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EU News and Funding Bulletin - 12 December 2008

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EU news & funding is a fortnightly bulletin to keep London's businesses informed
of key European information.

Funding Opportunities

Audiovisual Sector

Apply for MEDIA 2007 funding to support:

Development of interactive products including computer, internet and mobile phone games intended for commercial exploitation 17 April 2009

Development of a film (animation and fiction) and / or documentary intended for commercial exploitation
17 April 2009

i2i audiovisual to facilitate access to funding from banks and financial institutions by co financing part of the costs. Applications must be submitted by:

2 February 2009, for projects that start between 1 July 2008 and 2 February 2009
7 July 2009, for projects that start between 1 January 2009 and 7 July 2009.

Click here for a briefing relating to the MEDIA 2007 Programme.

Research & Innovation

‘FP7’ Programme supports collaborative projects aiming at technology research and development in the following fields:

Environment (including climate change), due 8 January 2009
Food, Agriculture and Fisheries, and Biotechnology, due 15 January 2009
Information and Communication Technologies(ICT), due 01 April 2009
Energy, due 29 April 2009

Nanosciences, Nanotechnologies, Materials and new Production Technologies (NMP)

Small or medium-scale focused research projects, due 17 February 2009
SME-targeted Collaborative Projects, due 17 February 2009
EU-Russia, due 31 March 2009

Joint Calls

NMP and Environment, due 31 March 2009
ICT and Energy, due 31 March 2009;

Activities of International Cooperation (click on the tag Capacities) building relationships with science & technology organisations in non-EU countries (4 work programmes), due 12 January 2009

Euratom Framework Programme for Nuclear Research and Training Activities, due 21 April 2009

For further information contact fp7@gle.co.uk

Click here for detailed briefings relating to funding for Research and Development.(This page is continually updated as new funding calls are published).

Cooperation in scientific research

COST aims to strengthen the foundations of scientific excellence across Europe; it does not fund research itself but it supported networking activities for researchers and experts.

Proposals are invited for projects which bring together scientists to collaborate in activities grouped under nine key scientific domains, due 27 March 2009.

For free support and one-to-one sessions, contact rachael.m@gle.co.uk.

Transport

DG Transport grants will fund urban mobility projects to test measures which can significantly contribute to improving sustainable urban mobility, such as:

Improving fluidity of traffic; reducing congestion and pollution; improving accessibility in towns; and making urban transport safer and more secure.

For more information contact rachael.m@gle.co.uk

Other Funding Opportunities

ERDF – European Regional Development Fund

The 2nd Round of the London European Regional Development Fund will fund projects supporting SME’s in line with:

Priority 1 - Business innovation and research and promoting eco-efficiency
Priority 2 - Access to new markets and access to finance

The funding is addressed to local authorities and other non-profit organisations, although private, profit-making organisations can act as strategic partners, match funders or sub-contractors.

For further information contact Rachael McCorriston at GLE.

Subscribe to daily alerts for new tender opportunities

Subscription to the tender monitoring service (TED) includes:

Creation of a unique company profile tailored to your business activity
Daily alerts of contract notices matching your unique company profile
Ad hoc searches for contract notices
Profile adjustment to meet changing needs
Assistance and advice on tendering procedures and procurement legislation

For more information, please click here for the TED section of the London Chamber of Commerce and Industry website, or contact Tessel van Essen on 020 7203 1838.

EU Press releases

Aviation: New EU-Canada agreement to open up the aviation market
Aviation: Inauguration of air traffic management research project
Chemicals: EU Member States approve rules on labelling of chemicals
Consumers: New rules on duty-free imports for travellers
Consumers: New industry rules on bank account switching
Energy: EU member states approve regulation to switch to energy saving bulbs from 2012
Energy: Commission proposal to boost energy efficiency and renewable energy in housing
Environment: Proposition to limit harmful vapour emissions from service stations
Environment: Revised Directives on electrical and electronic equipment
Finance: Commission report on progress in facilitating cross-border securities transactions
Funding: London businesses to benefit from £319 million funding package
ICT: Commission adopts €55 million programme to make the Internet a safer place
Research: Commission welcomes the setting up of ten new research infrastructures
State Aid: Commission adopts guidance on bank recapitalisation to sustain lending
Taxation: Action plan to combat VAT fraud
Transport: Commission proposes new rights for bus and maritime passengers

Click here for more EU press releases

EU Legislation and consultations

Employment:

Directive on temporary agency work, EC legislation Directive 2008/104/EC is designed to ensure full compliance with Article 31 of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights. This provides that every worker has the right to working conditions which respect health, safety and dignity, to limitation of maximum working hours, to daily and weekly rest periods and to an annual period of paid leave. It follows that completion of the internal market must lead to an improvement in the living and working conditions of workers in the EU. This will be achieved by harmonising progress in forms of work such as fixed-term contract work, part-time work, temporary agency work and seasonal work.

Environment:

Directive on the Protection of the Environment through Criminal Law, EC legislation Directive 2008/99/EC seeks to address the rise in environmental offences and their effects, which are increasingly extending beyond the borders of the States in which the offences are committed. The existing system of penalties was deemd insufficient to achieve complete compliance with laws for the protection of the environment. Such compliance can and should be strengthened by the availability of criminal penalties, demonstrating a social disapproval that is different in nature compared to administrative penalties or a compensation mechanism under civil law.

Finance:

Control Structures in Audit Firms and their Consequences on the Audit Market, EC legislation The purpose of this consultation is to examine two possible ways for finding catalysts to stimulate the emergence of new players in the international audit market: particular focus on deregulation of the capitalisation of audit firms (unbundling) and focus on a wider range of catalysts. Contributions are particularly sought from auditors, preparers, investors, law firms and business services, audit regulators and Member States

Telecoms:

Towards a Strengthened Network and Information Security Policy for Europe, EC consultation The consultation seeks views on an EU-wide approach that complements and adds value to existing national initiatives seems for a network and information security policy. Network and information security challenges will require a strong, coordinated European response. Recent cyber-attacks, targeting individual countries have shown that one country on its own may have difficulties to respond to attacks. The overall security and resilience depend on behaviour and practices of all stakeholders and users.

Confused about how EU legislation affects your business? Any other queries on EU affairs or trans-European matters? Take advantage of our free enquiry service: Phone 020 7489 1992 or mail to europe@londonchamber.co.uk

Click here for the EU's Enterprise and Industry online magazine

Business Events

Conference on the Integration of Renewable and Distributed Energy Sources, Nice/France, 16 December 2008

Social Models in Europe Conference, London/UK, 16 December 2008

Calling all SMEs: Knowledge Connect Event, London/UK, 16 December 2008

3rd Adana International Forum on Economic Cooperation, Adana/Turkey, 12-13 January 2009

European Conference on Software Services, Brussels/Belgium, 13-14 January 2009

Coordinating EU Research Projects, Cambridge/UK, 15 January 2009

Advances in Smart Materials, London/UK, 21 January 2009

Telecoms Business Services Conference 2009, London/UK, 26-29 January 2009

Advanced-Generation Biofuels, London/UK,27 January 2009

Innovative Sensing and Security Controls, London/UK, 25 February 2009