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EUROPABIO OPEN DAY, 14 JUNE 2007
Don't miss keynote speaker EU Trade Commissioner
Peter Mandelson.
For more information and to register for an invitation, click
here
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The biotech industry welcomes Ministers support for biotechnology
EU Council of Ministers supported the Commission’s Mid-Term Policy Review of the
EU's Life Science and Biotechnology Strategy
on 21 May. The Commission communication says Europe must take full
advantage of biotechnology and proposes a refocusing of the strategy to address
the greatest needs among the biotech sector: better regulation and access to
capital. The Competitiveness Council of Ministers endorsed the strategy
collectively.
For more information, see the EuropaBio
press release.
Lowering Europe's
adventitious presence
threshold?
On 22 May, the EU Parliament approved a resolution with
a suggested 0.1% labeling threshold for the adventitious presence of GM
ingredients in organic foods. This is in
stark contradiction with the current rules that define an 0.9% threshold for
labeling whether the GM ingredient is present in conventional food or organic
food. The decision is now up to the Agriculture Ministers,
meeting to discuss this on 11 and 12 June. The working document of the Council as
last seen in March still contained the 0.9% threshold that the EU Commission is
defending very strongly.
For
more information, contact EuropaBio's
Nathalie Moll.
EU launches
consultation
on Adventitious Presence
As part of its
latest “collection of information on Adventitious
Presence of GM seeds in non GM seeds” effort, the
European Commission has launched an internet
consultation for all stakeholders on the subject of
AP in seeds. The results of the consultation will be
used by the Commission together with the other
studies they are conducting, to decide on the
important issue of how to deal with the adventitious
presence of GM seeds in non GM seeds in Europe. The
deadline for the call is 5 June. For more
information, click
here.
EuropaBio puts patients first in new Manifesto &
first ever Patient Charter
In the Healthcare Manifesto published at BIO - the
world’s largest biotechnology gathering - the
European biotech industry announced new policy
priorities for 2007 and promoted Patient-Centred
Healthcare Systems. The Healthcare Manifesto
lays out how EuropaBio will contribute to the
process of developing patient-centred healthcare
systems, detailed in seven key policy principles.
Accompanying the launch of the Manifesto, EuropaBio
published our first ever Patient Charter setting out
a clear framework to ensure the integrity and
independence of both patient groups and industry
partnerships.
For more information,
click
here.
EuropaBio takes BIO by
storm
EuropaBio sent representatives from the Red, Green, and
White biotech sectors to the BIO International Convention,
the world’s largest biotechnology gathering. In
addition to having a stand in the convention, EuropaBio
staff and members participated in meetings, orgainised or
co-organised sessions in red and white biotech, and held a
press conference. EuropaBio's Secretary General Johan
Vanhemelrijck gave
presentations
concerning a reaction of the biotech industry to the Joint Research Council's
Bio4EU study and an
opinion and reaction of the biotech industry to the EU Commission's Mid-Term Review
of the EU's Life
Science and Biotechnology Strategy.
To learn more
about BIO, click
here.
ECJ may support the court ruling against Upper Austria’s GMO
ban
Upper Austria’s blanket ban on the cultivation of
genetically-modified crops is not justified and is
therefore
illegal, according to a preliminary ruling by the
European Court of Justice (ECJ) this week. The opinion
from
the Advocate-General, on 15 May, backs a 2005 ruling from the
Court of First Instance, which
found that the Commission was right to reject the ban adopted by the regional government of Upper Austria.
For
more information, click
here.
Beekeepers lose in case against GM
planting
An important precedent was set today in France where a local
court dismissed the case in which the plaintiffs (a couple of bee keepers and 8
agricultural organizations) had accused a GM
maize farmer of disseminating GM pollen The plaintiffs were also charged with a 5 000 Euro fine
in favour of the GM farmer.
For more information, contact EuropaBio's
Nathalie Moll.
EU Commission report urges
a boost eco-innovation
On 3 May, the EU
Commission adopted a report noting that European businesses are among the world
leaders in terms of developing clean technologies and
that it is essential to continue in this manner. The
Commission also defined a number of priorities and
actions to stimulate eco-innovation.
For more information,
click
here.
New biotech solutions to cut animal testing
Five biotech alternatives to traditional animal testing
methods were validated by the European Commission's
Joint Research Centre on 27 April.
For more information, click
here.
On 30
April, the EU Commission launched a
public consultation on biofuels.
Open until 4 June 2007, the input from
this consultation will be added to
previous consultations, notably in 2006
on heating and cooling and biofuels, as
well as a more recent consultation on
administrative obstacles to the
increased use of renewables in
electricity generation
For more information, click
here.
SME
guide to intellectual property
BusinessEurope has published a guide for small and
medium-sized enterprises in order to help manage the
complexities of protecting intellectual property in Europe.
The guide provides practical information on a range of
specific intellectual property rights (IPR) topics and
provides a list of relevant contact points for SMEs.
For more information, click
here.
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June 2007 |
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4-6 June:
International Conference Renewable Resources and Biorefineries, Ghent
Researchers, industrialists and policymakers from around
the world will gather in Ghent for the fird Renewable
resources and Biorefineries conference to discuss the future
of renewable resources and biorefineries. For more
information, please click
here.
13-15 June 2007:
New frontiers in the quality of medicines, Strasbourg
This meeting will explore international co-operation and
synergy in quality standards; the perspectives for
co-operation and partnership with regulatory agencies, the
PDG Pharmacopoeias and industry; and an action plan for the
future with recommendations from industry.
For more information, please
click
here.
14 June 2007:
EuropaBio's Open Day, Brussels, Brussels
EuropaBio's
Open
Day is an opportunity to
network at the European level, to make business connections
across Europe and to meet with
EU decision-makers and
representatives from large,
medium and small biotech companies. For more information, please
click
here.
17-19 June:
Genomics in Business 2007, Amsterdam
Genomics in Business 2007 is an international conference
that explores the business potential of genomics
applications in the agro-food biotechnology industry.
Members of EuropaBio may receive a discount of € 200 off the
prevailing registration fee. To receive the discount,
complete the online registration form
and check the box
indicating that your company is a member of EuropaBio.For
more information, please click
here.
18 June 2007: BioFinance Europe, London
A pan-European conference on alternative finance
options for bioscience companies. Organised by
the BioIndustry Association (BIA), this event will bring
senior US and European financiers together with CEOs
from some of the most innovative bioscience companies in
Europe to explore alternatives to traditional VC and
equity financing.
For more information, please
click
here.
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September 2007 |
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16-19
September 2007: Symbiosis, 13th European Congress on
Biotechnology, Barcelona
For more information,
please click
here
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October 2007 |
9-11
October 2007: Biotechnica, 15th International Trade Fair,
Hanover
The event will provides an opportunity to make personal
business contacts and offers visitors an overview of the
life sciences and biotechnology. For more information,
please
click
here.
24-26
October: EU-Malaysia Biotechnology Business Partnership (EUM-BIO)
2007, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
The event aims to establish business and technology
co-operation by arranging contacts between biotech companies
as well as research institutions (including universities)
from the European Union The participation package is
substantially subsidised with an earlybird charge of Euro
100. Additionally, a selected 50 registered European
organisation are entitled for 50% air-ticket subsidy or EUR
500 travelling incentive (whichever is lower) for
participating at the EUM-BIO Business Partnering Event.
For more information,
please
click
here
or contact EuropaBio.
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