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COVERSTORY More Europe? M Chancellor Angela Merkel has put her reputation on the line seeking to revive the constitution. Brian Johnson reviews her maiden speech to the parliament as EU president Presidency a road map setting the way forward for the constitutional treaty can be adopted.” Addressing the parliament for the first time as EU president, Merkel told MEPs that bringing the constitution back to life would form the centrepiece of Berlin’s ambitious goals. Merkel’s decision to salvage the constitution, on hold after being rejected by France and the Netherlands, in landmark referendums, puts her political reputation on the line. With French presidential elections in May and a change of prime minister expected in the UK, there is little chance that any significant breakthrough can be achieved before June. But Merkel is gambling that a German push now will produce the necessary momentum, including a road map for an agreement sometime in 2008, probably under the French EU presidency in the second half of the year and ready in time for the 2009 parliament elections. 29 January 2007 PARLIAMENT MAGAZINE 29 ore Russia, more Middle East, more integration,” was Der Spiegel’s initial assessment of chancellor Angela Merkel’s priorities for Berlin’s stint at the EU’s helm. After months of speculation over the full extent and ambition of Germany’s EU presidency, Merkel surprised most commentators by the sheer scale of her aspirations. From a new partnership with Russia to revamping the EU’s neighbourhood policy via climate change, energy and the Middle East, Germany has taken on a packed agenda. But for many attending the January Strasbourg session, what they really wanted to know was just how far Merkel would go on resurrecting the EU constitution. The chancellor did not dissapoint them. “The period of reflection is over,” she told a packed Strasbourg session. “Our task now is to prepare new decisions ...to strive to ensure that at the end of the German Issue 238 29 January 2007 Erasmus 20 year anniversary Communicating Europe MEP Profile: Glenis Willmott News, gossip and plenary round up More Europe? “THE PERIOD OF REFLECTION IS OVER” Can Angela Merkel revive the constitution? MEP reaction, analysis and comment Biotechnology GMOs: EU proble C o n f e r e n c e & E x hibition eChallenges e-2007 Call for Papers The Hague The Netherlands Thematic Priorities 24 26 October 2007 Supported by • ICT for Networked Enterprise – Future forms of organisations, Technology and Applications • eGovernment & eDemocracy – Services to Citizens EC-funded Project “DISMAL” Molecular Signatures as Diagnostic and Therapeutic Targets for Disseminated Epithelial Malignancies Coordinator: Prof. Dr. Klaus Pantel Institute for Tumour Biology University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany E-mail: pantel@uke.uni-hamburg. carcinoma Issue 238 29 January 2007 German EU presidency ““It is quite clear that a ponderous, bureaucratic and divided Europe will not be able to solve any of the tasks that have to be solved” Angela Merkel German chancellor Angela Merkel has vowed to restart the process of introducing a European cons NEWSANALYSIS 7 Less hot air? A carbon neutral parliament by 2009 would show Europe’s citizens that MEPs are serious about cutting emissions, argues Catherine Stihler FORWARDAGENDA 45 Precious experience Erasmus has always been about more than just education. Robert Evans looks at the many benefit ������� � ������� ���� ������� ������� ��� ����� ������ ������� ������� ���� ���� ������ ������ ������� ��� ���ï CATHERINESTIHLER Less hot air? A carbon neutral parliament by 2009 would show Europe’s citizens that MEPs are serious about cutting emissions, argues Catherine Stihler J anuary is a difficult month. With diets, detoxing and post-festive seasonal gloom, most people look to summer for the next ti Diagnostic Molecular Imaging (DiMI): A Network of Excellence for Identification of new molecular imaging markers for diagnostic purposes T he Network of Excellence DiMI (Diagnostic Molecular Imaging) for identification of new imaging markers for diagnostic purpose has been initiated in April 2005 European Molecular Imaging Laboratories (EMIL) A European network of excellence for molecular imaging of cancers T he Network of Excellence EMIL (European Molecular Imaging Laboratories) for Non Invasive Molecular Imaging of Cancer has been initiated in July 2004 under the coordination of Bertrand NEWS Frattini set for grilling over data protection categories as passengers’ date of birth and dietary preferences – could be used for purposes other than the “war on terror”. The earlier agreement with the US was annulled by the European court of justice in May 2006 on the grounds that it NEWSANALYSIS Germans to talk tough on Putin and Pakistan Germany’s foreign policy credentials will be put to the test with three high-profile meetings over the next few weeks. The first, with Russia on 5 February, is likely to be the most tense, with relations between the two blocs running near t Contact us to Visit in Person! Undergraduate Study in English in Brussels Degree Programmes • Business ° Economics ° European Studies ° International Management ° Technology Management • Communications ° Business Communication ° European Communication Studies ° Journalism and Scriptwritin NEWSANALYSIS ANALYSIS MEPs welcome newest EU MEPs turned out in force to welcome Bulgaria and Romania’s EU entry at the Parliament Magazine’s annual New Year reception The Parliament Magazine’s annual New Year reception on January 22 took on special significance, doubling up to celebrate the PARLIAMENT MAGAZINE NEW YEAR RECEPTION rian r Bulga ihler, or consume t d f rine S Cathe missioner a Kuneva an burn com Meglen Hep ke EU tion ive Mi protec hief execut c Dods MEPs and guests enjoy the Parliamen t Magazine New Year reception 14 PARLIAMENT MAGAZINE 29 January 2007 VOLICITY (Vocational Learning in Creative Industries for Turkish Youth) VOLICITY is a two year transnational vocational training programme aimed specifi cally at under qualifi ed Turkish speaking young people. The programme is funded by Leonardo Da Vinci and led by London Metropolitan University wit PARLIAMENT MAGAZINE NEW YEAR RECEPTION Essen tial Kunev reading: Co a and m Cathe missioner rine S tihler MEPs and guests used the occasion to network The rec e an oppo ption was rtunity for MEP s their vie to get ws acro to the P ss a Magazin rliament e staff 16 PARLIAMENT MAGAZINE 29 January 20 HIV-vaccine development – a challenge for science and society same time achieved strong and stable production of viral proteins capable of inducing a strong immune response. As a second component the vaccinia virus derived vector NYVAC has been developed, carrying the same HIV specific insert (gag TRADE TALKS | Doha Round Breaking the Doha deadlock The EU, US and other trading partners are preparing to resume global trade talks, writes Shada Islam A fter a bleak six months, prospects for a rapid financial markets” and a loss of legitimacy for the multilateral revival of the World Trade O NEWSANALYSIS Congress and the expiry on 30 June of US President George W Bush’s “fast-track authority” to sign trade deals which the Congress cannot unravel by demanding amendments. The news from France is not encouraging. In talks with Mandelson in early January, French Prime Minister Domini PARLIAMENT | Plenary Round-Up Out with the old... The first few days of January’s plenary session in Strasbourg were dominated by the changing of the guard. Outgoing Socialist president Josep Borrell was replaced by former EPP group leader Hans-Gert Pöttering as part of a deal agreed by the two NEWSANALYSIS German love-in? After two days of purely internal affairs, MEPs finally got down to discussing the big issues of the day, with a visit from current EU president Angela Merkel the highlight of the rest of the session (see pages 29-30 for what she had to say). With Pöttering – who bel PETITIONS COMMITTEE | xxxxxxxx Righting wrongs 22 PARLIAMENT MAGAZINE 29 January 2007 NEWSANALYSIS T Parliament’s petitions committee has become a key player in the battle to end discriminatory practices against foreign language lecturers in Italy, reports Rory Watson he European parliament is taking up the cudgels on behalf of several hundred foreign language lecturers in Italy PUBLIC HEALTH | Mercury Mercury rising New research suggests that low-level exposure to mercury in the womb can cause brain damage in children. Martin Banks reports abies’ brains may be seriously impaired by exposure to low-levels of mercury while they are still in the womb, according to the dist NEWSANALYSIS The ‘Stay healthy, stop mercury’ campaign tries to take a light-hearted approach to a serious issue 2006. One has already been accepted and the monitoring of mercury levels among vulnerable groups will be included in the EU’s bio-monitoring programme, which starts in 2007,” she Hydrogen from Steam – a “Hot” Technology H ydrogen is an interesting energy vector because it can be produced from a wide variety of energy sources such as wind, solar, biomass or nuclear. The easiest way to transform renewable and other non-fossil sources of energy into hydrogen is by water COVER STORY: GERMAN EU PRESIDENCY German chancellor Angela Merkel has vowed to restart the process of introducing a European constitution during Germany’s six-month presidency stint. But can she carry all the EU’s 27 member states along with her? And what role, if any, will the European parliame “Active Biomimetic Systems” perturbed by thermal noise. In order to have some appreciable ‘impact’ onto their surroundings, these molecular machines have to act in groups. One objective of STREP is to study and clarify the cooperative behavior of small and large groups of molecular machines. COVERSTORY More Europe? M Chancellor Angela Merkel has put her reputation on the line seeking to revive the constitution. Brian Johnson reviews her maiden speech to the parliament as EU president Presidency a road map setting the way forward for the constitutional treaty can be adopted.” Addres GERMAN EU PRESIDENCY “Merkel’s clarion call [on the constitution] will inevitably raise expectations, and may even create a more positive political climate. But Berlin will also hope that people don’t expect too much, too soon” “It is in the interests of Europe, the member states and its Coordinating research effort in clinical diagnostics and cell biology at Europe’s synchrotron infrared beamlines Large meets small: In the DASIM project, synchrotron light sources such as ANKA in Karlsruhe are used to detect health and disease in single cells. Inset: Infrared microspectroscopy im GERMAN EU PRESIDENCY | MEP Reaction Monsters and critics Unsurprisingly, the most controversial element in chancellor Merkel’s EU presidency plans, to put the EU constitution back on track, triggered the most passionate responses from MEPs M EP reaction to chancellor Merkel’s speech to the pa COVERSTORY “[We don’t want] secret huddles in smoke-filled rooms” Daniel Cohn-Bendit “We have witnessed the beginning of a dishonest and downright dangerous German presidency” Nigel Farage “A separate process will not only accentuate the division between the two camps, but also expose ������� ������� ������� ������� �� � �� ������� ������� ����� ������� ������� ������� ������� ������� ������� ï¿ COVERSTORY Europe: past, present and future The EU’s heads of state must revive the constitution, argues Klaus Hänsch I t is not the European Union but the construction of a united Europe itself which is going through a crisis. There have been periods of crisis throughout the last quarter of a Biotechnological research fosters European Mineral Industry Biohydrometallurgy has been used in a passive way to recover copper without having any knowledge of the nature of the phenomenological processes during many centuries. As a controlled practice at industrial scale, it has known a constant de FORWARD AGENDA: ERASMUS 39 The EU’s Erasmus programme this year celebrates 20 years of bringing students together. Ewa Krzaklewska looks at the benefits of studying abroad 41 The student exchange programme has helped many Europeans experience living abroad – but funding remains an issue, writes EU EBM Unity Project EBM refers to the integration of current best patient-centred research into clinical decision making. Acquisition of knowledge and skills for EBM is becoming a core competence to be acquired by all doctors. However, EBM is not uniformly taught as part of postgraduate medical edu FORWARDAGENDA Growing up The EU’s Erasmus programme this year celebrates 20 years of bringing students together. Ewa Krzaklewska looks at the benefits of studying abroad E rasmus changes the lives of students. They have to ‘survive’ abroad and interact with new cultures and people from diff NEW PARADIGM OF EARLY CLINICAL RESEARCH – THE EU MICRODOSING AMS PARTNERSHIP PROGRAMME (EUMAPP) EUMAPP is a 2 million euro programme funded under the EU FP6, bringing together 10 organisations across 5 EU countries. The aim is to evaluate microdosing for drug development and to arrive at recommend FORWARDAGENDA Cultural exchange The student exchange programme has helped many Europeans experience living abroad – but funding remains an issue, writes Jeremy Slater T he student exchange programme Erasmus celebrated it 20th anniversary earlier this month, with many former students visiting Br ERASMUS | 20th Anniversary Jeremy Slater is a Brussels-based freelance journalist problem,” she said. “But as the commission only has a small role in European education, this is something that needs to be dealt with by member states.” Another worry for many Erasmus students is that their stu “The confidence to speak up.” Access to professional training for disabled people. • Commission for People with Disabilities) Bulgaria, in the Municipality of Sliven’s Social Services Complex for Families and Children, in partnership with Marie Curie Association. The programme is being pro ������� ������� ������� ������� ������� ������� ������� ������� ������� ������� ������� ������� ������� ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿ FORWARDAGENDA Precious experience Erasmus has always been about more than just education. Robert Evans looks at the many benefits of the 20 year old programme T he Erasmus scheme, which this year celebrates its 20th anniversary, is the world’s largest university exchange programme and the most Post Graduate Certificate in European Foreign Relations: “Europe in the World” Spring Course March 1 – May 11, 2007 Academic Coordination: Professor Michael Cox (London School of Economics & Political Science) Course designed for professionals: diplomats, international civil servants, corporat POLICY FOCUS: BIOTECHNOLOGY 48 Europe is losing out on the massive benefits of GM because of a handful of intransigent governments, warns Simon Barber 50 Despite grandiose claims that GM food would be good for Europe, the biotech industry has failed to get off the ground, claims Rosemary Hall 53 P BIOTECHNOLOGY | EuropaBio What are we waiting for? Europe is losing out on the massive benefits of GM because of a handful of intransigent governments, warns Simon Barber ust as the European parliament’s agriculture committee is debating a report entitled ‘Biotechnology: prospects and challenge POLICYFOCUS GM feedstuffs are imported from China and elsewhere when they should be grown in the EU Studies over 10 years of commercial planting of biotech crops reveal why the global farming community chooses biotechnology. In the first nine years, global net farm income increased by €23bn and BIOTECHNOLOGY | Friends of the Earth Going nowhere fast Despite grandiose claims that GM food would be good for Europe, the biotech industry has failed to get off the ground, claims Rosemary Hall T he long-term prospects for genetically modified (GM) crops and food in Europe look bleak. There is POLICYFOCUS “The GM industry in Europe never fails to hype up its own potential, proclaiming the benefits of new crop varieties, with desirable traits not possible with conventional crops” success, resulting in only 950 hectares planted on 40 farms. In contrast, 877,000 hectares of German farm SmartCaP Injectable macroporous biomaterial based on Calcium Phosphate cement for bone regeneration area of medical devices, tissue engineering, and biomaterials, leading to increased employment opportunities. Providing an excellent platform for training programmes and exchange of personnel from hig POLICYFOCUS Against all our interests Populism and ideologically motivated obstructionism are once again dominating the GMO debate, warns Renate Sommer D uring the parliament’s previous legislative period, I was the EPP-ED group’s rapporteur responsible for the issue of genetically modified o Soil ecological and economic evaluation of genetically modifi ed crops In conclusion, the ECOGEN results indicate no difference of biological relevance in the impact on soil organisms between Bt-maize line MON 810 and conventional non-GM maize. These results are Social Benefits and Costs Private E POLICYFOCUS Standing firm Farmers in the EU have the right to remain GM-free, despite pressure from industry and inaction from the commission, argues Friedrich-Wilhelm Graefe zu Baringdorf T wenty years ago, the promoters of genetically modified crops predicted that European fields would be widel Renewable Fuels for Advanced Powertrains (RENEW) A European Integrated Project within the FP6 Authors: Dr. Wolfgang Steiger, Juliane Muth, Volkswagen Group Research At present, the main source of power in road traffic is the internal combustion engine, which is almost exclusively powered by petrol o FUTURE EU: COMMUNICATING EUROPE 59 Winning over national governments that are currently happier criticising than supporting Brussels will be vital in communicating the EU’s achievements, says Helga Trupel 61 If Europe is serious about improving communication, a change to the EU treaty might be in European Primate Network EUPRIM-Net – A network coordinated by the German Primate Center focusing on specialized infrastructures and procedures for biological and biomedical research EUPRIM-Net creates a virtual European Primate Centre for internationally competitive state-of-the-art research and FUTUREEU All in this together? Winning over national governments, that are currently happier criticising rather than supporting Brussels, will be vital in communicating the EU’s achievements, says Helga Trupel T National politicians need to do more to highlight the EU’s achievements he Europ An integrated perspective on gender and human rights Sub-network 2: The roots of interpersonal violence: gendered practices, social exclusion and violation (Co-ordinator: Irina Novikova, University of Latvia, Latvia) Sub-network 3: Addressing gender-based human rights violations (Co-ordinator: Jalna FUTUREEU Getting serious If Europe is serious about improving communication, a change to the EU treaty might be in order, suggests Richard Upson U rgent action is needed to deal with the EU’s long-standing information and communication gap. Only 49 per cent of Europeans voted in the 2004 Europe COMMUNICATING EUROPE | Regions The word on the street Regions have a vital role to play in bridging the gap between the EU institutions and the man in the street, writes Claude du Granrut preading the word about Europe to its citizens was the main theme of the Communicating Europe Together conferen European Energy Service Award for Graz Energy Agency ������� ������� ������� ������� ������� ������� ������� ������� ������� ������� ������� ï¿½ï¿ SPECIAL REPORT: RENEWABLE ENERGY 67 For renewables to become truly competitive with traditional energy sources the sector requires a quantum leap in levels of investment and research, says Eluned Morgan 69 The commission’s new energy proposals are right to focus on climate change, but need to be SPECIALREPORT Devil in the detail For renewables to become truly competitive with traditional energy sources the sector requires a quantum leap in levels of investment and research, says Eluned Morgan ast January, a bitter shiver ran through many homes in western Europe when the Russian firm Gazpro SOLHYCARB: Hydrogen and carbon nanomaterials from solar energy without CO2 emission Above:Principle of the solar process Left:The 1 MW CNRS solar furnace in Font Roemu (France) SOLHYCARB is a research project of the 6 th framework Programme of the European Commission joining the efforts of ten par SPECIALREPORT Lacking ambition The commission’s new energy proposals are right to focus on climate change, but need to be far more ambitious if they are to work, argues Mechtild Rothe T he only way to tackle the EU’s energy challenge is to develop a common energy policy. That is why I welcome Developing Arctic Modelling and Observing Capabilities for Long-term Environmental Studies The European Integrated Project DAMOCLES 2005 2009 A European contribution to the International Polar Year weather and climate, key processes are investigated in a combined observational/process/m effort. Th SIXTH FRAMEWORK PROGRAMME •Improving monitoring capabilities of the Arctic Ocean, Sea-Ice and Atmosphere through innovative technological advances. Increasing the knowledge concerning dynamics and thermodynamics of Arctic Ocean Sea-Ice cover and the understanding of its interaction with the Ocean Low cost and high yield using ultra-thin bifacial solar cells. The BiThink project of the final cost of solar modules. The Swiss company HCT Shaping Systems is developing the new slicing techniques. Solar cell technology must be simple and efficient, proving easily adaptable in standard industrial SPECIALREPORT Bright sp arks Peter Liese applauds Germany’s leading role in promoting electricity generation from renewables – and asks why the rest of the EU isn’t doing the same I n her speech to the European parliament as EU president, chancellor Angela Merkel said that the security of e Responding to climate change Towards a clean hydrogen economy partners ensure close connection with independent work undertaken in the scope of their own initiatives and international collaborations, for example: GEN IV, USA, Japan, Korea, SOLLAB Alliance, and the IEA Hydrogen Implementing Agreemen SPECIALREPORT Running scared Europe’s inefficient, polluting energy monoliths are worried by the threat from renewables – and are doing all they can to stop them, warns Claude Turmes T he battle around the future EU energy mix is hotting up; it is clear that the EU will have to change its hig Energy and the Environment Real-SOFC* A Joint European Effort to Improve Fuel Cell Durability Project Approach The project will generate materials and components of two subsequent waves of improvement, termed ‘Generations 2’ and ‘3’. Firstly, degradation causes were explored with the existi INSIDEEU Dis-continuity gap The EU needs to have an active debate on the benefits of introducing the discontinuity principle, argues Werner Langen E uropean legislation can sometimes be a difficult and cumbersome project. Taking care of differing national interests and needs often results in leng ECOSTILER: Energy efficient Community Stimulation by use and Integration of Local Energy Resources. electrical load management systems. Plans are currently under review as the original site became unavailable. In Måbjerg, Denmark, the project team focuses on sustainable energy supply and efficiency INSIDEEU Dam-ed if we do... China’s Three Gorges Dam is a modern miracle of engineering, but Beijing seems immune to criticism of its environmental and social impact, warns Struan Stevenson M eandering across China for 3937 miles, the Yangtze is the third-longest river in the world after the Ni CHINA DELEGATION | Three Gorges Dam New Sunshine Village is perched on the cliff-sides overlooking the Three Gorges Dam. It is one of hundreds of re-settlement villages built to house the 1.5 million people who will ultimately lose their homes to the rising waters of the vast reservoir by the time SOLID-DER Reaching large-scale integration of Distributed Energy Resources in the enlarged European electricity market demand response and DER energy market integration. Cost-benefit case studies to investigate cost-benefit flows when increasing shares of DER in the electricity supply systems. An im PROFILE | Glenis Willmott A woman of substance Glenis Willmott MEP Born: 1951 in Co. Durham Education: Mansfield Grammar School, Trent Polytechnic (HNC in medical science) Parliamentary assistant to Alan Meale MP (1987-1990) Political officer (1990-2006) and senior organiser (1995-2006) in the GMB INSIDEEU Glenis Willmott had a hard act to follow in Phillip Whitehead, but is more than capable of making her own mark. She talks to Martin Banks A tragedy just over a year ago presented Glenis Willmott with her big break in politics. It came about following the sudden death on New Year’s Eve PSST! | Parliament Confidential Musical chairs The EPP is reported to be close to meltdown in a dispute over committee chairs during the parliamentary shakeup for the top jobs. Problems emerged when the Poles and the Czechs, who make up a sizeable portion of the largest group in the parliament, fel INSIDEEU Watson in waiting Watson may be one of the big winners out of the current EPP fiasco, however. Liberals have been cheered by the prospect of a weakened EPP if the Poles and the Czechs are not placated. The group will also lose a significant faction when the British Tories leave – as ple The European Union and Member States can play a central role in the fight against AIDS AIDS kills more people worldwide than any other infectious disease. Over 95% of all new infections are in developing countries, making HIV/AIDS a serious threat not only to global health, but also to global develo RandAdAckroyd0706 14-07-2006 14:03 Pagina 1 www.derand.be dutch courses ‘de Rand’ gives you the opportunity to meet the Flemish community and culture. Learn practical Dutch for everyday use in a relaxed atmosphere. cultural programme Enjoy a classical concert, world music or jazz in a com BG Group A leading international natural gas company, BG Group is currently one of the largest suppliers of gas into the UK. 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