Czech Presidency Service on the European Research Area without Barriers to be launched on CORDIS
12 December 2008

From 2 January 2009, the Community Research and Development Information Service (CORDIS) will provide a new dedicated service on the research initiatives during the Czech Presidency term of the European Council (1 January 2009-30 June 2009). Developed jointly by the Czech Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports and the European Commission’s research gateway CORDIS, the service will feature news, events and insights into the forthcoming EU Presidency in the field of research. read more

Now Online: "Europeana", Europe's Digital Library
20 November 2008

Europeana, Europe’s multimedia online library opens to the public today. Internet users around the world can now access more than two million books, maps, recordings, photographs, archival documents, paintings and films from national libraries and cultural institutions of the EU's 27 Member States. Europeana opens up new ways of exploring Europe’s heritage: anyone interested in literature, art, science, politics, history, architecture, music or cinema will have free and fast access to Europe's greatest collections and masterpieces in a single virtual library through a web portal available in all EU languages. But this is just the beginning. read more

A new face for CORDIS: new homepage now online
16 September 2008

CORDIS, the Community Research and Development Information Service, has given its homepage a new look. The previous homepage, online since mid-2005, is replaced with a new design to provide users with an easier means to understand the wide range of information available through CORDIS, and to track down the specific information they need more swiftly. read more

EU funds for Research: Lost in translation? New guide to help better use of European research, innovation and cohesion funding
8 September 2008

The Commission today launched the 'Practical Guide to EU funding opportunities for Research and Innovation' to help all stakeholders to find their way into the different existing EU funding. Central to the realisation of the goals of the Lisbon Agenda is the need to promote the knowledge economy, in particular through research, technological development and innovation (RTDI). EU support for RTDI is provided mainly through the 7th Research Framework Programme, the Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Programme and the Structural & Cohesion Funds. If their impact is to be maximised, it is essential that these sources of funding are used in a coherent way. read more

EU Strategy for Marine and Maritime Research: Frequently Asked Questions
3 September 2008

Marine research addresses a branch of earth science that studies the oceans and seas including their flora and fauna as well as their interaction with coastal territories and with the atmosphere. It covers a wide spectrum of scientific knowledge and phenomena such as marine organisms, ecosystems dynamics, ocean currents, plate tectonics and geology. These diverse topics involve multiple disciplines to understand the underlying processes and the complexity of their interaction. Nowadays, one of the major concerns of marine research is the preservation of marine ecosystems. read more

Commission launches open access pilot project
21 August 2008

The European Commission has launched a pilot project which will see the results of EU-funded research in seven key subject areas made freely available online. According to the Commission, the initiative should raise the visibility of European research, and drive innovation by ensuring that businesses, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have access to the latest research results. read more

The European Commission's Open Access Pilot for Research Articles: Frequently Asked Questions
20 August 2008

Open access is a natural policy approach where research is publicly funded: the results of research funded with taxpayers' money should afterwards be disseminated as broadly as possible and for free to other interested researchers and the public at large. The Commission's pilot therefore focuses on research articles resulting from research funded under the EU's 7th Framework programme for research and development (FP7). read more

EU and NZ strengthen science ties
17 July 2008

The EU and New Zealand have signed a Science and Technical (S&T;) cooperation agreement with the aim of further boosting collaboration between researchers from the two regions. As a result, researchers from New Zealand will benefit from enhanced access to the EU's research programmes, while European scientists will find it easier to participate in New Zealand's research activities. read more

Commission proposes a legal framework for European Research Infrastructures - Q & A
15 July 2008

Research infrastructures play an increasing role in the advancement of knowledge and technology. Scientific progress would be impossible without state of the art super-computers or, for instance, large-scale X-Ray systems. Responding to challenges like climate change is greatly helped by environmental research facilities such as deep sea floor observatories, icebreaker research vessels or atmospheric observation networks. Advances in medical research also strongly benefit from the use of large databases or bio-banks, and/or of powerful systems of imaging, to name just a few other key facilities. read more

Commission starts public dialogue on nanotechnologies - tapping economic and environmental potential through safe products
17 June 2008

Nanotechnologies have enormous potential benefits for manufacturers, consumers, employees, patients and the environment. They will bring more energy and resource efficient processes, improve computer memories and processors and could usher in a new age of customized pharmaceuticals and medical procedures. While current EU legislation covers in principle the challenges for health, safety and environment with regards to nanomaterials, there is further need for research and international cooperation. read more

European researchers in Japan get connected!
16 June 2008

Today, the European Commissioner for Science and Research, Janez Potočnik, officially launched the network of European Researchers in Japan. Consulted through an on-line survey, the European researchers working in Japan have pronounced themselves very much in favour of this network (74% of the respondents) and expressed their specific needs: to develop their contacts and get access to information on career development, research funding and Europe-Japan cooperation opportunities. The tool set up for them by the European Commission will answer these needs with interactive tools of information and networking. read more

Story leads and Insights to EU-funded Future Internet Research
03 June 2008

Minds are currently focused on the Future of the Internet. A Conference on the Perspectives of R&D; regarding the Future Internet has taken place in Bled on March 31st, during the Slovenian Presidency. An OECD ministerial meeting in Seoul, Korea, between 17-18 June 2008 will be dedicated to the Future Internet Economy. As part of its i2010 action plan, the European Commission will also unveil later this year a coherent long-term approach for the future of networks and the Internet. read more

Cohesion policy 2007-2013; research and innovation are now major priorities for the Member States
14 May 2008

The results of negotiations on cohesion policy strategies and programmes for 2007-2013, unveiled in a communication by the European Commission, show that research and innovation, as well as ICT, are recognized by the EU Member States as important drivers for regional development. read more

Please, visit CORDIS: Regions of knowledge

Stakeholder Consultation on the preparation of a European Metrology Research Programme (EMRP)
08 May 2008

The European Commission Directorate General for Research has launched a Stakeholder consultation on the preparation of a European Metrology Research Programme (EMRP) via a potential Article 169 of the Treaty. read more

More than 250 million Europeans regularly use Internet, says Commission's ICT Progress Report
18 April 2008

More than half of Europeans are now regular Internet users, 80% of them have broadband connections and 60% of public services in the EU are fully available online. Two thirds of schools and half of doctors make use of fast Internet connections, thanks to strong broadband growth in Europe. read more

Please, visit CORDIS: http://cordis.europa.eu/fp7/ict

European steel industry reaffirms its commitment to R&D to reduce CO2 emissions
27 February 2008

The European Steel Technology Platform (ESTEP) has today decided to launch a second phase of the Ultra Low CO2 Steelmaking research programme. ULCOS-II will be the world’s most ambitious Research and Development (R&D) effort to reduce process-related CO2 emissions in steelmaking. read more

First FP7 security projects announced
09 January 2008

The European Commission has released details of the first security projects to be financed under the Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) theme of the Seventh Framework Programme (FP7). read more

€80m for new projects to promote social sciences, humanities and the role of science in society
04 January 2008

Following calls for proposals launched in December 2006, the European Commission is about to select a total of 93 projects to be funded under the two programmes that address research and policy actions on science, economy and society. This memo outlines a sample of these projects. read more

CORDIS launches Slovenian Presidency R&D and innovation information service
03 January 2008

CORDIS, the Community Research and Development Information Service, has launched a new online service covering the research and innovation activities carried out under the Slovenian Presidency of the European Union (1 January to 30 June 2008). read more