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Weekly Issue - 2 March 2012

Latest News

PRESS RELEASE

European Council confirms research and innovation as drivers of growth and jobs

(2 March 2012) EU Heads of State and Government have today stressed that the Europe 2020 strategy is Europe's growth strategy and its comprehensive response to the challenges it is facing. One of the targets of Europe 2020, through the Innovation Union flagship is to boost innovation, research and development in Europe. In particular Europe needs to improve its ability to transform good research into innovative products and services that meets market demand. The conclusions of the European Council stress the need for more efforts to complete the European Research Area by 2014, as well as a number of other important advances that are necessary. This memo sets out progress achieved on some key areas of EU action on research and innovation, a vital component of Europe's future competitiveness and growth.

PRESS RELEASE

Innovation Partnerships: new proposals on raw materials, agriculture and healthy ageing to boost European competitiveness

(29 February 2012) The European Commission has today proposed decisive action to meet three key challenges facing our society, in areas that are crucial to growth and jobs: the supply of raw materials, sustainable agriculture, and active and healthy ageing. All three require a more concerted innovation effort across the public and private sector, in order to improve quality of life and position Europe as a global leader. The Commission has therefore launched two new European Innovation Partnerships (EIPs) - on Raw Materials and on Agricultural Sustainability and Productivity - and has endorsed a four-year action plan for the Active and Healthy Ageing EIP, a pilot launched in February 2011. EIPs take a new approach to tackling the whole research-development-innovation chain, bringing together public and private stakeholders across borders and sectors in order to accelerate the uptake of innovation. They each have an ambitious target to reach by 2020, and are expected to start delivering results within 1-3 years. The announcement today comes just ahead of a European Council that is expected to reaffirm the place of research and innovation at the centre of European economic recovery.

EVENT ANNOUNCEMENT

Design, Automation and Test in Europe - DATE 2012

12 March 2012 - 16 March 2012 Dresden, Germany

This event addresses all aspects of research into technologies for electronic and embedded system engineering. It covers the design process, test, and automation tools for electronics ranging from integrated circuits to distributed embedded systems. A special session organised by the European Commission will elaborate on the future strategy on Computing Systems in the context of HORIZON2020. The panel brings together industry and academia from real-time embedded system engineering, server farms and high performance computing architectures.

EVENT ANNOUNCEMENT

European Commission at CeBIT 2012

6 March 2012 - 10 March 2012 Hannover, Germany

This year the European Commission and the Digital Agenda for Europe will be at CeBIT - the world's largest and most international computer expo - with 3 exciting stands. EU Vice President Neelie Kroes will be there in person on Tuesday 6th and Wednesday 7th of March.

NEWS ARTICLE

Green Paper - Restructuring and anticipation of change: what lessons from recent experience?

(1 March 2012) This Green Paper aims to identify successful practices and policies in the field of restructuring and adaptation to change in order to promote employment, growth and competitiveness as part of the Europe 2020 strategy and in particular the industrial policy flagship initiative of October 2010 , the "Agenda for new skills and jobs" adopted in November 2010 . The Green Paper is also intended to contribute to improving synergy between all relevant actors in addressing challenges related to restructuring and adaptation to change and takes into account the important work carried out in recent years by the European Commission, the social partners, Member States, regions and many other stakeholders.

NEWS ARTICLE

European Commission establishes new eHealth Stakeholder Group

(29 February 2012) Following the recent call for expression of interest (closed in January 2012), the European Commission has selected 29 members to participate in its new eHealth Stakeholder Group. Members of the group, appointed for a period of three years, are expert representatives of European umbrella organisations active in the eHealth sector. The group is expected to contribute to the development of legislation and policy related to eHealth. Policy areas of specific interest include relevant actions of the Digital Agenda for Europe on eHealth and the forthcoming eHealth Action Plan. The complete list is available online.

Contact: ehealth@ec.europa.eu
See also: eHealth at the EC

CALL FOR PROPOSALS

5th Call for proposals of the AAL Joint Programme

(Deadline: 29/05/2012) The 5th Call for proposals of the Ambient Assisted Living Joint Programme focuses on the development of ICT-based solutions which enable and sustain older adults to continue managing their daily activities in their home. This call aims also at ICT-based solutions which support informal carers in their assistance. The call launched on 29 February 2012, with a proposal submission deadline of 29 May 2012.

NEWS ARTICLE

EUR 110bn jackpot on offer for completing e-Communications Single Market

(28 February 2012) The answers to Europe's search for new economic growth may be closer to home than expected. The European Commission today released a study showing that, if the internal market for electronic communications were completed, the EU gross domestic product (GDP) could grow by up to 110 billion euros a year, or more than 0.8% of GDP. e-Communications is a critical part of overall efforts to build a digital Single Market. This "digital bonus" for EU growth would result from more competition, increased economies of scale for telecom operators, and the chance for every European to access all online content and services throughout the EU, such as music, movies and video games. For example, new and more efficient economic activity could arise from the ability to subscribe to TV from your home country when living abroad, the possibility of receiving healthcare monitoring from your local physician while on holiday, or a business using a single Cloud computing provider for offices in many EU countries.

EVENT ANNOUNCEMENT

European e-Skills Week 2012

26 March 2012 - 30 March 2012

The European e-Skills Week 2012 is a European campaign focused on showing people how to get jobs through e-skills in the digital age. Building on the success of e-Skills Week 2010, the DG for Enterprise and Industry has again teamed up with DIGITAL EUROPE and European Schoolnet, to drive awareness of the need for e-skills and their benefits. Together with industry partners, education bodies and public authorities, the campaign will deliver an exciting programme of events and activities in more than 30 countries; culminating in a dedicated e-Skills Week between 26 and 30 March 2012.

EVENT ANNOUNCEMENT

Smart Energy and Sustainable ICT Conference

3 May 2012 - 4 May 2012 The Square, Coudenberg 3, 1000 Brussels

The European Commission is organising a conference on sustainable ICT, smart grids and smart cities. The two-day conference will be opened by Commissioners Guenther Oettinger and Neelie Kroes. It will bring together policy makers and stakeholders such as telecom companies, energy providers, regulators and consumer organisations. It will provide a platform for discussions on the challenges faced in deploying smart grids, be they technical, regulatory, financial or linked to public acceptance. A new EU Communication on Smart Cities will be presented and it will be investigated how ICT can make our cities greener by an exchange of best practices. It will also touch upon the important issue of how to deliver transparent metrics around the positive contribution of ICT to solving our energy and climate problems. Registration is free of charge, but obligatory and will open in mid-March.

Contact: EC-SMART-ENERGY@ec.europa.eu

New in the Library

AUDIOVISUAL

Picture my body

1 March 2012

In a hospital in Brussels surgeons are trying to surgically remove a tumour from a liver. And they are not alone. They are being helped by a sophisticated 3D computer model. It is just a practical example of what is called 'virtual physiology'.

SPEECH

Neelie Kroes, Vice-President of the European Commission responsible for the Digital Agenda

Giving Europe a Mobile Broadband Boost

2012 Mobile World Congress, Barcelona, 27 February 2012

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