The European Union awards the best researchersHuman health treatment, environmental protection, technology development: the European Science Awards, presented on March 12 by the Commission involve different fields. “These prizes – explained Slovenian Commissioner Janez Potocnik – represent the best that Europe can give. They compensate qualities considered important for all scientists: excellence, openness and creativity”. A joint ceremony assigned the three most outstanding Continental awards: for dissemination of scientific knowledge, the Marie Curie prize for excellence and transnational Descartes awards. The first grant three 60 thousand-euro subsidies to “projects triggering public interest and promoting scientific knowledge”. They were presented to Jean-Pierre Luminet, Delphine Grinberg, Peter Leonard e Andrew Cohen. The last two recipients are authors of the documentary, “Most of our universe is missing”. Five 50thousand Marie Curie euro checks were given to researchers from Cambridge University (a survey on electronic devices and another on wellbeing and its effect on happiness), Istanbul (T killer cells against cancer), Portsmouth (obscure energy) and Cardiff (free radicals and inflammation). The Descartes awards were more financially consistent -1.360 thousand euro – grated to medical industrial and environmental researches. Reconsidering the role of Community AgenciesThe Commission asked EU institutions to reconsider the structure, responsibilities and coordination of the over 30 community agencies. “Symbol of EU’s yearning to be close to its citizens’ concerns, and of Member States, the agencies increased with the emergence of new challenges”: from migration to consumer defense, from the fight against drug-addiction to job market development. “Their major task consists in supporting European institutions under the legal, technical and scientific angle”. The agencies are located in 17 different Countries: among the most important figure the agency for fundamental rights, (established in 2007, in Wien) for the environment (1993, Copenhagen), for vocational training (1975, Salonicco), for external border management (2004, Warsaw). The increase in the number and role of these bodies, and the related costs . led the Eu to undertake an articulated reflection today. In 2005 an attempted inter-institutional agreement had failed. Now Barroso’s Executive addressed the Parliament and the Council “for the establishment of an inter-institutional working group charged with reviving the debate”.Towards an EU centre for migration policy”Well-managed migration can benefit the Union but it entails major challenges. More than ever, today politicians need to adapt strategies to a rapidly-developing context”. The EU Commission announced the establishment of the European Migration Policy Centre (Empc), scheduled to become operative by Fall 2008. According to the Executive “it is necessary for research conducted in the field of migration to be focused on the challenges of the new globalization. The major objective of the new Centre is to transform research into realistic political measures, thus contributing to guide the forthcoming Community strategies”. The Empc objectives include: the creation of specific data banks on migration; the analysis of economic, demographic and social spin-off of the 27. The Centre’s main offices will be located within the premises of the University of Florence. Finland: web game for consumer protection In preparation for the European Consumer Day of March 15, the Union’s Member States, in addition to Norway and Iceland, advertised national competitions for the year’s best information campaign. In the past few days, Commissioner Meglena Kuneva presented Finland with the “EU Consumer Champion” award, “for the creation of a dynamic web game informing consumers on e-shopping rights and duties”. Other awards were given to Ireland, United Kingdom, Hungary, Estonia and Norway. “The European winner – Kuneva explained – was selected among the best consumer information campaigns on different topics like financial services, the rights of plane passengers, loaning via text-messaging, e-shopping, food information and the role of children as consumers”. On the occasion of March 15 “I will transmit a message to 490 million European consumers – claimed the Bulgarian commissioner -. You have well-defined rights and you mustn’t hesitate to make them heard”. Since “consumers are the markets’ engine”.
