French go Dutch in Lyon

In early September the Dutch Top Chemistry sector was the guest of the French ‘pôle de compétitivité’ Axelera in Lyon. Axelera is a French innovation cluster for companies and knowledge institutes in the field of sustainable chemistry. This first example of Axelera's ‘International Thursday’ event welcomed representatives from the Netherlands and Belgium with a particular interest in the biobased economy. The meeting was facilitated by the SusChem national platforms in France and the Netherlands and held at the prestigious Hôtel de Région Rhône-Alpes Confluences on 6 September.

The event was introduced by Jean-Jack Queyranne, President of the Rhône-Alpes region, while Jean-Louis Gagnaire, Vice President of Economic Development, Industry and SMEs, concluded the plenary session focusing on the anticipated role of the Axelera cluster in the creation of economic value, especially for SMEs.

The Netherlands chemistry sector was represented by Janneke Carpenter from the Dutch government and co-secretary of the Dutch ‘Chemistry Top Sector’ team. She presented the Dutch top sector policy, the top sector chemistry and in particular the country’s ambitions for the Biobased Economy.

SusChem management team member Nelo Emerencia from VNCI is the other co-secretary of the Dutch top team chemistry and he presented the vision from the chemical industry viewpoint.

Jean-Marie Bassett, business development manager at TNO presented on sustainable process and Green Chemistry activities, while Andreas ten Cate of the Institute for Sustainable Process Technology (ISPT) presented the work of this public-private research institute whose activities are closely linked to those of Axelera.

Research centre
Prior to the presentation the Dutch team visited to the joint CNRS/ Rhodia research centre where they saw work on innovation in the fields of process and material technology.

The cluster Axelera focuses on eight markets and presented its current interests in areas such as Clean Processes, Water, Air, Soils and Agri-Agro, Sustainable Buildings, Bio-Resources, Materials, Recycling and Waste, Transportation, Renewable Energies, and Electronics.

A speed dating session worked very smoothly and helped to establish some useful individual contacts.

Both sides hope that this initial ‘International Thursday’ event will lead to the beginning of more intense regular collaboration between France and the Netherlands on sustainable chemistry activities.

EC consults on European Research Environment

Yesterday (13 September) the European Commission launched a wide scale public consultation on the state of the EU’s research environment and ideas to improve it. The consultation was launched by European Commissioner for Research and Innovation Máire Geoghegan-Quinn at the European Research Area Committee’s (ERAC) Stakeholder Seminar at the Berlaymont building in Brussels.

The Commissioner’s goal is to achieve the European Research Area (ERA) by 2014, creating a genuine single market for knowledge, research and innovation. This will enable researchers, research institutions and businesses to circulate, compete, and co-operate across borders, increasing growth potential. The consultation will allow the scientific community and other interested groups and individuals to contribute to this process by helping redefine the research landscape in Europe.

At the launch Commissioner Máire Geoghegan-Quinn (pictured below, right with Robert-Jan Smits, Director General of DG Research and Innovation at the ERAC meeting) said: "The need to boost Europe's economy means that we have to get the very best out of our research. It is unacceptable that it is often more attractive and easier for our top scientists to cross the Atlantic than to move across the EU. We want the research community to tell us what they need, so we can work together to tear down barriers to growth and jobs."


“We have excellent researchers in Europe. I am determined to give them the research area that they deserve, so that they can drive Europe's economic recovery,” she concluded.

Open consultation
The consultation is open now and will run until 30 November 2011. Some of the questions the European Commission wants to tackle include:

• Are researchers looking for new opportunities, but finding themselves locked behind national borders?
• Are scientists in need of new research infrastructures to perform and test ideas?
• Does the research community need more opportunities to share views, realise new projects and create new products and services?

The Commission will draw on input received on these and many other questions to finalise its proposal for an enhanced ERA Framework, to be published before the end of 2012. The Framework will optimise the coordination of research funding across Member State borders, improving the efficiency and the impact of European research.

The European Commission has identified the ERA as a prerequisite for a new era of innovation and competitiveness in Europe, with the best brains working together so the European Union becomes an "Innovation Union".

All those interested in European research and innovation should participate in the consultation which can be found here.

What is ERA?
The ERA concept was proposed in January 2000 by the European Commission in its communication "Towards a European Research Area" (COM(2000)6), and launched at the Lisbon European Council in March 2000. It was given new impetus in 2007 with the European Commission's Green Paper on ERA (COM(2007)161).

Commissioner Quinn is now determined that it will become a reality. You can read the full text of the Commissioner’s speech at the ERAC seminar here.

ERAC is a strategic policy advisory body that assists the European Commission and the Council of the European Union in matters relating to research and technological development.