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March 22, 2010
Sir, Regarding ‘Industry chief: Biofuel from waste can reduce landfill‘: At last we hear some good news from an enterprising source. How welcoming to read such positive comments. The move from Finland is not an isolated one in Europe. I have also heard that GeneSyst teams in Europe will be starting work on several major… » read more
Sebastian Olényi, Chairman of the Young European Biotech Network, explains the importance of biotechnological innovation in farming. He also explains the problems faced in recruiting new biotech researchers and innovators.
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Agriculture, BioTech, CAP Reform, English, FFA2010, Food and Agriculture |
March 17, 2010
Sir, Regarding ‘NGOs take Commission to court over biofuels reports‘: It is important to note that biofuels are not all produced from the same source and they do not all have the same environmental impacts. Whilst we can understand the issues being scrutinised in this legal foray, there is a serious issue here which I… » read more
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BioTech, Climate change, English, environment, Uncategorized |
February 26, 2010
Sir, Regarding ‘Controversy mounts over EU biofuels fall-out‘: The Standing Committee of the Bern Convention (the Council of Europe Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats), worried that the increase of biofuel cropping systems may lead to cultivation escapes of invasive taxa with subsequent negative effects on native biological diversity, adopted advice… » read more
February 25, 2010
Sir, Regarding ‘EU weighs proposals to break GMO deadlock‘: The process of GMO invasion in Europe can be clearly observed in articles and statements of public figures. More and more we are told that we have to deal with GMOs, that we have to submit to progress in science, that we have to do it… » read more
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BioTech, CAP Reform, English, environment, GMOs, Sustainable Dev. |
February 4, 2010
A troubling thought: are the pro-innovation policy wonks talking to the cost-containment pencil pushers? Doing the rounds of innovation conferences in Brussels, it’s clear that a huge section of the EU’s political and industry machinery is convinced we need to be more innovative. The logic will be familiar to most: we can’t compete with Asia’s… » read more
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BioTech, Economy & Euro, English, Health & Lifestyle, Innovation and Growth |
January 12, 2010
In December 2008 the EU has decided onto providing at least 20 percent of its energy needs – the equivalent of 30 percent of its electricity consumption – supply from renewable sources by 2020 latest. To that end, it will need to generate about one third of its electricity from renewables. This is anything but… » read more
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BioTech, Climate change, energy efficiency, Energy Supply, English, environment, Wind power |
June 18, 2009
Repenser les procédures d’autorisation des variétés transgéniques en Europe est un impératif, tant d’un point de vue scientifique que démocratique. Ces procédures doivent garantir une évaluation indépendante et rigoureusedes dossiers, associer les citoyens aux prises de décisions à travers un processus aussi transparent que possible et permettre le recours à des clauses de sauvegarde tant… » read more
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BioTech, conference citoyenne, English, environment, EU Priorities and Opinion, Governance / Democracy and Citizenship, PGM, Public Affairs, Rural and sustainable development |
Rethinking the authorization procedures of trans-genetic varieties in Europe is imperative, both from a scientific and a democratic perspective. These procedures need to guarantee a rigorous independent evaluation of files, involve citizens in decision-making throughout a process that is as transparent as possible and which gives recourse to both national and regional safeguard clauses. Without… » read more
June 16, 2009
Oh dear. As if the debate on nanotechnology were not complex enough, it now seems companies are quietly burying references to nanomaterials contained in consumer produts. Until recently, branding something as containing ‘nanotechnology’ was seen as a plus – a marketing boost. Now though, a new patterns is emerging. Consumer groups in Norway, the UK… » read more
May 28, 2009
Nous proposons que l’Union européenne légifère pour interdire tout brevet sur le vivant. Elle doit aussi obliger les industries à informer, de façon transparente, sur les manipulations génétiques utilisées. Aujourd’hui, le Certificat d’Obtention Végétale (COV) entretient une opacité malsaine car il protège les inventions et les découvertes sans donner aucune information sur les méthodes de… » read more
May 13, 2009
Why not have all your European engineering news feeds in one place? Go to the Orgalime page for news, blogs, photos, podcasts and member feeds – even catch up with the European elections…………..
En prélevant gratuitement ses ressources phytogénétiques dans les champs des paysans et en confisquant la totalité des semences commercialisables, l’industrie a accumulé une immense dette envers des milliards de paysans. Elle a aussi déclenché une alarmante érosion de la biodiversité. La compensation de cette dette et la réparation de cette atteinte à l’environnement passent par… » read more
In freely acquiring all of its plant genetic resources from the fields of farmers and confiscating all marketable seeds, the industries became greatly indebted to billions of farmers. This process also set in motion an alarming erosion of biodiversity. The repaying of this debt and compensation for this environmental injury should come in the form… » read more
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BioTech, CAP Reform, English, environment, Rural and sustainable developement, Sustainable Dev. |
April 15, 2009
Last night I attended BVMed’s well attended debate looking at the German medical technology sector in times of the economic crisis. The debate was hosted by the permanent representation of the German Federal State of North Rhine Westfalia. Member of the European Parliament, Dr Peter Liese, was one of the speakers. He welcomed BVMed’s initiative… » read more
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BioTech, BVMed, Dr. Peter Liese, English, Medical Technology, Sun |
April 7, 2009
From 23 – 25 March 2009, the Drug Information Association (DIA) held its annual EuroMeeting in Berlin. During the presentation by Richard Moore, Institute of Nanotechnology, I learned that prescription drugs prove to be ineffective in 30% – 60% of patients(1) and that 16% of the drugs approved in the USA are linked to severe… » read more
March 26, 2009
Sir, Regarding ‘MEPs back new rules on nanomaterials in cosmetics‘: The era of nanomaterials has arrived. Let’s not make the same mistake as we did with industrial chemicals, where we passed them off as safe on the back of animal tests, only to discover that many are very dangerous to human health. Today we can… » read more
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BioTech, English, Health & Lifestyle, Nanomaterials, Science & Research, Testing |
March 24, 2009
Over 2000 scientists attended the Climate Change Congress in Copenhagen on March 10th to 12th this year. After 3 days of numerous keynote speeches and presentation as well as 58 parallel sessions, the event closed with the understanding that urgent action is needed – now. The leading scientists at the congress shall issue an Executive… » read more
ManuFuture, the European technology platform on future manufacturing technologies, last week decided to set up a new industry-led R&D association – “European Factories of the Future Research Association” (EFFRA) – that will engage into a public private partnership in the area of R&D with the European Commission. The European Technology Platform involves key stakeholders across… » read more
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BioTech, English, European Commission, European Engineering, Industrial Policy, Innovation and Growth |
On Tuesday, 17 March 2009 I attended the Health First Europe round table on patient safety and healthcare associated infections (HCAIs) in the European Parliament. The session was co-hosted by MEPs Liz Lynne and Amalia Sartori. The presentation by Dr Carl Suetens from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) presented some interesting… » read more
