EU Research

News, background information and web links about the research and technology areas, policies and activities promoted by the European Union.

Vienna and Bratislava present joint candidature for EIT headquarters — 08 May 2008, 18:44 CET

Austria and Slovakia have joined forces in the race for hosting the headquarters of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT). At a press conference on 6 May, government representatives and Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) from Austria and Slovakia presented their joint concept for 'twin city headquarters' in their neighbouring capitals, Vienna and Bratislava.

EU researchers to assess rates of asthma among Olympic athletes — 08 May 2008, 17:07 CET

Sporting enthusiasts are not the only people who will be following the performance of athletes at this year's Olympic Games in Beijing, China. Scientists from the EU-funded GA2LEN (Global Allergy and Asthma European Network) project will also be keeping a watchful eye over the Games' proceedings to assess the prevalence of asthma and other allergies among Europe's top athletes.

Top inventors honoured at European Inventor of the Year — 08 May 2008, 17:02 CET

Medical technologies dominated the field at the European Inventor of the Year Awards, which were handed out at a ceremony in Ljubljana, Slovenia, on 6 May. The inventors of a pioneering antiviral therapy, a new eye-scanning system and a robot surgery process were all honoured for their work, as was the team responsible for making car frames both lighter and safer.

Data protection authority to monitor EU research policy and projects — 05 May 2008, 22:03 CET

EU research projects, particularly in the area of information and communication technologies (ICT), need to ensure that privacy and personal data protection requirements are fully respected, according to the European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS). In a policy paper, the body has outlined how it will help with this task.

Europe ahead of US in funding nanotech risk research — 23 April 2008, 17:08 CET

Europe invests nearly twice as much as the US in research addressing the potential risk of nanotechnologies, a report issued by the Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies (PEN) indicates.

EU project develops smart materials for noise reduction — 16 April 2008, 23:32 CET

Reducing noise pollution was the goal of the recently-completed EU-funded InMar ('Intelligent Materials for Active Noise Reduction') project. It has successfully developed a series of smart materials and systems for use in automobiles and rail vehicles and infrastructures.

Commission Recommendation to help harness knowledge for Europe — 14 April 2008, 22:41 CET

The European Commission has adopted a Recommendation on the management of intellectual property (IP) in the knowledge transfer activities of universities and other public research organisations. In doing so, the Commission reaffirms its commitment to the Lisbon Strategy: to transform the EU into the world's most dynamic and competitive knowledge-based economy.

Galileo Masters competition enters new round — 10 April 2008, 00:24 CET

With Galileo, the European satellite navigation system, receiving the green light, the race is on to develop a whole range of new navigation applications and services. This is where the recently launched 'Galileo Masters' European Satellite Navigation Competition (ESNC) comes in.

EU and India to deepen biotech research ties — 10 April 2008, 00:21 CET

The EU and India are set to deepen their biotechnology research ties, particularly in the fields of food and health. A delegation from the EU recently visited India to discuss cooperation over issues such as the links between health and nutrition and how these can be exploited to help prevent chronic diseases.

Commemorating 30 years of European human space flight — 08 April 2008, 23:09 CET

Thirty years ago, a Czech citizen, Vladimir Remek, made history when he became the first man from a country other than the US or former Soviet Union to go into space. On 2 March 1978, he took off aboard the Soyuz 28 spacecraft for an eight-day mission to the Salyut 6 space station.

New EU guide encourages combining research funding sources — 27 March 2008, 20:23 CET

The EU supports research and innovation activities through a range of programmes, including the Seventh Framework Programme for Research (FP7), the Competitiveness and Innovation Programme (CIP) and Structural Funds. Now the European Commission is developing a guide to help researchers select the right programme for their activities and even combine funds from different sources. A draft version of the guide is now ready and the Commission is keen to receive feedback on the document from the research community.

Lift-off for Europe's first resupply ship — 17 March 2008, 23:49 CET

Europe's biggest contribution to space technology, the Jules Verne Automated Transfer Vehicles (ATV), has been successfully launched into low earth orbit. The launch vehicle, an Ariane 5 rocket, was carrying its largest ever payload when it achieved lift-off from the Guiana Space Centre in Kourou, French Guiana. During the coming weeks the Jules Verne ATV will rendezvous and dock with the International Space Station (ISS) to deliver fuel and food supplies for the astronauts onboard the ISS.

European technology institute gets the go-ahead — 13 March 2008, 10:02 CET

The European Institute of Innovation and Technology will open for business by the summer following the European Parliament's approval today.

European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) - guide — 12 March 2008, 22:54 CET

News, background information and web links about the research and technology areas, policies and activities promoted by the European Union.

European Institute of Innovation and Technology - EIT — 12 March 2008, 22:53 CET

The European Parliament adopted on 12 March 2008 the Regulation establishing the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT). European Commission President José Manuel Barroso stated: "I am delighted with this decisive step forward towards establishing the EIT. The EIT is set to become an important feature of Europe's innovation landscape. It will facilitate and enhance partnerships and cooperation between the worlds of business, research and higher education across the European Union, thereby helping to continue to boost jobs and growth in Europe in the future."

EU R&D spending remains unchanged — 11 March 2008, 23:46 CET

Research and development (R&D) spending in Europe has remained unchanged for the last three years, according to the latest figures released from Eurostat, the Statistical Office of the European Communities

What do new technologies mean for Europe's labour market? — 06 March 2008, 17:29 CET

When designing training schemes to assist the creation of a knowledge-based economy, policy-makers should not focus solely on highly skilled workers. To keep unemployment at a minimum, strategies for increasing the employability of low-skilled workers must also be embraced, according to a study carried out for the European Parliament's Science and Technology Options Assessment (STOA).

GÉANT European research network — 29 February 2008, 19:47 CET

GÉANT2 is the seventh generation of pan-European research and education network, successor to the pan-European multi-gigabit research network GÉANT. The project within which the network is funded began officially on 1 September 2004, and will run for four years. This site provides information on the network, and on the other project activities which will be carried out alongside it. GÉANT2 is co-funded by the European Commission and Europe's national research and education networks, and is managed by DANTE.

GÉANT: Europe's research network - guide — 29 February 2008, 19:38 CET

News, background information and web links about the research and technology areas, policies and activities promoted by the European Union.

IT Girls: IT careers for women — 29 February 2008, 13:04 CET

Information Technologies make our lives richer and more comfortable. They connect people worldwide and they even help save lives. However, not enough people in Europe are choosing careers in Information and Communications Technologies (ICTs) – especially not enough women. A career in the ICT sector has no limits anymore. Your job can range from traditional engineering or programming to designing new types of mobile phones or saving the environment. Information and Communications Technologies are important to every aspect of our lives.

Competitiveness Council urges increased research spending and coordination — 28 February 2008, 17:05 CET

The EU should invest more in research, facilitate the free movement of knowledge and strengthen its innovation system, ministers meeting at the EU's Competitiveness Council agreed on 25 February.

Trans-Eurasia Internet initiative set for EU funding boost — 21 February 2008, 17:34 CET

The European Commission is set to inject a further EUR 12 million into an initiative which provides scientists in the Asia-Pacific region with high speed internet access to enable their participation in international research projects.

New knowledge base for European Grid Initiatives online — 18 February 2008, 23:15 CET

The European Grid Initiative Design Study (EGI_DS) has set up an interactive knowledge base online to provide information on the status of European National Grid Initiatives (NGIs) and thus further the collaboration towards a sustainable European computing grid infrastructure.

EU innovation performance converges — 15 February 2008, 19:02 CET

The convergence of innovation performance across the EU is continuing apace, while five Member States have retained their positions as world innovation leaders, according to the 2007 European Innovation Scoreboard (EIS).

PRO INNO Europe — 15 February 2008, 19:00 CET

PRO INNO Europe is a new initiative of the European Commission's Directorate General Enterprise and Industry which aims to become the focal point for innovation policy analysis, learning and development in Europe, with the view to learning from the best and contributing to the development of new and better innovation policies in Europe.