Issue 257 26 November 2007
California’sCalifornia’s Linda Adams and Mary Nichols on how the Golden State is set to tackle climate change both at home and abroad California
INSIDE dreaming The road to Bali: “FOR GOVERNORGOVERNOR SCHWARZENEGGERSCHWARZENEGGER JOININGJOINING Guido Sacconi Karl-Heinz Florenz ICAP IS AN IMPORTANT STEP FORWARD IN THE Katerina Batzeli STATE’S EFFORTS TO FIGHT GLOBAL WARMING” Roger Helmer
World Aids Day ALCOHOL: EU-India László Kovács Eurostar Alessandro Foglietta Joaquín Almunia Richard Corbett on the global Alexander Stubb credit squeeze Catherine Stihler
Issue 257 26 November 2007
Editor’s comment organisation which would (UNAIDS), almost half of all adults living associate itself with such with HIV in the world today are women. The fight against HIV/Aids is one a topic, yet it is this very WAGGGS has introduced practical that affects people across the world. organisation that is taking programmes that encourage young people to On world Aids day it is important to the lead in the fight against take part in projects and activities to prevent reflect on the challenges and solutions. HIV/Aids in 144 countries the spread of HIV/Aids through change in Even the European commission admits across the world. behaviour; to provide care and support for people that not enough is being done to The aim is “not only to who are living with HIV and Aids; and to fight promote prevention. speak out on behalf of fear, shame and injustice showing innovation, A recent lunch time seminar held in girls and young women vision, perseverance and leadership in the face of the European parliament had representatives everywhere, but also to empower young this challenge. The guiding movement should be from Italy, Hungary, the UK, Cyprus and women to speak out for themselves”. One commended for their action and perhaps the EU Africa illustrating how girls and young of the most noticeable developments is the could learn a thing or two about their practical women are taking on the fight against Aids. spread and impact of HIV/AIDS among approach at dealing with a global challenge. The world association of girl guides and girl women and girls. According to the joint scouts (WAGGGS), is not often seen as an United Nations programme on HIV/Aids Catherine Stihler
NEWSANALYSIS
“It’s a fantastic 11 Do MEP votes count? opportunity to help Voting procedures in parliament may have been improved by electronic checks, but the UK play a big part bad calls are still being made, argues Graham Booth in the EU’s future and I really cannot think of 15 Channel hopping a better place to be” In bidding farewell to its home for the last 13 years, Eurostar, the high-speed train service between the UK and the continent, says it is trailing a blaze for environmental-friendly travel. Martin Banks travelled on the first train from Brussels to test the claim “For Governor Schwarzenegger joining 18 Foreign assignment ICAP is an important step He is Britain’s new man in Brussels but, as Martin Banks explains, a funny twist of forward in the state’s fate could have sent diplomat Kim Darroch is a very different career direction efforts to fight global warming. He understands 21 Urban action that ICAP represents the The EU needs to have a greater involvement in tackling the problems of urban future of international sprawl, argues Jean Marie Beaupuy cooperation” 22 Breaking down barriers Standfirst: The European parliament must continue to play a central role in “Given the wide championing the rights of disabled people, says Richard Howitt discrepancies between the rates in the 24 Learning lessons from the credit squeeze 27 member states, The turmoil that originated in the US sub-prime market over the summer underlines meaningful minimum the urgency of continuing to work towards integrating EU financial markets, writes excise duty rates are Joaquín Almunia necessary to avoid substantial distortions 25 Customers first of the internal market” The EU must help ensure that in every mutual or co-operative organisation, the interests of the customer are always given priority, writes Jonathan Evans
4 PARLIAMENTMAGAZINE 26 November 2007 COVERSTORY POLICYFOCUS The road to Bali 53 Common sense There is no value in developing a single blueprint for responsible 29 California dreaming drinking across the EU, says Richard Corbett Linda Adams and Mary Nichols report on how California, with its long history of environmental leadership, is addressing climate change 54 Vodka wars both at home and abroad The protection afforded to drinks such as whisky and beer should be fully extended to vodka, argues Alexander Stubb 33 Common positions The temporary committee on climate change’s recent mission to 57 Drinking culture China had a positive effect, writes Guido Sacconi How do we identify the line where moderate drinking gives way to excess and abuse, asks Catherine Stihler 37 Up for the challenge If Europe successfully shows that fighting climate change and Sustaining a strong economy are not mutually exclusive, Bali will INSIDEEU be very successful, says Karl-Heinz Florenz 59 Right to access 41 Model for change Access to medicines should be a recognised right for all citizens of It is clear that we will have to adapt our lifestyles if we are to fully the world, says Gianluca Susta address the issue of global warming, says Katerina Batzeli 63 Fighting back 43 Bali: Building on failure Zita Gurmai has just returned from Rwanda where she saw the effects New CO2 reduction programmes will probably be announced at of HIV/Aids, and vaccine trials which give hope for the future Bali, but any settlement will be little better than an agreement to keep talking, says Roger Helmer 66 Keeping the promise World Aids day provides civil society with an opportunity to urge governments and international institutions to live up to their promises POLICYFOCUS on tackling HIV and Aids, says Martijn Pakker Alcohol 68 Moving beyond business Europe and India may be inching closer together politically and 47 Tackling the issue economically, but differences remain. Filipe Rufino reports The EU must play a fundamental role in reducing alcohol related harm, even if it does not possess the power of member states in this 70 Reaping the benefits field, argues Alessandro Foglietta The forthcoming EU-India summit should set ambitious goals that will benefit the world’s two largest democracies, says Neena Gill 50 A taxing problem Abolishing minimum excise duties on alcohol, as recently proposed 73 The long road to recovery by parliament, will result in less freedom for private citizens and In the first of a two-part series, Struan Stevenson examines the human more tax barriers in the internal market, says László Kovács cost of Soviet nuclear tests on a devastated Kazakh community
EDITORIAL TEAM EDITORIAL BOARD COMMERCIAL AND SALES BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR Managing editor Editor Director Philip Beausire Brian Johnson Catherine Stihler MEP Andrew Oliver Tel +44 (0) 20 7091 7661 Deputy editor Editorial board Anka Prpa, Yann Rio, Shiva Dhewar, PRINTER Chris Jones Johannes Blokland, Jorgo Chatzimarkakis, Edith Mastenbroek, Emma Miceli, Obe Seddiq Corelio Printing Vorst, Brussels Matt Williams Manuel Medina Ortega, Jan Olbrycht, Gérard Onesta, Alojz Peterle, Tel +44 (0) 20 7091 7662 Tel +32 (0) 2 210 0100 Martin Banks Karin Resetarits, Struan Stevenson, Alexander Stubb, Inese Vaidere Dods Parliamentary Communications is widely respected for producing Anthony Fletcher Subscriptions Nicholas Toghill authoritative and independent political publications. Its policy is to Sarah Collins PRODUCTION accept advertisements representing many sides of a debate from a variety Tel +44 (0) 20 7091 7564 International Press Centre Jearelle Wolhuter of organisations. Dod’s Parliamentary Communications takes no political www.theparliament.com stance on the messages contained within advertisements but requires Boulevard Charlemagne 1 Leslie McCutcheon that all content is in strict accordance with the law. Dod’s Parliamentary Box 2 Brussels 1041 Advertising production PUBLISHER & MANAGING DIRECTOR Communications reserves the right to refuse advertisements for good Tel +32 (0) 2 285 0828 John Levers Martin Beck reason (for example if it is libellous, defamatory, pornographic, socially [email protected] Tel +44 (0) 20 7091 7524 Dods Parliamentary Communications unacceptable, insensitive or otherwise contrary to editorial policy).
26 November 2007 PARLIAMENTMAGAZINE 5 “Development of an Instrument to Evaluate the Impact of Inclusive Employment on the Quality of Life of Disabled People, placed in Employment, as an Outcome of Vocational Training”. ‘QOL Measures’ SPECIAL NEWSFLASH
‘Quality of Life Measures’ Final Conference takes place in Vienna, Austria on September 16th 2008. This conference provides the ideal European forum to present and disseminate the projects innovative products and findings and is strategically scheduled to coincide with EASPD (European Association of Service Providers for People with Disabilities) events in Vienna 2008.
The successful culmination of ‘QOL Measures’ project provides the ideal opportunity for all relevant stakeholders involved in vocational, education training programmes and systems, as well as inclusive employment activities, for people with disabilities, to meet with the projects partners responsible for developing the instrument, with a view to exploring and exploiting the instruments future use within the disability sector.
The conference will host an exciting line up of high profile international speakers and presentations directly linked to measuring quality of life in the workplace, as well as experiencing this unique instrument at first hand. This conference is ideally suited to all professionals interested in advancing policy development in VET systems and practices, as well as further improving the quality of life of people with disabilities in the workplace.
For up to date reports and details on project progress and products, please visit the project website: http://QOL.euproject.org
Skypename: easpd7
Project Coordinator EASPD Project Coordinator Michael Barrett Sonia Staskowiak COPE FOUNDATION (IE) +32 2 282 46 17 00353 21 4643291 +32 2 230 72 33 00353 87 8057723 Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] Web: www.easpd.eu NEWSANALYSIS 7
MAGAZINE - - - PARLIAMENT
26 November 2007
Parish Parish said that the review has not gone far “These proposals are not nearly as radical as I “Further reform of the CAP is needed to bring Reports last week that the single payments “We don’t support golf she courses!” said, after CAP CAP health check should be stricter The head of the parliament’s agriculture committee, committee, agriculture parliament’s the of head The with his disappointment has expressed Parish, Neil the health check so-called of the agricul common commissioner agriculture by out carried policy tural month. this Boel Fischer Mariann enough in earmarking CAP savings for improved performance. environmental would have liked,” he said. “Not enough is being done to fight overzealous regulation and I would like to see more money moved from direct schemes. pay environmental into ments it up to date with the trials added. he we face century,” in the 21st scheme is being used to line the coffers of in landowners large the UK were denied strenuously by commissioner. the being about questioned the 2006 court of auditors of scheme the side-effects that found which report, allow to entitlements landowners who never exer activity. agricultural previous cised - - - up. up. Universal access to public services is a fundamental right distin the of one and guishing features of the European social added. he model,” tion,” he “Legal tion,” said. uncertainties about our public services need to be cleared “The statements of President islation islation in the package to tackle the and financing of management services. these Barroso today are a provoca - or contact Jo Ingham, k - www.fta.co.u
Visit bringing the world to your doorstep Freight Transport Association Freight Transport Strategic Policy and +44 Campaigns 1892 Manager 552297 Tel:
Schulz is however is Schulz however The The proposals will include a According to According by presented research (the Eurofound European foun “This is a zero-tolerance issue. The same way as domestic violence and and violence domestic as way same The issue. zero-tolerance a is “This Záborská, who is head of the parliament’s women’s rights committee, rights committee, who is women’s head of the Záborská, parliament’s During During the a hearing, panel of experts from various member states was was no special leg angry that there social services. social services of general interest, including communication communication on to to be introduced in 2008, as well as a small small business act SMEs, European for appointment appointment at the commission’s reform. market single for proposals Schulz Schulz has voiced his deep dis Socialist Socialist group president Martin employees aged between 15 and 29 are most likely to be bullied, harassed harassed bullied, be to likely most are 29 and 15 between aged employees workplace. the in attention sexual unwanted receive or dation dation for the improvement of living and female working conditions), traffic in humans are, sexual harassment is non-negotiable, too.” non-negotiable, is harassment sexual are, humans in traffic NGOs more involved. involved. more NGOs dignity”, and dignity”, called for an campaign to information get the public and said said that “sexual harassment in the workplace runs counter to human gave their advice on and definitions of harassment. of definitions and on advice their gave harassment in the workplace at a public hearing held in the parliament. the in held hearing a at public workplace the in harassment Slovakian Slovakian EPP deputy Anna Záborská has spoken out against sexual
market proposals Schulz slams single
harassment, says MEP Zero tolerance on sexual NEWS | Parliamentary Roundup
MEPs debate moving “beyond GDP” A conference organised jointly by Anders Wijkman was one of the key the commission and the parliament note speakers. this month looked at ways of going He said, “Clearly, GDP is impor- beyond a nation’s economic pros- tant and most of us want to see perity as an indicator of its overall economic growth, but there has to well-being. be more to a nation’s well-being than Attracting over 600 participants just its economic prosperity. The time from the economic, environmen- has come to look at other indicators tal and social sectors, the event which might tell us what is going in was designed to move towards a society, such as the environment.” better appreciation of what prog- “In time, these should become just ress, wealth and well-being actually as important as GDP is today,” he are. Swedish centre-right deputy added. MEPs cautiously MEPs celebrate welcome new Eurostar collapse of far- right ITS group
MEPs in this month’s Strasbourg session welcomed the collapse of far-right Identity, Tradition and Sovereignty (ITS) group. The dissolution of the ITS group came about as a result of derogatory comments made against Romanians by ITS MEP Alessandra Mussolini, granddaughter of the Italian dictator. The comments sparked the resignation of four Romanian ITS members, causing the group’s membership to fall below the minimum of 20 members required to form a political MEPs have been careful in wel- the introduction of more high- group laid down by European parliament rules. coming the arrival of the new speed rail links in the UK. high-speed Eurostar, which offers “The danger is that with the journeys between London and opening of St Pancras, the UK Brussels now taking just one hour government will feel the job is 51 minutes non-stop, London- done,” said Simpson, a member of Paris two hours 15 minutes, and parliament’s transport committee. London-Lille only one hour 20 “But they must take the next minutes. step of linking other major UK UK Socialist MEP Brian cities, like Manchester, into the Simpson welcomed the new service European high-speed network,” he but warned that it must also herald added.
8 PARLIAMENTMAGAZINE 26 November 2007 Advertisement Combined Heat and Power (CHP) Southampton City Council, in partnership with Utilicom, has developed a geothermal combined heat power scheme, which provides heating and cooling to over 40 corporate customers, including commercial offices, TV and radio studios, retail stores, hospitals, Southampton City Council has hotels and dwellings. pioneered sustainable solutions “ for heating and powering Through effective local and regional partnerships, the transformation of Southampton into a low carbon city communities. They are years can make a real contribution to reducing the impacts ahead of most other councils of climate change. We will also promote and develop the most appropriate renewable energy technologies Greenpeace for the city and aims to create a renewable energy network, integrated with CHP. It is essential that cities ” like Southampton take action to respond to the impacts of climate change. www.southampton.gov.uk/energyvision
25 years for Afghanistan For 25 years, during occupation, civil war and the taleban regime, the Swedish Committee for Afghanistan (SCA) have stood by the Afghan people and will continue to do so. Millions of Afghan men, women and children have received adaquate education and treatment through SCA’s programmes within the Þ elds of health, education and rehabilitation of disabled. Please visit us at www.swedishcommittee.org or www.sak.se
Swedish Committee for Afghanistan. Trekantsv 1, 6 tr SE-117 43 Stockholm, Sweden. Tel +46(0)8-545 818 40. Email [email protected] www.swedishcommittee.org / www.sak.se
SCA_ad_Parliament.indd 1 2006-08-30 15:46:32 NEWSANALYSIS 11 11
MAGAZINE MAGAZINE - - PARLIAMENT PARLIAMENT
26 November 2007 26 November 2007 n October, 2005 during one of the European ment’sparlia monthly voting sessions, the acting Antonios president Trakatellis called for a vote on ment and an surveyed the amend600-odd arms waving like corn Hedeclaredin the field. that “approved”.Severalitwas MEPs doubted that he had made the right decision
Possiblymoresinister havebeen thenumber timesof when If an error of such magnitude If had been by an made of a error such magnitude fledgling dossier a compile to me persuaded October in incident That Graham Booth climate change directive when “rejected” the electronic check that was called for showed that it had been approved by astonishing 574 votes to 41! an calls for a check have fallen on deaf ears andso been thatignored, we shall never know Frequently if remarks thosesuch as results “We think were it’s correct. carried”, aremadeadopted” “Looksbut arenever Thechecked.speed atwhich the voting is carried out is quite ridiculous and is another I and called for an electronic check, which showed that it had actually been rejected by a massive 502 votes to 128. either would it country world third developing a in government have been greeted with howls of aid and of electronic to offers sympathy proper financial install derision or possibly with But equipment. this is the European union, which claims to be the largest trading bloc in the world and whose directives affect the lives of all Since 400 the of million EU’s its citizens. relied always has it states, member six just with 1957, in creation on voting by show of hands. Although electronic equipment specifically when used only is it ago years 20 some installed was doubt. in is hands of “count” the when a as check or requested, of such A errors. significant number of wrong calls have been corrected by electronic checks since then but Mario Mauro, who was acting president on January one better when 18th he declared a this vote on an year, amendment went to the
checks, but bad checks, calls are still argues being made, Voting procedures Voting in parliament may have been improved by electronic votes votes count? Do MEP PARLIAMENT VOTING
and by Vladimir Zelezny of the “A vote on an amendment to the climate change directive was Czech Republic with a request for rejected when the electronic check that was called for showed full electronic voting in future. Not surprisingly the committee on con- that it had been approved by an astonishing 574 votes to 41” stitutional affairs, after considering our evidence gave the very brief contributory factor – either by accident or design – in achiev- response: “No follow up”, so they clearly consider a prompt ing incorrect results; we sometimes get through over 600 lunch more important than accuracy. amendments in an hour (one every 5 seconds!). Many more serious errors have been reported to the presi- The English interpretation of the call to vote sounds like dent since then. On May 10th this year, the acting president “those-infavour-those-against-abstentions” as if it is one word. Vidal Quadras hit the jackpot when he declared an amendment MEPs voting “in favour” can start to raise a hand as soon as the “rejected” whereas an electronic check showed that it had been amendment number is given but those wishing to vote “Against” “approved” by 567 votes to 17 (with 18 abstentions). He then have only a fraction of a second to raise a hand and if it is not blamed the MEPs for “not holding their hands high enough”. lowered immediately it is counted as an “Abstention”. This I have been told that “the problems with voting are direct- wording clearly favours those MEPs who are voting in favour. ly related to the difficulty of conducting such a large amount For those countries which rely on “relay” translation, the vote of business in such a short time.” My suggestion that they is usually completed before they even hear what they are voting should reduce the time for “debates” and allow more time on! A large proportion of amendments as well as full directives for voting has been ignored. If the present system is allowed Graham Booth is a are voted on by a show of hands, so it is very likely that many to continue it does beg the question: What is the point of UK Independence of the directives that are now ruling our lives do not correctly 732 MEPs making the arduous journey to Strasbourg once a Party MEP for represent the wishes of the MEPs who voted on them. month, where voting should be the key part of the proceed- South West All of these facts were reported to the then-presi- ings, only to find that constant errors are making a mockery Counties dent of the European parliament, Josep Borrell, by myself of their efforts?
12 PARLIAMENTMAGAZINE 26 November 2007
WAVETRAIN RTN - Riding the Marine Renewables Wave After more than 30 years of limited success, substantial progresses over the last decade put ocean wave energy conversion now on the step towards commercial-scale implementation. It is expected that waves can complement the European renewable energy mix and contribute towards the Kyoto objectives significantly. Long-term potential is estimated to be in the range of 2000 Terawatt-hours per year world-wide (ca. 10% of global electricity demand).
To face the expected boom, industry requires well-trained engineering professionals OE Buoy 1:4-scale pilot plant with substantial understanding for the aggressive maritime environment and the in Galway Bay/Ireland necessity for low-cost solutions. WAVETRAIN showed to have significantly contributed to close the gap from existing education and training to “wave energy engineers” with international background. The group has grown together to a well-collaborating European cluster of R&D institutions and device-developing companies, being by some judged as “the best money the EC ever spent on wave energy”. The collaboration effort, funded under the Marie Curie Actions in the 6th FP from 2004-2008, has been reinforcing Europe’s leading position in wave energy developments.
Components Socio- improvements economics
Plant Environmental assessment impacts The project consists Mobility and of a total of ca. 400 exchange researcher-months Device contracted from modelling other than the host institutions’ countries, and substantial amount of network-wide training events with focus on real sea testing. The industry has so far absorbed the ‘wave energy engineers’ A follow-up proposal (Wavetrain 2) is presently under faster than WAVETRAIN could produce them. decision for funding within the ‘People-ITN’ call after having passed all thresholds.
Artist’s impression of AWS farm (Archimedes Wave Swing), fully submerged European OWC pilot plant on Pico/ Azores on a rough day
Partners:
Instituto Superior Técnico (PT) Teamwork Technology (NL) Spok ApS (DK) Queens University Belfast (UK) Wave Energy Centre (PT) EC Nantes (FR) University College Cork (IE) University of Edinburgh (UK) INETI (PT) Delft University (NL) Chalmers University (SE)
www.wavetrain.info NEWS ANALYSIS
Channel hopping
In bidding farewell to its home for the last 13 According to Eurostar CEO Richard Brown, passengers years, Eurostar, the high-speed train service who fly between London, Paris and Brussels generate ten times more emissions of greenhouse gas carbon dioxide (CO2) between the UK and the continent, says it than travellers who go by rail. is trailing a blaze for environmental-friendly He points to research which shows that each passenger on a return flight between London Heathrow and Paris Charles de travel. Martin Banks travelled on the first Gaulle generates 122 kilograms of CO2, compared with just 11 train from Brussels to test the claim kilograms for a traveller on a London-Paris return journey by train. A round trip between London Heathrow and Brussels airport generates 160 kg of CO2 per passenger, against only 18 assengers who boarded the 10.15am Eurostar kg of CO2 for a return journey by rail, he said. train from Brussels to London on 14 November Eurostar has set a target of reducing its CO2 emissions probably had other things on their mind than by a further 25 per cent per passenger journey by 2012, says their carbon footprint. Little wonder, as the train Brown. The company claims that the figures are the most was the very first of a new service that shaves 20 detailed ever produced and are based on actual passenger minutes travel time from the Belgian capital to the numbers, exact distances of rail and air routes, actual aircraft Pwonderfully restored St Pancras International. types in use on different routes and the mix of electricity But, as they wondered at the new, speedier service to sources used by its high speed trains. London, they would have done well to reflect on another, less Brown was speaking to Parliament Magazine after wel- publicised aspect of their trip. coming the first train from Brussels to St Pancras. He said:
26 November 2007 PARLIAMENTMAGAZINE 15 EUROSTAR
“Travellers are increasingly demanding factual information ent kind. While welcoming the new service, he warned that about the environmental impact of their travel plans and it must also herald the introduction of more high-speed rail what they can do to reduce emissions of gases which are links in the UK. Simpson, his party’s transport spokesman causing climate change. in parliament, said, “The danger is that with the opening of “With journey times between London and the continent now St Pancras, the UK government will feel the job is done. But cut by 20 minutes with the opening of the line into St Pancras, they must take the next step of linking other major UK cities, we are saying the environmental advantages of using our service like Manchester, into the European high-speed network. will be further increased. Rail will provide cost-effective, con- This week is about St Pancras but next week should be about venient and comfortable travel to mainland Europe and all linking the rest of the country to the high-speed rail network Eurostar journeys will now be carbon neutral at no extra cost and delivering a first-class service not just for London but to to travellers.” Brown says that travelling by high-speed rail will other parts of the country too.” generate even less CO2 per passenger in future years, due to increased sup- “With journey times between London and the continent now cut plies of renewable energy and UK by 20 minutes with the opening of the line into St Pancras, we policies to reduce CO2 emissions. As well as its environmental friend- are saying the environmental advantages of using our service Starstruck liness, he says the new service heralds will be further increased” • The service began another important element as it brings 13 years ago with the UK more into line with high-speed two trains a day rail links on mainland Europe. But it is between London not just in the UK where high-speed and Paris, and London and rail networks are being developed - Brussels. the same is happening across Europe. • Today Eurostar At present there are more than 3,000 operates up to kilometres of track linking the rail 17 daily services networks of Germany, France, the to Paris and up to Netherlands, Austria, Switzerland and 10 daily services to Brussels. Belgium, and this figure is expected • Eurostar journey to triple by 2020. “The collaboration times include between Eurostar and Britain’s train London-Brussels operators is an important step in inte- in 1hr, 51 mins, grating UK and Continental rail travel London-Paris in 2hr, 15mins and and builds on the enormous invest- London-Disneyland ment in the new high-speed line and Paris in 2 hr 35mins. St Pancras International,” he said. • 40 years ago, St The new service, however, has not Pancras was 10 met with universal approval. Several days away from British MEPs ran an unsuccessful demolition but, thanks to British campaign opposed to Eurostar making poet John Betjeman, Ebbsfleet station the new “hub” for the building was the south east. Sharon Bowles, a UK listed. Liberal deputy, ran a petition designed • Eighteen coats of to safeguard Ashford as an inter- pain have been national station. Ashford, however, stripped from St Pancras and the was effectively cut from the route, a platforms are decision she described as “deeply dis- supported by 850 appointing”. She, and other MEPs in pillars which were the region, fear that the move will hit originally hardened by being soaked the local economy. in horse urine. UK Socialist MEP Brian Simpson, meanwhile, has concerns of a differ-
16 PARLIAMENTMAGAZINE 26 November 2007 Freight Transport Association: Delivering the economy
TA is delivering for our industry has had to cope FBritain – in more ways with rising traffic congestion, than one. Take climate the crippling cost of delivering change for example. in city centres and meeting the toughest safety standards This issue is rapidly becoming in Europe. These logistical one of the defining issues of developments have led to a our generation. We all have a sharp decline in the number of role to play in helping to tackle empty vehicles moved around carbon emissions and at the the country – and ultimately a same time, the country – and tangible carbon saving. the economy – must keep moving. The essentials of life In fact, carbon dioxide still need delivering or else emissions from heavy goods the UK economy will cease to vehicles have been broadly function effectively. stable since 1995, inspite of a massively expanding So this is our challenge – to economy, showing the minimise our carbon footprint efficiencies and savings that whilst facilitating the nation’s the industry has made. economic growth. It’s called sustainable distribution and But there is a lot more to do. we believe that freight and That is why we are working logistics managers have a with the Treasury and with the positive contribution to make. Department for Transport to help find tangible solutions to Sustainable distribution sounds climate change, whilst keeping For further information technical but actually means our economy moving. please contact: something simple: Delivering the nation’s goods and services FTA is the voice of the UK Jo Ingham as efficiently as we can. freight industry, representing Strategic Policy and assisting its 13,000 and Campaigns Manager In recent years, developments members to distribute vital Freight Transport Association in logistics have directly led services in an efficient, safe to improvements in vehicle and sustainable way. Direct Line: 01892 552297 efficiency. And this investment email: [email protected] has occurred at a time when www.fta.co.uk
ADVERTISEMENT PROFILE | Kim Darroch Foreign assignment He is Britain’s new man in Brussels but, as Martin Banks explains, a funny twist of fate could have sent diplomat Kim Darroch is a very different career direction
hirty years ago, Kim Darroch, fresh out of university, began the laborious task of job hunting. Despite having a relatively mediocre degree, he still managed to get interviews with some of Britain’s top compa- nies. But, partly attracted by the prospect of overseas travel, he had also applied to the UK foreign office, Tperhaps more in hope than expectation. It came as something of a shock, therefore, when he was offered a job in the FO. “It was two weeks before my other interviews,” recalls Darroch. “It was a mundane job but seemed too good a chance to miss.” The rest, as they say, is history. After a steady rise up the diplomatic ladder, Darroch now finds himself back in Brussels where, since the summer, he has been Britain’s permanent representative to the EU, replacing Sir John Grant. Looking back on events back in the 1970s, he says, “Who knows what would have happened if I’d had those other interviews. I do not know but there is a good chance my career could have taken a very different route.” Born in mining country in the north-east of England, Darroch’s parents were both school teachers. He lived in Nairobi in Kenya, where his father was teaching, until the age of five and, following his parents’ divorce, returned to the UK to live in Berkshire. He has a brother, two years his junior, who works in IT consultancy. By his own admission, at school he excelled more at sport, notably rugby and squash, than aca- demically. Even so, he managed to get a place at the top-rated Durham university, studying, unusually at the time, zoology. This was followed, after a year off (some of it spent in Greece) with him taking the first steps on what was to be a 30- year career in the diplomatic service. His first tentative steps were followed by a three-year stint, in the late 1970s, as an FO
18 PARLIAMENTMAGAZINE 26 November 2007 NEWSANALYSIS 19
MAGAZINE - - PARLIAMENT
26 November 2007 As to his own ambitions, he is just happy to be back in If that was hard-going, what was to follow – heading When, in 2004, Sir Stephen Wall stepped down as Tony Darroch Darroch still regularly travels as by Eurostar he and, hurtles His next job was as private secretary to a succession of FO summit in October will pave the way for a “better functioning” “betterfunctioning” a for way the pave will October in summit EU. It is time he now, says, for the EU to put debate to one side and institutional get one with such more relevant issues, as tackling climate change and globalisation. Brussels for the next four “I years. was always going to apply for this he job,” says. “It’s a fantastic opportunity to help the reallycannotI think and future EU’s partthe big in a play UK of a better place to be.” appointed deputy head of the foreign EU office’s department, at a time when the far-reaching Maastricht treaty was strug gling to get through the UK parliament. “There was a lot of opposition to not least the fromtreaty, the government’s own so it backbenches, he was recalls. a difficult time,” up the Eastern Adriatic department of the final stagesFO of duringcivil war thein ex-Yugoslavia - was possibly even tougher. In September 1997, Darroch was posting, to Brussels given as a counsellor. He ended a up staying just calmer ten months before he was offered a job as spokesman for the late Robin Cook, a former UK foreign minister. “He had great a brain and the most retentive memory of anyone I have ever saysmet,” Darroch. Blair’s EU advisor, Darroch successfully applied for the job and ended up spending three years in Downing Street at the heart of the British government. “I always found Blair to be astonishingly calm and cool. I never saw him lose his temper summits EU 30 over attended has who Darroch, says. he once,” over the reckons years, the reform treaty agreed at the Lisbon the options,” he recalls, “was for a bridge linking France and England. Though it may have caught the public’s imagina it tion, was fantastically expensive perhaps so, understandably, the idea was dropped in favour of a rail tunnel.” The treaty actual which paved the way for the tunnel’s construction was Thatcher signed and by president Mitterand at School, King’s where both his children were Canterbury, educated. at great speed between London and Brussels, he occasionally finds himself reflecting on the not-insignificant role he played “Iin its think whole the It development. project is is fantastic. much better than flying between he the says. two cities,” ministers, including the controversial David followed Mellor, by a short posting to which Rome, marked the time when he first started working on EU issues. Back in London, he was - “It’s a fantastic opportunity to help the UK play a big part in in part a big play UK the help to opportunity a fantastic “It’s be” to place a better of think cannot I really and future EU’s the Darroch Darroch and his teacher wife, who were married in 1979, working working group charged with the task of evaluating the feasi bility of the various options for a cross-channel “One link. of 1980s, 1980s, Darroch found himself secretary of the Anglo-French who is currently studying at university in the Japanese capital, where he was born. On his return to London in the mid- have have two children: a 21-year-old daughter and son, aged 24, the most interesting times of my life”. Thatcher administration. Next up was a four-year posting to which Tokyo, he describes as “a fascinating place and one of and transition from a Labour government to the first Margaret Margaret first the to government Labour froma transition and press press officer, this at a time of considerable industrial unrest THE FUTURE EU HEALTH SERVICES
Paul De Raeve, RN, RGN, MSc, MQA, Mphil/PhD EFN Secretary General President INGO Council of Europe Health Grouping
ealth is increasingly a global matter, and in governmental decision-making processes, Although politicians and policy-makers it is not surprising that the European increases in nursing workloads, and serious have been tackling the challenges of higher HUnion is developing a Europe-wide concerns about patient safety and the quality expectations from patients, and the changing health strategy and related policies. Originally of care. A shortage of nurses’ world wide has demographic and epidemiological profiles of the European Commission proposed the led to substitution of nurses with minimally their populations, Europe keeps on struggling Services Directive, the “Bolkestein Directive” in trained unlicensed assistants providing direct to take concrete actions in health. Although we January 2004 to liberalise the free movement patient care and some Western European are providing input to so many consultations, of services. But the European citizens and Non Member States would like to see the nursing having numerous high level groups and Governmental Organisations expressed their education shortened. These trends need to working parties on mobility, patient safety resistance to the “Bolkestein Tsunami” as it be countered and therefore concrete actions, and health systems, the US is recruiting NOW undermined the right to collective bargaining, not only consultations, are expected from the 800.000 nurses. Who is going to take care of national labour market models, the European Commission. Otherwise we will face a second those who need care? What are our European social model, the scope and content of a “Bolkestein Tsunami”! values regardless what has been decided in the directive on Services of General Interest and last Council? but not least quality in health and social care. Furthermore, clear lines of accountability for the continuity of patient care that is initiated As Europe manages its integration into the The nurses believe that the objective of any EU in one jurisdiction and requires follow-up care global economy and strives to become health services initiative, the full package, must on returning to their country of origin is crucial the world’s most competitive and dynamic be to promote and ensure high quality care to for any impact assessment. But we need to knowledge-based society by the year 2010, citizens. Therefore the EU legislative initiative go beyond administrative assessments; we new ways of successful leadership within the must address the ethical recruitment of nurses, also need to listen to the field workers, the European health policy making community patient safety and quality care standards. The nurses who are taking care of patients 24 hours is needed to address these concrete “future Commission needs to be clear on these issues a day, 7 days a week. Policies, declarations, challenges”. before going into a co-decision procedure. recommendations, guidelines can not be developed top-down. Within the ongoing enlargement process of the European Union, it is essential to develop But whatever strategy or legislative initiative and agree on European standards of care is initiated by the European Commission, References: and quality control. As free movement of it is up to the national governments to put Byrne, D. (2004) Enabling Good Health for All. A persons is one of the fundamental freedoms health and health system high on the political reflection process for a new EU Health Strategy. guaranteed by the European Treaty, we agenda and to develop a stakeholder approach European Commission need to make sure that EU standards in care, with Civil Society to prevent ideas, initiatives standards in education and standards in and recommendations ending up on book Buchan, J. & O’May, F. (1999) Globalisation and recruitment are met at EU level, to comply shelves. The World Health Organisation of the Health care Labour Markets: a Case Study from with global challenges. Current European European Region, the Council of Europe and the United Kingdom. Human Resources for trends in health system reform, with their European Union need to put flesh on the bones Health Development Journal, 3 (3), 199-209 overarching concern for cost-containment, of their Memorandum of Understanding on have had a downside for nursing in many Collaboration, to work together in synergies De Raeve P. (2004) The Free Movement of European countries. This is reflected in cuts in and to facilitate the fieldworkers with Nurses: A win-win situation if based on ethical nursing budgets, the loss of a nursing voice supporting actions. recruitment guidelines. EuroHealth
EFN Clos du Parnasse, 11A 1050 Brussels, Belgium Tel: +32 2 512 74 19 Fax: +32 2 512 35 50 Email: [email protected] Web: www.efnweb.eu NEWSANALYSIS 21
MAGAZINE Jean Marie Beaupuy is president of the European parliament’s urban-housing intergroup - - PARLIAMENT
26 November 2007 With the this parliament’sevent, urban-housing intergroup Exploring practical solutions to respond appropriately to The recent ‘guide to the urban dimension in community year, year, clearly identifies initiatives implications with for sustainable direct development of urban and areas and indirect provides an overview of the urban munity policies dimension over the of current funding all period, 2007-2013. com According to Sylvie Harburger from the urban commission’s actions unit within DG Regio, EU policies can support information sources 300 available. Today, out of 484 million Europeans live in urban For areas. this it reason, is extremely of multiplicity the to respond tryto and recognise to important found situations urban varietyof the and sprawl urban typesof across European countries and regions. and RICS hope to open a constructive debate and mark the beginning of a greater involvement of the EU Institutions in this important field over the next years. that policy must intervene”. The process that he refers to is thespreading thepopulationof outside thecityOrin centres. scientific terms, a diminishing difference in density between the city centre and suburbia. climate change, social cohesion, affordable housing and sus tainable development is of vital importance. sprawl Indeed, urban does not only have consequences. One environmental, of the but social problems also related social to is sprawl segregation, not just in social and spatial segregation terms, but generated also by mobility. Although is not urban a competence policy under the terms of the EU treaties, cannotwe deny that many community initiatives such as FP7 the Cohesion programmes, and Structural and Funds, funding or CIP are not but only they affecting the urban environment, can also have a positive or negative effect on urban sprawl. policies’, published by the European commission earlier this the relevant stakeholders involved by providing in financial urban resources, exchange mechanisms development and static patterns. Professor Chris Couch, RICS member co-author and of the publication, has the another most successful approach view:is to consider urban “Probablysprawl as a process of urban change, since it is the process of sprawling that leads to undesirable side effects and it is in this process - Jean Marie Beaupuy and the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors Chartered of Institution Royal the and (RICS), I warned that urban sprawl is one the of major challenges we face in politicians Europe, and at all levels must shoulder their uring last month’s seminar on urban develop ment, co-hosted by the European parliament
Urban sprawl has many drivers, which makes the issue As As a urban result, sprawl is damaging the quality of urban we face in Europe, and politicians at all levels levels all at politicians and Europe, in face we responsibility” their shoulder must “Urban sprawl is one of the major challenges challenges major the of one is sprawl “Urban or common approach is also not helping. Many definitionsidentify sprawl with low density, single-use areas, or other a challenging one to tackle. The lack of a clear definition V research project programme on the ‘City of the Future’. Future’. the of ‘City the on programme project V research titled “Urban titled Sprawl in Europe land-use change – landscapes, Framework a European of findings the upon based policy”, and coincided with of by the RICS coincided of launch the publication latest life, affecting the environment and creating social exclusion and and exclusion social creating and environment the affecting life, security problems in The many European joint cities. seminar
size of Luxembourg. size of Luxembourg. D Between responsibility. 1990 and 2000, Europe’s urban areas the times three to equal roughly hectares, 000 800 by increased
problems of argues urban sprawl, The EU needs to have a greater involvement in tackling the Urban Urban action EUROPEAN DAY OF DISABLED PERSONS Breaking down The European parliament must continue to play a central role in championing the rights of disabled barriers people, says Richard Howitt
teenage student from Italy once spent the summer with friends of mine during a holiday in Cambridge. He was witty, bright and top of the class on his language Acourse, but he was also blind. When my friends asked him about his career ambi- tions, they expected him to mention university. Instead he shrugged his shoulders, saying he was only ever told to expect one of two jobs: piano tuning or basket weaving. I’m glad to say this conversation took place 25 years ago and the young man in question refused to accept such a raw deal in life. He eventually studied lan- guages at university, making the most of his considerable linguistic gifts. But sadly there are still millions of people in Europe and beyond who are condemned to limited career choices because they have a disability. Yet it does not have to be like this. This is why the European day of disabled persons on 3 December is so important, bringing into sharp focus the injustice faced by millions of people who are prevented from fulfill- ing their potential in their careers or their lives. This year’s focus on ‘decent work for persons with disability’ is particularly welcomed by my colleagues and I in the European parliament’s disability inter- group. It is the ultimate aim for all our work – ensuring that everyone has the opportunity to live an independent life by using their skills and talents to full effect.
22 PARLIAMENTMAGAZINE 26 November 2007 NEWSANALYSIS 23
MAGAZINE Richard Howitt is chair of the parliament’s disability intergroup PARLIAMENT
26 November 2007 That really would help future generations of disabled young Disability intergroup members working with MEP col- I’m also very proud of the way that the European parlia- overcome, to have we that challenges many the all of However last, in last, this the commission year’s work programme, intention a parlia- as politically us, to up now is It included. is legislate to ment, to make the argument that disabled people – working together with the other groups who experience discrimination dis- that protection comprehensive and strong the get – should us. of demand themselves people abled people avoid the barriers that held back that student friend in my home town of Cambridge ever again. leagues across parliament have also introduced groundbreaking groundbreaking introduced also have parliament across leagues requirements on public includingaccess, the lifts directive on the recently, most and buildings, public new to lifts introducing directive outlawing discrimination against airline passengers. to promote rules global for support Europe’s championed ment disability equality through a UN disability convention. Our pressure – and the campaigning of the disability – movement worldwide meant it was the human rights convention fastest make to trying now are We Nations. United the of history the in too. convention implemented and ratified signed, fastest the it non-discrimination a comprehensive is to have priority my first covering access disability legislation to goods and not services, simply the The world has of commission thought about work. it for a very long and time, they have promised it since 2003. then a cost-benefit then a study, feasibility a First consultation, analysis: all but worthwhile, never the promised At directive. ay t w a the suppor of s parliament promote through to proud convention” Europe’ rules very equality European also the disability global for for for global global rules rules to to promote promote disability disability disability equality equality through through a a UN UN UN disability disability convention”convention” that that that the the European European parliamentparliament championed championed championed supportsupportEurope’s Europe’s “I’m “I’m “I’m also also very very proud proud of of the the way way Then in 2000, new European powers were used for the When I was first elected I helped publish a report called But it’s not something that is easy to achieve. Even in workplace and working practices in order to reasonably meet the needs of a disabled person. accommodation’, which means employers have to adapt their ment for disabled people and MEPs ensured the the introduction of the otherconcept of ‘reasonable groups. Crucially co-rapporteurs in steering through thewhich included legislation article against discrimination 13 in employ- package first time when I was proud to act as one of parliament’s their organisations across Europe. their organisations across Europe. an independent umbrella organisation for disabled people and In the same year, we also passed the parliamentary ment that enabled amend- the start of the European disability forum, cessfully for the adoption of disability as part of wide-ranging anti-discrimination powers in the Amsterdam treaty of 1997. from European campaignedWe competences suc- altogether. ‘invisible citizens’ to show how disabled people were missed out missed were people disabled how show to citizens’ ‘invisible panies and businesses across Europe provide the same access to access same the provide Europe across businesses and panies work for people with disabilities. stagiaires to our staff. We are now stagiaires We to fighting to our make staff. sure com- in forming a permanent access group in parliament, ensuring disability access to our new buildings and recruiting disabled However However after nearly a decade of inertia we have succeeded we we needed to fight doggedly to ensure the parliament’s own practices did not discriminate against people with disabilities. the enlightened world of the European parliament itself, FINANCIAL SERVICES | Joaquín Almunia Lessons from the credit squeeze The turmoil that originated in the US sub-prime market over the summer underlines the urgency of continuing to work towards integrating EU financial markets, writes Joaquín Almunia
he turbulence rocking global financial markets over the last four months is truly putting our financial systems to the test. With no end to the volatility and little clarity about the amount and location of risks and losses yet in sight, we are drawing valuable lessons to steer the future development of European Tfinancial markets. A well-functioning financial services sector, both within Europe and globally, is crucial for the economic future of the European union. Over the last decade, the EU has directed efforts to develop and integrate Europe’s financial markets. As a result, European financial systems have undergone an is an important step towards greater financial stability and impressive transformation in the space of a decade; many enhanced investor confidence. markets are now fully unified, the euro area government bond More focus on the integration of supervisory arrangements markets have seen a massive expansion and we have made will also help us to address the new challenge posed by a good progress towards our goal of a single European market growing number of institutions operating across borders, a case for financial services. exemplified by the rapid expansion of Scandinavian banks into But the financial turmoil that originated in the US sub-prime the Balkans but also by the acceleration of cross-border mergers market over the summer and quickly spread to the European and acquisitions. Keeping abreast of this rapidly changing financial system underlines the urgency of continuing this financial landscape means that we need more clarity, transpar- work. Of course, we can never fully guard against such a crisis ency and coordination in European supervision practices. This is happening again in the future, especially given the highly one key aim of the Lamfalussy process, to strengthen European interconnected nature of today’s global financial systems. But supervisory arrangements in order to ensure that they are better pursuing integration in EU financial markets can certainly make adapted to the reality of today’s financial markets. them more resilient and better able to deal with future shocks. I look forward to these and other issues being explored in The framework agreed by European finance ministers depth during Eurofi’s important conference this month. If one in October to explore greater transparency for investors, thing is clear, it is that financial markets are playing an increas- Joaquín Almunia is markets and regulators, to improve valuation standards for ingly influential role in today’s economy. Driving forward their EU commissioner complex financial products, strengthen risk management and integration will not only bring economic growth and benefits for economic and supervision in the financial sector and improve market func- to consumers, it will also help ensure stability and safeguard monetary affairs tioning by taking a fresh look at the role of credit agencies prosperity in Europe.
24 PARLIAMENTMAGAZINE 26 November 2007 NEWSANALYSIS 25
MAGAZINE - - PARLIAMENT
26 November 2007
Jonathan Evans It is not difficult to understand why these mutual players industry, with close to a third of the top 100 companies. 100 top the of a to third close with industry, have proved so resilient. increasingly In requiring companies an to demonstrate age their com when mitment regulators to are proper service, corporate the governance rationale of and comes mutual into customer its and own. The UK co-operative financial services groupscurrently placingauthority a major emphasisis on its treating customers scrutiny, and this a presents new scrutiny, to opportunity look afresh at dis long – too for sector mutual European of the relevance the financial moving fast of world modern our in outdated as missed the Yet markets. reality is that the mutual sector continues to represent a major chunk of the European financial services - for a two-day conference focussed integration on of the European financial It markets. could not be ago better in Washington, the timed. first meeting Two of weeksthe ost of the big names in European financial serviceswill bein Brussels inearly December
There There are plenty of issues The on and structure the agenda. “Well-run “Well-run mutuals consistently outperform the market in surveys of customer service and policy-holder retention” and the role of credit rating agencies are all coming under greater greater under coming all are agencies rating credit of role the and corporate governance of companies, private equity, hedge funds, funds, hedge equity, private companies, of governance corporate Europe is long overdue. EU and the US, so the promotion of such developments in M transatlanticeconomiccouncil turnedattention itsexamin to ing ways of easing financial services integration between the
the interests of the customer are writes always given priority, The EU must help ensure that in every mutual or co-operative organisation, Customers Customers first FINANCIAL SERVICES
fairly initiative. All UK financial services companies will be under an obligation to show compliance by the end of 2008. The aim is not to delegate this responsibility to the firm’s compliance officer, or to establish a formulaic box-ticking exercise. The FSA will want to be satisfied that the emphasis on treating customers fairly has been absorbed by the industry at every level from the boardroom down. How much easier this should be for well-run European mutuals! In each mutual or co-operative organisation, the interest of the customer must always be given the highest value – not least because these groups are owned by and run for the benefit of their custom- ers. Well-run mutuals consistently outperform the market in adding insult to injury by rolling it up into Günter Verheugen’s surveys of customer service and policy-holder retention. much vaunted deregulation project. But here the emphasis must be on ‘well-run’ mutuals. In The mutual sector and the European parliament were recent years, the public image of the mutual sector has been appalled. Parliamentarians have since passed no fewer than identified with organisations too set in their ways, which had seven resolutions demanding that the commission come lost sight of their mutual heritage. A good number of these forward with plans to offer fair treatment to the mutual sector became prey to ‘carpet-baggers’ portraying demutualisation – so far to no avail. as a means of granting greater flexibility to the company December’s conference is a good chance to remind everyone – while really aiming to release significant capital reserves that the mutual sector should be freed to make its own contri- built up over many years in a series of ‘windfall’ payments bution to this important objective. to new investors. Others had completely lost touch with their customers, thereby undermining any pretence of proper Down to business corporate governance. The boards of such mutuals were too More than 500 people from the world of politics, industry and commerce will often ritually re-appointed in perpetuity by a tiny fraction of converge on parliament next month for a major business conference. policyholders or account holders. The event, on 3-4 December, has been organised by Eurofi, the Paris-based think Well-run mutuals have set out to address these shortcom- tank dedicated to the integration of European financial services. ings by involving their customers/owners in more and more The group also hopes to interest EU citizens in economic and financial integration by bringing them closer to the EU institutions. aspects of their business, and participation in the annual meet- ings and elections of boards has been increasing significantly. Keynote speakers include Charlie McCreevy, EU commissioner for internal market and services, Joaquin Almunia, the Spanish commissioner for economic and mon- The mutual sector should have no patience with companies etary affairs, and European Central Bank president Jean-Clause Trichet. which fail to follow this path. MEPs taking part include French Socialist Pervenche Beres, chair of parliament’s But this new thinking must be matched by new thinking economic and monetary affairs committee, British deputy Peter Skinner, UK Tory about mutuals among regulators – not least in the European Jonathan Evens, and Joseph Muscat, a Maltese member. commission itself. For many years, the commission had been Among the many issues for the conference, entitled “Achieving the Integration of working on giving the mutual sector the flexibility it needed European Financial Markets in a Global Context”, to address will be the implica- tions for EU integration of globalised financial activities. to be able to properly compete on equal terms with private equity and stock-owned companies. There is already in place How the EU can cope with cross border developments, worldwide competition and market strains will also come under the spotlight. Jonathan Evans a European company statute which gives such companies the is chair of the Other topics under discussion include the outlook for insurance mutuals in the option of becoming established on an EU-wide basis. But a fast-changing EU marketplace and future challenges and trends for Europe’s retail transatlantic couple of years ago the European commission got bored with payment systems. legislators dialogue this project and ditched the European mutual statute – then
26 PARLIAMENTMAGAZINE 26 November 2007 Houston Consulting Europe
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Background The SEAMLESS project (EU FP6) is developing policies while accounting for technical European agriculture continuously changes a computerized and integrated framework innovations. For example, based on the as a result of an enlarging EU, WTO (SEAMLESS-IF) to compare alternative Nitrate Directive two simplified scenarios agreements, introduction of novel agro- agricultural and environmental policy are applied to EU regions. Economic, technologies, changing societal demands options. The framework enables assessment environmental and social consequences both and climate change. Assessing the strengths of key indicators (e.g. nitrate leaching, for the entire EU and for specific regions and and weaknesses of new policies and farmer’s income) through linked quantitative farm types are assessed. The interactions of innovations prior to their introduction, i.e., and qualitative models. The framework uses such EC policies with the strong changes ‘ex-ante impact assessment’, is vital to target innovative software architecture and enables in agriculture due to climate change and effective and efficient policies for sustainable ex-ante assessment of policy proposals and increasing land use for bio-energy crops can development. technical innovation in agriculture. be studied in the near future. Other examples of assessment problems that SEAMLESS-IF Enabling Micro-macro analyses can handle are trade liberalization proposals The linked models (from a bio-physical field and quitting milk quota. model to a farm model to an agricultural sector model for the EU) in SEAMLESS-IF Project enable a consistent ‘micro-macro’ analysis The SEAMLESS integrated project is being of agricultural systems; in other words a led by Wageningen University, group Plant consistent analysis of what effects EC policies Production Systems, Wageningen, The have on agricultural markets at EU level Netherlands. Thirty partners and more than and on farming in regions across the EU. 100 scientists collaborate in this project. It For example, policy changes at EU level and started in January 1, 2005 and will end with worldwide as a result of trade liberalization an international conference in 2009 (10-12- proposals can be assessed in terms of their March 2009). To maintain SEAMLESS-IF after consequences for production and prices this date, a SEAMLESS Association is currently of agricultural commodities (e.g. meat) explored for maintenance and dissemination at both EU and regional level and for the of SEAMLESS-IF. environment (e.g. nitrate leaching). Project co-ordinator Analysis of effects of trade liberalization, Dr. Martin van Ittersum, Wageningen nitrate directive or biofuels University, The Netherlands The framework allows investigation of the Phone: +31 317 482141 effects of EC agricultural and environmental Email [email protected]
Project web page: www.seamless-ip.org COVERSTORY 29
MAGAZINE PARLIAMENT
26 November 2007 “We “We are to eager learn from the experience of the members of the European parliament who are backing the climate commission’s change plans and are working to ensure that the EU maintains consistent a firm, and unified position of leadership” report on how California,
Mary Nichols
and tary tary executive order by Governor com- that extends Schwarzenegger ast year California took an important step forward in the battle to fight fight to battle the in forward step important an took California year ast Act, Solutions Warming Global the of passage the with change climate also known as The AB32. landmark global warming law requires the state to 1990 achieve by level A emissions the year complemen- 2020. By joining ICAP, California and its We We recognise, however, that to achieve Linda Adams Linda with its long history of is environmental leadership, addressing climate change both at home and abroad
dreaming California California with the executive arm of the EU. In particular, the we experienceare of eager the to members learnof the fromEuropean parliament the who commission’s climateare change backingplans and are working to ensure that the EU Partnership (ICAP), signed in Lisbon last month, provides a forum to share ences experi- and knowledge climate on action programmes. comprehensive national partners have the distinct advan- tage of learning from the great leadershipand experience of partners: our France, European Germany, Portugal, ICAP UK, theNorway, and others. We are especially pleased to have joined an organisation that also includes the making European it possible commission, for us to work directly L mitment well into the future with an 80 per 2050. by gases greenhouse of reduction cent the ultimate goal of will climate stabilisation require an global cooperation. That’s unprecedentedwhy the State of level California – ofjoined by leaders from the US, Canada and around the world – formed the first global partnership to address climate change. The International Carbon Action reduction reduction
2
than an agreement to keep keep to agreement an than Helmer Roger says talking, programmes will probably be be probably will programmes any but Bali, at announced better little be will settlement says Katerina Batzeli Katerina says New CO to adapt our lifestyles if if lifestyles our adapt to the address fully to are we warming, global of issue It is clear that we will have have will we that clear is It exclusive, Bali will be very very be will Bali exclusive, Karl-Heinz says successful, Florenz that fighting climate change change climate fighting that a strong sustaining and mutually not are economy If Europe successfully shows shows successfully Europe If mission to China had a had China to mission writes effect, positive Sacconi Guido Temporary committee on on committee Temporary recent change’s climate of environmental leadership, leadership, environmental of change climate addressing is abroad and home at both Linda Adams and Mary Mary and Adams Linda how on report Nichols history long its with California,
43 43 failure on Building Bali:
41 41 change for Model 37 37 challenge the for Up
33 33 positions Common 29 29 dreaming California TO TO BALI THE ROAD IN THIS SECTION IN THE ROAD TO BALI | California
Bali beckons maintains a firm, consistent and unified position of leadership. Golden state • The upcoming UN Climate change is a new and unprecedented challenge for climate change the international community and partnerships, like the one • California has been a land of dreams ever since gold was conference in formed by ICAP, provide a crucial layer of political and eco- discovered there in 1848. Though the gold has long since been extracted, Californians have continued Bali will be held nomic infrastructure. We are confident that ICAP will open December 3-14 and to display a remarkable knack for entrepreneurial will involve meetings lines of communication for sharing valuable information, such ventures of all sorts that have captured the world’s between most of the as academic research, effective policy initiatives, lessons learned, imagination. Today the eighth largest economy world’s environment and technological innovation. The power of these connections in the world with a population of 38 million and a GDP of $1.6 trillion, some of its ministers. cannot be overstated. Sharing resources is essential to winning most famous landmarks include Hollywood, • Top of the agenda will the global battle on climate change. Regional, national and the world’s entertainment industry be attempts to secure international partnerships also help minimise the potential for capital; Silicon Valley, the capital of the a broad international computer industry, and the lush Napa and deal to succeed leakage, so a polluting company has no incentive to move across Sonoma valleys, which churn out some of the Kyoto protocol, borders to escape from regulation. the world’s finest merlots and cabernet rejected by the US For Governor Schwarzenegger, whose office negotiated the sauvignons. in 2001 and due to details, joining ICAP is an important step forward in the state’s expire in 2012. The • While Californians like to think of efforts to fight global warming. He understands that ICAP EU has already begun themselves as world leaders in promoting to draft commitments represents the future of international cooperation, a new model environmental protection, this has not always been the case. During the gold to reduce CO2 emis- for like-minded governments to come together and pioneer rush, intensive mining using toxic chemicals did immense damage to the sions, and hopes that solutions linking economic development and global climate environment. The very symbol used on California’s flag, the grizzly bear, has the conference will become extinct in the state. set the foundations action strategies. for a global emissions That’s why we are attending the United Nations Climate • Two recent US Presidents, Richard Nixon and Ronald Reagan – both trading scheme. Change Conference next month in Bali. We will be guests of the Republicans – came from California. However since 1990, it has leaned • Environment com- more towards the Democrats. Republican Governors it has elected – missioner Stavros included Schwarzenegger – have tended to be more socially liberal than the Dimas has said that average Republican, in step with the state’s broadly liberal ethos. California the Bali talks must is a big fan of direct democracy: new laws are regularly put to a referendum lead to a binding and the citizens even directly removed their Governor, Democrat Gray Davis, commitment not from office in 2003 in a ‘recall’ election. just from the EU but from all developed countries: “Any future Climate Change Group, an independent, non-profit organisation international agree- composed of international companies and corporations. We will ment must build on also be leading the delegation of the California Climate Action mandatory reduction Registry, which is an independent agency established by state targets for developed countries… the EU's law in 2001 that registers greenhouse reductions by California strategy is to limit companies and public entities so they can be applied toward any global warming to future state, federal or international greenhouse gas regulatory two degrees Celsius scheme. This rigorous and consistent method of measuring and above pre-industrial levels, beyond which accounting for carbon emissions, reductions and sequestration is the risk of irreversible “For Governor Schwarzenegger joining essential to the formation of an effective and seamless market as and catastrophic states and nations link together in the future. changes greatly ICAP is an important step forward in the As a member of the Climate Group, whose members are increases. This objective requires state’s efforts to fight global warming. drawn from so many nations, industries and public entities, we that global emissions He understands that ICAP represents the also will be able to share our experiences with all participants decrease by at least and signatory nations. Our presence at the UN conference and 50 per cent below future of international cooperation, a new the work we do there also will help make it easier for the US 1990 levels by 2050,” said Dimas in model for like-minded governments to federal government to generate a well-thought out national plan a speech given to the to address climate change. joint parliamentary come together and pioneer solutions linking Last November, California was represented in Nairobi, Kenya session on climate for the second meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol change held at the economic development and global climate European parliament (CMP 2), in conjunction with the twelfth session of the last month. action strategies” Conference of the Parties to the Climate Change Convention (COP 12). California already has made a lot of progress since
30 PARLIAMENTMAGAZINE 26 November 2007 COVERSTORY 31
MAGAZINE Linda Adams is Linda the Secretary of the California Environmental Agency Protection and a member of Governor Schwarzenegger’s cabinet Mary Nichols is Chairman of Air the California Resources Board - - PARLIAMENT
26 November 2007 efforts to reduce tailpipe greenhouse emissions” gas “In October, Governor “In October, Schwarzenegger filed suit the against US to government require it to make a timely decision so California can move with forward its groundbreaking This This effort legacy is of worthy environmental of California’s California California has a long history of environmental leadership. of cost-effective roadmap be a will comprehensive result The incentives. As incentives. with all our other efforts California is meeting with other regions and international partners – including, of our friends European – course, to try to develop the right mix needs. unique state’s our address to approaches of and and technological leadership, we will continue to provide as long as that we leadership need to help our country join the to threat greatest the to up facing are that nations of community generation. this in prosperity and peace develop a strong market for alternative fuels, and reduce depen reduce and fuels, alternative for market strong a develop Carbon Low the adopted officially Board Air The oil. on dence developing is now and ago months few a proposal Standard Fuel details. regulatory the role in is that leadership assuming California once again, Now, and new the on takes Board Air the as warming global fighting Air the year, next By 32. AB implementing of challenge exciting Board must adopt a final Scoping Plan that lays out to how likely the is plan The levels. 1990 to emissions back roll will state from emissions reduce to small, and big both strategies, include power plants, industrial facilities, land-use planning, farming, more. much and landfills that solutions AB will 32 reach our reductions. offers required includ programs, these developing in use to tools of variety a us ing a mix that mechanisms of compliance could market-based include emissions trading, regulatory approaches, alternative and a of range broad (such as offsets), mechanisms compliance - - Another Another way the state plans to reduce greenhouse gases With the Air Board’s unique mix of scientific and regulatory regulatory and of scientific mix unique Board’s With Air the The responsibility for implementing California’s The pioneering for responsibility California’s implementing Standard is Standard an idea being by embraced other around countries the world as an innovative way to reduce greenhouse gases, sity of transportation fuels. The Governor’s sity The Low of Governor’s fuels. Carbon transportation Fuel from the transportation sector is by reducing the carbon inten the carbon is reducing by sector from transportation the can can move forward with its groundbreaking efforts to reduce emissions. gas greenhouse tailpipe government to require it to make a timely decision so California California so decision timely a make to it require to government state is still waiting for permission to enforce our standards. In to our is state standards. for enforce still waiting permission Governor October, Schwarzenegger filed suit against the US Environmental Protection Agency. After nearly Agency. two Protection the Environmental years, unique unique ability to set standards for stricter-than-federal motor vehicle as emissions, long as it gets permission from the US expertise, the nation’s first gas greenhouse the standards emissions nation’s expertise, the has California US, the In developed. were vehicles motor for of greenhouse of gases – greenhouse spewing about 40 per cent of the state’s emissions. overall need every tool available to get reductions from every sector. In from every sector. reductions to get available every tool need is transportation California, responsible for the large majority To To reach our greenhouse gas reduction goals, we’re going to legislation legislation was given to the California Air Resources Board. cies are hard at work. at hard are cies for cars, to developing an early list of actions to get a jump start start jump a get to actions of list early an developing to cars, for agen government various state’s the goals, 2020 our reaching on the celebrations the of celebrations passage AB32’s in From pursuing Nairobi. permission to enforce our gas greenhouse emissions standards Strengthening the voice of European biosafety research
BIOSAFENET: An EU-funded network of European scientists
In addition to the reinforcement of applicable biosafety research activities in Europe, a main goal of BIOSAFENET is robust public information on the biosafety research conducted on genetically modifi ed (GM) plants. Such research and its comprehensive, enlightening results often have been relegated to a subordinate role or ignored altogether in long-standing debates on the safety of transgenic crops. This situation hampers the ambition of the European Union to become the most competitive and dynamic science-based (bio-)economy of the world.
Individual products of gene technology may represent risks as well as the potential for sustainable economic activity. Therefore, a scientific basis is needed for the socio-political decision-making that frames the responsible, sustainable application of this technology in agriculture and the food industry.
BIOSAFENET contributes to the bundling of biosafety knowledge. The project was conceived to be an important tool for objective policy consultation as well as to be a comprehensive source of biosafety information to a broad section of the public.
Closer collaboration between European BIOSAFENET stands for: biosafety researchers In cooperation with the International Society for Biosafety Research (ISBR) and the Public Research – Making biosafety results more visible and understandable & Regulation Initiative (PRRI), BIOSAFENET is to the public realising a wide network of European biosafety – Stimulation of international cooperation researchers. While promoting dialogue among researchers as well as between scientists and the – Support of environmental risk assessment of genetically public, the network facilitates the identification modified organisms (GMO) of individual research activities on the national – Support of the development of GMO biosafety level. The integration of scientists from the new considerations in new EU Member States and associated EU Member States also remains essential and is candidate countries supported by the development of a research data bank. As an important instrument in the global – Provision of science-based arguments for political configuration of biosafety research, this data bank decisions illuminates the goals, methods and results of international projects.
The BIOSAFENET partners (from left to right): Dr. Mark The voice of Europe in the international Tepfer, International Centre for Genetic Engineering biosafety debate and Biotechnology (ICGEB), Italy – Dr. George Biosafety research in Europe must develop a Sakellaris (National Hellenic Research Foundation stronger international voice. The International (NHRF), Greece – Prof. Joachim Schiemann, Federal Symposia on the Biosafety of GMO (ISBGMO) Biological Research Centre for Agriculture and constitute the single internationally- Forestry (BBA), Germany – Dr. Klaus Minol, Genius recognised forum on the topic and active, GmbH Science and Communication, Germany – Dr. regular participation in the symposia by Ervin Balázs, Agricultural Research Institute of the European biosafety researchers is supported by Hungarian Academy of Science (ARI), Hungary BIOSAFENET.
Biosafety research on GM crops: A central pillar of policy making Making research results visible and of a responsible, bio-based European economy BIOSAFENET offers a new and comprehensive information platform to political representatives, stakeholders and the public at large. In cooperation with GMO-Safety, a project sponsored by the German Ministry of Research, the website www.gmo-safety.eu offers journalistically-prepared and multimedia- supported material in the following areas:
– Basic information on the topic – Current reports on biosafety projects and their results – Political and social debate on the topic – Background information and synopses of individual research subjects
Contact: Prof. Dr Joachim Schiemann (coordinator) BBA Institute for Plant Virology, Microbiology and Biosafety, Braunschweig, Germany Phone: +49 (531) 299-3800 • Mail: [email protected] • Website: www.gmo-safety.eu COVERSTORY 33
MAGAZINE problem of climate climate of problem change. key of number analysing such goals the evaluating and climate of state evaluating change, community relating legislation parliament’s parliament’s committee temporary change climate on May in up set was the with 2007 the in intention, chair its of words to Sacconi, Guido I what now “define European our call card", "business targets our showing something aims, and present can EU the international other to the as such polluters China.” and India US, has committee and members 60 for a mandate has the at year, one will it which of end to a report present with parliament the for recommendations initiatives or actions order in taken be to the with deal to • • a defined has It climate change • European The • temporary The The temporary committee on PARLIAMENT
26 November 2007 emissions, the cause of current climate change. climate causecurrent change. the of emissions, 2 emissions rise to levels similar to ours. Future 2 head head of the upcoming Bali negotiations drafting on of the a new Protocol, treaty the to European replace the parliament’s committee Kyoto temporary on climate change earlier this month for a series of bilateral flew meetings to Beijing between the EU and China. The trip included Guido Sacconi The meetings with the Chinese Meteorological Agency Regarding the Kyoto Protocol, China is one Regarding the of Protocol, Kyoto a number of writes The temporary committee on climate change’s recent mission to China had a positive effect, This awareness has led the EU to impose on itself a unilateral cut in emissions of 50 per cent by 2050. and other NGOs confirmed that there is a strong awareness of the dangers of climate change in the most sensitive sectors of The Chinese representatives society. of the Meteorological Agency called for strengthened bilateral cooperation to help monitor and study climate change. The chair meeting of with the Committee the for Environmental Problems, Mao A meetings with the Chinese Meteorological Administration, China’s negotiator in Bali the Chair Ambassador of Yu the Committee Qingtai of Environmental the Problems, and Mao People’s Rubai. These Congress meetings for were useful in clarifying both the areas where Europe and China agree and those on which they disagree. developing countries that currently does not have to comply with any emissions limits. Since the signing of the protocol, China’s furious economic development has seen Tiger’s the CO Asian negotiations must account for this change. But it is also true that per-capita Chinese income and emissions are still below levels in the old industrialised and countries, of China course, did not contribute to emissions in the past. For decades, EU has been the sole party together responsible, with the for US, riseCO the of Common Common positions THE ROAD TO BALI | Temporary Committee on Climate Change
(continued) to climate change, and coordinating the parliament’s “Despite minor differences, it is clear that position when it comes to something very like an alliance between negotiating the the Chinese and the European negotiatorsnegotiators international framework for could take shape [at Bali]” climate policy after 2012. • In anticipation of the upcoming UN climate change conference in Bali, the committee recently sent an official delegation to China to meet with government officials and members of the People's National Congress. The committee also recently organised an exchange of views with Gro Harlem Brundtland, the UN-special envoy on climate change. Rubai opened the most political aspect of the mission. Rubai that it was pointed out that the high-efficiency turbines used reiterated the commitments announced by the Congress of in the power station are produced in the US. The message was the Communist Party and pointed out that although China clear: sustainable growth will also be a chance for economic cannot abandon the use of coal, the government has approved collaboration between China and the EU. a Climate Change Programme. Rubai recalled the efforts Certain differences between Europe and China did emerge made in recent years and emphasised the role of new technolo- during our round of meetings, especially with Europe’s wish gies in leading China towards sustainability. to set binding objectives and China’s unwillingness to accept Rubai’s message was clear: Beijing does not want a new that. Above all, these differences must not be over-dramatised. treaty that imposes binding objectives on China, China will Firstly, because of the agreement stating that the negotiations not wait until ‘Kyoto 2’ to start to act, and industrialised must take place within the UNFCCC (the United Nations countries must support the sustainable development of devel- Framework Convention on Climate Change), the only agree- oping countries. During our discussions with Ambassador ment which represents both old industrialised countries and Qingtai, many common positions clearly emerged for future the countries now entering the global scene, and secondly negotiations between the EU and China: In Bali, divisions because China in not interested in following the positions of will not be between the old industrialised countries and the those countries that are trying to make the negotiations fail. new industrialised countries but between those who want to The Chinese and European positions will move even act and those who do not want to act to stop climate change. closer if the EU can make developing countries understand Despite minor differences, it is clear that something very like that it does not wish to block their development but, in an alliance between the Chinese and the European negotia- fact, wishes to prevent the problems previously encountered tors could take shape. by industrialised countries. The EU is working for a future Guido Sacconi The final part of the mission was a visit to an electrical agreement with binding objectives but, in the meantime, has is chair of power station under construction. This was a wish of the set itself certain ambitious goals. China has decided to reduce parliament’s Chinese authorities, in order to illustrate that China has enor- its emissions. Following the same road, little is required to temporary mous energy requirements, an immense population with very meet somewhere in the middle. Political will is enough. And, committee on low incomes and that the Clean Development Mechanism after three days of discussions in China, it seems that the climate change (CDM) is essential for the China’s future. It was not by chance political will is there.
34 PARLIAMENTMAGAZINE 26 November 2007 GMES: SHAPING EUROPE’S ENVIRONMENTAL FUTURE
n recent years, general awareness of the vulnerability of the The role of BOSS4GMES Earth and the need to have more regular and precise information Iabout its resources and human impacts on them, have increased BOSS4GMES (Building Operational Sustainable Services for GMES) is significantly. an EC FP6 Integrated Project designed to help promote the transition of GMES from a concept to an effective long-term operational GMES (Global Monitoring for Environment and Security) is a joint programme. The project will enable the implementation of GMES initiative of the European Commission and the European Space Fast Track Services (FTS), and new Pilot Services, in the 2008/9 Agency (ESA) through which the European community will have timeframe. The project started in December 2006 and will continue monitoring tools to enhance environmental surveillance and for 30 months. citizens’ security. GMES will, for example, be a key element in global monitoring of climate change and the mitigation of its effects. The technical inputs of all 37 project partners are organised around three main activities: technical enhancement and validation GMES will be an important source of information to help manage and of operational services delivery; development of appropriate protect our natural resources through the monitoring of land and organisational and financial frameworks for long-term sustainability; oceans including, for example, soil erosion, water quality, land use, and, increasing the awareness of GMES services through sea level rise, polar ice and sea surface temperature. At local, regional communications. and national levels, operational GMES services will enable decision makers and public authorities to improve their understanding of By the time BOSS4 is completed in mid 2009 the project aims to have current conditions and measure change. This will in turn improve the first three Fast Track Services of ocean forecasting, response to their anticipation of potential threats and enable timely interventions emergencies and land monitoring fully designed/tested and ready with enhanced efficiency. to implement. From this point, GMES will be ready to become operational and sustainable. Indeed, several GMES services have In emergency situations, GMES improves Europe’s capacity for already reached maturity and could soon be operationally deployed, rapid response through the provision and sharing of reliable provided that the appropriate budgets are put in place at the information for a better cross-coordination between all actors European level. involved in combating, for example, wild fires, floods and oil spills. Outside Europe, the provision of real-time data for disasters such as earthquakes, landslides and tsunamis will help in the humanitarian response to crises.
Contact: B4G Project Coordinator: [email protected]
www.boss4gmes.eu
ADVERTORIAL Optimised Procedures and Techniques for the Improvement of Approach and Landing A EUROPEAN COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH PROJECT TO REDUCE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT AT AIRPORTS
As air traffi c grows steadily, airport congestion and environmental impacts are an increasing problem and already a limiting factor at some airports.
OPTIMAL is a European Framework Program 6 research project, which develops innovative procedures for the approach and landing phases of aircraft and rotorcraft. The objective is to minimize environmental impacts (noise nuisance and gas emissions) and increase airport capacity while improving operational safety. OPTIMAL is an air-ground ATM1 cooperative project: it not only defi nes approach procedures, but it also develops new airborne functions (for aircraft as well as rotorcraft) and ground functions to fl y these procedures.
Noise impact at Schiphol airport, comparison between classic approach and OPTIMAL CDA
Another innovative procedure developed in OPTIMAL is the Simultaneous Non Interfering (SNI) approach for rotorcraft. This new principle consists in allowing rotorcraft to reach airports thanks to specifi c procedures that are independent of the airplane traffi c. These procedures comprise steep approach paths (up to 9°) that allow rotorcraft to maintain a higher altitude before starting the descent to the OPTIMAL CDA profi le compared to conventional approach airport, thus minimising the noise nuisance for the airport neighbours. This opens the way for environment friendly rotorcraft operations at One of these innovative approach procedures is called Continuous major airports without contributing to runway congestion. Descent Approach (CDA). The principle is that the aircraft approaching an airport fl ies a continuous descent profi le with an idle thrust setting Some other procedures are developed in OPTIMAL: all the results will instead of fl ying levels. The higher altitude and the lower thrust of the be presented during the fi nal User Forum in June 2008. aircraft lead to decreasing signifi cantly noise exposure around the airport. First results show a noise reduction from 3dB to 8dB compared to conventional approach practices. In addition, this procedure allows OPTIMAL in short reduction of fuel consumption (as thrust is close to idle) and gas 24 partners (including airborne and ground industry, ANSP3, emissions. To make CDA procedures operational, OPTIMAL develops: research organizations) and the European Commission • CDA operating procedures so that they can be fl own in busy traffi c 42,3M€ budget • improved onboard systems to fl y the CDA Project span: Feb. 2004 – Oct. 2008 • more accurate planning and sequencing tools for air traffi c controllers Event • better interaction and interoperability between aircraft and air Final User Forum on traffi c control systems 25-26 June 2008 in Paris First manned simulations and fl ight trials already took place and some Contact fl ight trials with Airbus A320 in Toulouse are planned at the end of 2007. www.optimal.isdefe.es All these exercises will enable validation of the concept, the expected benefi ts and the fl yability of the procedure. Airbus France Yohann ROUX , The CDA approach is really a promising procedure in terms of noise Project coordinator abatement and environmental improvement near airports. This Mail: [email protected] procedure could be applied in a very short-term and has also been Tel: +33 567 19 60 54 selected in the SESAR² operational concept. CDA will be part of our 316 route de Bayonne BP M0141/3 future. 31060 TOULOUSE Cedex 09, FRANCE
1 Air Trafic Management, ² Single European Sky ATM Research, 3 Air Navigation Service Providers COVERSTORY 37
MAGAZINE - - - - PARLIAMENT
26 November 2007 Karl-Heinz Florenz
hrases like “the clock is ticking on 2020 targets” and “the time to act is now” – these been have never more appropriate. Only last Saturday, UN secretary general Ban Ki-Moon underlined this again when he launched the final report UN of intergovernmental the panel on climate change
Since a true global effort to combat climate change cannot This visit has shown us that China is politically commit economy are not Bali mutually will exclusive, be says very successful, If Europe successfully shows that fighting climate change and sustaining a strong fact fact that for like the China, the UN EU, climate change con vention is the only appropriate forum for negotiations the on international climate change, one critical At this stage, issue China still considers remains. that the current structure of the Kyoto Protocol should be maintained and developing countries, including emerging economies, should quantitative commitments. have Further topics no during our pleas antly intensive dialogues were technology and innovation as well as possible technology transfers. P (IPCC). at Fortunately, the moment, we see that the neces sity to act seems to have spread across including the leading developing nations, countries. This is a development the that European parliament’s temporary committee on climate change activities reflect: be accomplished without the inclusion of major powers like the USA as well visited committee change climate fromthe delegation developing a China, countries such as India Beijing to and meet politicians key and officials, experts from 5 to 7 November. ted to fighting climate change, which is shown by the recent adoption of a climate change programme. forthcoming Apart challenge from of the implementation and the pleasing challenge Up for the Pollution over Paris THE ROAD TO BALI | Temporary Committee on Climate Change
“Bali should be the place where Europe is joined by partners all over the world to fight against climate change”
Protestors in Indonesia
The third thematic session of the climate change committee change. This especially includes cooperation with the United dealt with exactly this – technology and innovation and their States and, as already pointed out with the visit to Beijing, possible contribution to the fight against climate change. developing countries like China and India. Without them, During the hearing, speakers like Nobel-price winner Carlo this enormous task would be difficult to accomplish. Rubbia, as well as commissioner Günter Verheugen and other Apart from making clear the critical state we are in – with major figures from both science and industry had one key only very limited time to think left – Europe needs to act as message: there is not one technology that will save the world. A a precursor, as a beacon, while ensuring that others follow. If toolbox of measures including investment, as well as innovation Europe guides the way and shows that fighting climate change is needed. Also the need to spread existing energy saving tech- and a strong economy need not be mutually exclusive, Bali will niques, such as efficient household appliances and isolation was be very successful. discussed. After a period of gathering general scientific informa- The European union should be able to define how to handle tion as to the nature and extend of climate change, we now enter climate change in all affected sectors and provide clear-cut steps into a stage of concrete plans on how to achieve the reduction that have to be taken in order to slow down climate change targets the EU and other major emitters have committed to. as much as possible. Others will then surely follow. Increasing The reason – from 3 December onwards, the United energy efficiency, the possibility of CO2-free generated energy Nations climate change conference in Bali will begin. This and intensified research and development with regard to green conference, which should be regarded as a starting point, technologies are other topics to be debated in Bali. Furthermore, an initiation, not as the end, needs to bring strict, yet fea- forest fires across the world and their contribution to climate sible pollution targets to the fore. As a general objective, the change should be another important aspect. European union needs to point out that it is necessary to take During the Bali conference, Europe needs to take a strong Karl-Heinz Florenz global steps to implement a worldwide environmental – and and self-assured position. We can offer solutions, we have tech- is a member of climate – policy. We cannot simply decide to cut CO2 emis- nologies, and we have the desire to further develop and use these the temporary sions while other countries still increase their emissions year technologies with climate change in mind. Climate change is a committee on by year. Therefore, Bali should be the place where Europe is challenge and a chance. In Bali, Europe can show the world that climate change joined by partners all over the world to fight against climate it is accepting this challenge.
38 PARLIAMENTMAGAZINE 26 November 2007 Assessing European Capacity for Geological Storage of Carbon Dioxide
The EU GeoCapacity research project focuses on mapping large CO2 point sources and the potential for geological storage of CO2 in the deep subsurface of a number of European countries. It is a continuation of the GESTCO and CASTOR research projects which pioneered the development of carbon dioxide emission and geological storage mapping in Europe and which have served as international examples.
The work comprises: • Mapping of major CO2 emission point sources. • Assessment of regional and local potential for geological storage of CO2. • Analysis of source-transport-sink scenarios & economical evaluation. • Guidelines for assessment of geological capacity. • Technical storage site selection criteria. • Development of mapping and analysis methodologies (e.g. GIS). • International collaborative activities with China. Fig:1
The project includes a full assessment of 13 European countries (Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithua- nia, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain). Four countries are reviewed by neighbouring states (Albania, Macedonia, FYROM, Bosnia- Herzegovina, Luxemburg) while five countries are updated (Germany, Denmark, UK, France and Greece).
See Figure 1. Fig:2
The inventory of large CO2 emission point sources are about finished and in Figure 2 point sources emitting more than 100.000 tons of CO2 per year are posted on a map showing an outline of the sedimentary basins in Europe. The map of the sedimentary basins is not a map of actual storage potential, but a map of where to begin to look for storage capacity. This map – with much more national detail - will be finalised in 2008. The project is carried out by 26 partners in Europe and China.
Please visit our project website at www.geocapacity.eu for more information.
Project coordinator: Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS). Contact NP Christensen, phone +45 38142153, e-mail [email protected] Coordinated Action on Ocean Energy Co-ordinated by RAMBOLL DANMARK A/S, Kim Nielsen at [email protected] www.ca-oe.net
Marine Curent Turbine Wave Dragon
cean Energy is still being highly network comprising SME´s, Universities, underestimated as a significant large private companies and utilities all with Ocontributor to the energy mix, an interest in generation electricity from tackling EU’s major challenges: securing the Ocean Waves or Tidal Current. energy supply, improving the environmental sustainability and the EU economical Ocean Energy technology today is at a competitiveness, if you read the latest pre-commercial stage, different principles version of the EC communication ‘Towards have proved their concept and generated a European Strategic Energy Technology power successfully over longer periods of Ocean Power Delivery Plan” & the Council’s “vision paper for the time in different locations. Given sufficient SET-Plan”, economic investment Ocean Energy will become cost competitive to other From a resource potential perspective, renewable energy sources. the western seaboard of Europe offers an enormous number of potential sites. The factors that will shorten the time until The total European resource potential is Ocean Energy becomes cost competitive are estimated to be in the order of 230 GW as follows: securing a European supply potential between 10 and 20%. The DTI has estimated - R&D: need for increased and clear focus that, by 2050, ~ 6 TWh/y will be produced in the R&D investments from ~ 200,000 MW of installed wave and - Investment in the human resource base tidal energy power. through promoting education and training This article is placed with the hope to - Generate engineers and ‘master on update the parliament magazine readers ocean energy’ i.e. via EUREC on the medium and longer-term actions needed to stimulate Ocean Energy - Demonstration zones in the sea with development and its resource potential. grid connections - Setting a stable regulatory framework The Coordinated Action on Ocean Energy and for creating the right incentives to is a FP6 funded project linking 41 partners stimulate private investment such as Archimedes Waveswing within EU and 6 INCO partners into a initially high feed in tariff’s. COVERSTORY 41
MAGAZINE Katerina Batzeli is a member of the temporary committee on climate change - - - PARLIAMENT
26 November 2007 Adaptation represents a major major a represents Adaptation cross-compliance system towards towards system cross-compliance an integrated management of environmentally-friendly agri cultural practices should figure priorities. top the among great a reshape will that challenge should It policies. EU of number be stressed that the success of climate to new tackle policy this change will depend upon the active participation the society, of business world and civil the public sector in its design management. and For example, we need legislation that reinforces sustainability sustainability reinforces that legislation need we example, For “The EU should consider to what extent adaptation to climate change can pave the way for the creation of a new model for and growth development” and and promotes new ways to use CAP and the of manage mechanisms basic water the of role and The other resources. natural dis the of framework the in namely re-examined be also should current the of evolution the where check, health the on cussions an environmental and economic since climate change is expected to have differentiated territo perspective. Additionally, rial impacts, adaptive activities and decisions will have to be defined at regional and local level. Katerina Batzeli ------from the warming which is already unavoidable due to past emissions. he issue of mitigation of greenhouse Nevertheless, gas emissions policy. climate EU dominated far so has it is becoming more and more obvious that adapta tion will be necessary to address impacts resulting
Regarding Regarding the agricultural sector, one of the most vulner In addition, it should be implemented through a strong The green paper ‘Adapting to climate change in Europe Thus, Thus, in parallel with the mitigation policy, which refers damage damage as well, adaptation measures reducing vulnerability and increasing sustainability both from must work towards able to climate change but often accused of environmental local, cross-border and other local, types of needs. a community, national and regional level in order climate to change tackle not only horizontally but also in respect of policy should also be based on targeted research projects at are more seriously considered by a wide range of international, seriously more are a wide by range of considered international, EU and national adaptation policies. An efficient adaptation importance so that regionally defined objectives and strategies governance system in the context of the application of the sub the of application the of context the in system governance territorialthe and in gain should dimension sidiarityprinciple, competent community funds. competent community funds. able raise in costs should be covered by public expenses and the and expenses public by covered be should costs in raise able cies, cies, reduce administrative and production costs in order not unavoid any while competitiveness, and revenues encumber to vision vision for a new model for growth and development should newpoli a social to give and dimension employment enhance tions. An efficient adaptation policy in the EU, in line with the with line in EU, the in policy adaptation efficient An tions. creation creation of a new model for growth and development. This major issue calldoesn’t for mechanistic and accounting solu extent adaptation to climate change can pave the way for the commission’s first major policy In initiative commission’s on the adaptation. framework of this the initiative, EU should consider to what – options for EU action’ presented last June represents the with climate change. measures, practices and projects with the effect of moderat ing adverse impacts and/or realising opportunities associated design and implement its adaptation policy, which refers to T to efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, the EU should
fully address the issue of global says warming, It is clear that we will have to adapt our lifestyles if we are to Time for change EU Project: FOOD-CT-2005-022944 TOwards Sustainable Sugar Industry in Europe
Sugar and its main by-products - beet pulp and molasses - being consists in identifying and discussing the current state of the used for direct consumption and also in the food & drink industry European sugar industry from the point of view of its chances and production of animal feed, are of strategic importance to for sustainable development. Professionals active in industry, human nutrition. Moving away from strict control of the EU sugar agriculture and research have engaged in the discussions held in the market, the EC has in recent years implemented a market reform framework of three thematic workshops: under which sugar price is reduced and sugar imports from least developed countries are admitted. To satisfy consumer needs in a 1) Sugar technology – state of the art and optimisation (25-26 sustainable manner at changed market conditions, new ideas on January 2007, Ferrara, Italy) production technology, engineering & management are needed for 2) Engineering and management tools for the technological and the restructuring of the sugar sector which is of major importance economic optimisation of sugar factories (19-20 April 2007, Maribor, to the EU economy. In an attempt to meet the challenge, a Specific Slovenia), Support Action titled “Towards Sustainable Sugar Industry in Europe 3) Value chain optimisation in the sugar sector (29-30 November – TOSSIE” is running under the FOOD priority of the 6th Framework 2007, Seggau, Austria). Programme of the EU. Using also its website www.tossie.pw.plock.pl and six-monthly TOSSIE Newsletter, the project consortium has created and is still maintaining a forum of information exchange and discussion aimed at: • Evaluating the current state of the manufacturing technology and value chain in the sugar sector and identifying problem areas within the scope of activities of three European Technology Platforms – Food for Life, Sustainable Chemistry and Biofuels; • Evaluating the chances for sustainable development of the sugar sector considering its use of renewable resource and identifying the need for future research in key problem areas including ones for which support of the European Commission can be sought under the 7th Framework Programme. TOSSIE is a joint effort of a consortium composed of eight European partners. Among them are four higher educational institutions and four industrial companies: • Warsaw University of Technology, Poland – coordinating organisation; Graz University of Technology, Austria; University of Ferrara, Italy; University of Maribor, Slovenia; • Krajowa Spolka Cukrowa SA, Poland; Cooperativa Produttori Bieticoli, Italy; Pfeifer & Langen KG, Germany; EnerDry Aps, Denmark.
The duration of the project is two years starting from 1 May 2006. The workprogramme does not include any research work but The project work will be finalised at a stakeholder meeting on 4 April 2008 in Brussels. Invitations to the meeting will be sent to relevant European organisations as well as industrial companies and outstanding professionals active in the sugar sector.
Project Coordinator: Professor Krzysztof Urbaniec CERED Centre of Excellence Warsaw University of Technology, Plock Campus Jachowicza 2/4, 09-402 Plock, Poland phone +48 24 2622610, fax +48 24 2626542 http://www.cered.pw.plock.pl COVERSTORY 43
MAGAZINE PARLIAMENT
26 November 2007
- - - - , while undeniable, is also logarithmic. It is is It logarithmic. also is undeniable, while , 2 Roger Helmer time, time, he observed a correlation between the level ir William Herschel was an 18th century astrono was he 1782 In Uranus. discovering for famous mer honoured by the title “The King’s Astronomer”. observation one he made ridicule that brought Yet Studying the pattern of sunspots over on his head. reduction programmes will probably 2
emissions, is responsible for climate change. But climatolo But change. climate for responsible is emissions, 2
Yet now we seem to believe that man and only man, with his his with man, only and man that believe to seem we now Yet Another astronomer, Walter Maunder, noted that for 70 years years 70 for that noted Maunder, Walter astronomer, Another It was obvious to all right-thinking people that no causal rela causal no that people right-thinking all to obvious was It gists know that the forcing effect – that is, the climatic influence influence climatic the is, that – effect forcing the that know gists CO atmospheric of – CO from 1100 to 1250 – the Medieval Warm Period. Warm Medieval – the 1250 to from 1100 ray ray intensity going back 8000 years – and found a convincing correlation with climate, including low cosmic ray intensity carbon 14 data from tree rings to build a proxy record of cosmic cosmic of record proxy a build to rings tree from data 14 carbon oxen oxen were roasted on the frozen River Thames. Building on Dr Jack Eddy work was fifty able later, years to Maunder’s use activity. And that period just matches the Little Ice Age, when And the that Ice just period matches Little Age, activity. between between 1645 and there was 1715, a very low level of sunspot peratures, better crop yields – and cheaper wheat. Herschel was was Herschel wheat. – cheaper and yields crop better peratures, change. climate drives directly activity Solar right. mean reduced cloud cover, more sunshine, higher average tem average higher sunshine, more cloud cover, mean reduced the inner planets, the including inner the planets, Cosmic earth. rays play a role rays cosmic Fewer atmosphere. upper in the formation in cloud in well understood. A high level of sunspots means a strong solar solar strong a means sunspots of level high A understood. well in striking rays cosmic of intensity the reduces This field. magnetic Herschel was lampooned for his work. Yet today the causal chain chain causal the today Yet work. his for lampooned was Herschel tionship could exist between sunspots and the price of grain, and and grain, of price the and sunspots between exist could tionship S of sunspots and the price of wheat. talking, says talking, be little better than an agreement to keep be announced but at any Bali, settlement will New CO
on failure Bali: Bali: building THE ROAD TO BALI | Roger Helmer
a law of diminishing returns. At today’s level of 380ppm, further fact is that the EU cannot increases in CO2 levels will have a marginal effect. “Only two countries come to terms with the idea Nonetheless, the UN climate conference will take place in of the EU 27 are that the US’s AP6 programme Bali in December, seeking to agree a new CO2 reduction treaty is already delivering better to replace the Kyoto protocol, which runs out in 2012. No expected to reach results than its own discredited one seems to have noticed that Kyoto has been a spectacular their Kyoto targets, cap’n’trade model. failure. Countries like China, India and South Korea are not The public is becoming bound by it. Only two countries of the EU 27 are expected to and only for increasingly disenchanted reach their Kyoto targets, and only for exceptional reasons that exceptional reasons with climate alarmism. But will not recur. We constantly hear the media – especially the even if you think CO2 is the BBC – criticise the USA for failing to ratify Kyoto, apparently that will not recur” problem, Kyoto is not the unaware that the USA is currently doing better than the EU in way to deal with it. And I restraining CO2 emissions. The EU is happy to claim the moral doubt that Son of Kyoto, if it happens, will be any better. We high ground for signing Kyoto, but is failing to deliver. would do well to worry less about climate change, and more So what will happen at Bali? In all probability, there will be about energy security. That is the great challenge of the next a great fanfare and an announcement of agreement on new fifty years. And a lot of what the Greens want makes sense. We CO2 reduction programmes. But read the small print: it will be should certainly be less dependent on imported fossil fuels. We little better than an agreement to keep talking. Certainly the should develop alternative energy sources – although we need world’s biggest emitters, the USA and China, will not sign up to take a realistic view of their economics. to mandatory targets. But we should do two things the Greens hate. We should plan Roger Helmer is a But the EU is already getting its recriminations in first, and to use our indigenous coal reserves. And we should be building UK Conservative dropping broad hints that any failure will be down to the USA. nuclear capacity as fast as we can. Nuclear remains the cheapest, MEP for the East As a recent Forbes magazine headline put it: “US, not China, safest, most reliable and secure mainstream base-load generation Midlands main obstacle in climate change talks – EU delegation.” The technology available to drive our growing economies.
44 PARLIAMENTMAGAZINE 26 November 2007
Contact : [email protected] Phone: +33 5 62 88 57 19 www.surfasam.com
Research project funded by the European Commission Contract n°COLL-CT-2005-012467 SOLFACE: The sunniest place in Europe Transnational Access to Research Infrastructures
he SOLFACE project is funded by EC 6th FP, To date, the program has had a really great under the Research Infrastructures Actions- success, with 30% more projects and 70% more TTransnational Access for the period 2004- users than targeted. 2007. Free access to the PROMES-CNRS high flux From 2004 to the present: solar facilities (France) is given to any European • 32 research projects have been hosted, scientists and industrial. • 82 scientists from 10 European countries (Spain, Portugal, Italy, Germany, Poland, The PROMES-CNRS laboratory, in Odeillo Font- Romania, Latvia, Slovenia, Greece…) have Romeu, has a worldwide unique set of high flux taken part in the program, solar furnaces. Under this program, European users • More than 55 scientific articles and have access to the Megawatt Solar Furnace (MWSF), international communications have been to the 12 Medium Size Solar Furnaces (MSSFs), published so far. and to the high level scientific and experimental environment of the PROMES-CNRS laboratory. Project information Acronym: SOLFACE High-temperature high-radiative flux researches Full Title: High flux solar facilities for Europe can be performed using highly concentrated Contract Number: RITA-CT-507091 clean solar energy in many domains. Typical Duration: 4 years starting from 1 January 2004 areas are thermo-chemical cycles for energy EC Funding: 345 000 € storage, production of environmentally benign energy carriers (H2, Syngas…), high flux photo- Contact person: chemistry and photo-physics, high added value Gabriel OLALDE material synthesis (nano-structured materials, Project Coordinator ceramics, glasses…), knowledge-based behaviour CNRS-PROMES France of multifunctional materials under extreme email: [email protected] conditions (thermal exchangers, spacecrafts…). Website: www.promes.cnrs.fr/solface/index.php
The laboratory was expected to receive a minimum EU Scientific Officer: of 24 projects for the four years, with 2 to 3 people Brigitte Weiss per project for an average stay of 2.5 weeks.
The 1MW CNRS solar furnace in Odeillo, Font-Romeu France
Splat cooling at a 2m- Solar Installations of 1.5m diameter solar furnace and 2m diameter
South side of the Laboratory with the MSSFs on 6th floor POLICYFOCUS 47
MAGAZINE PARLIAMENT
26 November 2007
- -
Alessandro Foglietta
proposal, whichproposal, was voted on at the September plenary related harm, and have had the opportunityrelated harm, to be part of long and complex discussions on the issue of alcohol at the European level. I prepared a project and resolution have have been the rapporteur of parliament’s report on alcohol reducing the in states member support to strategy EU
In some areas, forming part of the so-called ‘wet culture’, As an institution of the European we union, are aware that We all know that the problem of alcohol abuse is now taking now is abuse alcohol of problem the that know all We erations from each earliest person’s childhood, wine is served with food, is something to be drunk with pleasure and to be according according to an age-old tradition passed on through the gen approach approach between southern and northern Europe. to country. For instance, there is one traditional distinction that is often made by which researchers, stresses the different from tradition to tradition, region to region, and country produce produce effective It legislation. is also important to remember that the values traditionally attributed to alcohol have varied and behavioural changes and we can invite member states to given given to each member state’s Nevertheless, authority. we can promote information and education, promote responsibility we do not have the power to intervene with dramatic measures, measures, dramatic with intervene to power the have not do we and that a great part of what we would like to do is instead and the cost related to alcohol abuse is estimated to be between between be to estimated is abuse alcohol to related cost the and two and five per cent of EU GDP. 90 per cent of European member states the individual annual consumption of pure alcohol tops the safe limit of two litres violent deaths in Europe are due to alcohol abuse or misuse; in misuse; or abuse alcohol to due are Europe in deaths violent excessive consumption. Data about alcohol related harms show show harms related alcohol about Data consumption. excessive that intervention is needed. Between 40 and 60 per cent of European union, includingEuropean union, binge drinking and more frequent states. Dangerous states. and socially accepted consumption patterns are spreading in a fairly consistent manner throughout the on on considerable and worrying proportions in all EU member est and concern over the issue of alcohol abuse in the EU. majority, but majority, during the legislative procedure more than 200 inter great the of idea an gives This tabled. were amendments I session in Strasbourg. This report was passed with a large
this field, argues this field, harm, even harm, if it does not possess the power of member states in The EU must play a fundamental role in reducing alcohol related Tackling the issue Tackling ALCOHOL | Alessandro Foglietta
To continue the monitoring of alcohol related problems in “Dangerous and socially accepted EU and to implement the strategy, an alcohol and health forum consumption patterns are spreading in a has been created by the commission, with a very balanced and proactive approach. Priorities have been established in the fairly consistent manner throughout the charter establishing the forum, which I had the honour to sign European union, including binge drinking together with commissioner Kyprianou during the launch of the AHF last June. These priorities will be achieved in the following and more frequent excessive consumption” years through a monitoring commitment, a science group, a task force and a marketing communication approach. taken in moderation, and forms part of the local cultural and The forum is chaired by the directorate general for health traditional heritage. and consumer protection of the European commission and In some other areas, forming part of the so called ‘dry’ meets two times per year. Working groups made up of experts, culture, as a result of the mood-changing properties attributed NGOs and representatives of the beverage producers commit- to alcohol and the fact that it is not consumed as a part of ted to self-regulation will be supported and guide by the science normal day-to-day patterns, alcohol is drunk outside meal group to monitor and evaluate areas where action would have times, generally at weekends and in huge quantities for the potential for reducing alcohol related harm. The task force will purpose of losing one’s social inhibitions and escaping the examine best practice actions aimed at promoting responsibility conformism and rigidity imposed by social mores. in marketing, and preventing irresponsible marketing, and will Alessandro Therefore we think that each action taken at European level make any appropriate recommendations to the forum. Foglietta is a should take into account those differences, and give voice to The EU is determined, in co-operation with all member member of the the different cultures in the debate, without forgetting that states, stakeholders and institutions, to take forward meaning- committee on the aim of the European intervention is action, data sharing, ful actions that can contribute towards the protection of our the environment, promotion, exchange and evaluation of best practices and citizens, and especially our young people, from alcohol-related public health not legislation, which instead is an assignment of the single harm. Responsible behaviour remains, of course, a duty of and food safety member state. citizens themselves.
48 PARLIAMENTMAGAZINE 26 November 2007 CARBOOCEAN “Marine carbon sources and sinks assessment”:
Sustained carbon observations in combination with cutting edge biogeochemical climate modelling are fundamental to provide guardrails for informed decisions on climate mitigation and adaptation.
ince starting industrialisation around 1750, From the CARBOOCEAN project, three major 3) Intensifying feedback mechanisms Smankind has increasingly released carbon issues emerge: The integrated marine carbon cycle feedback to dioxide (CO2) to the atmosphere which significantly global warming and higher CO2 concentrations contributed to human induced climate change. 1) Decrease of the ocean carbon sink in the atmosphere is positive, i.e. it is reinforcing The atmospheric CO2 content would even be There is evidence from observations (Fig. 2a+b) climate change. higher if it was not for that at present about 25% and modelling that the ocean carbon sink at high of annual CO2 emissions are absorbed by the latitudes has been weakening over the past years. ocean. However, since temporal and spatial details If this trend continuous, the CO2 content in the of this sink are not yet accurately quantified, the atmosphere could rise more quickly than formerly EU-funded FP6 Integrated Project CARBOOCEAN expected, implying that human CO2 emissions (contract no. 511176 GOCE) is dedicated to an would need to be cut down even further to improved quantification of the oceanic uptake of make the EU-target of maximal 2 degrees global anthropogenic CO2 . temperature realistic.
2) Increase of “ocean acidification” Increased CO2 uptake by the oceans results in a decrease of the pH-value. This affects not only the organic and inorganic carbon cycling but also marine organisms with calcareous shells because the water masses become more acidic. Especially in the Arctic region, the surface water might be undersaturated with respect to aragonite by 2050, being a threat for e.g. marine snails. Figure 1: Anthropogenic carbon in the water column (in mole-C/m2) as a result of the coupled physical biogeochemical ocean model MICOM-HAMOCC (University of Bergen, Bjerknes Centre for Climate Research). The North Atlantic and the Southern Ocean show high inventories of anthropogenic carbon. (Source: Karen Assmann)
CARBOOCEAN is highly policy relevant, as Figure 2b: Cruise tracks from voluntary observing ships (VOS) and research vessels which provide semi-continuous the source/sink distribution for CO2 has to be accurately known in order to frame policies measurements of the ocean surface CO2 content. This map aiming at CO emission reductions and measures includes data collected before and during the CARBOOCEAN 2 project (Source: Benjamin Pfeil, University of Bergen). to enforce such policies. In the recent IPCC 4th Assessment Report of Working Group I, mostly Figure 2a: Several VOS-lines equipped with automatic instruments for measuring carbon dioxide in the water physical climate models have been used for the have been successfully used by the CARBOOCEAN project. climate change scenarios until 2100. The next The MV Santa Maria, a container ship chartered by Geest, generation of future climate scenarios needs to has generated more than 90,000 measurements of CO2 on fully include the carbon cycle feedback to climate its way from the West Indies carrying bananas to the UK change which CARBOOCEAN will help to develop. (Source: Ute Schuster, UEA).
CARBOOCEAN CarboSchools Contact: - is the European contribution to the global CARBOOCEAN’s educational outreach - Christoph Heinze, CARBOOCEAN coordinator, observation network on marine carbon component is “CarboSchools”. As a University of Bergen, Geophysical Institute - combines the key European experts of 47 European network of regional projects for and Bjerknes Centre for Climate Research, groups from 15 countries (Europe, Morocco, school partnerships on climate change email: [email protected], USA, and Canada) research, it enables teachers and students phone: +47 55589844. - is funded by the European Commission over to understand current research in carbon - Andrea Volbers, CARBOOCEAN scientific a five year period (2005-2009) cycling. An introductory booklet and a project manager, University of Bergen, teacher-scientists partnership guide can Bjerknes Centre for Climate Research, www.carboocean.org be downloaded from the CarboSchools email: [email protected], homepage (www.carboschools.org). phone: +47 55589840. ALCOHOL | László Kovács A taxing problem Abolishing minimum excise duties on alcohol, as recently proposed by parliament, will result in less freedom for private citizens and more tax barriers in the internal market, says László Kovács
nder EU law, national excise duty rates on alcohol have to respect a minimum set up by the council directive 92/84/EEC in 1993 when internal borders were abol- Uished within the EU in order to have a well-functioning internal market. The minimum excise rates are set in euro per hectolitre of alcoholic beverage. Above these minima member states are free to set their national rates at levels they consider appropriate, and indeed most of them set excise levels well above the EU minimum. In September 2006, the European com- mission made a proposal to revaluate the minimum rates in line with inflation and so restore their real value as determined in 1992 – a revaluation of some 31 per cent. The commission’s initiative followed a request of the council in 2005 to come “Given the wide forward with a proposal to adjust the minimum rates in order to avoid a fall discrepancies in their real value. The rationale of this between the rates proposal is that more convergence of the rates of excise duty in the different in the 27 member member states is needed in an internal states, meaningful market so as to reduce distortions of com- petition and avoid fraud. minimum excise Indeed, given the wide discrepancies duty rates are between the rates in the 27 member states, meaningful minimum excise duty necessary to rates are necessary to avoid substantial avoid substantial distortions of the internal market that would completely undermine its proper distortions of the functioning, and to provide a safety net internal market” for member states’ budgets against the severe problems they could face in terms
50 PARLIAMENTMAGAZINE 26 November 2007 POLICYFOCUS 51
MAGAZINE László Kovács is EU commissioner for taxation and customs union PARLIAMENT
26 November 2007 I had some understanding for their position, in particular There would be no economic and social disadvantages I fear that, without agreement at the council on this holic beverages. Vodka tends to be produced in Poland, Finland and Sweden, beer beer Sweden, and Finland Poland, in produced be to tends Vodka beverages. holic countries these And Spain. and France Italy, in wine and Belgium and Germany in harm. alcohol-related combat to strategy unique and a different have each back dating (Systembolaget) monopoly a state-run had has example, for Sweden, the in motive profit private no be should there that principle the on based 1850, to alcohol. of sale a led beverages, on duty excise of rates on rapporteur parliament’s Lulling, Astrid alcohol. on taxes minimum raise to proposal a commission against June in campaign compared prices alcohol high with countries in bigger often is alcohol of abuse “The products alcohol stronger to directly turn consumers Many prices. lower with those to said. Lulling prices,” high to due and market, a free obstructs tax EU a minimum argument, her to According the to According all. at use any is tax EU-level an whether about questions raises a result not is members EU among trade cross-border in rise the MEP, Luxembourg applied rates excess the to due but 1992, in applied first rate tax minimum the of states. member northern in Cultural perspectives European its of meeting first the hosted October in commission European The EU. the in harm alcohol-related reduce to a bid of part forum, health and alcohol states member support to strategy alcohol EU overall an of arm one is forum The policy. coordinate to efforts their in focus to is which forum, the of members are NGOs and businesses 40 than More irresponsible prevent to and children protect to actions concrete on particularly marketing. alcohol commercial Europeans alcohol, towards attitudes on survey Eurobarometer a March to According Europeans 10 in One world. the in consumption alcohol capita per highest the have binge of definition the is which session, one in drinks more or five drink to claims respon- of cent per 34 with drinking, binge for survey the topped Ireland drinking. sitting. one in drinks more or five consume regularly they saying dents that says harm alcohol-related on Foglietta Alessandro MEP Italian by report A 2006 southern in cultures drinking the between made be can distinction” “fundamental a Europe. northern and alco- specific of production the in is exist certainly does that difference cultural One for their argument of equal treatment, and suggested a com- promise proposal to limit the increase period that for has elapsed since 2004 and inflation that translates into an to the adjustment of 4.5 per cent. of this compromise proposal. In most member states, the of beer, at the latest by 1 January Compared to 2010 the minimum(e.g. monthlyin wage, thisRomania). corresponds to an increase of 0.002 per cent, which represents much less than the annual inflation rate in 2006 cent) and in in this examplethe in RomaniaEU (6.6 per cent). (2.2 per compromise proposal, minimum rates in excises duties losewill their important role in dismantling tax internalbarriers market. in the national rates already applied are in excess of revaluedthe minima proposedand consequently no impact is expected. In the other member states, for beer, for example, theincrease biggest would be of €0.002 (0.2 eurocent) on half a litre Despite this, the first discussions in the council clearly I want also to underline here that, although the commis- I am convinced that abolishing minimum rates, as recently after accession when they had to introduce important increases increases important introduce to had they when accession after to comply with the current minimum levels. cantly raise their excise duties again such a short period of time of period short a such again duties excise their raise cantly showed showed opposition. In particular, some of the new member states felt disadvantaged as they would be obliged to signifi- ity by introducing up transition to periods, 2010. their minimum levels, the commission proposed some flexibil- some proposed commission the levels, minimum their their national rates already exceed the proposed new minimum minimum new proposed the exceed already rates national their increase to had have would that states member those For rates. majority of member states were unaffected by this proposal as sion’s 2006 proposal sion’s contained an increase of 31 per the cent, order order to stem the inevitable revenue leakage. individuals can take from one member state to another in freedom for private as citizens, some member states are likely to press for tighter restrictions on the amount of alcohol that proposed proposed by the parliament, would probably result in less country were to drastically reduce excise duty rates. of cross-border shopping and smuggling if a neighbouring Strengthening CDM as a central pillar within China’s path to sustainable development Project Overview • CDM Roadshow with 2 EU-China CDM Conferences in In 2007, the EU-China CDM Facilitation Project implemented Beijing and Chengdu a series of interviews with international donor organizations • 10 capacity building and awareness raising seminars and national government embassy representatives to establish in the provinces a matrix of previous and ongoing capacity building activities • EU-China CDM Business Facilitation related to CDM in China. This is important to ensure that projects may maximize synergies and avoid duplication. Target benefi ciaries: • National Level Authorities: DNA, EB, National CDM Centre The preliminary results of this assessment are provided at • Local DOE applicants www.euchina-cdm.org/background.php The matrix will • Project Developers, Regional CDM Centres, International be updated as new projects are launched. If you have any CDM investors additional information to supplement and clarify the matrix, please contact us at: [email protected] or The Project Partners: [email protected] Swedish Environmental Research Institute – IVL Policy Research Centre for Environment and Economy of SEPA Objectives TÜV Rheinland, Germany • Strengthen the capacity of China’s Designated National DEVELOPMENT Solutions, China Authority (DNA), the National CDM Centre, and Chinese Designated Operational Entities (DOEs) Supporting Ministries: • Introduce European and international standard in Quality National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), China management of the CDM development process State Environmental Protection Administration (SEPA), China • Increase awareness of CDM opportunities in China For more details: www.euchina-cdm.org Activities • CDM Impact Assessment • Policy and Regulatory consulting and stakeholder training • Capacity building programme for the National CDM Centre • Training programme and capacity building for potential Chinese Designated Operational Entities (DOE)
Enhancing your wellbeing: Ambient Lighting Assistance
ALADIN is an intelligent assistive system based on ambient lighting to support mental alertness and memory performance as well as relaxation in specific situations.
Foto by ligs/Ricardo Koji Kaihami
An easy to use TV set-top box can assist older people in STREP Project ALADIN (IST-045148) better understanding their own circadian rhythms and enable them to take responsibility for regulating them. Project Coordinator User Centered Technologies Research Intelligent open-loop control and biofeedback can adapt Vorarlberg University of Applied Sciences, Austria various light parameters such as intensity, light direction or +43 5572 7927305 [email protected] colour in response to the psycho-physiological data, which are continuously registered by smart bio-sensors. www.ambient-lighting.eu POLICYFOCUS 53
MAGAZINE - PARLIAMENT
26 November 2007 Certainly, policy makers would do well to avoid falling into the into falling avoid to well do would makers policy Certainly, temper as seen being and alcohol on tax increasing just of trap should also heed We the warning ance-promoting of kill-joys. the Brewers of Europe that sizea ‘one approach would fits all’ risk “treating responsible consumers like alcoholics”. Indeed, there is ample evidence to consumption (an estimated 10 grams per day suggest according to the that moderate alcohol Health World Organisation) can be part of a healthy lifestyle and reduce the risk of heart disease. on on alcohol and burden their businesses with more regulation. - - Richard Corbett in the UK, Spanish sherry and Polish vodka, it could be said that the enjoyment of a drink is a good example of Europe’s rom a glass of to France, Czech real lager, ale red-wine in
Needless to say, the verystrategy the alcohol EU an of existence Needlesssay, to Moreover, around 25percent ofMoreover, traffic It is easy to overlook the impact of
responsible drinking across says the EU, There is no value in developing a single blueprint for has prompted dismay from some sections of the alcohol indus alcohol the of sections from some dismay prompted has try who view it as a means for governments to increase taxes and education on consumption and to evidence develop base. a common ity themes: to protect young people; reduce alcohol-relatedtraffic accidents; prevent alcohol abuse; increase awareness has produced an alcohol strategy identifying five prior the UK economy £20 billion per year WithhealththeEuropean allcosts. this mind, in commissionin crime and public office estimates that alcohol abuse costs killed each year in alcohol- related road accidents. In the UK alone, the home accidents are linked to excessive alcohol consumption,and over 10,000 people are drinking have increased in a number of member states during the past ten years. average average alcohol consumption has decreasing been in the EU, levels of binge a significant drop in While productivity. of disease and From injury. an economic perspective, each hangover day results in cause of an estimated eight to ten per cent per ten to eight estimated an of cause Alcohol Alcohol consumption in Europe is, per capita, the highest in the world and the alcohol consumption, not only alcohol as consumption, a public health but also as an economic handicap.
a world of difference between a couple of glasses with a meal and binge drinking. all European countries. There is, however, however, There is, all European countries. F motto of “unity with diversity” and part of the rich cultural life and tradition of Common Common sense ALCOHOL
However, such alarmism is mis- Nonetheless, binge drinking patterns placed. The treaties state that EU “Policy makers would do are prevalent amongst young people action in this field can be used only well to avoid falling into the across the EU and in this context it is to complement action taken by sensible to seek common solutions to a national governments. This, com- trap of just increasing tax on common problem. Indeed, the Foglietta bined with the diverse cultures across alcohol and being seen as report called for the introduction of Europe, means that there is no value health warnings on alcoholic drinks in developing a single blueprint for temperance-promoting kill-joys” (similar to those on tobacco) – a measure responsible drinking across the EU. that would carry limited cost but encour- The purpose of the EU alcohol strategy is to complement age responsible drinking – and tougher labelling requirements policies taken by national governments, provide better co- for alcopops which are specifically targeted at young people, but ordination on cross-border sales promotion of alcohol and yet are often marketed as being little different to soft drinks. to analyse the most effective practices. In September, the Ultimately, political measures taken either at national or EU European parliament adopted its response to the alcohol strat- level cannot substitute for personal responsibility – for example, egy – the Foglietta report. The Foglietta report emphasised parents being aware of the example they set to their children that the diversity of drinking patterns and traditions across through their drinking habits and responsible self-regulation Richard Corbett the EU should be taken into account by the commission, in by the drinks industry. Nevertheless, EU policy makers can MEP is chair of the allowing member states to tailor individual policies rather than complement the work of member states, co-ordinate cross- British Beer Club a rigid ‘one size fits all’ approach. border public health policy and drive better regulation. Vodka wars The protection afforded to drinks such as whisky and beer should be fully extended to vodka, argues Alexander Stubb
n 2007 the definition of vodka became a cause of dispute To the vodka belt countries the dispute was about three things: between different EU institutions and MEPs. It doesn’t cultural heritage, equal treatment and money. Throughout its get much better than that – a bunch of EU countries history European countries have fought hard to protect their fighting over what actually constitutes vodka. The coun- own brands. Champagne has a geographical definition – it can tries were basically divided into three groups. only be made in the province of Champagne. Whisky can only The first group was the so-called beer, wine and whisky be made out of grain and malted grain. Grappa can only be Ibelt, in other words Germany, France, Spain, Italy and the UK. made from grapes. The list goes on. The MEPs from these countries supported the commission’s The same equal treatment should have been granted to original proposal that vodka could be made out of any agricul- vodka as well. Poland, Finland, Sweden and the Baltic States tural material: molasses, fruit, grapes, berries, you name it. have made vodka for over 500 years and the ingredients have The second group of MEPs were the ones from the vodka always been the same: potatoes and grain. The other point is belt: Poland, Finland, Sweden and the Baltic States. We defend- that when the previous directive on spirits was established, ed the so called traditional definition which means that vodka the vodka belt countries were not members of the EU. When should only be made out of sugar beet, grains or potatoes. Finland and Sweden joined the union in 1995 they were told The MEPs not included to the previous categories were that vodka would be given a strict definition in due time. Now the ones who didn’t grasp the point of it all. Why was some- we know we were rather naive for believing this. thing as minor as vodka a topic of heated debate? You might The whole decision making process during the vodka war be wondering the same... was a classical EU thriller with parliament, commission,
54 PARLIAMENTMAGAZINE 26 November 2007 POLICYFOCUS 55
MAGAZINE Alexander Stubb Stubb Alexander enjoys he says MEP occasional an shot vodka PARLIAMENT
26 November 2007 ------“It doesn’t much get better than that – a bunch of EU countries fighting over what actually constitutes vodka” In the end, we lost the battle but we the lost battle In the end, The The last play took place a few me to be able to make sure I buy the real vodka. carrying a magnifying glass with what kind of a label are we taking about. In the future I’ll at least be materials, it should be stated in the materials, label. The question still remains, If If the spirit is produced of other now the only legitimate ingredients ingredients legitimate only the now are grain, and potatoes molasses. produced produced of pretty much anything, won the war. Before vodka could be be could vodka Before war. the won plenary the vodka belt gathered one one gathered belt vodka the plenary support. of third ments ments in favour and against. In Lobbying Lobbying was fierce and all sides came up with last minute argu of different spirit drinks, one. outstanding only the remained vodka Out of tens of strict definitions Parliament Parliament and council negotia were tors close to a compromise. weeks weeks before the vote in plenary. on the definitions. on the definitions. the parliament’s various commit tees were totally on different lines was lost at that stage. Meanwhile of raw materials. Even the Finnish press claimed the war allowing a wide range 2006 the council started council the 2006 to lean strongly toward definitions definitions dating a few centuries back. By the end of cal documents and encyclopaedia ditional ditional raw materials. Both sides backed their arguments on histori own own production out of non-tra their non-vodka country terparts coun started to defend their tion. tion. Beverage industries in vodka belt woke up and the soon after look for common lines and a coali forlook common major drama with all its elements. to started countries small Scattered with a proposal The vodka stage belt. was set for a shocking the roles. roles. The commission came up council and lobbies playing their in association with
WINNERS TO BE ANNOUNCED
A select panel of judges have shortlisted the three strongest nominations in each of the following categories:
• European Regional Energy Champion supported by Southampton City Council
• European Regional Environment Champion supported by Philips • European Regional Social Policy Champion
supported by Special EU Programmes Body
• European Regional Transport Champion supported by Scania • European Regional Communication Champion • European Regional Cultural Champion • European Regional Employment Champion • European Year of Equal Opportunities for All Champions • European Regional Innovation Champion • European Regional Maritime Champion
To view the shortlist please visit: www.regionalreview.eu
For a ticket to attend please contact Loren Plummer on supported by [email protected]
All category winners will be announced at the Gala Awards Ceremony at Le Chatelain Hotel, Brussels on Tuesday 27th November 2007. POLICYFOCUS 57
MAGAZINE Catherine Stihler is the MEP editor of Parliament Magazine - PARLIAMENT
26 November 2007 “There is the darker domestic side of alcohol abuse hidden in the home away from the outside world which often involves violence in the family and to children” Secondly, Secondly, although the drinks industry has created many alcohol abuse is upwards not downwards. Voluntary codes and Voluntary alcohol abuse is not upwards downwards. canI guarantee work. to whole, the on appear, not do practices that now I have written these words I will receive a flurry of reports and statistics to prove me cannot forget otherwise. that the However, global we drinks industry is just that com more ever – an in share market for industry global fighting a Their petitive ultimate environment. accountability is to their shareholders and thus it will only be through regulation that effective action to combat alcohol abuse will be taken. Many Many people are quite astounded that their four pints are the equivalent to a big-Mac. Drinking culture is also which requires a consideration. In subject those countries where there is a a culture glass of that of foodis, and drink going together, wine with a meal, there would appear to be less abuse. How can we change cultures? schemes and approaches to trythe trend of and combat abuse, - - - Catherine Stihler friends and in moderation. When it is dark abused side appears, a one of violence, poisoning and inextreme casesWhere death. is the line between moderate drinking and excess and abuse? This lcohol is like Jekyll and Hyde. On the one hand, alcohol can be enjoyed with a meal, amongst
I was pleased to see that Scottish & Newcastle are going Firstly, I Firstly, think we have to recognise that this problem is Then there is the darker domestic side of alcohol abuse Alcohol is responsible for the greatest number of admis of 2008. Once a world FAS standard is set out, then calorie content could be the next approach to encourage moderation. to add the French symbolFAS to their UK labels by the end should go hand in hand with any effective alcohol labelling. labelling. alcohol effective any with hand in hand go should products products should be clearly labelled with a foetal alcohol syn and education health raising public Awareness warning. drome across across the global range all of alcohol Firstly, alcohol products. If we are going to give consumers information on what they are are they what on information consumers give to going are we If consuming in a meaningful way there must be clear labelling the the market and a of to selection greater products choose from. growing as of growing the the globalisation drinks industry takes place. on new are products there to China the Czech Republic, From responsibility should the drinks industry take? what can be done to protect against its worst excesses and what and excesses worst its against protect to done be can what Alcohol Alcohol consumed in moderation is when yet enjoyable drunk druglegal a be may It but society. on havoc wreaks it excess, to coincides with greater openness concerning foetal alcohol syn alcohol foetal concerning openness greater with coincides drome (FAS) and foetal alcohol syndrome disorders (FASD). women drinking more and abusing alcohol in greater numbers greater in alcohol abusing and drinking more women often involves violence in the family culture and of alcohol to abuse children. together The with the growing trend of hidden in the home away from the outside world which fuelled assaults, verbal and physical. at an accident and emergency department on Saturdaya Friday night. andHospital staff regularly experience alcohol- placetoseeatfirst hand theimpact ofalcohol peopleon than sions to hospital from domestic abuse alcohol to poisoning head injuries, and to violent attacks. There is no better A is the difficulty that policy makers dealing and with alcohol. politicians have in
gives way to excess asks and abuse, How do we identify the line where moderate drinking Drinking Drinking culture MOLECULAR BEACON TECHNOLOGIES FOR THE STUDY OF HIV-1: Applications in HIV Transmission, Pathogenesis and Implications on Drug Discovery
Leondios G. Kostrikis is an Associate Professor at the University of Cyprus and Head of the Lab of Biotechnology and Molecular Virology. InsertInsert He is the principal investigator of the Marie Curie International Reintegration Grant BEACON (No 014822). PhotoPhoto
Molecular Beacons are synthetic hairpin-shaped nucleic acid probes that undergo a fluorogenic conformational change upon binding to their nucleotide-specific target. Molecular beacons can be labelled with differently colored fluorophores, enabling multiplex, homogeneous amplification assays to be carried out in real-time in sealed reaction tubes. Among the applications are the detection of infectious viral and microbial agents in clinical samples, the quantitative assessment of gene expression and the determination of genotypes in human alleles associated with human disease.
Previous work revealed a mutation in the CCR5 gene of the African-American people that helps transmit HIV, while in people of Nothern European descent a significant part of the gene has been destroyed generations ago. Current work employed molecular beacon and allele discriminating real-time PCR technologies to develop quantitative HIV-1 diagnostic assays for the purpose of investigating: (1) the role of HIV-1 cellular viral load and antiretroviral drug-resistant variants on the antiretroviral treatment of HIV-1 infected patients and (2) the phylogenetic distribution and spread of antiretroviral drug- resistance of HIV-1 strains from recent and long-standing infected patients in Cyprus and neighboring countries in Africa and the Middle East. Phylogenetic analysis of HIV-1 infected patients in Cyprus reveal a heterogeneous epidemiological status of HIV-1 that is influenced by Europe, Africa, USA and Asia. The molecular beacon and real-time PCR technologies can be easily integrated in the area of drug discovery. Current efforts of Dr Kostrikis’ group focus on the de novo design of antivirals for the treatment of HIV-1 strains from resource-poor countries mainly in Africa. In this effort there is contribution from an international network of scientists including experts from the fields of bioinformatics, chemical synthesis, medicinal chemistry, bioinformatics and virology. Selected Publications:
1) Kostrikis L. G., Tyagi S., Mhlanga M. et. al., Science 279 (5354): 1228-1229, 1998 2) Kostrikis L. G., Huang Y., Moore J. P. et. al., Nature Medicine 4 (3): 350-353, 1998 3) Hatzakis A., Touloumi G., Karanicolas R., et. al., Lancet 355 (9204): 599-604, 2000 4) Kostrikis L. G., Touloumi G., Karanicolas R., et. al., J. Virology 76 (20): 10099-10108, 2002 5) Loizidou E., Nicolaou C., Nicolaides A., Kostrikis L. G. Current HIV Research 5:365-388, 2007
University of University of Cyprus, Department of Biological Sciences, 75 Kallipoleos Avenue, P.O. Box 20537, 1678 Nicosia, Cyprus; Tel: +357-22-892885; Fax: +357-22-892893; Email: Cyprus [email protected] INSIDEEU 59
MAGAZINE - PARLIAMENT
26 November 2007 Changes Changes in political priorities led to the adoption of the interpreted and implemented in a manner supportive of WTO of supportive manner a in implemented and interpreted Members’ right to protect public health and, in to particular, promote access to medicines for all”. The use of flexibilities was finally approved by the members of the The WTO. dec laration also recognised that countries with insufficient or no manufacturing capacity in the pharmaceutical face sector difficulties in making effective use of could the system – the so particular access to medicines occurred on the occasion of the negotiation of the Doha development agenda. health” public and agreement TRIPS the on declaration “Doha and should “can be TRIPS whichagreement affirmed that the - - access access to cheap Gianluca Susta - -
world, world, but especially in Africa, millions of people die every year because they do not have nternational organisations and politicians should have already solved this problem decades ago. The is many different: though, poor people still reality, see the pos sibility to be cured as an unrealistic one. Around the
There is the need, in fact, to combine combine to fact, in need, the is There What has been achieved until now is not enough. In order to to order In enough. not is now until achieved been What has
for all citizens of says the world, Access to medicines should be a recognised right major relevant development in favour favour in development relevant major of public health concerns and in period when IP interests prevailed, a versus versus public health. The was solution not easy to find. After an initial in 1994, there has been a clear need to re-address the imbalance of IPRs property rights (TRIPS agreement) the adoption of the agreement trade-related on aspects of intellectual with public health concerns. Since intellectual property rights’ protection protection rights’ property intellectual decade decade lies the behind fact that many stake. at are interests different and pied the scene of the debate in the last last the in debate the of scene the pied ment, the creation of mechanisms that that mechanisms of creation the ment, allow the has use occu of flexibilities to medicines to all, but the reason why, why, reason the but all, to medicines to in the context of the TRIPS agree the importance of guaranteeing access access guaranteeing of importance the this this important issue will be properly recognise parties all Almost addressed. go hand in hand is there a chance that that chance a there is hand in hand go agenda of all nations and supranational supranational and nations all of agenda development and trade if Only bodies. at at affordable prices has to be kept at the top of the trade and development continue to continue in progress the right access to direction medicines national national players can and have to do more. because of lack This of The is medicines. inter unacceptable. I medicines to treat diseases like AIDS and malaria. All of us have in our minds the images TVshown on of children dying Right Right to access WORLD AIDS DAY | TRIPS Agreement
called “compulsory licensing” – and asked that “an expeditious bilateral and regional agreements and that the use of all flex- solution to this problem” be found. ibilities by WTO members provided in the TRIPS agreement Within the council to TRIPS, it took two years (2003) to would be encouraged. find an agreement on the creation of a system that would The battle is far from over, but we are moving in the right allow, under certain circumstances, countries in need to import direction. generic versions of drugs still under patent and others to export them. “Around the world, The system was supposed to last until the TRIPS agreement was perma- but especially in nently amended. Within the European Africa, millions of union and among the civil society there was the conviction that the permanent people die every amendment would be proposed once the year because they effectiveness of the system was assured. This, however, was not the case. On 6 do not have access December 2005 the members of the to cheap medicines WTO council agreed to make the tempo- rary waiver a permanent one in the form to treat diseases like of a protocol amending the agreement on AIDS and malaria” trade-related aspects of intellectual prop- erty rights (TRIPS agreement). The EU was called upon to ratify the protocol before the end of 2007. The European parliament, whose powers were restricted to the assent procedure, played a prominent role. It considered the amendment as only a partial solu- tion and insisted that the issue of access to medicines in the context of a global strategy be addressed. After months of postponing the vote in committee, the battle of parliament versus the council and commission finally proved success- ful. First of all, this issue was considered to be purely bureaucratic but then it jumped to the top of political agenda. Secondly, the council and the commis- sion recognised that the amendment to the TRIPS agreement related to compulsory licences was only a part of the solution of the problem of access to medicines which, to be successful, needed to be combined with positive actions. Parliament has fought to adopt budgetary provisions related to the transfer of technologies and research to third countries in order to allow Gianluca Susta poor countries to become self sufficient. is a member of Parliament also received guarantees that the committee on the TRIPS Plus provisions would not international trade be included in the negotiation of future
60 PARLIAMENTMAGAZINE 26 November 2007 FSG-V-RNA Functional and Structural Genomics of Viral RNA www.fsgvrna.nmr.ru.nl
In the FSGVRNA STREP project tools and approaches are developed and improved to facilitate the generation of new knowledge in functional and structural genomics of viral RNAs.
(i) New methods and tools for the rapid and efficient structural analysis of RNA and RNA-protein complexes are developed
(ii) These optimized tools are applied to essential RNA elements vital for the function of HBV, HCV and HIV viruses
(iii) Complementary screening techniques and structure analysis of RNA- ligand complexes will be implemented to promote the identification of antiviral compounds targeting these RNA structures.
The biomedical importance of RNA as a research target is stressed by the fact that viral infections, such as by HBV, HCV and HIV, form major global public health problems. The outcomes of the project are expected to initiate the development of novel drugs that target viral RNA molecules and have thus strong implications for public health.
The consortium is strengthened by the involvement of an SME, which contributes by providing scaffolds for antiviral libraries. This SME may also function as a stakeholder to support the downstream application development towards RNA targeting drugs - even though this is beyond the scope of the current project.
The project involves multidisciplinary research made possible by integrating the research capacities of nine leading European laboratories*. The innovative tools developed are made available to other researchers throughout Europe and open the way for efficient analysis of a wide range of RNA-based processes extending far beyond analysis of viral RNAs.
* Partners:
Prof. dr. S.S. Wijmenga (coordinator, Nijmegen), Prof. dr. M. Sattler (Munchen), Prof. dr. M. Nassal (Freiburg), Prof. dr. F. Dardel (Paris), Prof. dr. V. Sklenar (Brno), Prof. S. Speller (Nijmegen), Dr. F. van Delft (Nijmegen), Dr. R. Blauw (Chiralix), Dr. K. Kidd-Ljunggren. Solving the life cycle of HIV
cquired immunodeficiency syndrome and potentially impair the progress of AIDS. (AIDS) has a major impact on human Biomolecular crystallography is the technique Ahealth with currently no efficient of choice to obtain 3-dimensional views of treatment that eradicates the human macromolecular complexes. Although the immunodeficiency virus (HIV), which is the method is very well developed, it requires cause of AIDS. While clinical research is of the crystallization of the molecules under major importance to continuously develop investigation, a process that can be very time novel therapeutic approaches to overcome consuming and highly dependent on the viral resistance, basic research at the cellular detailed composition of interaction partners. and molecular level is required to identify new targets to combat AIDS successfully. Thus, interplay between molecular biology, Investigating the viral life cycle and the biochemistry and structural biology is crucial interface between viral components and for such difficult projects to be successful. host cell proteins is thus a key step towards Schematic view of the Cyclin T1-Tat-Tar complex with the understanding the virus survival strategy. This collaboration started back in 1998 additional CDK9 component included. when Dr. Matthias Geyer was an EMBO biochemical analyses provide first insights The life cycle of HIV involves a number of postdoctoral fellow in the laboratory of Prof. into how they may interact. critical steps. One is excessive replication Matija Peterlin at the University of California of the viral genes. This process is required in San Francisco (UCSF), working on HIV, and Dr. Kanchan Anand has previously for the constant generation of new virus Dr. Klaus Scheffzek was structural biologist worked with Prof. Rolf Hilgenfeld (Lübeck, particles that will spread in the body of the at the Max Planck Institute for Medical Germany) and in her PhD thesis she solved infected host. Of particular importance Research, Heidelberg, working on cancer the structure of the SARS Coronavirus in doing so is the formation of a complex proteins. Drs. Geyer and Scheffzek have been main maturation protein, a structure between the viral protein Tat, its cognate collaborating previously on the structure that was eagerly awaited at the time viral nucleic acid component TAR and the and mechanism of small signaling proteins of the SARS epidemic in 2003. Being a cellular cofactor Cyclin T1. Together with at the MPI for medical research. Since then, passionate crystallographer with research another cellular enzyme called CDK9 this Dr. Scheffzek joined EMBL and Dr. Geyer interests in virology she decided to join complex activates the gene transcribing the Max Planck Institute for Molecular the collaboration between the groups machinery and hence the production of new Physiology, and the molecular biology and of Dr. Scheffzek and Dr. Geyer where she viral proteins. Knowing the details of the biochemical basis for the crystallographic already solved the structure of the Cyclin T1 interaction between these players would analysis of the complex and its components component of this ‘holy grail’ complex. Dr. certainly open the door to developing small began in a collaborative project. Structural Anand is a recipient of an EMBO Longterm molecules that may disrupt these interactions views of complex components along with and a Marie Curie fellowship.
Dr. Kanchan Anand Dr. Klaus Scheffzek Dr. Matthias Geyer INSIDEEU 63
MAGAZINE Children at an orphanage in Rwanda Kigali, PARLIAMENT
26 November 2007 The numbers remain startling. Sixty six percent of all These two women exemplify the critical dimensions of
health care providers and agricultural workers. HIV-positive women worldwide live in sub-Saharan Africa. Although Aids treatment programmes have expanded rapidly in Rwanda, and elsewhere in Africa, less than ten of per women cent living in low and middle-income nations antiretroviral receive treatment to prevent HIV transmission to their cannot we care increased with even yet And newbornchildren. win this war without stronger measures to stop the virus. the struggle of millions of African girls and women the out frontline on in the battle HIV/ against Aids Today, Aids. is undermining progress toward meeting the United Millennium Nations Development Goals – internationally upon agreed- targets to slash worldwide. In countries poverty and communities around and the world, raise Aids living devastates families and standards communities, reduces economic growth and deprives resource-limited countries of teachers, -
has just returned from Kigali,
of contracting HIV. She was tested and received few weeks ago, a young mother lost her lifeHIV/her to lost mother young a fewago, weeks leaving Aids, behind two children under the age of The mother was five. unaware that she had become became HIV-positive. She had no access to education information to or warn her about the risks
have have agreed to test an Aids vaccine based on the most preva lent HIV strain circulating in East Africa. Kigali, is Kigali, tirelessly taking blood samples from volunteers who A away, far Not life. her save to late too was it but drugs, to access a Mecthilde nurse Mukankuku, at a clinical research centre in which give hope for the future effects of HIV/Aids, effects and of vaccine HIV/Aids, trials Rwanda where she saw the devastating Zita Gurmai Fighting back WORLD AIDS DAY | Rwanda
“Although Aids treatment programmes have expanded rapidly in Rwanda, and elsewhere in Africa, less than ten per cent of women living in low and middle-income nations receive antiretroviral treatment to prevent HIV transmission to their newborn children”
For each person who goes on anti-retroviral drugs another Women need a range of prevention options that they can ten people are becoming infected. For women, poverty, eco- initiate and control to protect themselves and their loved-ones. nomic dependence and lack of power to negotiate health and In addition to existing methods (such as the female condom), sexual matters fuel the spread of the pandemic. vaccines, microbicides, and cervical barriers all represent I was fortunate to meet Dr. Agnes Binagwaho in Kigali, important potential tools. An effective vaccine would offer the Executive Secretary of Rwanda’s National Commission women the possibility of a long-term method that could be to Fight Aids. She told me that “the international community used with or without their partner’s knowledge. needs to focus on mid-and long-term solutions to fight HIV/ Greater effort is urgently needed if we are to develop a safe Aids. Cooperation between communities is critical, both in and effective Aids vaccine. We must expand research facilities the North and South. We have a common interest; that of and ensure we build capacity for research in Rwanda and other saving lives.” Her words touched me deeply. I do think that African nations. Rwanda has a state-of-the-art laboratory in this fast-changing world, we should take our responsibili- and clinic for epidemiology and vaccine research, as well as ties seriously. new community centres that can provide screening for HIV, Working with international partners, including Project sexually transmitted infections, and pregnancy. Other nations San Francisco and the International Aids Vaccine Initiative need to acquire more of these facilities. Also, the international (IAVI), Rwanda recently completed its first Aids vaccine community must invest in people power. “Investing in people trial. The national scientists and the ordinary women and in Africa is urgently needed to stop the brain-drain and give men who volunteered for the trial, are proud to be contribut- countries the opportunity to take ownership of their future,” ing to the search for a solution to the Aids crisis. An Aids argues Binagwaho. We need to educate and train the next vaccine would be a critically important tool for women and generation of scientists, health care specialists and nurses in girls worldwide. Binagwaho told me that women in particular Africa and other resource-poor nations. are vulnerable to becoming infected with HIV. “The burden A vaccine against Aids remains the best hope of ultimately Zita Gurmai is women face is threefold: not only are women biologically saving millions of lives and ending one of the greatest health vice chair of the more susceptible to contracting HIV, they are often not able crises of our time. Therefore, we must commit to harness the committee on to negotiate with men in order to protect themselves against world’s vast scientific talent and financial resources in order to women’s rights and infection; and once infected, women have limited economic speed its development and make our vision of a world with gender equality means to access healthcare.” HIV/ Aids a reality.
64 PARLIAMENTMAGAZINE 26 November 2007 AIDS Vaccine Integrated project (AVIP): a Consortium funded by the FP-6 EU Program
Coordinator: Barbara Ensoli, National AIDS Center, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome (Italy)
The AVIP project is carried out by a Consortium - composed of 16 research centers and 3 Small and Medium Enterprises from 8 Countries (Finland, France, Germany, Italy, South Africa, Swaziland, Sweden, United Kingdom) – which comprehends worldwide acknowledged experts in the field of HIV research.
The original concept of AVIP is that HIV vaccines based on viral structural products alone have failed to prevent infection by HIV/SIV. More recently, vaccines based on gene products that possess the activity to regulate HIV replication and are expressed very early after the infection, have been shown to contain virus replication and to prevent disease onset. A vac- cine combining both regulatory and structural viral proteins (combined vaccine) is likely to be superior to vaccines that include either a structural or a regulatory protein. In fact, such a combined vaccine should induce immune responses target- ing both early and late viral products.
Major AVIP objectives are: 1. To develop 4 vaccines combined with structural and regulatory proteins, to evaluate their immunogenic- ity and efficacy in animal models (mice and monkeys) and to start clinical trials in EU on both HIV-infected and uninfected individuals for evaluation of their safety (phase I trials). 2. To perform studies in Developing Countries to evalu- ate the feasibility of advanced clinical testing of the AVIP developed vaccines. 3. To carry out training of laboratory and clinical per- sonnell in Developing Countries, transfer technology and build up the capacity of selected sites in these countries, in preparation for future advanced (phase II/III) clinical trials. 4. To ensure community involvement both in EU coun- tries and DC
Preclinical studies of safety, immunogenicity and efficacy have been concluded for the 4 vaccines. Vaccines have entered or are entering phase I studies in 5 European countries (Finland, Germany, Italy, Sweden, United Kingdom ). At the same time, feasibility (epidemiological, virological and immunological) stud- ies are being carried out in South Africa and Swaziland and are in an advanced state. An AVIP International School has been set- tled and it is fully active at implementing the training program.
Contact Person: Barbara Ensoli, Director, National AIDS Center, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, C.A.P. 00161 Rome (Italy) Tel: +39 06 49906071; Fax: +39 06 49903002; email: [email protected] WORLD AIDS DAY | Stop AIDS Alliance Keeping the promise World Aids day provides civil society with an opportunity to urge governments and international institutions to live up to their promises on tackling HIV and Aids, says Martijn Pakker
very year on 1 December, events are organised The EU’s response to the pandemic – in particular in around the world to commemorate world Aids development – comprises of many financing instruments, day. People, communities and organisations come commitments and initiatives. In the context of the Paris decla- together to raise awareness about the epidemic and ration on aid effectiveness, which will be reviewed in 2008, the voice global solidarity with people living with and EU strives for a better coordination and a division of labour affected by HIV and Aids. between the EU and its member states. During the review in EHowever, World Aids day is not just about raising awareness. Accra next year, health has been identified as a tracer sector on It also provides civil society with an opportunity to urge govern- aid effectiveness. ments and international institutions to live up to their promises The response to HIV and Aids in development will cer- and commitments on HIV and Aids. This year’s world Aids day tainly be identified as a key indicator during this process, will focus on leadership, and the theme set by the world Aids and appropriate awareness and action will be needed to keep campaign is ‘stop Aids, keep the promise’. these high on the agenda – both as a health indicator but also Currently, over 33 million people are already living with HIV. in terms of its devastating effects on other aspects of society, In many countries, infection levels are still rising. The highly stig- economic growth and stability. It is also in this context that matised nature of HIV and Aids, alongside the highly stigmatised we must address the financing instrument of general budget behaviours associated with it, present particularly powerful barri- support and HIV/Aids mainstreaming: while the exceptional- ers to achieving the United Nations target of universal access to ity of the pandemic requires a strengthening of health systems HIV prevention, treatment and care for all by 2010. sector-wide (which can be achieved through budget support), Community-based organisations play a vital role in the it also needs programmatic support and disease-specific inter- response to HIV and Aids by delivering services to, and ventions due to its cross cutting nature. At the moment, we meeting the specific needs of, vulnerable and marginalised run the risk of over-mainstreaming, which results in little or groups. Therefore, continued direct support by the EU and its no interventions specifically geared at responding adequately member states to community-based organisations and HIV to HIV and Aids. and Aids programmes specifically addressing the needs of such In order to make sure that, through the division of labour, groups, are key to an effective EU response to the pandemic. the HIV and Aids financing gap is addressed in each partner Besides directly affecting many people’s lives, HIV and Aids country, the EU has proposed a programme for action, which has become a broader issue than health alone. The high infec- is a joint programme between the EU and its member states tion and mortality rates, in particular in developing countries, that now needs to be implemented in a coordinated way. Next also affect a country’s economic growth, political stability and, year, the EU will present a comprehensive progress report as stigma and discrimination continue to isolate those living on the implementation of the programme for action. It is with HIV, promotion of human rights. absolutely key that civil society will get the opportunity to
66 PARLIAMENTMAGAZINE 26 November 2007 INSIDEEU 67
MAGAZINE Martijn Pakker is EU policy advisor AIDS for Stop Alliance PARLIAMENT
26 November 2007 By designating leadership as the world Aids day theme for world. world. It is up to today’s leaders to create the and political demonstrate will to adequately respond to HIV and Aids in development issues. 2007 – civil 2008, society and the HIV and Aids community can highlight and encourage the political and social leadership needed to fulfil commitments that have been particularlyresponse to the epidemic, the promise of universal made in the leadership the celebrate to important also is it However, access. that has been witnessed over the past years and to encourage leaders from all levels and sectors of society around the globe to voice their support for the response to HIV and Aids. “The highly stigmatised nature of Aids HIV and - prevention, treatment and prevention, care for all by 2010” presents particularly barriers powerful to achieving the United of Nations universal target access to HIV It is also imperative that parliamentarians recognise the an appropriate response to the pandemic – in any part of the but from the general public as But well. it is up to the leaders to use their influence and raise the awareness and demand for condition condition which needs a lifelong This commitment. commit makers, policy and from decision come to only not needs ment communities, communities, economies and governments. It is a lifelong indiscriminate in that it may race, gender, values or affect political views. anyone, It tears regardless apart families, of exceptionality of the pandemic. HIV and Aids remains evidence- based information from the field. contribute to as that, they are well placed and able to provide EU-INDIA SUMMIT Moving beyond business Europe and India may be inching closer n paper, it would appear the world’s two largest together politically and economically, but democracies – India and the EU – share similar views on dealing with key global affairs. Yet they differences remain. Filipe Rufino reports disagree on fundamental issues such as how to tackle global warming and uphold human rights. At the upcoming EU-India summit, Olittle progress is expected on these matters. “We are talking (with the Indians) and we will need to continue talking over these issues,” Portuguese presidency spokesman Manuel de Carvalho told the Parliament Magazine. Meeting in Delhi on 30 November, the Portuguese prime minister and current EU president José Sócrates and the Indian prime minister Manmohan Singh are set to discuss climate change, nuclear proliferation, the fight against terrorism, the Doha trade round and a host of other issues together with the European commission’s president José Manuel Barroso and the council’s special representative Javier Solana. The talks will shy away from details and no concrete proposals are in the pipeline on the European side, diplomatic sources say. The annual EU-India summit, now in its eighth edition, is of particular significance to the Portuguese, who hosted the first in Lisbon in 2000. The Portuguese government sees the event as proof of a “maturing” relationship that is on its way out of an exploratory stage, Carvalho says. The EU has reenergised its engagement with India, launching an action plan to upgrade its strategic partnership in 2005 and joining the South Asian asso- ciation for regional cooperation a year later, Lisbon says. But critics say the political dialogue with the emerg- Manmohan Singh ing power is progressing at a snail’s pace. MEP Neena Gill, (above), José chair of parliament’s delegation for relations with India, told Socrates (right) Parliament Magazine that the summit was “largely ceremonial”
68 PARLIAMENTMAGAZINE 26 November 2007 INSIDE (Below and right) India independence day, Mumbai EU
and “a missed opportunity”. “There is a need to develop the partnership further at a political level,” she said. Closer cooperation between Europe and India is attainable and could have an effect on the climate change debate and regional security, observers say. As the head of the European commission’s delegation to India put it in a June speech: “India is a key player that must increase (its) international responsi- bilities”. MEP Charles Tannock, who chairs the Friends of India group in the European parliament, argues India could potentially become the EU’s key ally in the region in its dealings with problematic regimes such as Pakistan and Myanmar. India should be the focal point of European efforts to “Perhaps the most urgent challenge would be getting India, engage South Asia, as it is the only which depends on coal to produce half of its electricity, on democracy (apart from Sri Lanka) in the region, he says. “India, as a democ- the same page as the EU in the post-Kyoto debate ahead racy and a regional superpower, is key of the Bali summit in December” to stabilising the region”, he told the Parliament Magazine. Perhaps the most urgent challenge would be getting India, India is the EU’s tenth largest trade partner, and the EU is which depends on coal to produce half of its electricity, on the its fourth. The annual trade, currently valued at €45 billion has same page as the EU in the post-Kyoto debate ahead of the increased ten-fold in the last 20 years. EU exports into India Bali summit in December. Earlier this month, The United are rising by 13 per cent a year since 2002, thanks to a growth Nations’ international panel on climate change presented in demand for exports from India’s fast-expanding middle class. the most comprehensive synthesis of global warming science The trade boom has magnified disputes over tariff and non-tariff to date, warning the window of opportunity to curb green- barriers, the most recent of which taking place in the summer at house gases emissions to avoid a environmental catastrophe the WTO over Indian duties on European wine and spirits. is becoming narrower. Despite lobbying hard for mandatory The two parties started free trade negotiations in June, aiming greenhouse cuts and imposing its own targets earlier this year, to phase out of 90 per cent of tariffs on goods by the middle of the EU has yet to persuade the world’s biggest greenhouse gas the next decade. The resulting free trade area, encompassing a emmitters to cut emissions. combined population that would surpass China’s, would also cover services and investment. Yet India’s human rights record, stained with reported abuses in Cashmere, widespread child labour and the discrimination under the caste system have raised objections from the European commission and member states. Another source of dynamism is India’s corporate sector’s new- found assertiveness versus Europe and the USA. Indian steel maker Mittal’s hostile takeover of Europe’s Arcelor made head- lines all over the world, and Indian enterprises are set to follow the trend. A report by the associated chambers of commerce and industry of India and the European institute for Asian studies released earlier this month warns Indian firms plan to buy about 400 corporations in the EU and US during the next decade. The acquisitions will take place in the steel, auto components, pharmaceuticals and chemicals sectors, the report says.
26 November 2007 PARLIAMENTMAGAZINE 69 EU-INDIA SUMMIT Reaping the benefits The forthcoming EU-India summit should set ambitious goals that will benefit the world’s two largest democracies, says Neena Gill
s the world´s two largest democracies, India and the a global partner on geopolitical matters, India sees the EU EU possess a natural partnership. Now perched on primarily as a trade partner. Therefore there is a discrepancy the eve of the eighth EU-India summit, it is time in the way the two partners view each other and how they to evaluate the direction for EU-India relations and will deliver on the same agenda. determine how to harness further cooperation. As a result of the increasing importance of India as a Holding annual summits since 2000 and con- global player, the European parliament has set up a delega- Atinuing to strengthen the relationship by signing the EU-India tion specifically for India in April 2007. However, the Indian strategic partnership in 2004, the India-EU relationship is parliament does not have a tradition of similar structures, heading down a path for robust growth. In support of the therefore strategic dialogue between parliamentarians has yet strategic partnership, the joint action plan of 2005 expanded to materialise. A key ambition within the agreement is political areas for cooperation beyond trade and investment to include dialogue. Therefore it is imperative that the summit addresses security, migration, science and technology, environment, how this is to be achieved in order to fulfil the objectives of human rights, and culture. the partnership. Major recent achievements in EU-India relations include The summit should set up a clear roadmap on how parlia- a common commitment to tackle climate change through mentary dialogue should progress and give due consideration the establishment of the EU-India energy panel. The science to a pre-summit assembly of the two parliaments as proposed and technology coop- by president Hans-Gert eration agreement “The medium term vision should be to establish Pöttering. This would was renewed this year be the first step but the effective from 2008-13 an ongoing EU-India parliamentary assembly that medium term vision and provides for new included representatives from the state assemblies” should be to establish an areas of cooperation in ongoing EU-India par- research and develop- liamentary assembly that ment. Additionally, negotiations have been launched for the included representatives from the state assemblies. Only by signing of a bilateral free trade agreement which will improve setting ambitious goals can the two largest democracies exploit the arena for trade and investment. Given these positive natural synergies for deeper cooperation. moves, how can we make the most of this progress and what Seven years on from the first ever EU-India summit, there should be addressed at the 2007 EU-India summit? is a need to review established structures and build on the The focus of the EU-India partnership to date has been most effective dialogue and redirect any lagging areas. The largely on trade and business. Whilst ambitions of the strate- question that needs to be addressed is what is the best way to gic partnership agreement go beyond this, India’s is currently optimise the relationship? One channel of dialogue is through principally focused on a bilateral free trade agreement with the European economic and social committee (EESC), and the EU. What is obvious is whereas the EU views India as its interlocutors on the Indian side who are Delhi’s ex-civil
70 PARLIAMENTMAGAZINE 26 November 2007 INSIDEEU 71
MAGAZINE Neena Gill is chair of the delegation for relations with India - - PARLIAMENT
26 November 2007 Both sides need to recognise that each partner may get Clearly India is in vogue with member The states. train of link the consequence is that the value of the EU-India strate gic agreement is Clearlydiminished. the summit would be of greater value if it could address this particular issue. and technology centre in Delhi, which would be a one stop shop shop stop one a be would which Delhi, in centre technology and practices exchange to and for find partners, academics business India. and EU in both knowledge, transfer and distracted. EU industry is investing three times as much into China as it is into and India, India is being courted by major global players including US be to need commitment meaningful a for clear signals and summit, Japan. Therefore at demograph current are this regions both for crucial Whatis made. workforce young a has India ageing, is Europe whilst trends: ic Europe so dividend, demographic a producing be soon will and may be able to attract workers in the future. ministers and chancellors heading to India However, development. welcome a are Merkel recentlyAngela including most given that each one is trying to strengthen its own bilateral - - parliament’s initiative to to initiative parliament’s progress on the setting up of an EU business
Recognising Recognising that regular dialogue is also crucial to keeping Given the regional structure of Indian democracy, an Indian PM Manmohan Singh talks with Germany’sAngela Merkel, 30 October dialogue and visible outcomes and therefore I am pleased about about pleased am I therefore and outcomes visible and dialogue from both sides. It is apparent to me there is a gap between the two sides linked, action and concrete results of the dialogue dialogue of the results concrete and action linked, sides two the will need to in be to order championed commitment maintain the EU has 27 member states, the this EU could has be 27 a member means states, of ensur ing greater regional cooperation and understanding. links between India’s union states and possibly the representa links between India’s and states 28 has India As regions. of committee fromthe tives improvement improvement to strategic dialogue could be to establish better participants are confined to a small Delhi elite? structures. Moreover, does structures. Moreover, this dialogue achieve the objective of greater visibility and understanding of the EU if the Indian review whether the EESC has sufficient clout within the EU servants and civil society. It is maybe appropriate now to Halting the spread: prevention of Mother-to-Child HIV-1 transmission
Mother-to-Child transmission (MTCT) is the largest cause of HIV-1 infections in children. At least 0.5 million children were newly infec- ted with HIV in 2006 alone1. In the absence of preventive intervention, HIV-1 transmission rates from Mother-to- Child are between 25-40%; although MTCT can occur during pregnancy («in utero»), labour or via breast milk, the majority of the transmission occurs at birth and through breast-feeding. The relatively low transmis- sion rate in utero is primarily due to the protective role of the placenta. The placenta is known to be an efficient barrier to HIV-1 and other infections, but its exact mechanism of protection is still unclear.
Certain cell types, in particular cells of the immune system, are favoured targets of HIV- 1, while other cell types are less easily infec- ted, or resistant to infection. Trophoblast cells constitute the main cellular component of A.L. Ross - Institut Pasteur Copyright: the human placenta. These cells are naturally Left panel: Double layer of human placental trophoblast cells resistant to HIV infection. Centre: HIV particle. Right panel: HIV particles budding from an infected cell of the immune system. resistant to cell-free HIV-1 infection, even in the presence of the principal membrane receptors involved in HIV-1 entry2 suggesting that this cell type possesses a restriction mechanism which protects against HIV-1 infection. The European Commission Marie Curie pro- ject in our lab aims to shed light on the res- triction of HIV-1 in the placenta by studying the fate of HIV in the trophoblast cells. Initial results show that viral entry into the tro- Copyright: C. SoubertCopyright: - Institut Pasteur phoblast cells is not restricted. It is possible HIV-1 MTCT Group - Regulation of Retroviral Infections Unit Institut Pasteur, Paris that once inside the placental cells, the virus C. Cannou, M-T. Nugeyre, R. Marlin is recognised by host cell components which E. Menu, A.L. Ross, F. Barré-Sinoussi interfere with the HIV-1 replication cycle. Fellow: The elucidation of the molecular mechanisms Dr Anna Laura Ross Regulation of Retroviral Infections Unit underlying the restriction of infection in pla- ([email protected]) Department of Virology cental cells will be a key step in understanding Institut Pasteur the delicate balance between HIV-1 and host Group Leader: 25 rue du Docteur Roux cells and may contribute to the development Dr Elisabeth Menu 75724 Paris Cedex 15 of novel therapeutic strategies. ([email protected]) France
Head of Unit: Website: (Footnotes) Prof Françoise Barré-Sinoussi www.pasteur.fr 1 2006 Report on the Global Aids Epidemic, UNAIDS, 2006 2 Dolcini et al. (2003), AIDS Res Hum Retrov. 19 (10):857-64 ([email protected]) INSIDE EU
A Soviet missile test in Saryozek, 200 km north west of Alma Ata, The long road Kazakhstan, 1988 to recovery In the first of a two-part series, Struan Stevenson examines the human cost of Soviet nuclear tests on a devastated Kazakh community
he road from Semey to Ust Kamenogorsk in East It was my eighth mission to this desolate part of Kazakhstan is over 200 kilometres long. It has recently central Asia known as the Polygon. I was accompanied by been upgraded and is hailed as an example of how the Hollywood actress and photographer Kimberley Joseph Kazakh government is pouring some of its oil wealth – star of Lost and Cold Feet – who was here for her third into re-developing the country’s infrastructure. In fact visit, together with my usual team of advisers and interpret- the narrow, two-lane road is bumpy and uneven, as we ers – Dr Kamila Magzieva and Elena Kachkova. It was here Tdiscovered in late October as we thundered across the empty in the Polygon, between 1949 and 1990, that the Soviets Kazakh steppe in a Nissan 4x4, sometimes hitting speeds of over exploded more than 600 atomic weapons, subjecting the 100mph, on roads black with ice. We were speeding towards the local 1.5 million farmers and villagers to the equivalent of airport to catch our flight back to Almaty. 20,000 Hiroshima bombs.
26 November 2007 PARLIAMENTMAGAZINE 73 KAZAKHSTAN
Cynically, the military scien- tists would wait until the wind was blowing in the direction of the remote Kazakh villages before detonating their nuclear devices. KGB doctors would then closely study the effects of nuclear radiation on their own population, used as human guinea pigs. The legacy of these horrific experiments is every- where to see. Seepage from the underground tests has pol- luted watercourses and streams. Farmland has been heavily irradi- ated. Radioactive contamination has entered the food chain. Almost everyone in the Polygon is ill. Cancers run at five times the national average. “Suicides are widespread. In 2004, we visited a remote village Birth defects are three times the and were told that 14 children had committed suicide that year, national average. Babies and farm animals are born with terrible including an eleven year-old boy and a twelve year-old girl” deformities. Children are men- tally retarded and Downs Syndrome is common. Virtually all radiation. The other $25,000 I gave to the Asia Credit Fund, children suffer from anaemia. Many of the young men are a micro-loans agency which gives small loans to local Kazakhs impotent. Many young women are afraid to become pregnant to help create jobs and income in this impoverished area where in case they give birth to defective babies. Psychological disor- there is little to attract inward investment. ders are rife. Suicides are widespread. Average life expectancy is Encouraged by the success of my essay I went on to write only 52 years. In 2004, we visited the remote village of Karaul a book ‘Crying Forever – A Nuclear Diary’, illustrated with and were told that 14 children had committed suicide that year, photos taken by Kimberley Joseph. We launched the book in including an eleven year-old boy and a twelve year-old girl. the UN headquarters in New York in April 2005, simultane- In Kainar, another village we visited in 2004, we wandered ously auctioning some of Kimberley’s photos. So far we have through the vast graveyard which is bigger than the village raised over $30,000 from the book and the photos. Last year itself. Most of the elaborate tombs carry pictures of the we presented a cheque for $20,000 to the Children’s Hospital deceased and we were astonished to see how many young faces in Semey and last week we handed over a further $10,000 to were staring out at us, silent witnesses to a holocaust that has the doctor and her small team who run a brilliant clinic in gone largely unnoticed in the West. On one grave there was one of the most isolated villages in the centre of the nuclear a picture of an attractive Kazakh girl. Her name was Orazken testing zone – Sarzhal. Malkarbay and her age was given as twenty. Beneath her The medical team from the clinic in Sarzhal had travelled smiling picture her father had inscribed in the cold stone “She for five hours across the steppe to be with us at a special cer- did not reach her 21st Spring and left us suddenly. Crying emony in the Abay Library in Semey, one of the largest cities Forever. Her Father.” ‘Suddenly’ is a well-known Kazakh in East Kazakhstan. When the time came for Kimberley and I euphemism for suicide. to take the stage and hand over the $10,000 cheque, the village It was this moving tribute to a lost daughter, a victim of doctor hugged and kissed us and tears coursed down her the Cold War, which inspired the title of first an essay and cheeks. To this doctor, the $10,000 was a lifeline with which then a book. My essay won an international prize of $50,000 she can re-equip her clinic. I explained to her that there was from the US-based Templeton Foundation. I gave $25,000 to also a symbolic side to this donation. It was a way of showing Struan Stevenson the Oncology Hospital in Semey, where a dedicated team of the people of Sarzhal and indeed the people of the Polygon is vice-chair of the young doctors and nurses struggle to cope with the hundreds that they have not been forgotten. Part two will appear in the EPP-ED Group of people affected by cancer as a direct result of exposure to next edition of Parliament Magazine.
74 PARLIAMENTMAGAZINE 26 November 2007 The Environmental and Socio-economic Contribution of Palm Geotextiles to Sustainable Development and Soil Conservation
Introduction Geotextiles are materials which simulate vegetation and thus protect the soil from soil erosion. Soil erosion is a tremendous global problem. We can construct geotextiles from artificial materials (e.g. plastics) or biogeotextiles can be produced from plant fibres, such as palm-leaves. Palm-leaf geotextiles offer considerable potential to contribute to global sustainable development and soil conservation.
Field and laboratory studies suggest • Field experiments are complemented biogeotextile mats constructed from by validating them against simulated palm leaves are an effective, sustainable experiments in controlled laboratory Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II discussing and economically viable soil conservation conditions. the BORASSUS Project with Dr Benediktas technique. The three-year (2005-08) EU- • The BORASSUS Project aims at increasing Jankauskas at Vilnius City Hall, May 2006 funded BORASSUS Research Project (Contract food security through the development number INCO-CT-2005-510745) is evaluating of appropriate new technologies. their long-term effectiveness in controlling • Synthetic geotextiles dominate the soil erosion and assessing their sustainability market, but natural biogeotextiles are and economic viability in 10 countries in more environmentally-friendly, because Europe (Belgium, Hungary, Lithuania and of their absolute biodegradability. the U.K.), Africa (The Gambia and South Africa), South-East Asia (China, Thailand and To date, the main findings of the BORASSUS Vietnam) and South America (Brazil). Project are:
Project Development • Biogeotextile mats can decrease The BORASSUS Project was developed from soil erosion rates by over 95%. This the initial work of a Ph.D. student, Kathy conclusion is supported both by field Davies. Waffle-like mats are made from and laboratory experiments. The BORASSUS Family palm leaves and are pinned to the ground • Biogeotextile mats can be constructed to prevent soil erosion. Her research on at an economically viable price of geotextile mats made from the leaves of the €0.35-0.60 per square metre, which is palm tree Borassus aethiopium sourced from comparable in price to other geotextiles The Gambia, West Africa, proved successful • Biogeotextiles can create a stable, non- in field experiments in Shropshire, UK. The eroding environment that provides BORASSUS Project is verifying the findings of the time necessary for vegetation to Dr Kathy Davies in diverse geophysical and establish and grow. agroclimatic situations around the world.
Progress to date Here is a summary of the main features the Training on geotextile mat production BORASSUS Project: technique in South Africa For further information on the • The BORASSUS Project is at the BORASSUS Project, please visit interface between soil technology and our web site: socio-economic issues (sustainable www.borassus-project.net development, poverty alleviation and rural employment). Contact: • Palm mats are effective in soil erosion Professor Michael A. Fullen, control on, for instance, building and School of Applied Sciences, road construction sites and coastal The University of Wolverhampton, defence. Wolverhampton. WV1 1SB, UK. • Quantification is in progress in Tel. 00 44 1902 322410, evaluating the effectiveness of palm- E-mail: [email protected] mat geotextiles in reducing erosion, Geotextile mats production is flourishing as a both by water and wind, through field cottage industry in many countries (evidence measurements. from Vietnam)