JRC Environment Institute - 1997 Annual Report
The Environment Institute (EI), one of the seven institutes that constitute the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission, has recently published its annual report for 1997. The primary mission, consuming about 73% of the budget of the EI, is the provision of independent scientific and technical support for the development, implementation and monitoring of European environmental policy. During 1997, the EI struck an adequate balance between research and support activities allowing the Institute to provide effective support to EU policies, while improving its scientific and technical expertise. Shared-Cost Action programmes are also an important part of the work carried out on an annual basis by the EI and the programmes that were won through participation in various competitive schemes during 1997 cover: - Particles and photo-oxidants in tropospheric chemistry; - Climate change effects on freshwater resources in Europe; - Air quality and effects of pollutants on the European population; - Development of analytical methods for food control; - Environmental risk assessment and endocrine-disrupting chemicals. In view of the preparations of the Fifth RTD Framework Programme, the EI intends to strengthen its activities in the fields of water management and quality, environmental toxicology and human health. In the context of the implications of the Kyoto Protocol the EI will also reinforce its activities on tropospheric ozone and atmospheric aerosols. Work on the determination of vehicle emissions will also be reinforced, particularly in the frame of the Auto-Oil programme which will contribute to the assessment of the impact of future vehicle fuels on the air quality in major European cities.