Brokerage event presentations online

Following the very successful Brokerage event on 14 September the SusChem Brokerage Database is being populated with the presentations made on the day. This valuable resource is open to all SusChem stakeholders and registration for access is quick and simple.

All presentations on proposals for potential projects made in the morning session and the Expressions of Interest (EOIs) outlined in the afternoon will be included.

Key tool for you
The brokerage database is a key tool for you to find projects and partners. To be able to utilise the brokerage database you need to register via a simple access form. This can be found here.


A screenshot of the access form is above. The form is easy to complete, but needs input in all areas. In particular if the following fields are not completed: ‘Name’, ‘Organisation’, and ‘Country’ your profile will not be visible in the profile directory and this will limit your use of the database.

If you have any specific requirements re brokerage or other database queries, please do not hesitate to contact the SusChem secretariat. And in any case if you have comments and experience you can share that could improve our Brokerage service, please let us know: IT IS THERE FOR YOU!

Last but not least, we hope to see you all at the Brokerage Event 2012!

ChemWater plans strategy for sustainable water

Improving efficiency in water use is essential to avoid the potential impact of climate change and other factors on water resources in Europe. The new ChemWater FP7 project will help to address these issues by linking the process industry and water industry.

ChemWater launched earlier in the summer and is a coordination and support action project under FP7 that will last 30 months and involves 11 partners. Its essential aim is to link process industry and water industry know-how to develop sustainable water resources.

The 11 international partners are drawn from the scientific, industrial and water utility communities and will develop a long-term strategy for sustainable industrial use of water in close coordination with existing initiatives and projects. A special focus will be the exploitation of the technological potentials in the fields of nanotechnology, materials and process innovation.

Sustainable solutions
“In developing sustainable solutions for water issues the process industry, especially chemistry, can play an essential role: both as a major water user and a key innovation provider for the development of future water technologies.” says Dr. Thomas Track of project coordinators DECHEMA. A core rationale behind the project is to highlight the role of the European Chemical and related process industries as solution providers within the context of the complex challenges of industrial and urban water management. The project aims to coordinate EU strategies across and beyond existing technology platforms, including SusChem, to integrate and exploit new findings.

“This role emphasises a transformation in perspective which values "chemistry for water" alongside the more traditional notion of "water for chemistry",” explains Thomas. “Such a perspective allows the project to extend its reach and impact beyond the chemical sector itself to key strategic European process industry sectors such as mining, industrial biotechnology, health, food, electronic, pulp and paper, and energy.”

Roadmap for a Water Efficient Europe
Relevant European Technology Platforms active in these sectors will be involved to allow the identification of cross-industry synergies, build a roadmap for technologies and process development requirements and construct an action plan. At the same time, concepts for the rapid commercialization of innovations will be formulated.

ChemWater can provide significant support for the proposed European Innovation Partnership (EIP): "Water Efficient Europe". This will be discussed in a ChemWater workshop to be organised in early 2012. The project will also have synergies with the proposed Sustainable Process Industry through Resource and Energy Efficiency (SPIRE) PPP.

Obviously the issue of sustainable water resources is a global issue. And ChemWater will be looking to work with existing EU international networks and cooperation actions to disseminate its findings across the World.

More information at the ChemWater website.

Brokerage breaks records, sets standards

The SusChem Brokerage 2011 event today (September 14) saw a record number of registrations as delegates presented their research ideas and started to build the basis for consortia to bid for the latest SusChem relevant FP7 calls. In addition to this invaluable networking, delegates learnt about the importance of incorporating standardisation issues into their project proposals – a vital element for market entry.

The opening plenary session at the Hotel Silken Berlaymont in Brussels was literally standing room only as Ger Spork, SusChem coordinator at Cefic (below left) and Ron Weerdmeester of PNO Consultants (below) described SusChem objectives for the day and took participants through the programme.


Following a presentation on integrating standards into project proposals from Ségolène Martin of CEN-CENELEC (see more below) a dozen prospective project proposals were presented in rapid-fire succession before lunch.

After lunch Ron Weerdmeester demonstrated the SusChem brokerage database – an online tool open to all SusChem stakeholder on request – that promises to be a valuable addition to project formulation and consortium building. This was followed by a series of presentations outlining expressions of interest or available expertise from a variety of research organisations.

Before the final wrap up session an hour of ‘speed dating’ and pre-consortium meetings was facilitating with 80 one-to-one meetings arranged prior to the day and many more set up on the day. A poster session was available through out the day.

“The day was a great success,” commented Ron Weerdmeester of PNO. “With so much interest we knew that a ‘military-style’ operation was needed and it all went very well. We look forward to a seeing some great ‘SusChem inspired’ FP7 projects emerging from today’s work.”

Standardisation – a vital market issue
The CEN-CENELEC Management Centre in Brussels was established in 2010 and coordinates the activities of the two EU-funded standards bodies: CEN (the European Committee for Standardisation) and CENELEC (the European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardisation). Both bodies coordinate the relevant National Standards authorities from 31 European countries.

Ségolène Martin (right) from the Management Centre described the importance of including work on standards into project proposals. Many FP7 calls explicitly include a reference to work on standardisation as a key deliverable, but all research projects should consider including work packages in this area.

Early consideration of standardisation issues can yield benefits including:

• Faster and easier access to market
• Enhanced economic value of the research
• Easier access to public procurement market
• Possible licensing revenue
• Interoperability
• Codifying the ‘state of the art’
• Reassurance to consumers and customers

Standardisation issues can be included at all steps of project development to implementation. Standardisation work packages are often placed within the dissemination element of project strategies.

A CEN-CENELEC Research Helpdesk has been established to provide support to the research and innovation community on standards issues. The Helpdesk has a dedicated website and also can also be contacted directly by email.

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.

Wetsus talks sustainable water technology

The 7th annual Wetsus congress will be held in the northern Dutch city of Leeuwarden on October 3 and 4. The theme for this year’s congress is ‘Cooperation in innovation, a global requirement?’

The congress is split into two halves with the first day covering international cooperation initiatives on water technology including the involvement of public-private partnerships. In the afternoon, parallel sessions cover the major challenges for water and how educational and human resource issues interface with water issues.

The second day is devoted to developments in water science and technology, again in parallel sessions, including the structure of water, invisible threats to water supply, safety of non-piped systems, water reuse, agricultural water treatment, getting value from waste water, desalination and energy from water.

Registration for the first day of the congress is free, but a €175 fee (free for students) is charged for the October 4 sessions.

Centre of excellence
Wetsus is a centre of excellence for sustainable water technology. It creates a unique environment and strategic cooperation for development of profitable and sustainable state of the art water treatment technology. This multidisciplinary collaboration between some 70 companies and 13 research institutes in Wetsus results in innovations that contribute significantly to the solution of global water problems.

More information on registration and programme content can be found on the Wetsus website.

REACH and Innovation

As part of its extensive review of the REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals) Regulations the European Union has commissioned a new survey to assess the impact of the regulations on launched the innovativeness of the chemical industry in Europe.

The survey, which will be open for input until 7 October 2011, is being conducted by the Centre for Strategy and Evaluation Services (CSES) on behalf of the European Commission DG Enterprise and Industry.

This innovation survey forms part of a wider exercise to evaluate the effects of REACH and to inform future amendments to the legislation.

Chemical stakeholders
The online survey of businesses across the European Union will receive feedback on key issues related to the implementation of the REACH Regulation. The survey targets manufacturers and importers of chemical substances but also downstream users, distributors of chemicals and other firms involved in the different stages of the chemicals supply chain that may be affected by the REACH Regulation and is available in all European languages.

Views are solicited on innovation from product conception through testing and piloting to production. Within the interpretation of the term “innovation” is included product, process, marketing and organisational innovation.

For more information on the purpose of the study, please contact Jan Smits, REACH evaluation project leader at CSES. The survey can be found here.

Tomorrow starts with chemistry at EC HQ

As part of the International Year of Chemistry 2011 (IYC2011) the European Commission DG Enterprise is hosting an exhibition at the European Commission Headquarters: ‘Tomorrow starts with Chemistry’. The event will be held at the piazza of the EC’s Berlaymont building in Brussels. Earlier in the year the Berlaymont building was adorned with a giant IYC2011 banner (right).

The exhibition will take place from 5-8 September and will be officially opened on 6 September at an early evening ceremony involving EC Vice-President and Commissioner for Enterprise and Industry Antonio Tajani, Mr. Giorgio Squinzi, President of Cefic, the European Chemical Industry Council, and Prof. Ulrich Schubert, President-elect of the European Association for Chemical and Molecular Sciences (EuCheMS).

The exhibition will show how advanced materials can deliver a more sustainable future and demonstrate the fundamental role of chemistry in our everyday life via engaging exhibits and displays that will lead visitors through an experience that stimulates all the senses. Technologies such as conductive films, light and smart materials, photovoltaic cells and other renewable energy technologies will be highlighted to show how sustainable chemistry can turn science into tools for a world that is fit for the future.

It is often forgotten that chemistry is not only the basis for technologies that make our current high standard of living possible, but also the key to solving many of society’s current challenges.

Without chemistry, innovative advanced materials to build complex electronic devices, or to improve the efficiency and safety of current and future electric vehicles, solar panels or wind turbines to harness the energy of nature, new products to protect health, food and water would simply not be possible.

United effort
In its efforts to create smart growth and an economy based on knowledge and innovation, Europe needs to play to its strengths and build upon robust industrial sectors that have a track record of successful research, innovation and deployment of technology. The chemical industry is such a sector and is determined to play its part.

The chemical community is committed to support, and where appropriate lead, new public-private partnerships in key areas, such as raw materials, sustainable technologies, water efficiency and smart cities, to ensure that big and small businesses can collaborate with society to keep Europe at the forefront of innovation and sustainability and address the major challenges that society faces. The exhibition will demonstrate how many of these challenges may be addressed.