Hello and welcome to the April edition of the Brussels News Updates, the monthly EuChemS newsletter keeping you up to date with the latest chemistry related science-policy issues, news and upcoming events and awards.

If you are interested in reading not Covid-19-related news, you are at the right place.

This month, we are pleased to announce that the deadline of the 3rd Employment Survey for European Chemists has been extended: you are encouraged to complete the survey by the end of April. Meanwhile, the Horizon Europe budget is still being debated and the ERC announced 185 winners of the ERC 2019 advanced grants.

You can read the full newsletter online here.


European Highlights, Research, Innovation, Education, Entrepreneurship

ESEC3 - The 3rd employment Survey for European Chemists
All chemists and chemical engineers are very much encouraged to take part in this survey. By doing so, they will concreate future landscape for job opportunities and related matters, as they wish to have them, as the outcomes of this survey will be made available to policy makers and others who are in a position to shape the future in Europe.
EuChemS invites you to complete the questionnaire and to share it here.

EuChemS Secretariat team has grown to three full timers
As of 1 April 2020, EuChemS Secretariat now has for the first time ever three full timers working on supporting the community of chemists in Europe. In just a few years, since the Secretariat has started its work from Brussels, it has grown for a factor of three, which shows how activities of EuChemS have increased since 2011. Due to the current health-crisis situation, all the team members are working remotely until further notice.
Read more here.

Budget for Horizon Europe: no agreements yet
The next seven-year EU budget for Horizon Europe is still being debated. Due to the current world health crisis, the budget had to be revised and a proposal will be released by the European Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen. Indeed, governments currently face national difficulties directly impacting their economic and health system and are preparing for a post-crisis recession, which does not facilitate long-term budget planning.
In the current environment, the European Commission is looking for alternatives. Among them, extending the 2020 budget to 2021 is being discussed: the member states (except for the UK) would pay into the EU budget on the same GDP formula as in 2020. Therefore, research would get the same share in 2021 as it does in 2020. Otherwise, operating on a monthly basis is also a potential option.
Read the article here.

ERC 2019 advanced grants results
On 31 March 2020, the European Research Council (ERC) announced the 185 winners of the ERC 2019 advanced grants. In total, 450 million euros will be allocated to the winning researchers. As part of the Horizon 2020 programme, this funding will help strengthen Europe’s knowledge base in all fields of research. According to the ERC Press Release, these new projects are expected to create 1,800 new jobs for post-doctoral fellows, PhD students and other research staff.
Read the full article here.

Resignation of ERC President M. Ferrari
After three months of Presidency, Mauro Ferrari resigned his position as president of the European Research Council (ERC). M. Ferrari submitted his resignation on 7 April 2020.
In the meantime, one of the ERC´s three Vice-Presidents will assume M. Ferrari’s responsibilities until a new ERC President is selected by a Search Committee that the European Commission will set up.
Read more about it here.


Consultations & Roadmap

European Commission Public Consultation on 'Climate Pact'
Deadline: 27 May 2020
You can take a look at it here.

European Food Safety Authority Public Consultations
A number of consultations put forward by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) are currently open.
You can take a look at them here.

European Chemicals Agency Consultations
A number of consultations put forward by the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) are currently open.
You can take a look at them here.


Fundings, Nominations & Awards

Call for Elected members of the EuChemS Executive Board
The call for nominations for three (3) vacancies for elected members of the EuChemS Executive Board is open. 
Click here to submit your nomination.

ERC Advanced Grants
Researchers who would like to compete for an ERC Advanced Grant have from 14 May to 26 August 2020 to apply for the next round of funding.
Click here to apply.

Marie Skłodowska-Curie (MSCA) open calls
Currently three calls are open: RISE 2020, the individuals fellowships 2020 and the co-funding of regional, national and international programmes 2020.
More details here.


EuChemS Events

In the current environment and status of Covid-19, some events recognised by EuChemS are being postponed or cancelled.
EuChemS Events calendar is being updated on a regular basis.
If you planned to attend an event, you can check more about it here.


Read the full BNU newsletter here

EuChemS aisbl - Rue du Trône 62, 1050, Brussels, Belgium; www.euchems.eu. Produced for EuChemS by Nineta Hrastelj, Alex Schiphorst and Marta Kucza. This newsletter has been carefully prepared and only contains correct information to the best of EuChemS´ knowledge, however this does not exclude the possibility of existence of incorrect information. EuChemS cannot be liable for the use or misuse of any information, whether correct or incorrect, present at this newsletter. Intellectual property belongs to its rightful owners, always explicitly traceable on each article. Compilation Copyright © 2019 EuChemS


David Spichiger, SCS
22.04.2020