Assessing and Forecasting the Impact of Environmental Key Pollutants on Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems and Biodiversity

Water is an inherited good that has to be protected and used in a sustainable way. Thus, the EU Water Framework Directive demands for a good ecological and chemical status of European rivers and lakes by 2015. However, evidence is increasing that a majority of European water bodies will not achieve this goal. Since most of them face a multi-pressure situation the identification of driving forces for insufficient ecological status is an enormous challenge for water managers. Toxic pollution is considered by monitoring 41 priority and other pollutants for the chemical status but widely ignored as a potential driving force for insufficient ecological status. The MODELKEY project is funded by EC 6th FP with the aim of providing tools to assess the impact of environmental pollutants on the ecological status of European surface waters. MODELKEY developed a valuable set of models and tools for

• assessment of losses of biodiversity and sensitive species and their attribution to specific pressures including toxicants,

• identification of site-specific key toxicants with the potential to affect the biological quality elements fish, invertebrates, phytobenthos and phytoplankton,

• assessment of bioavailability and food web accumulation as important factors that determine the impact of toxicants in aquatic ecosystems,

• prediction and prioritization of downstream ecological risks of toxicants emitted by point and diffuse sources in the upper reaches of a river.

MODELKEY tools are integrated in a novel user-friendly Decision Support System (DSS) that helps water managers and scientists to address major challenges in river basin assessment. Water body type-specific assessment of ecological and chemical status and the identification of relevant stressors are important features of this innovative software. The DSS is designed to prioritise hot-spots by integrating environmental and socio-economic information and supports the set up of additional monitoring activities.

In three case studies in the river basins of Elbe, Scheldt and Llobregat, MODELKEY provided evidence that toxic chemicals are a relevant factor affecting the ecological status of European water bodies and need to be considered together with hydromorphology, eutrophication and other stressors. Priority pollutants represent only a portion of toxic pollution and are often poor predictors for eco-toxic stress. The project’s latest findings together with outstanding results of invited experts will be presented at the final MODELKEY conference (see under "EVENTS" earlier) which will take place from 30 Nov to 2 Dec 2009 at the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ in Leipzig, Germany. For more information on the project and the final conference please visit http://www.modelkey.org website.

FP6 ORFEUS (036856): Optimised Radar to Find Every Utility in the Street

The project has been started in November 2006 and will be ended in April 2010. The project has two aims: (i) to provide a step change in the performance of Ground Probing Radar (GPR) systems, and (ii) to develop a radar sensor that can be deployed on the drill heads of Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD) equipment.  This will lead to practical solutions for locating buried infrastructure with accuracy and reliability that can be implemented in a cost effective manner.  It will also reduce the need for excavations in the highway, thus minimising direct and indirect costs, reducing the incidence of pollution, and enhance safety. The surface and bore-head radar developments are supported by a comprehensive series of measurements of the ground to determine its complex permittivity over a representative range of environmental conditions. This will provide design data both for the technical tasks and the selection criteria for choosing test sites. The results achieved during the 3rd year of the project are:

Test Sites

- a time schedule for the operational test site programme is now being defined

- negotiations with the test sites providers are being conducted on the basis of firm programme timescales

The Surface Radar
- system integration has now been completed and practical field testing work has commenced

- initial results confirm that the dynamic range of the new radar (compared to that of currently available pulse based systems) has been increased by approx. 40dB

- further planned work will establish the penetration depth and resolution provided by the improvement in dynamic range 

The Bore-head Radar

- the first prototype has successfully undergone tests in the purpose built test chamber in Lennestadt, Germany

- a communications system capable of transmitting data through 100 metres of drill string at rates in excess of 2 Mbits per second has been demonstrated

- further measurements of system performance are planned in the Lennestadt chamber, to be followed by tests on an operational test site in Germany 

Soils Measurement Programme

- the measurements have been completed

- guidelines for the assessment of sites for their suitability for radar measurements are in the final stages of preparation

The informal panel of end-users continues to provide support to the project through the format of a workshop programme.  These have now been held in Paris, Birmingham, Pisa and Granada. The provisional programme the remainder of the project is to organise workshops in (i) Cologne, Germany, September 2009; (ii) Oldemberg, Germany, February 2010; (iii) Brno, Czech Republic, April 2010. A joint workshop together with the ‘Mapping the Underworld’ project is scheduled - date to be decided. For more information, please consult the project web site at www.orfeus-project.eu.

Follow up activities of the FP6 NORMAN (018486 ) project

The need to look beyond the traditional target pollutants when assessing the hazards of chemicals to human health and to ecosystems is now generally recognised as a priority issue in all policy areas at both the European and national level. Emerging substances are therefore a field of increasing interest in environmental research and monitoring. The NORMAN project – Network of reference laboratories and related organisations for monitoring and bio-monitoring of emerging environmental pollutants – was funded by DG RTD under the 6^th Framework Programme with the aims of improving the exchange of data and information on emerging substances on a global scale and allowing the production of data of better quality and comparability by means of the validation and harmonisation of common measurement methods. The outcomes of the project include three databases: (i) EMPOMAP: an inventory of projects, experts and organisations active in the field of emerging substances; (ii) EMPODAT: a database of geo-referenced monitoring data on emerging substances; and (iii) EMPOMASS: a database of mass spectral information of mass spectrometric information on provisionally identified and unknown substances as well as a common framework for validation of measurement methods. The project ended in November 2008 and, as a result of the work done during the three years of EU funding, a permanent, self-sustaining network has now been established as a non-profit organisation which already has more than 40 members.

The new permanent network provides publicly available information on emerging environmental substances to inform researchers about monitoring programmes, risk assessments and risk management of emerging substances.  The website of the NORMAN-Network allows access to: (i) The NORMAN databases on emerging substances; (ii) Outcomes of workshops organised by NORMAN and other relevant events in the field of monitoring, risk assessment and management of emerging substances; (iii) The NORMAN newsletter and the new NORMAN bulletin on emerging substances; and (iv) Quality assurance/quality control activities organised within NORMAN. The NORMAN permanent network will allow concrete and effective long-term continuation of the objectives of the original EU project, and dissemination and exploitation of the project results. The NORMAN databases will be regularly maintained and updated with newly collected and evaluated data and information on emerging substances. The common validation framework developed during the project is currently being negotiated at CEN level for the preparation of CEN guidelines for measurement methods validation. Thanks to the financial contribution of the members of the network, a rich programme of initiatives is in place, including workshops, working groups, expert group meetings and a bulletin on emerging substances. In conclusion, NORMAN acts as an independent and competent forum in the field of emerging substances, and is designed to ensure the development of knowledge in this important field of research. Its activities are founded on a strong synergy with the various relevant activities funded at the national level. For more information on the follow up activities of the NORMAN project please contact the http://www.norman-network.net homepage. 

FP7 NEW ED (227004): Advanced bipolar membrane processes for remediation of highly saline waste water streams

NEW ED aims at closing industrial water cycles and reducing the amount of waste water streams with highly concentrated salt loads stemming from a broad range of industrial production processes by exploiting the waste components (salts) and transforming them to valuable products. This will be achieved by developing new micro- to nano-porous bipolar membranes for bipolar electrodialysis (BPMED), a new membrane module concept and by integrating this new technology into relevant production processes. The bipolar membrane process produces acids and bases from their corresponding salts by dissociating water at the interface within the bipolar membranes. However, BPMED so far has been applied only in niche markets due to limitations of the current state of membrane and process development. Major drawbacks of the classic BPMED process are low product purity, limited current density and formation of metal hydroxides at or in the bipolar membrane. The objective of this project is to overcome these limitations by developing a new bipolar membrane and membrane module with active, i.e. convective instead of diffusive water transport to the transition layer of the bipolar membranes, where water dissociation takes place. The key feature of the innovative new bipolar membranes is a nano- to micro-porous and at the same time ion conducting intermediate transition layer, through which water is convectively transported from the side into the transition layer. The porous transition layer may have either the character of a cation or an anion exchanger. Several promising intermediate layer materials together with different monopolar ion-exchange layers will be tested and characterized. Membrane manufacturing and new module concepts will be investigated to exploit the full potential of the new bipolar membrane technique. Integration of the developed membranes and modules into relevant production processes is an essential part of the project. The kick-off meeting of the three-year project took place on 15-16 June 2009 at RWTH Aachen University (project coordinator) with a participation of the six partners from four different countries and a scientific officer of the EC. Updated information will be made available soon at the www.new-ed.eu homepage

FP7 AQUAREHAB (226565): Development of rehabilitation technologies and approaches for multi-pressured degraded waters and the integration of their impact on river basin management

Within the AQUAREHAB project, different innovative rehabilitation technologies for soil, groundwater and surface water will be developed to cope with a number of hazardous (nitrates, pesticides, chlorinated and aromatic compounds, mixed pollutions,…) within heavily degraded water systems. The technologies are activated riparian zones/wetlands; smart biomass containing carriers for treatment of water in open trenches; in-situ technologies to restore degraded surface water by inhibiting influx of pollutants from groundwater to surface water; multifunctional permeable barriers and injectable Fe-based particles for rehabilitation of  groundwater. Methods will be developed to determine the (long-term) impact of the innovative rehabilitation technologies on the reduction of the influx of these priority pollutants towards the receptor. A connection between the innovative technologies and river basin management will be worked out. In a first stage of the project, the technologies and integration of their impact in river basin management will be developed in three different river basins (Denmark, Israel, Belgium). In a second stage, the generic approaches will be extrapolated to one or two more river basins. One of the major outcomes of the project will be a generic river basin management tool that integrates multiple measures with ecological and economic impact assessments of the whole water system. The research in the project is focussed on innovative rehabilitation strategies to reduce priority pollutants in the water system whereas the generic management tool will include other measures related to flood protection, water scarcity and ecosystem health, The project will aid in underpinning river basin management plans being developed in EU Member States, and will demonstrate cost effective technologies that can provide technical options for national and local water managers, planners and other stakeholders (drinking water companies, industry, agriculture, etc.). Partner institutions: (i) Flemish Institute for Technological research (BE); (ii) Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (BE); (iii) Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (DK); (iv) Helmholtz Zentrum München – Deutsches Forschungszentrum für Gesundheit und Umwelt (DE); (v) CTM Centre Tecnologic (ES); (vi) Technische Universiteit Delft (Delft University of Technology) (NL); (vii) Sapion bvba (BE); (viii) Isodetect GmbH (DE); (ix) Universitaet Stuttgart (DE); (x) Wageningen Universiteit (NL); (xi) Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (IL); (xii) Masarykova Univerzita (CZ); (xiii) UNESCO-IHE Institute for Water Education (NL); (xiv) The University of Sheffield (UK); (xv) Politecnico di Torino (IT); (xvi) Höganäs AB (Publ.) (SE); (xvii) University of Copenhagen (DK); (xviii) Institut National de l'Environnement Industriel et des Risques (FR); (xix) Environmental Institute, s.r.o. (SI)

FP7 CLIMATE FOR CULTURE (226973): Damage risk assessment, macroeconomic impact and mitigation strategies for sustainable preservation of cultural heritage in the times of climate change

Climate change is one of the most critical global challenges of our time which also threatens cultural heritage. As a non-renewable important resource to the European identity, sustainable adaptation strategies are required for long term preservation. For this purpose and for the first time ever, the CLIMATE FOR CULTURE project will couple completely new high resolution (10x10km) climate change evolution scenarios with whole building simulation models to identify the risks for specific regions. The innovation lies in the elaboration of a more reliable damage assessment by connecting the future climate data with whole building simulation models and new damage assessment functions. In situ measurements at UNESCO sites throughout Europe will allow a much more precise and integrated assessment of the real damage impact of climate change on cultural heritage. Appropriate sustainable mitigation/adaptation strategies, also from previous projects, are further developed and applied on the basis of these findings simultaneously. All these results will be incorporated into an assessment of the economic impacts. In order to ensure an efficient use of resources, this project will build on the results of already concluded EU research projects (Noah’s Ark). Techniques from FP5/6 projects will be reassessed for their applicability in future scenarios at different regions in Europe and Mediterranean to fully meet sustainability criteria. The proposed project will thus be able to estimate more systematically the damage potential of climate change on European cultural heritage. The team consists of 27 multidisciplinary partners from all over Europe and Egypt including the world’s leading institutes in climate modelling and whole building simulation. The final achievement of the project will be a macro-economic impact report on cultural heritage in the times of climate change akin to the STERN report which would be a truly European contribution to future IPCC Reports. Partner Institutions: (i) Fraunhofer Gesellschaft zur Förderung der angewandten Forschung e.V. (DE); (ii) Czech Technical University in Prague (CZ); (iii) Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (IT); (iv) Faculty of Civil Engineering University of Zagreb (HR); (v) Foundation for Research and Technology - Hellas (EL); (vi) Max-Planck-Gesellschaft zur Förderung der Wissenschaften e.V. (DE); (vii) Technische Universität München (DE); (viii) Eindhoven University of Technology (NL); (ix) Univerza v Ljubljani Univerza v Ljubljani (SI); (x) Gradbeni inštitut ZRMK (SI); (xi) Gotland University (SE); (xii) Andreas Weiß freelance conservator restorer (DE); (xiii) Engeneering Consulting & Software Development (PL); (xiv) Krah & Grote Messtechnik (DE); (xv) Kaeferhaus GmbH (AT); (xvi) Haftcourt Limited (UK); (xvii) Acciona Infraestructuras, S.A (ES); (xviii) Bayerische Schloesserverwaltung (DE); (xix) Doerner Institut (DE); (xx) The National Trust for England, Wales and Northern Island (UK); (xxi) Kybertec, s.r.o. (CZ); (xxii) Glasgow Caledonian University (UK); (xxiii) Center for documentation of Cultural & Natural Heritage (EG); (xxiv) Jonathan Ashley-Smith (UK); (xxv) Imperial College London (UK); (xxvi) Fondazione Salvatore Maugeri (IT); (xxvii) Institute National du Patrimoine (FR)

FP7 EU CHIC (226995): European Cultural Heritage Identity Card

Aim: To collect data in a systematic way on heritage buildings across Europe and neighbouring countries; and introduce the Identity Card concept to European Cultural Heritage. It will help in sustainable maintenance, preservation and rehabilitation of historic sites and monuments through the development of strategies and assessment of efficient and user-friendly systems for the screening of alteration of heritage building over time. Methods: The 6 work packages (WP) will be carried out by a multi-disciplinary consortium of highly qualified experts in conservation, architecture, construction and natural and social sciences. WP1 will coordinate the project; WP2 will review and document current methodologies; WP3 will develop criteria and indicators for risk assessment; WP4 will develop methods and tools to collect and store data for the evaluation of changes of heritage assets over time; WP5 will consolidate recommendations and strategies; and WP6 will disseminate results through appropriate professional and public channels. Project will carry out a consortium of 13 partners in 12 countries: Slovenia, Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Germany, Greece, Italy, Poland, Spain, Croatia, Egypt and Israel. The consortium will act by coordinating activities on a national and international level. It will also act to increase the level of information and awareness in society, as well as the level of professional education & vocational training in order to minimize the harmful impact of ignorance, lack of knowledge and vandalism. Project partners, including an Advisory Network, will establish and maintain rapport with local authorities responsible for CH safeguarding and other stakeholders involved in heritage protection. Conclusion: EU CHIC will facilitate development of a universal cultural heritage identity card that will demonstrate significant benefit for CH managers & owners, and for society, promoting effective preservation of our shared cultural heritage. Partner Institutions: (i) Univerza v Ljubljani (SI); (ii) Schloss Schönbrunn Kultur- und Betriebsges mbH. (AT); (iii) Belgian Building Research Institute (BE); (iv) Zagora – Zagorje d.o.o. (HR); (v) Ústav teoretické a aplikované mechaniky Akademie ved Ceské republiky, v.v.i. (CZ); (vi) Center for documentation of Cultural & Natural Heritage (EG); (vii) Fraunhofer Gesellschaft zur Foerderung der angewandten Forschung e.V. (DE); (viii) National Technical University of Athens (EL); (ix) Technion – Israel Institute of Technology (IL); (x) University of Bologna (IT); (xi) University of Ferrara (IT); (xii) Institute of Fundamental Technological Research (PL); Fundación Labein (ES).

FP7 RISKCYCLE (226552) Risk-based management of chemicals and products in a circular economy at a global scale

Many potentially hazardous compounds are traded as chemicals or incorporated as additives in products. Their release to the environment has been a concern of EC, UNO, WHO and OECD. The discussion of the assessment and management of chemicals and products led to the OECD program Globally Harmonised System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS). The World Summit encouraged countries to implement GHS with a view of having the system operating by 2008. The need to form GHS on a global scale is part of EU policy. GHS aims to have the same criteria worldwide to classify the responsible trade and handling of chemicals and at the same time protect human health. The EU will ensure transition from the current EU Classification & Labelling (C+L) to the GHS which harmonizes with REACH. Countries like Japan and the USA announced to implement GHS in the near future. UNITAR supports other countries. However, a complete picture on the global state of implementation is not available. With the growing level of worldwide trade we however face unsafe products on the market. Only last year reports about toys releasing hazardous components made it to headlines. Vietnam reported that all kind of plastic gets recycled and sold back to the market. This shows that global trade in a circular economy is not acceptable without globally agreed assessment methods and harmonised C+L. A ECB study revealed that the EU regulation REACH will require 3.9 mill. additional test animals if no alternative methods are accepted. The number of additional tests are unknown when GHS is implemented in a global scale. The CA RISKCYCLE will include experts from OECD, UNEP, SusChem, country experts from Asia, America and Europe. The overall objective of the project is to define with international experts future needs of R&D contributions for innovations in the field of risk-based management of chemicals and products in a global perspective using alternative testing strategies to minimize animal tests. Partner Institutions: (i) Technische Universität Dresden (DE); (ii) Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (ES); (iii) Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri (IT); (iv) Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (ES); (v) Universiteit Leiden, CML-Institute of Environmental Sciences (NL); (vi) IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute (SE); (vii) Universitat Rovira i Virgili (ES); (viii) TuTech Innovation GmbH (DE); (ix) Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore (IT); (x)Technical University of Denmark (DK); (xi) Bureau de recherches geologiques et minieres (FR); (xii) Federal University of Rio de Janeiro / COPPETEC (BR); (xiii) ICEEE Shenyang Institute of Aeronautical Engineering (CN); (xiv) The Energy and Resources Institute,  Delhi (IN); (xv) Hanoi University of Science, Vietnam National University, Hanoi (VN); (xvi) Ankara University, Faculty of Engineering (TR)

FP7 ROCARE (226898): Roman Cements for Architectural Restoration to New High Standards

Highly hydraulic binders, known as natural or Roman cements, were key materials to cover façades of buildings of the European Historicism and Art Nouveau (19th/early 20th century), a period of rapid urban growth in Europe. The maintenance, restoration and reconstruction of historic Roman cement façades form therefore an important issue in Europe’s efforts to preserve its architectural heritage. Therefore, the ROCARE project is proposed to provide conditions for the industrial development and commercialisation of Roman cements which is an innovative, promising technology developed at the level of a pilot-scale prototype in the recent research project of the 5th Framework Programme ROCEM, 2003-2006. The increasing awareness of the conservation profession and their interest in the product call now for further actions encompassed by the proposed ROCARE-project, which aim at filling gaps in knowledge and reducing the entry barriers of the novel technology to the market. They include (a) scaling up of the RC technology to a competitive level by optimising the process technologies at various conditions of production, (b) laboratory tests and studies to fully understand cement hydration and property development, as well as optimum conditions of mortar processing and handling in the conservation practice, and (c) broad dissemination measures to enlarge the market potential of the technology. The proposed project is designed for three-year duration and will be jointly conducted by 15 partners from industry, SMEs and research centres in 7 countries. It will allow the prototype developed in the earlier project to establish itself on the European market of building construction. Partner Institutions: (i) Institute of Art and Technolgy/Section Conservation Sciences, University of Applied Arts Vienna (AT); (ii) Instytut Katalizy I Fizykochemii Powierzchni Polska Akademia Nauk (PL); (iii) University of Bradford (UK); (iv) CAS Composite Anode Systems GmbH (AT); (v) Ecole Polytechniques Federale de Lausanne (CH); (vi) Cercle des Partenaires du Patrimoine - Laboratoire de Recherche des Monuments Historiques (FR); (vii) Dr. Eberhard Wendler - Fachlabor für Konservierungsfragen in der Denkmalpflege (DE); (viii) Univerzita Pardubice (CZ); (ix) Remmers Fachplanung (DE); (x) Atelier Gurtner Wien (AT); (xi) TPA Gesellschaft für Qualitaetssicherung und Innovation (AT); (xii) Wietersdorfer und Peggauer Zementwerke GmbH (AT); (xiii) Branch of Mineral Building Materials in Krakow, Institute of Glass, Ceramics, Refractory and Construction Materials in Warsaw (PL); (xiv) Verein zur Foerderung der Baudenkmalpflege (AT); (xv) RENOVA Sp. z o.o. (PL)