Newsletters   Subscription   Contributions       Newsletter issue n°3 - May 07

 

The first call for the FP7 Environment theme is closed:

More than 600 proposals addressing the 72 open topics for research have been successfully submitted in response to the  FP7-ENV-2007-1 call that closed on 2 May 2007. The overall requested EC contribution exceeds €1 700 million.

 

In accordance with the FP7 "Rules for submission of proposals, and the related evaluation, selection and award procedures" (ftp://ftp.cordis.europa.eu/pub/fp7/docs/calls/fp7-evrules_en_pdf.zip), the EC services will verify the eligibility of the submitted proposals before proceeding with its evaluation.

 

There will be normally no further contacts between the Commission and the applicants regarding their proposal until the evaluation and corresponding internal procedures are completed, which is expected by the end of July 2007.

 

Guidance on FP7 implementation

A number of guidance documents and preparatory work are carried out by the European Commission in view to install the basis of the FP7 implementation. The following documents are available for consultation on http://cordis.europa.eu/fp7/find-doc_en.html where they can also be downloaded:

Other documents are in preparation in view to address legal and contractual issues, including negotiation and FP7 reporting requirements.

 

EC initiative on water scarcity and droughts

The Commission intends to issue by July 2007 a communication that will focus on drought events and on long-term water unbalances. The communication will aim to identify possible technical, social or legislative options to mitigate the impacts of such events.

 

So far, a first interim report on this issue has been drafted in collaboration with an expert's group. These preliminary results have been submitted  to a Stakeholders Forum for consultation (this Forum has been invited to contribute) .

 

Additional information as well as the first interim report and the Stakeholders contributions are available on http://ec.europa.eu/environment/water/quantity/scarcity_en.htm

 

Moreover, the EC services are participating in the Waste Water Reuse Working Group established recently under the Mediterranean Joint Process Phase II, a collaboration between the Mediterranean component of the EU Water Initiative and the Common Implementation of the EU Water Framework Directive (WFD).

 

The objectives of this waste water reuse activity are to:

Information regarding the Waste Water Reuse Working Group is available on http://www.semide.net/topics/WaterReuse/

 

Revision of EC financial rules

The revision of Financial Regulation and its Implementing Rules entered into application on 1 May 2007 [Council Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1995/2006 of 13 December 2006 amending Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1605/2002 on the Financial Regulation applicable to the general budget of the European Communities (OJ L 390 of 30.12.2006, p. 1) and Commission Regulation No 478/2007 of 23 April 2007, amending Commission Regulation No 2342/2002 (OJ L 111 of 28.4.2007, p.1)].

 

 

New home URL for the CIRCA production services

The DG RTD Unit I.3 used to upload and archive public information, documents and copies of the newsletters in the so-called "CIRCA server". We would like to inform external CIRCA users that they should update their "favourites" list or other stored hyperlinks (in particular http://forum.europa.eu.int/... which should be replaced by http://circa.europa.eu/...). The e-mail addresses of users from EU institutions in the CIRCA directory as well as the e-mail addresses in the contact information and in the information pages have also been updated.

 

FOOTPRINT developments

The EU project "Functional Tools for Pesticide Risk Assessment and Management" aims to develop a suite of three pesticide risk prediction and management at farm, river basin and national policies or EU scales, including a comprehensive database of physicochemical and toxicological data related to pesticide active substances (http://www.eu-footprint.org/ppdb.html). A summary of the project's current development is presented in the FOOTPRINT Newsletter: http://www.eu-footprint.org/

 

PUBLICATIONS and AVAILABLE DOCUMENTS

 

EC newsletter "EU Research for the Environment"

The first issue of the quarterly e-newsletter edited by DG RTD Directorate I "EU Research for the Environment" was released on 1 April 2007.

The on-line version of the newsletter is also accessible on Europa pages: http://ec.europa.eu/research/environment/newsanddoc/newsletter_en.htm

Should you wish to subscribe to this newsletter, please visit the Mailing Lists page (http://ec.europa.eu/research/index.cfm?pg=mailing) on the European Commission's Research web site.

 

Newsletters edited by the EC services of DG Environment:

The on-line versions are available for consultation on:

http://ec.europa.eu/environment/newsletters_en.htm

EU Environment Policy Brief: Keeping you informed about developments in EU environment policy:

A monthly newsletter from DG ENV with latest news from EU environment policy developments and related issues

http://ec.europa.eu/environment/news/brief/index_en.htm

 

WISE, a newsletter of DG Environment, Water and Marine unit

The WISE Newsletter is the information bulletin of the Water & Marine Unit of the European Commission's Directorate-General for Environment and is published twice a year. Its aim is to present progress, evolution and implementation of EU water and marine related environmental policies and initiatives. The latest issue is available on: http://ec.europa.eu/environment/water/water-framework/wfd_newsletter.html

 

Science for Environment Policy - DG Environment News Alert Service

This service provides scientific information in the field of the Environmental Action Programme's main themes and relevant to the DG Environment's policy priorities in support of the knowledge based approach. For more information, please visit: http://ec.europa.eu/environment/integration/research/research_alert_en.htm

 

ETAP Newsletter: news about the development and implementation of the EU Environmental Technologies Action Plan:

It contains a selection of the latest news on ETAP, related events and calls for proposals as well as highlights on environmental technologies initiatives in Member States or at European level. On-line issues are available on:

http://ec.europa.eu/environment/etap/newsletter_en.htm

 

EU Report Series available from IWA Publishing:

This EU Reports series resulted of a special agreement between the International Water Association and the European Commission and its Directorates-General for Research and Environment, aiming to articulate to researchers, policy makers and water practitioners scientific knowledge and innovative technologies for the sustainable management of natural resources, generated by multidisciplinary research projects supported in successive European Union's environmental research programmes.

 

This series also intends to disseminate results for dedicated policy-oriented research undertaken in the context of Community Research Framework Programmes, especially research to support the implementation of the Water Framework Directive, the Drinking Water and Urban Waste Water Directives, as well as research to support the implementation of EU Water Initiative, a European commitment towards the Millennium Development Goals.

List of available publications - EU Report Series

 

Integrated Evaluation for Sustainable River Basin Governance - ADVISOR

Editors: N. Videira, G. Kallis, P. Antunes and R. Santos

http://www.iwapublishing.com/template.cfm?name=isbn1843391481

 

Urban Water Resources Toolbox - AISUWRS

Editors: L. Wolf, B. Morris and S. Burn
http://www.iwapublishing.com/template.cfm?name=isbn1843391384

 

Integrated Deliberative Decision Processes for Water Resources Planning and Evaluation - ADVISOR

Editors: G. Kallis, N. Videira, P. Antunes and R. Santos
http://www.iwapublishing.com/template.cfm?name=isbn1843391678
 

Water and Liberalisation - European Water Scenarios - EUROMARKET

Editors: M. Finger, J. Allouche, P. Luís-Manso

http://www.iwapublishing.com/template.cfm?name=isbn1843391139

 

Comparative Evaluation of Sludge Reduction Routes - W.I.R.E.S.

Editor: P. Ginestet

http://www.iwapublishing.com/template.cfm?name=isbn1843391236

 

Computer Aided Rehabilitation of Sewer and Storm Water Networks - CARE-S

Editor: S. Saegrov

http://www.iwapublishing.com/template.cfm?name=isbn1843391155

 

Computer Aided Rehabilitation for Water Networks - CARE-W

Editor: S. Saegrov

http://www.iwapublishing.com/template.cfm?name=isbn1843390914

 

EVENTS

 

CLONIC ’07 - Closing the Nitrogen Cycle, 19-20 April 2007, Barcelona, Spain

The Final Workshop of the European Commission's funded project CLONIC “Closing the Nitrogen Cycle form Urban Landfill Leachate by Biological Nitrogen Removal over Nitrite and Thermal Treatment” took place in Barcelona to present final results and to give the opportunity to all researchers to share their experiences in the field of nitrogen removal, not only from leachate but from all variety of streams like wastewater.

The CLONIC project focused on the nitrogen removal by application of two biological processes: a first partial nitritation of ammonia followed by a secondly anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox), the cycle being finally closed by a thermal treatment which dries the effluent. The partners involved in the project are CESPA, LEQUIA (University of Girona) and the Agbar Foundation.

This project is being supported by the LIFE Programme of the European Community.

Additional information about the workshop and project results can be found on the following website: www.lifeleachate.com or by sending an e-mail to info@lifeleachate.com

 

MBR-Network to present first results in international conferences

MBR-Network is the coalition of four research projects financed by the European Commission and dedicated to the development of the MBR technology. It gathers about 50 European and international companies and institutions, with a total budget of about €16 million.

 

The second year of activity witnesses a surge of dissemination actions. In addition to the first reports and scientific articles that were already available on the website (www.mbr-network.eu), you can now also find the partners of the MBR-Network who will actively present their progress and results at the occasion of five selected international conferences. This will start by the 4th IWA Membrane Technologies Conference, 15-17 May 2007 in Harrogate, UK (www.iwamembranes.info). Out of the 90 papers related to the MBR technology which are included in the conference program, about 30 are proposed by partners of the MBR-Network.

 

In the next 6 months, the following conferences were selected for specific contributions of MBR-Network:

It must be noted that two workshops dedicated to MBR-Network will be organised at the occasion of the 7th Aachen conference and IMSTEC 07 in Sydney, Australia.

 

OPTIMA - Optimisation for Sustainable Water Recourses Management, Regional Workshop, 27 – 31 May 2007, Suncrest Hotel, Malta

OPTIMA is an FP6 EU sponsored research project.  Its overall aim is to develop, implement, test, critically evaluate and exploit an innovative, scientifically rigorous yet practical approach to water resources management intended to increase efficiencies and to reconcile conflicting demands.  Based on the European Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC), the approach equally considers economic efficiency, environmental compatibility and social equity as the pillars of sustainable development.

 

The research is carried out in 7 case studies across the Mediterranean, offering a broad geographical coverage and a good basis for comparative analysis.  The project also aims at building a wide dissemination network of expertise and knowledge exchange, sharing its findings, generic data and best practice examples.

 

The OPTIMA Regional Workshop has been designed to draw the attention to comparable or similar river basin management issues, as well as to how they have been tackled through an active process of participatory stakeholder involvement throughout the research.

 

Technology for safe drinking water in Southern Europe, 2nd Regional Technology Platform, Lisbon, Portugal, June 5th, 2007

TECHNEAU results are to be shared at Regional Technology Platforms (RTPs), which are one-day workshops that focus on the consultation of regional water experts and stakeholders. RTPs will enable intensive information exchange through personal contacts and dissemination of knowledge between the project team, operators, researchers, regulators and technology suppliers on a regional level. The second RTP will take place in Lisbon and will highlight the water situation in Southern Europe. It will be supported by the European Commission, the Laboratório Nacional de Engenharia Civil, FUNDCIC, Águas de Portugal, SA. and by EPAL. A wide range of national and international speakers will cover the following topics:

For more information and registration, please visit the TECHNEAU project website: www.techneau.org

 

Training workshop on ‘Process documentation for learning alliances and action research, 1-5 July 2007, Lodz, Poland

The workshop is organised by the IRC International Water and Sanitation Centre, the SWITCH project and by the EMPOWERS partnership.

 

The objective of the training workshop on ‘Process documentation for learning alliances and action research’ is to equip participants with the necessary skills to undertake high-quality and innovative documentation on learning and change processes. This documentation will have an advocacy and policy impact and will lead to the improved dissemination of research results and uptake of findings. The training workshop will develop the skills of participants through hands-on experiences with appropriate methods. It will enable participants to undertake appropriate documentation for multi-stakeholder focused research processes or learning alliances that are now becoming accepted approaches to improve the uptake of research.

 

The training workshop will combine specialist presentations from key resource persons with practical exercises in groups where creativity will be encouraged. Participants will put theory into practice using a range of media to document an ongoing action research process. This will involve undertaking interviews, visiting field sites and documenting activities through photography, video, writing and voice recording. The workshop is convened with the SWITCH research project that is focused on urban water management, and the activities currently being undertaken in the city of Lodz in central Poland will provide the focus of the practical aspects of the training.

 

To register for the course, or for any queries, please write to the course coordinator, Mrs Carmen da Silva (dasilva@irc.nl), or call +31 (15) 215 2939.

 

Further information will be published on: http://www.switchurbanwater.eu/page/223  

 

RTD RESULTS: USE, EXPLOITATION AND COMMUNICATION EXPERIENCES

 

Development of a new strategy for the preservation of the built Cultural Heritage in the EC project "ONSITEFORMASONRY"

Underlining the importance of monumental cultural heritage all over the world and especially in Europe is unnecessary. Without any doubt, Europe owns the most important and often well conserved quantity of monuments. Conservation and maintenance of this heritage is not only a duty but an extraordinary opportunity regarding their environmental, cultural, social and economical impacts.

 

In this respect, the technologies applied to the tangible ("physical") cultural heritage for the assessment, conservation and the restoration of the cultural heritage assets can be easily embedded in the more generic "environmental technologies" as it is now the case in the 7th Framework Programme, due to their frequent common characteristics or potential similarities.

 

To illustrate these technologies applied to cultural heritage, we can refer to ONSITEFORMASONRY which is a research project which was funded by the European Commission under the 5th Framework Programme in the Thematic Programme: Energy, Environment and Sustainable Development and the Key action: "The City of Tomorrow and Cultural Heritage" (Contract No: EVK4-CT-2001-00060).

 

The higher-ranking objective of the project was to assess the static conditions of historic structures and their capability to resist to time and to the natural catastrophic events in a more accurate, faster, cheaper and more effective way. Therefore, methodologies for the evaluation of the structure of historic cultural heritage masonries were developed and improved in the project, typical masonry damages and the most frequent pathologies in each region were identified and summarised in a catalogue of problems and damages. In addition, for an accurate investigation of the state and conditions of cultural heritage monuments, the project mainly concentrated on the use of non-destructive testing (NDT) and minor-destructive testing (MDT) methods. These techniques do not, or only to a limited extent, harm the valuable building fabric of the investigated object and are thus particularly suited for the application to historic buildings. A compilation of the available testing techniques, their requirements and their performance specifications have been worked out. Some investigation methods or devices have been further developed in the frame of the project and have been set up as “prototypes”, to be a basis for an already starting commercial exploitation.

 

The measurement and testing campaigns were carried out on more than 10 historic building sites mainly in Italy, Spain, the Czech Republic, Slovenia and Germany. Finally, recommendations and technical guidelines for the application of the integrated methodologies have been developed in close co-operation with the final users.

 

The consortium coordinated by the German Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing (BAM) was constituted by 14 partners bringing together all the needed expertise and representing complementary roles: equipment manufacturers, developers of NDT methodologies, experts for structural models and owners of cultural properties which have played an important role as potential users of the tested methodologies. The range of tested methodologies has spread from radar, geo-electric, impact echo, ultra sonic, microseismic, impulse thermography, microwave bore-holes, endoscopy, flat jack techniques, etc. to software data processing, the latter leading to an easier interpretation and better acceptance of NDT and MDT results also for non experts.

 

Onsiteformasonry has already proved to be a key and "reference" project for several new launched projects and initiatives, as well as for training relating to the assessment of structures of important built cultural assets; it eventually ended last year with the publication of a CD and an EC-OPOCE publication (ISBN 92-894-9601-0,  EUR 21696 EN) with the aim to guide the end-users through the methods and their combined use for the solution of specific problems. For latest news and available information, please see the following website: :http://www.onsiteformasonry.bam.de

 

Dr Christiane Maierhofer, Project Coordinator (BAM): christiane.maierhofer@bam.de

M. Michel Chapuis, EC Project Officer:  michel.chapuis@ec.europa.eu

 

MORE INFORMATION: click here

 

LEGAL NOTICE

The information and views set out in this newsletter are those of the author(s) and do not reflect necessarily the official opinion of the European Communities. Neither the European Communities institutions and bodies nor any person acting on their behalf may be held responsible for the use which may be made on the information contained therein. This newsletter may be freely distributed.

See also http://europa.eu.int/geninfo/disclaimer_en.htm

 

EDITOR:

European Commission

DG Research, Unit I03

Rue de la Loi 200, B-1049 Belgium                                     © European Communities, 2007

e-mail : Avelino.Gonzalez-Gonzalez@ec.europa.eu            Reproduction is authorized provided the source is acknowledged