Parliament Magazine 265, 14 Apr 2008

Plans for a future European Grid Infrastructure Organization By Christopher Lazou T he European Grid Initiative Design Study (EGI_DS) represents an eff ort to establish a sustainable grid infrastructure in Europe. Driven by the needs of the research community, it is expected to enable the next leap in research infrastructures, thereby supporting collaborative scientifi c discoveries in the European Research Area (ERA). Within this eff ort, major key stakeholders in grid infrastructures in Europe, such as the National Grid Initiatives (NGI) and the consortium of the EU Project EGEE, are working together to establish a long-term perspective for the co-ordination and operation of European grid infrastructures. This involves identifying possibilities for transforming the current project-based funding of grid infrastructures into a more sustainable one, such that continuity and interoperation of grids in Europe is ensured. The goal of the EGI_DS project is to evaluate cases of grid use, identify processes and mechanisms for establishing EGI, defi ne the structure and ultimately initiate the construction of the EGI organization. The core foundation of EGI is the National Grid Initiatives (NGI), which operate the grid infrastructures in each country. EGI intends to link the existing NGIs and will actively support the set-up and initiation of new ones. The three principal strategic objectives of EGI are to ensure the long-term viability of the European e-infrastructure, co-ordinate the integration and interaction between National Grid Infrastructures and operate the European level of the production grid infrastructure, for a wide range of scientifi c disciplines. In addition, a series of other objectives necessary for EGI to function properly was fl eshed up at the EGI workshop held in Rome in March. Examples include virtual organization support, security, middleware development co-ordination, packaging future software and making them widely available to the scientifi c communities across Europe; promotion of grid interface standards based on practical experience gained from grid operations and middleware integration activities; encouraging consultation with relevant standards organizations and collaborate closely with technology and service providers; initiating training to promote the rapid and successful uptake of grid technology by European industry. EGI is an important initiative for science and research in Europe. Dieter Kranzlmüller, the EGI_DS Project Director explains that the current project-based funding of grid infrastructures has reached its limits. Infrastructure users require a perspective, that their investments for bringing their applications to the grid are protected. At the same time, Europe and its member states have invested heavily in grid infrastructures and these investments need to be leveraged for the future. The grid of today should be available seamlessly as a future service, he says. The partners of EGI are the National Grid Initiatives (NGIs) in European countries, whose representatives congregate in the EGI policy board. From this group of NGIs, nine institutions form the consortium of the EGI_DS project. The National Grid Initiatives (NGIs) are the recognized national bodies, each with a single point-of-contact operating the national grid infrastructure. They support user communities, mobilise national funding and resources, contribute and adhere to international standards and policies. An interesting question for EGI_DS is to defi ne the split of responsibilities between NGIs and EGI. These should of course be federated and complementary. The eff orts of EGI should benefi t all grid projects in Europe. As Dietmar Erwin of PRACE (Partnership for Advanced Computing in Europe), which aims to provide European scientists and researchers with world-class compute resources at the highest (Petafl op/s) performance level, stated: “To serve its users, PRACE has to be fi rmly integrated into the European High Performance Computing (HPC) ecosystem. The glue that links departmental, national, and European systems is grid technology. PRACE supports EGI’s eff orts towards a sustainable e-infrastructure to overcome today’s fragmentation”. Europe has no signifi cant HPC hardware industry, but needs a European Grid Infrastructure for nurturing European research. In addition, EGI would be a coordinating point for interaction with grids outside Europe. Grids are already in use in industry, mostly in the form of intra-grids limited to one particular organization, often dealing with job scheduling and virtualisation. However, grid technology could provide additional functionality for industry, e.g. resource sharing and security, available in academic and scientifi c grids, says Per Öster, who is in charge of contacts with industry in the EGI_DS project. Grids of supercomputers are essential for simulating large-scale problems. The time taken to run a simulation is reduced from years on a desktop computer, to hours by using the many thousands of processors made available across countries. The EGI organisation is the next logical step towards grid service sustainability. However, this organisation is expected to evolve over time to take onboard new technologies and changed user needs. EGI should become the driving force of tomorrow’s European research and technology, enabling science to remain at the cutting edge and industry competitive. Issue 265 14 April 2008 Breaking with convention “THE ONLY WAY THAT I CAN HELP MY COUNTRY IS FOR TURKEY TO BECOME A DEMOCRATIC STATE” Cypriot MEP Marios Matsakis on why the EU needs Turkey INSIDE: Edward McMillan-Scott questions the Olympic spirit Martyn Bond reflects on parliament presidents DDB Vorsprung durch Technik www.audi.be Probably your best souvenir from Belgium. Buying an Audi during your stay in Belgium is not only a wise choice but it may also be tax-free. Better still, your Audi Distributor will be glad to do the homework for you – meaning that the only formality you†Issue 265 14 April 2008 NEWSANALYSIS 6 News Parliamentary roundup POLICYFOCUS HEALTH 33 No time to waste EU efforts to tackle the impact of climate change on public health must not wait for scientific proof before acting, warns Frédérique Ries 10 Warning from the past A new film uncovering evid CATHERINESTIHLER CATHERINESTIHLER CATHERINESTIHLER EDITORIAL TEAM Managing editor Brian Johnson Martin Banks Sarah Collins Chris Jones Matt Williams International Press Centre Boulevard Charlemagne 1 Box 2 Brussels 1041 Tel +32 (0) 2 285 0828 newsdesk@theparliament. www.theparliament.com EDITORIAL NEWS | Parliamentary Roundup Stubb heads home amid lobby report criticism Finnish MEP Alexander Stubb has returned home to take up a new position as his country’s foreign minister following the resignation of his predecessor Ilkka Kanerva amid allegations that he sent text messages to an erotic d NEWSANALYSIS Vassiliou takes office – but just don’t ask her age Ahern’s resignation bodes well for EU, claims MEP Irish MEP Jim Higgins has said prime minister Bertie Ahern’s announcement that he will step down bodes well for a positive vote on the Lisbon treaty. “It’ll considerably en Plans for a future European Grid Infrastructure Organization By Christopher Lazou T he European Grid Initiative Design Study (EGI_DS) represents an eff ort to establish a sustainable grid infrastructure in Europe. Driven by the needs of the research community, it is expected to enable the next lea More information: www.eu-egi.eu http://knowledge.eu-egi The European Grid Initiative Design Study is funded by the European Commission’s 7th Framework Programme. The project started on September 2007 and continues until November 2009. The EGI organization is expected to start its operations in 20 THE SOVIET STORY Warning from the past A new film uncovering evidence of Soviet collaboration with the Nazis reveals a dark history which must be confronted, argue Inese Vaidere and Girts Valdis Kristovskis L 10 PARLIAMENT MAGAZINE 14 April 2008 ast week the European parliament screened Edvins Sn NEWSANALYSIS its own people on an industrial scale. Deportation, execution and torture were a post-war reality for millions of people. Concentration camps were scattered throughout both Europe and Siberia. In many of them, horrific medical experiments were performed on humans. In Butugychag camp in WEB.DEP WEB.DEP is a Specific Support Action project funded by the EU under FP6 for the period Jan 2007 – March 2009. The primary aim of WEB-DEP is to establish an important communication and information management network hosted by the National News Agencies of three Western Balkan countries (Alb NEWSANALYSIS Standing up to intimidation Support is mounting for a campaign by Human Rights Without Frontiers International for a boycott of this summer’s Olympic Games, says Willy Fautré R ecent events in Tibet have focused attention on the issue of China and human rights and rightly so. But Top: Storage of seeds at sub-zero temperatures (RBG Kew) Above: Laboratory seed germination (RBG Kew) Left: Seed collecting in the Italian Alps by the Trento Science Museum (Museo Tridentino di scienze naturali) wild species. The largest of these is the Millennium Seed Bank managed by the Royal Bot NEWSANALYSIS NEWSANALYSIS Sowing the seeds Norway’s new global seed vault will help meet the challenges of food shortages in the future, explains Terje Riis-Johansen O n 26 February the eyes of the world were directed towards a mountain cavern on Svalbard for the opening of Svalbard global seed HUMAN RIGHTS | China Dousing the Olympic spirit The Olympic flame has been paraded through various capitals, but the Olympic spirit has died in the torture chambers in China, claims Edward McMillan-Scott 16 PARLIAMENT MAGAZINE 14 April 2008 NEWSANALYSIS A mnesty International and most other NGOs agree that the human rights situation is getting worse in China because of the Olympics. Parliament’s president Hans-Gert Pöttering has made clear his reluctance to attend the games, while Nicolas Sarkozy and Angela Merkel have not ruled o PROFILE | Marios Matsakis Breaking with convention M He’s been called a maverick and a provocateur for his sometimes unconventional take on politics, so what really motivates Marios Matsakis, asks Sarah Collins with some awful cases of workers having been mutilated by prehistoric machinery that NEWSANALYSIS He was elected a DIKO member of the Cypriot parliament in 1996, and then began a series of very public protests to change the status quo. He waged a campaign against the British army in Cyprus by breaking into firing ranges where they were carrying out live ammunition exercises, “cau European trade unions contribution towards transport sustainability By Eduardo Chagas, General Secretary of the ETF T he European Transport Workers’ Federation (ETF) is ready to put its weight behind sustainability goals with a strategy plan hammered out by its members over the last year. This s NEWSANALYSIS Parliament’s personalities Y As parliament’s power has grown, its support among the public has waned, despite some charismatic leaders, says Martyn Bond ou have to leave the European parliament to without the microphone, could silence an obstreperous backappreciate how important PARLIAMENT ANNIVERSARY | Presidents Jose Maria Gil-Robles was president at the time of the scandal surrounding the Santer commission Martyn Bond is deputy chairman of the London press club not have given MEPs more powers, but it gave them greater self esteem. Simone Veil, the new president, under A statement from ITS Norway ITS Norway contributes to Intelligent Transport Solutions on a Pan European scale. We see the need for systems and services to be interoperable and continuous across borders and across transport modes, with business models that meet the demands of public bodies, businesse APROSYS: increasing road safety for all European citizens T he APROSYS Integrated Project (IP) on Advanced Protective Systems is a European co-operation project co-funded by the European Commission (contract number TIP3-CT-2004-506503; April 2004March 2009). In it, 51 partners, ranging from OEMs, FORWARDAGENDA FORWARDAGENDA IN THIS SECTION TRANSPORT 25 Greener, safer, smarter European research can play a massive role in making transport cleaner and keeping the roads safe for everyone, says Janez Poto č nik Greener, safer, smarter European research can play a massive role in making transp TRANSPORT | Research commissioner “It is by coordinating research activities, programmes and policies across Europe that road transport in Europe will become cleaner, safer and smarter – a system to be proud of” competitiveness while addressing the global challenges related to energy and clim JOINT INSTITUTE FOR NUCLEAR RESEARCH – INNOVATIVE ACTIVITY T he innovative policy of Joint Institute for Nuclear Research (JINR) is actively supported by the Committee of Plenipotentiaries of eighteen JINR Member States and it answers the purpose of transition to innovative economy in Russian Fe JOINT INSTITUTE FOR NUCLEAR RESEARCH – INNOVATIVE ACTIVITY ( cont from previous page) the technology of transmutation of the most dangerous FPW components in subcritical facilities controlled with proton or electron accelerators. In the fi eld of radiation medicine our activities are connected wi FORWARDAGENDA FORWARDAGENDA Reading the road The technology exists to make road transport safer and cleaner – all we need to do is put it into cars and onto roads, urges Zita Gurmai T wo of the most important conditions for a functioning, sustainable European economy are the mobility of citizen TRANSPORT | Intelligent cars Zita Gurmai is a substitute member of the committee on transport and tourism Increased mobility has made all these problems European problems that must be tackled at the European level. It is essential, therefore, that we remove market implementation bottlenecks, creat FORWARDAGENDA comprehensive and sustainable European transport system. The EU has to do away with all the privileges granted to the road transport sector and set tougher rules for driver, in particular on rest times for professional drivers. The exploitation of lorry drivers within the EU should be Big on in association with Energy Monday, 9th June 2008 De Vere Grand Harbour Hotel, Southampton Conference Southampton City Council is delighted to be hosting a leading edge climate change conference Expert panels will discuss: � National & regional environmental policies � Decentralised en POLICYFOCUS No time to waste EU efforts to tackle the impact of climate change on public health must not wait for scientific proof before acting, warns Frédérique Ries IN THIS SECTION HEALTH 33 No time to waste EU efforts to tackle the impact of climate change on public health must not wait for HEALTH | Climate Change “I strongly believe that an approach that makes absolute scientific evidence the paradigm for the 21st century clearly goes against common sense” tion of the ban imposed by parliament and council in June 2005 on the use in children’s toys of six substances belonging to National Beef Association T he National Beef Association has always encouraged domestic retailers and caterers to concentrate on home produced beef taken from cattle that have been reared in line with the UK’s notably high animal welfare and production standards. Which means it also insists that i HEALTH | Climate change Developing solutions Many diseases that are sensitive to climate change are, unfortunately, more prevalent in the developing world, says John Bowis T John Bowis is a member of the environment, climate change and development committees he commission’s climate change packa POLICYFOCUS and in densely populated coastal areas, are particularly vulnerable. Fortunately, much of the health risk related to climate change is avoidable if we step up existing health programmes and interventions. We need concerted action to strengthen key features of our health systems and to p HEALTH | Climate change “Women’s and men’s health is differently affected by climate change and degradation of natural resources” in part because men ran to safety while women stayed behind to rescue children and the elderly; more men than women had been taught to swim; and women stayed ind Code-EFABAR – Code of Good Practice for Farm Animal Breeding and Reproduction Organisations T he animal breeding, genetics and reproduction sector is regularly in the news. Genetic Modification, Cloning, ...are a concern to the general public – they are therefore hot topics for the European Co Integration of Animal Welfare in the Food Quality Chain: Social Demand and Business Opportunity Demand for improved welfare and transparent information European citizens rank animal welfare very highly and 62% of them would change their shopping habits in order to buy more animal welfare friendly go SPECIALREPORT SPECIALREPORT Creature comforts IN THIS SECTION P The commission’s animal health strategy is a good one, says Janusz Wojciechowski, but it neglects to address some important details protect animal health, which, owing to the possibility of direct or indirect transmission of disea ANIMAL WELFARE “Animals are living, sentient beings and therefore cannot be treated as commodities” animals transported to, from and within the EU. The specific objectives of the strategy are to ensure a high level of public health and food safety by minimising the incidence of biological and c SAC: Helping provide sustainable F arm animal welfare has been a cause of considerable public concern in Europe for a number of years, and remains so even with major emerging agendas such as climate change and food security. Science can play an important role by applying systematic approaches to wel ANIMAL WELFARE Animal instinct Of all parliament’s cross-party groups, the animal welfare intergroup is one of the most influential and best supported, writes Neil Parish A nimal welfare is the issue most often brought up by constituents in my mailbag and the success and influence of the interg SPECIALREPORT ing job and I hope that I am carrying on the excellent work that Paulo did. As president, I see first-hand the passion of our members, from all political groups and I am proud of the work that we do together. I firmly believe that the discussions we have greatly further the cause of a ANIMAL WELFARE | Eurogroup for Animals Animal action Securing animal welfare has a positive impact in many areas, says Sonja Van Tichelen T he jury is still out on whether the flapping of a butterfly’s wings in China could cause an earthquake in the States, as predicted by chaos theory. However SPECIALREPORT such as the spread of animal diseases. Simple measures such as slaughtering animals as near as possible to the place of rearing can significantly reduce the risk. When live animals rather than their meat are transported, diseases have more chances to infect other animals and affect hu ENLARGEMENT | Croatia Window of opportunity Croatia needs to speed up its reforms if it wants backing from parliament for its EU bid, urges Hannes Swoboda T he year 2008 is a crucial one, not just for Croatia but for the whole western Balkan region. For Kosovo and Serbia, not to mention Macedonia INSIDEEU requirement to extend and modernise the material infrastructure, particularly transport and energy, and to enhance science, research and development. Of course, development in the western Balkans should not be separated from the rest of the EU, so this regional initiative should be linked ENLARGEMENT | Macedonia ‘We have one name: Macedonia’ reads the banner, but not everyone agrees “I have always resisted the idea that a state, and in particular a former communist state, should become a Nato member before it joins the EU” languages, including national governmental communic Electronic training collars: Defra to publish scientific research in 2010 Research Defra has committed £469,000 of UK taxpayers’ money to conducting fundamental research into the welfare implications of electronic training products. The research, which looks at the products in the proper context