Commission calls for a European focus on rare diseases
The European Commission has adopted a Communication and a proposal for a Council Recommendation on rare diseases setting out an overall Community strategy to support Member States in diagnosing, treating and caring for the 36 million EU citizens with rare diseases. Click here for the Commission’s press release and here for the joint EuropaBio and EBE press release.



European Forum for Industrial Biotechnology 2009
Following the sell out success of the inaugural European Forum for Industrial Biotechnology which attracted more than 260 international leaders in white biotechnology, EuropaBio is pleased to announce that preparation is already under way for the follow up event in 2009. EFIB 2009 will take place in Lisbon from 20-22 October 2009 For more information or to register, please visit: www.efibforum.com.

EuropaBio press release following Commission review  of the laboratory animal directive calls for a reduction of bureaucracy placed on SMEs
EuropaBio acknowledges need for review of the laboratory animal protection Directive but calls for a reduction of the bureaucratic burden the Directive will place on SMEs. Click here for EuropaBio's press release. The proposal is available here.



Purple tomato 'may boost health'
Scientists have developed purple tomatoes which they hope may be able to keep cancer at bay. A team from Norwich (UK), created the tomatoes by incorporating genes from the snapdragon flower, which is high in anthocyanin. The study, published in Nature Biotechnology, found mice who ate the tomatoes lived longer. To read a related article at the BBC’s website click here.



Science and Research European Commissioner Janez Potocnik addressed alternative approaches to animal testing at EPAA conference in Brussels
On 3 November 2008, European Commissioner for Science and Research Janez Potocnik reaffirmed the European Commission's commitment towards the 3Rs, with a particular focus on replacement, in a speech given at the EPAA 2008 Conference. He highlighted the different measures adopted by the Commission to implement the 3Rs and announced that more would be done in the future to ensure that alternative approaches to animal testing were widely used. Click here for his speech.



Can GM save the world? asks the BBC’s Horizon programme
The BBC Horizon programme sent Jimmy Doherty - an advocate of sustainable farming - on a personal mission to get at some of the truths on GM. He concluded: “ No-one is saying GM is the total solution to all these problems [food crises, drought]. But if there is a chance it can provide some of the answers, then we need to pursue it.” To read the related article, please click here.

EuropaBio welcomes first-ever European Antibiotic Awareness Day
EuropaBio published a press release to welcomes the first-ever European Antibiotic Awareness Day that took place across Europe 18 November. The European Antibiotic Awareness Day is a European health initiative in close collaboration with the World Health Organization, as well as many other stakeholder groups including health professionals and scientists. Click here for the press release.

European biofuels win last-minute reprieve reports EU Observer
The European Commission has amended its values for the amount of greenhouse gas emissions biofuels release so that certain fuels produced in Europe that previously would not have met new "green" thresholds approved by MEPs now meet them. To read the entire article, please click here.


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EVENTS 2008 & 2009
For a full list of events, click here

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