L'Anses et l'Institut américain de sécurité et de santé travail (NIOSH – National institute of occupational safety and health) Etats-Unis, ont signé le 19 mars 2012, un protocole d’entente destiné à encadrer de multiples coopérations en matière d’évaluation des risques sanitaires en milieu professionnel. Deux thèmes prioritaires de coopération ont d’ores et déjà été identifiés : les valeurs limites d’exposition professionnelles (VLEP) et les nanomatériaux.

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Researchers in Germany and Hungary have engineered novel pellets that are able to repel pests in a way that does not harm the environment and that could fertilise the plants. These pellets are made of cyanobacteria and fermentation residues from biogas facilities. The organic farming industry could stand to benefit from this innovative development since organic farmers stand to lose entire crops when pests, such as cabbage root flies, lay their eggs on freshly planted vegetables. The purchase and consumption of organic vegetables keeps growing, with most people saying they prefer buying and eating products that are neither treated with pesticides nor laden with chemicals. But organic farmers must deal with the challenge of keeping their plants safe from pests, a task that is next to impossible. So when cabbage root flies, for instance, lay their eggs in the spring and fall on freshly planted greens, an entire harvest can be lost. Farmers say they can help protect their plants by planting seeds after the fly's flying time is over.

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Researchers in China, Italy and the United Kingdom have discovered what gene is responsible for blood orange pigmentation, and how it is controlled. The results, presented in the journal The Plant Cell, could help improve the growth of health-promoting blood oranges and lead to novel solutions for patients suffering from cardiovascular disease, obesity and diabetes. The study was partially supported by two EU-funded projects: FLORA and ATHENA. FLORA ('Flavonoids and related phenolics for healthy living using orally recommended antioxidants') received EUR 3.3 million under the 'Food quality and safety' Thematic area of the EU's Sixth Framework Programme (FP6). ATHENA ('Anthocyanin and polyphenol bioactives for health enhancement through nutritional advancement') has received almost EUR 3 million under the 'Food, agriculture and fisheries, and biotechnology' Theme of the EU's Seventh Framework Programme (FP7).

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A new EU-funded project that aims to speed up the development of crops resistant to drought and disease has just got under way. ABSTRESS ('Improving the resistance of legume crops to combined abiotic and biotic stress'), which will run for 5 years, is funded to the tune of almost EUR 3 million under the 'Food, agriculture and fisheries, and biotechnology' Theme of the EU's Seventh Framework Programme (FP7). It brings together researchers from 13 participating institutions across the Czech Republic, Germany, Spain, France, Italy, Hungary and the United Kingdom.

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The European Commission has today adopted a Communication entitled 'Promotion measures and information provision for agricultural products: a reinforced value-added strategy for promoting the tastes of Europe'. The Communication is the second stage of the promotion policy reform process launched in July 2011, which aims to make the agriculture and agri-food sector more dynamic and more competitive and to promote sustainable, intelligent and inclusive growth.

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Following the Cohesion Policy proposals of 6th October, and in order to help Member States with their preparations for the next programming period the Commission has today presented the "Common Strategic Framework" (CSF). It is intended to help in setting clear investment priorities for the next financial planning period from 2014 until 2020 in Member States and their regions. It will enable a far better combining of various funds to maximise the impact of EU investments. National and regional authorities will use this framework as the basis for drafting their 'Partnership Contracts' with the Commission, committing themselves to meeting Europe's growth and jobs targets for 2020.Today's overview elaborates on the Framework's investment priorities and key actions for programmes which will be supported, not only through the Cohesion and Structural Funds, but also through the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development and the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund.

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Parasitic worms wreak havoc among farm animals, and various changing environmental factors are only exacerbating the problem. Step in a brand new EU-funded project that aims to mitigate the economic and welfare burden these worm infections put on the European ruminant livestock industry, by examining the impact these environmental changes are having on the pesky pathogens. GLOWORM ('Innovative and sustainable strategies to mitigate the impact of global change on helminth infections in ruminants'), which received nearly EUR 3 million as part of the 'Food, agriculture and fisheries, and biotechnology' Theme of the EU's Seventh Framework Programme (FP7), brings together researchers from 14 partner institutions across Belgium, Ireland, Italy, Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.

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A British-American team of scientists and industry actors has developed the first high-resolution, comprehensive map of a promising energy crop called Miscanthus, what experts describe as a tall, cane-like grass that can be used as a feedstock for biofuels, bioproducts and biopower. Presented in the journal PLoS ONE, the study provides key insight into research efforts that seek to make bioenergy production a reality. Scientists from the Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences (IBERS) at Aberystwyth University in Wales and staff from Ceres Inc., a United States-based energy crop group, cooperated on this project. The Welsh team created the collection of genetically related plants, while the American group sequenced and evaluated the deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA). The researchers said such genetic mapping shortened product development timelines of other crops.

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La malnutrition se développe lorsque le corps ne reçoit pas la bonne quantité d'énergie, de protéines, de vitamines et autres nutriments nécessaires à la santé et au bon fonctionnement des organes. Le terme « malnutrition » évoque bien souvent des images de famine, généralement associées aux pays en voie de développement. Toutefois, on ne réalise pas toujours que des situations de mauvaise nutrition existent également dans des régions où la nourriture est abondante.

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Researchers from the University of Nottingham in the United Kingdom have designed an innovative technique to study the underground world of plants. Presented in the journal Plant Physiology, the results of this study will lead to improved breeding techniques for crop varieties, as well as better yields. The novel approach is based on the same X-ray technology used in hospital computed tomography (CT) scans. It integrates new image analysis software that can automatically distinguish the roots of plants from other soil-based materials. The researchers, from the Centre for Plant Integrative Biology (CPIB), tested this approach on the roots of maize, wheat and tomato. They studied the architecture, what experts refer to as the shape and branching pattern, of roots in soil by using X-ray micro computed tomography (micro CT). The team then entered the information into the new RooTrak software, which enabled them to differentiate between roots and other soil elements.

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Plusieurs pays européens réalisent régulièrement des études destinées à suivre l'exposition des populations aux contaminants chimiques à travers leur alimentation quotidienne (études dites "de l'alimentation totale"). Un projet européen appelé "TDS_EXPOSURE" est lancé aujourd'hui afin d'harmoniser les méthodes utilisées pour réaliser ces études et ainsi faciliter leur mise en œuvre et la comparaison des résultats. Destiné à durer 4 ans, ce projet est coordonné par l'Anses et réunit 26 partenaires de 19 pays européens.

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The European Commission has today proposed decisive action to meet three key challenges facing our society, in areas that are crucial to growth and jobs: the supply of raw materials, sustainable agriculture, and active and healthy ageing. All three require a more concerted innovation effort across the public and private sector, in order to improve quality of life and position Europe as a global leader. The Commission has therefore launched two new European Innovation Partnerships (EIPs) - on Raw Materials and on Agricultural Sustainability and Productivity - and has endorsed a four-year action plan for the Active and Healthy Ageing EIP, a pilot launched in February 2011. EIPs take a new approach to tackling the whole research-development-innovation chain, bringing together public and private stakeholders across borders and sectors in order to accelerate the uptake of innovation. They each have an ambitious target to reach by 2020, and are expected to start delivering results within 1-3 years. The announcement today comes just ahead of a European Council that is expected to reaffirm the place of research and innovation at the centre of European economic recovery.

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A total of €115.2 million of EU agricultural policy funds unduly spent by Member States is being claimed back by the European Commission today under the so-called clearance of accounts procedure. As some of these amounts have already been recovered from the Member States, the financial impact is somewhat lower at €54.3 million. This money returns to the EU budget because of non-compliance with EU rules or inadequate control procedures on agricultural expenditure. Member States are responsible for paying out and checking expenditure under the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), and the Commission is required to ensure that Member States have made correct use of the funds.

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The European Union and the United States announced today that beginning June 1, 2012, organic products certified in Europe or in the United States may be sold as organic in either region. This partnership between the two largest organic-producers in the world will establish a strong foundation from which to promote organic agriculture, benefiting the growing organic industry and supporting jobs and businesses on a global scale. The organics sector in the United States and European Union is valued at roughly €40 billion combined, and rising every year.

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New EU-funded project champions more sustainable production and distribution of foodstuffs A new EU-funded project that aims to contribute towards getting the food and drink sector to engage in more environmentally sustainable production, transformation and distribution of its products has just kicked off. The agri-foodstuffs industry is currently one of the biggest contributors towards rising emissions levels and global warming, and as a whole it uses up about 70% of the world's fresh water. The main objective is to reduce the environmental impact of food and drink throughout the production chain, starting with production and transformation and going right up to commercial distribution.

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Consumers use nutrition labels to make informed decisions about eating the 'right' foods for better health. But new research from Europe shows how there are limitations on how these labels can be used in real-life situations. The results are an outcome of the FLABEL ('Food labelling to advance better education for life ') project, which has clinched almost EUR 2.9 million in funding under the 'Food, agriculture and fisheries, and biotechnology' (European Knowledge Based Bio-Economy or KBBE) Theme of the EU's Seventh Framework Programme (FP7). The findings were presented by FLABEL scientific advisor Professor Klaus G. Grunert in a recent webinar.

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Natural food does not always mean safe food. EU-funded researchers have discovered that the compounds found in some botanicals and botanical preparations, such as plant food supplements, may be detrimental to one's health. Presented in the journal Food and Nutrition Sciences, the study was funded in part by the PLANTLIBRA ('Plant food supplements: levels of intake, benefit and risk assessment') project, which is backed with nearly EUR 6 million under the 'Food, agriculture and fisheries, and biotechnology' (KBBE) Theme of the EU's Seventh Framework Programme (FP7).

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2012 marks the 50th anniversary of the implementation of the EU's Common Agricultuure Policy (CAP), a cornerstone of European integration, that has provided European citizens with 50 years of food security and a living countryside. The CAP remains the only EU policy where there is a common EU framework and the majority of public spending in all Member States comes from the EU budget, rather than from national or regional budgets. Figures show that the CAP has helped see a steady increase in economic value, in productivity, and in trade, while also allowing the share of household spending on food to be halved.

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It's safe to say that Europeans love their bread. Whether it's Germany's dark pumpernickel or France's baguette, Europeans enjoy consuming this starchy food. A team of researchers led by Kaunas University of Technology in Lithuania believes that Europeans are now baking their own, or buying it from their local bakeries. The results are part of the FERMFOOD ('Fermented products by using lactic acid bacteria with antimicrobial activity for bread production') project, which is supported under EUREKA, the European platform for research and development (R&D).

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A team of EU-funded British and French researchers has identified the 'nourishing gene' in charge of transferring nutrients from plants to seeds. This new discovery, presented in the journal Current Biology, could help increase global food production while it also has implications for food security. For the first time the researchers were able to identify the gene, named Meg1, which regulates the optimum amount of nutrients flowing from mother to offspring in maize plants. The study was funded in part by the European Commission through the 'Harnessing plant reproduction for crop improvement' action of the Food and Agriculture domain of the European Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST) framework. COST coordinates different national research programmes at the European level; it is supported by the Directorate-General for Research and Innovation. The main aim is to reduce fragmentation in European research investments and open the European Research Area (ERA) up to worldwide cooperation.

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Can pregnant women help boost their children's brainpower by eating fish? The findings of a study, presented in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, show how children born to women who consumed more fish during their pregnancies demonstrated improved outcomes in tests for verbal intelligence, fine motor skills and prosocial behaviour. The results are an outcome of the NUTRIMENTHE ('Effect on diet on the mental performance of children') project, which is backed under the 'Food, agriculture and fisheries, and biotechnology' (KBBE) Theme of the EU' Seventh Framework Programme (FP7) to the tune of EUR 5.9 million.

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The European Commission has approved 20 programmes to promote agricultural products in third countries. The total budget of the programmes, running for a period of three years, is € 60.2 million of which the EU contributes € 30.1 million (50%). The selected programmes cover fresh and processed fruit and vegetables, milk and milk products, PDOs (Protected Designations of Origin), PGIs (Protected Geographical Indications) and TSGs (Traditional Specialities Guaranteed), organic food and farming, olive oil, wine and spirits, cereals and rice, horticulture and meat.

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If you thought your health and well-being are the only things affected by what you eat, think again. New research from Finland shows how you can help mitigate the burden and risks triggered by hazardous substances found in the food supply chain, by choosing the right foods and following dietary guidelines. Researchers from the Foodweb project, coordinated by MTT) Agrifood Research Finland, put the spotlight on the Baltic Sea, saying the food supply chain is playing havoc with this body of water. Conversely, the hazardous substances accumulated in the marine ecosystem can also increase our risk of consuming unsafe foods.

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On Monday 28 November, in Lisbon, Commissioner for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, Maria Damanaki, will present a new maritime strategy for growth and jobs in the Atlantic Ocean area, just adopted by the European Commission. The strategy identifies challenges and opportunities in the region and takes stock of existing initiatives that can support growth and job creation. The strategy will be implemented through an Action Plan in 2013. The Commission calls on stakeholders to help design concrete projects which would be able to benefit from EU funding. The Commission will facilitate the development of this Action Plan through a series of workshops and discussion groups that will be open to a wide array of participants - the 'Atlantic Forum'. The new strategy is developed under the EU's Integrated Maritime Policy and follows similar strategies for the Baltic, the Arctic and the Mediterranean areas. Commissioner Damanaki will present the strategy at the high-level Lisbon Atlantic Conference and Stakeholder Day, on 28-29 November, where a first discussion will take place.

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The European Commission proposed today to forbid, with no exemptions, the practice of 'shark finning' aboard fishing vessels. Shark finning is the practice of cutting off the fins of sharks – often while they are still alive - and then throwing back into the sea the shark without its fins. The Commission proposes that from now on, all vessels fishing in EU waters and all EU vessels fishing anywhere in the world will have to land sharks with the fins still attached. To facilitate storage and handling onboard vessels, fishermen will be permitted to slice partly through each fin and fold it against the carcass of the shark. The aim of the new rules is to better protect vulnerable shark populations across the world's oceans.

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The International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) is holding its 22nd Regular Meeting in Istanbul from 11 to 19 of November 2011. In this annual meeting, the European Union and other ICCAT Contracting Parties will agree on management and control measures for the sustainable protection of tuna and tuna-like species in the Atlantic and the Mediterranean. These measures will be based on scientific advice released on 17 October 2011 and will include the setting of Total Allowable Catches (TACs) where recommended by the ICCAT scientific committee, e.g. for bigeye tuna, and North and South Atlantic albacore.

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Business-to-business contractual practices, competitiveness in the agro-food industry and the monitoring of food prices will be the main interest of the 2012 work of the High Level Forum for a Better Functioning Food Supply Chain. One year after its launch meeting the Forum adopted today its mid-term report.

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Today, the European Commission has approved 14 programmes in 11 Member States to promote fresh fruit and vegetables both on the internal market and in third countries. The total budget for the programmes, running for a period of three years, is € 34.1 million of which the EU contributes € 17.0 million (50%). This was one of a set of measures proposed by the Commission this summer to address the difficult market situation faced by this sector as a consequence of the E-coli crisis.

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Dans le cadre d'une « feuille de route » relative à la révision de la règlementation sur les encéphalopathies spongiformes transmissibles (EST), la Commission européenne propose un assouplissement des règles d'interdiction des protéines animales transformées (PAT) pour l'alimentation de certains animaux de rente. Les ministères chargés de l'agriculture, de la santé et de la consommation ont souhaité saisir l'Anses sur cette feuille de route pour en évaluer les implications sanitaires pour la France.

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Despite good understanding and prevalence of nutrition information on food labels in Europe, a lack of motivation and attention of consumers prevents labels from impacting positively on food choices.

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Exposure to the chemical atrazine triggers reproductive dysfunction in animals, a new international study confirms. Presenting their study in The Journal of Steroid Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, scientists from Asia, Europe, and North and South America reviewed the evidence of a link between exposure to the herbicide used in over 60 countries worldwide and reproductive problems in mammals, amphibians, fish and reptiles.

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A European team of researchers led by the universities of York and Bradford in the United Kingdom has discovered that humans modified their behaviour slowly rather than quickly when it came to switching their method in hunting for and gathering their food. Presented in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), the findings unlock the mystery of this transition with help from residues in ancient cooking pots.

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An international team of scientists has sequenced the genome of Medicago, a member of the large Fabaceae group of flowering plants and a long-established model for the study of legume biology. The scientists have successfully mapped out around 94% of its genes. Their findings give us an insight into how Papilionoideae, the largest of the three Fabaceae subfamilies evolve. The Papilionoideae subfamily includes peas, soybean and all legumes that are grown as crops. The study, which brought together 128 scientists from, Belgium, France Germany, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, the United Kingdom and the United States received EUR 14 750 955 of funding from the GRAIN LEGUMES ('New strategies to improve grain legumes for food and feed') project, which was funded as part of the 'Food Quality and Safety' Thematic area of the EU's Sixth Framework Programme (FP6).

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Boosting activity, sleeping more and watching less television will help young children maintain a healthy body weight, new EU-funded research shows. An outcome of the IDEFICS ('Identification and prevention of dietary- and lifestyle- induced health effects in children and infants') project, the study shows that the more time children spend in front of a TV or computer screen, the greater the odds that they will gain weight. IDEFICS is backed with EUR 13 million under the Food Quality and Safety Thematic area of the EU's Sixth Framework Programme (FP6). The findings were presented at the 11th European Nutrition Conference in Madrid, Spain in late October, ahead of this month's final IDEFICS meeting in Bremen, Germany.

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A team of German scientists has shown that fish from fish farms are increasingly at risk from pesticide contamination due to the vegetable matter they are being fed. The finding comes as consumers are eating more fish today than ever before, with half of all this consumed fish coming from fish farms, making aquaculture a booming part of the global food industry with an annual growth rate of 9%.

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Two independent reports evaluating the European Union's legislation on Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) conclude that there is broad support for the legislation's objectives and show that recent legislative Commission initiatives are heading in the right direction. The documents, published today, also note that some adjustments are necessary if we are to meet the objectives of the legislation -the protection of health and the environment and the creation of an internal market- and to ensure that the legislation is properly implemented.

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A total of € 214 million of EU agricultural policy funds unduly spent by Member States is being claimed back by the European Commission today under the so-called clearance of accounts procedure. This money returns to the EU budget because of non-compliance with EU rules or inadequate control procedures on agricultural expenditure. Member States are responsible for paying out and checking expenditure under the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), and the Commission is required to ensure that Member States have made correct use of the funds.

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The European Commission has today published its plans to reform the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) after 2013. This blueprint aims to strengthen the competitiveness and the sustainability of agriculture and maintain its presence in all regions, in order to guarantee European citizens healthy and quality food production, to preserve the environment and to help develop rural areas.

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The EU Aid for the Needy scheme, which provides food for as many as 18 million of the EU's most deprived citizens, faces a drastic cut in spending next year following a Court ruling in April. In a further effort to overcome the deadlock in the Council of Ministers and maintain the food distribution programme at current levels, the European Commission has today put forward a second amended proposal to provide an impetus for a political agreement and to allow the successful food distribution scheme to continue in 2012 and 2013, as well as in the future. The amendments proposed today will add a second legal base, namely social cohesion, reflecting the scheme's important social dimension. A further change is to remove the proposed provision for co-financing the scheme in future. Earlier proposals to avoid this problem were tabled by the Commission in 2008 and 2010 have been backed by the European Parliament and a number of Member States, but the dossier remains blocked in the Council.

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A pan-European team of researchers has shown that eating strawberries can have a protecting effect on stomachs damaged by alcohol as they can help protect stomach mucous membranes. The team, made up of researchers from Italy, Serbia and Spain, set out in the journal PLoS One how the antioxidant properties found in strawberries could help improve treatments for stomach ulcers. With a EUR 2,999,999 boost of funding from the EUBerry ('The sustainable improvement of European berry production, quality and nutritional value in a changing environment: Strawberries, Currants, Blackberries, Blueberries and Raspberries') project, part of the 'Food, agriculture and fisheries, and biotechnology' Theme of the EU's Seventh Framework Programme (FP7), the team was able to prove that consumption of strawberry extract was directly linked with suffering less damage to the stomach mucous membrane.

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Researchers in Spain have developed sophisticated machines to sort citrus fruit before they reach consumers. The prototypes can detect and separate rotten oranges, and can classify mandarin segments. Citrus fruit field pickers can also use these machines to make their jobs a lot easier. The prototypes are presented in the journal Food and Bioprocess Technology.

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The European Commission presented today its first proposal for 2012 fishing opportunities for certain stocks in the Atlantic and the North Sea. Today's proposal sets levels of total allowable catch (TAC) and fishing effort for the fish stocks managed by the EU exclusively, and not for stocks managed with third countries. Based on scientific advice, the Commission proposes to increase the TAC for 9 stocks (certain stocks of cod, anglerfish, herring, haddock, hake, sole, megrim and Norway lobster) and reduce it for 53 stocks. For cod in the West of Scotland, the Irish Sea and the Kattegat, the Commission proposes that no fishing takes place in 2012, given the poor state of these stocks. The proposed changes would amount to an overall reduction in TACs (by weight) of 11% compared to 2011. The Commission's goal is to set TACs at science-based levels which help recover the stocks and make fisheries sustainable in the long term.

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The European Commission today tabled its proposal on fishing opportunities in the Baltic Sea for 2012. Based on scientific advice, the Commission proposes to increase TACs (total allowable catches) for both stocks of Baltic cod as well as for two stocks of herring (Western and the Gulf of Bothnia). Decreases for the remaining stocks, in particular salmon, are deemed necessary, given the poor state of the fish stocks in question. The Commission also proposes to limit the number of days at sea for fishing vessels, to the levels established last year. The overall aim of the proposals is to make fisheries in the Baltic Sea environmentally and economically sustainable by following the recommendations of scientists.

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A historic statement pledging bilateral cooperation to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, known as IUU fishing, will be signed today in Washington by Maria Damanaki, European Commissioner for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries and Dr. Jane Lubchenco, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Administrator. This statement is the first of its kind in the longstanding partnership between the EU and the US on fisheries management.

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The concept of enhancing the link between Common Agriculture Policy (CAP) payments and environmental protection throughout the EU and limiting the amount of payments any individual farm can receive are broadly supported by EU citizens, according to a EUROBAROMETER opinion poll published today. The poll also shows recognition of the particular contribution that small farms provide to rural communities, and gives clear backing for making public the amounts that individual beneficiaries receive. The highest level of support came from those who agreed that buying local products was beneficial, but almost half of the respondents indicated that it is difficult to identify "local products" or "mountain products".

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Following the numerous statements that have appeared in the media today, the European Commission wishes to reiterate its full commitment to maintaining the European food aid scheme for the most deprived persons (MDP). The Commission deeply regrets that the Council, due to the opposition of a small number of Member States, did not support, as of yesterday, the amendment to the legislation proposed by the Commission allowing the release of the whole of the envelope of EUR 500 million for the scheme for both 2012 and 2013. The food distribution scheme has been tried and tested for 25 years. It must continue to embody the spirity of solidarity that underlies the European project.

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L'ANR organisait les 13 et 14 septembre 2011 un colloque du département des programmes "non thématiques" du domaine des sciences agronomiques et écologiques à la Faculté de Médecine de Montpellier. Le colloque "Des molécules aux écosystèmes" concernait les projets "Blanc" et "Jeunes chercheuses-Jeunes chercheurs" des éditions 2007 et 2008. Plus de 200 équipes partenaires impliquées dans une centaine de projets ont bénéficié d'un financement et étaient invitées à présenter les résultats de leurs travaux.

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Is a wild yeast that travelled from one part of the Earth to another the basis of the lager beer that today's consumers like to drink? An international research team believes it has found that wild yeast. The study shows how the yeast, found in the beech forests of Patagonia, the alpine region located in Argentina and Chile, was the key ingredient that gave rise to cold-temperature fermentation and lager beer. The findings are published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).

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The European Commission today adopted a proposal that will, when implemented, further enhance food safety and better safeguard animal health in the EU.In particular, the Commission proposal provides the legal framework for the introduction, for the first time and on a voluntary basis, of an electronic identification system (EID) for bovine animals. Bovine EID is already used in several EU Member States on a private basis mainly for farm management purposes. Its implementation on a wider scale will strengthen the current traceability system for bovine animals and food products (e.g. beef) making it faster and more accurate. Finally, it may bring benefits to farmers and other stakeholders as it will reduce the administrative burden through the simplification of the current administrative procedures. Despite its voluntary character, the Commission proposal allows Member States to introduce a mandatory regime at national level.

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Today in Europe many nutritional foodstuffs remain a luxury commodity and are not affordable for everyone in society. In light of this, a new EU-funded project that hopes to tackle the resulting poverty-related nutritional problems has just got underway. CHANCE ('Low cost technologies and traditional ingredients for the production of affordable, nutritionally correct foods improving health in population groups at risk of poverty'), part of the Seventh Framework Programme's (FP7) 'Food, agriculture and fisheries, and biotechnology' Theme, aims to bring researchers and industry partners together to develop appealing, affordable and healthy food products that could prevent common nutritional problems among those vulnerable to poverty.

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In its proposals for a major reform of the EU Common Fisheries Policy (CFP), the European Commission has set out a radical approach to fisheries management in Europe. The plans will secure both fish stocks and fishermen's livelihood for the future while putting an end to overfishing and depletion of fish stocks. The reform will introduce a decentralised approach to science-based fisheries management by region and sea basin, and introduce better governance standards in the EU and on the international level through sustainable fisheries agreements.

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Member States agreed to a Commission proposal to increase the EU support under the emergency plan for vegetable producers affected by the E-Coli crisis from € 210 million to € 227 million. This will allow the Commission to pay 100% of the demands for compensation from the different Member States.

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The European Commission has today launched a debate on the future of promotion and information schemes for EU agricultural products. With the publication of a Green Paper on these issues, the Commission is looking at how to shape a more targeted and more ambitious strategy for the future, which will make clearer to consumers – both in the EU and beyond - the quality, traditions and added-value of European agricultural and food products.

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The European Commission has approved 26 programmes in 13 Member States to provide information on and to promote agricultural products in the European Union. The total budget for the programmes, which will run for between one and three years, is €75.1 million, of which the EU will contribute €37.6 million (50%). The selected programmes cover wine, PDOs, PGIs and TSGs, organic food and farming, fruit and vegetables, horticulture, milk and milk products, olive oil and table olives, eggs, seed oil and meat.

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Établir des recommandations nutritionnelles en termes d’aliments est une chose. S'assurer qu'elles soient lues, comprises et suivies en est une autre. Les chercheurs du réseau d'excellence EURRECA ont étudié comment les consommateurs perçoivent ces recommandations.

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The total value of funds for the 2012 programme for the supply of food for the most deprived persons in the European Union has been set at €113 million, with the precise allocations fixed per Member State. This is a sharp reduction from the near € 500 million awarded in recent years because of a ruling by the Court of Justice in April stating that the current regulation requires the food covered by this scheme to come from EU public stocks. Therefore, the 2012 scheme is exclusively based on all the available existing intervention stocks (162 000 tonnes of cereals and 54 000 tonnes of Skimmed Milk Powder in intervention).

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A team of EU-funded researchers from Spain have, for the second year running, successfully harnessed bluefin tuna (BFT) spawn without using hormonal induction. This means the team will be able to closely study the reproductive habits of this endangered species in captivity. The work was carried out as part of the SELFDOTT project ('From capture based to SELF-sustained aquaculture and Domestication Of bluefin tuna, Thunnus tynnus'), which received a boost of EUR 2.98 million under the 'Food, agriculture and fisheries, and biotechnology' Theme of the EU's Seventh Framework Programme (FP7).

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What is healthy food and how can we make it innovative? How do we offer consumers the information they need/want about this type of food? Experts in Europe believe various forces exist that drive healthy food innovation, namely: science, research and development (R&D) innovation, individual health awareness and individual risk-benefit analysis. These conclusions were revealed at the recent Nutrevent conference in Lille, France, where the experts noted that nutritionists must pay particular attention to functional food innovations with natural compounds to help meet the growing concerns consumers have over healthy food.

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Against the backdrop of extreme volatility of agriculture commodity prices, the CIAA (Confederation of the food and drink industries of the EU) urges a workable regulatory environment that meets the needs of both Europe’s food industry and the millions of consumers that it serves every day. Following a high level conference organised in Brussels today by the European Commission entitled, “Commodities and raw materials: Challenges and Policy Responses”, Europe’s largest manufacturing industry, the food and drink industry, is hopeful that some policy responses to meet agricultural raw material commodity challenges will be found at the  G20 meeting of Agriculture Ministers in Paris next week.

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Poland will preside over the Council of the European Union from 1 July until 31 December 2011.  Today, the CIAA published a short brochure setting out Europe’s food and drink industry priorities for the coming six months during the Polish Presidency.

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Les interventions en matière de santé publique ont pour but de réduire le fardeau des maladies, et d’améliorer la qualité de vie des populations. Mais quels sont les problèmes de santé les plus pressants ? Quelles sont les interventions les plus susceptibles de réussir ? Sont-elles rentables ? Deux indicateurs synthétiques dénommés QALY et DALY peuvent permettre de répondre à ces questions.

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 la demande de la Commission européenne, l’Autorité européenne de sécurité des aliments, se fondant sur les connaissances les plus récentes disponibles, a formulé des avis sur les apports en matières grasses, en glucides, en fibres alimentaires et en eau. Ces valeurs nutritionnelles de référence indiquent les apports optimaux en nutriments dans le cadre d’une alimentation équilibrée, qui quand ils s’intègrent à un mode de vie globalement sain contribuent à un bon état de santé.

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Research Ministers and the European Commission have given the green light to three new pan-European biological science research infrastructures. These extensive new facilities will help boost research and innovation on key societal challenges such as climate change, health and maintaining sufficient supplies of high quality food. The three projects will draw on resources pooled between various Member States and on EU funding. Once complete, they will be open for use by researchers from across the EU and in some cases beyond. France will coordinate an infrastructure for studying how ecosystems respond to environment and land-use changes. The United Kingdom will lead in setting up an infrastructure on systems biology with applications expected in the pharmaceutical, healthcare and agricultural sectors. The third new infrastructure, to be developed in France and Germany, will significantly enhance pan-European access to viruses, bacteria and fungi needed for research on infections affecting humans and crops, as well as for research on bio-security. These infrastructures are part of the updated Roadmap of the European Strategy Forum on Research Infrastructures (ESFRI) issued today. The overall investment for their construction is about € 0.7 billion.

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Low-cost catfish fillets sold as expensive sole fillets or cod caught in the North Sea but declared as originating from the Baltic Sea are both examples of types of fraud in the fisheries sector. A European Commission report published today shows how molecular technologies - based on genetics, genomics, chemistry and forensics - can provide clear answers to questions such as "what species does this fish product come from….where was this fish caught….is it wild or farmed?". The report by the Commission's Joint Research Centre (JRC), is called "Deterring illegal activities in the fisheries sector" and shows how these technologies can help in the fight against illegal practices and support traceability- including of processed products such as canned fish - "from ocean to fork".

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Today the European Commission published its report on progress achieved in the Common Fisheries Policy over the last few years and its suggestions for fishing opportunities in EU waters in 2012. The document sets out how the Commission intends to act on the scientific advice it receives about the state of fish stocks when proposing catch limits and quotas for next year for. The latest figures show that the state of fish stocks in European waters is slowly improving, but sufficient scientific data is still missing for the majority of the stocks, mainly due to inadequate reporting by Member States. The Commission will therefore be using a new method for setting fishing limits, notably cutting levels where insufficient data exist. The Commission's ideas will now be the object of a wide consultation over the summer and input will feed into its proposals for fishing opportunities for next year which will be adopted in the autumn.

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The poultry industry in both Austria and Hungary is set to be given a boost, thanks to a new EU-funded project. The aim is to establish a knowledge centre to foster the activities of businesses in the border region, to improve their efficiency and ensure the production of safe poultry products, which will help both countries face up to the challenges the industry is facing. The project, which will last for 3 years, is titled Centre of Excellence for Poultry (CEPO) and received EUR 820,000 in funding from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). The two research institutions involved are the University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna in Austria and the University of Pannonia in Hungary.

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Protecting consumers from contaminated foods is one of the most important objectives of the EU. Helping drive this effort is the BIOTRACER ('Improved bio-traceability of unintended microorganisms and their substances in food and feed chains') project, which received EUR 11 million under the 'Food quality and safety' Thematic area of the EU's Sixth Framework Programme (FP6) to probe the main sources of contamination.

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A total of € 530 million of EU agricultural policy funds unduly spent by Member States is being claimed back by the European Commission today under the so-called clearance of accounts procedure. This money returns to the EU budget because of non-compliance with EU rules or inadequate control procedures on agricultural expenditure. Member States are responsible for paying out and checking expenditure under the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), and the Commission is required to ensure that Member States have made correct use of the funds.

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L'Anses, via l'Agence nationale du médicament vétérinaire (ANMV), vient d'enregistrer plusieurs cas de réactions d'hypersensibilité chez des bovins vaccinés avec HIPRABOVIS PNEUMOS. Ce vaccin, dont l'Autorisation de mise sur le marché (AMM) est détenue par les Laboratoires HIPRA, est actuellement le seul sur le marché français à proposer l'association des deux valences contre Mannhaemia haemolytica (biotype A, sérotype A1) et Histophilus somni (Bailie).

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Hypothyroidism can be triggered by the ingestion of too much lithium via groundwater, new Swedish research shows. Lithium is used to treat bipolar disorder as well as treatment-resistant depression worldwide. But high concentrations of this element were found in villages of the Argentinean Andes mountains, where people treated for bipolar disorder exhibited altered thyroid function. The research, presented in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives, was funded in part by the PHIME ('Public health impact of long-term, low-level mixed element exposure in susceptible population strata') project, which clinched EUR 13.43 million under the 'Food quality and safety' Thematic area of the EU's Sixth Framework Programme (FP6). It is 1 of around 30 studies contributing to the PHIME objectives on the impact that toxic metals may have on several major diseases of great public health concern.

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The Commission has tabled yesterday a series of measures intended to provide sugar operators in the EU with predictability for the next marketing year starting from October 2011. The package fixes a quantitative limit for the exports of out-of-quota sugar (650 000 tonnes) and isoglucose (50 000 tonnes) for the marketing year 2011/12. It also includes the opening of an import quota of 400 000 tonnes for industrial sugar. With these measures, sugar operators received a strong signal that it is attractive to grow and produce sugar. The proposals were backed by Member States yesterday in the Management Committee for the Common Organisation of Agricultural Markets, which delivered a positive opinion.

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Très peu de nos préférences gustatives sont biologiquement prédéterminées. Elles sont plutôt modulées par l’expérience. Bien que certains facteurs génétiques puissent être à l’origine de différences dans la perception du goût, les similitudes dans les préférences gustatives sont le plus souvent le reflet d’expériences similaires de certains types de flaveurs et d’aliments. La formation des préférences gustatives débute in utero, puis s’affine et se cultive tout au long de la vie.

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Securing the quality and safety of animal feeds in Europe is the aim of new research about to be carried out by a pan-European team of researchers. The project, titled QSAFFE ('Quality and Safety of Feeds and Food for Europe'), has received EUR 3 million of EU funding under the 'Food, agriculture and fisheries, and biotechnology' Thematic area of the Seventh Framework Programme (FP7). The study will be led by the Centre for Assured, Safe and Traceable Food (ASSET) at Queen's University, UK, and will see 11 partner institutions from Belgium, China, the Czech Republic, Germany, the Netherlands and the UK come together with the common aim of delivering better, faster and more economically viable means of ensuring the quality and safety of animal feeds in Europe.

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Scientists in the UK are attempting to find new ways to improve crop plants and increase food security by gaining a clearer understanding of how some bacterial strains become specialised to overcome plant resistance. Presenting their findings in the journal Science, the scientists identified the genes used by some strains of the bacterium Pseudomonas to overwhelm defensive natural products produced by plants of the mustard family, or crucifers including broccoli and Brussels sprouts.

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Europe's top communicators of agri-food research were in the spotlight at the finals of the Communication Star 2011 competition, which took place in Brussels, Belgium on 1 March. The competition recognised EU-funded agri-food research projects that have excelled at communicating their work to a wider audience. CASCADE ('Chemicals as contaminants in the food chain: a NoE [Network of Excellence] for research, risk assessment and education') won the prize in the large projects category, while HELENA ('Healthy lifestyle in Europe by nutrition in adolescence') walked away with the prize for small projects. The competition was organised by the EU-funded AgriFoodResults ('European initiative for a better use of the results of agri-food research') project, which received just under EUR 1 million under the 'Food, agriculture and fisheries, and biotechnology' Theme of the Seventh Framework Programme (FP7).

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Plugged into place for three years now, the Norwegian-based Svalbard Global Seed Vault (SGSV) has received a bumper crop of seeds, effectively boosting efforts to preserve diverse crop varieties from around the world. Among the new arrivals are rare lima beans, blight-resistant cantaloupe and progenitors of antioxidant-rich red tomatoes. Some of the shipments contain crop varieties that are able to put up a good fight against natural hazards like flood and drought. In a statement, the Italian-based Global Crop Diversity Trust says the new seeds, located in the gigantic vault on the remote Arctic archipelago of Svalbard, include major deposits from genebanks maintained by the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR), the biggest contributor of seeds to the seed vault, as well soybeans collected by US Department of Agriculture (USDA) experts in China nearly 100 years ago.

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The Piacentinu Ennese (PDO), a sheep's cheese from Italy, today became the one thousandth name to be registered under the Commission's agricultural product and foodstuff quality labels. Since their creation in 1992, the EU schemes have registered quality agricultural products and foodstuffs from across the EU and beyond. In recent years there has been a boost in applications due to enlargements of the EU and a growing interest from non-EU producers including from India, China, Thailand and Vietnam, among others.

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Des publications scientifiques récentes ont rapporté d'éventuels effets sanitaires qui pourraient être attribués à l'aspartame ou d'autres édulcorants. Dans le cadre de la veille permanente qu'elle exerce, l'Anses a réalisé un premier examen de ces études et en a transmis le résultat à l'autorité européenne de sécurité des aliments (EFSA), en charge de l'évaluation des édulcorants pour l'Europe, dans la perspective d'une réunion prochaine de son panel d'experts compétent sur le sujet.

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Le programme de travail 2011 de l'Anses illustre sa mobilisation face aux défis scientifiques des expositions de long terme et à basse dose à des sources de danger diffuses et multiples. Il s'inscrit en cohérence avec l'approche pluridisciplinaire et intégrative de l'Agence, permettant de prendre, dans ses travaux d'évaluation des risques, en compte l'ensemble des expositions auquel l'homme est soumis, en tant que travailleur, consommateur ou citoyen.

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How do consumers respond to portion information on food and drink labels? Initial results of new EUFIC consumer research available.

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Can feeding vegetables to fish ensure food quality and safety? EU-funded researchers say it can. Scientists from the AQUAMAX ('Sustainable aquafeeds to maximise the health benefits of farmed fish for consumers') project succeeded in replacing marine foods for farmed salmon and salmon trout with vegetables while keeping the health benefits of consumer products intact. AQUAMAX was backed with EUR 10.5 million under the 'Food and quality safety' Thematic area of the EU's Sixth Framework Programme (FP6).

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Bacteria living in the gut appear to influence brain development and adult behaviour, according to new EU-funded research published in the journal the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS). The findings suggest that the colonisation of our guts by microbes in early life may be key to healthy brain development. The research may also have implications for our understanding of psychiatric disorders.EU support for the work comes from the TORNADO ('Molecular targets open for regulation by the gut flora - new avenues for improved diet to optimize European health') project, which has been allocated EUR 5.9 million under the 'Food, agriculture and fisheries, and biotechnology' Theme of the Seventh Framework Programme (FP7). The aim of TORNADO is to shed light on the influence of diet on the gut microbes and in turn the influence of these microbes on the immune system and other organ systems. TORNADO started in 2009 and is slated to end in 2013.

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EFSA’s Scientific Committee has launched a public consultation on a draft guidance on risk assessment concerning potential risks arising from applications of nanoscience and nanotechnologies to food and feed. The guidance offers practical guidance for the risk assessment of applications involving the use of nanoscience and nanotechnology in the area of food and feed (including food additives, enzymes, flavourings, food contact materials, novel foods, feed additives and pesticides).

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EU-funded researchers led by the University of Manchester in the UK are training young biotechnologists to make chemical processes safer for the environment. The BIOTRAINS ('A European biotechnology training network for the support of chemical manufacturing') project is supported under the 'Food, agriculture and fisheries, and biotechnology' Theme of the EU's Seventh Framework Programme (FP7) to the tune of EUR 4.37 million.

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Consumers wary of eating shellfish can breathe a huge sigh of relief. Scientists at Queen's University Belfast in the UK have developed a new test that makes shellfish safer. This latest tool was developed as part of the BIOCOP ('New technologies to screen multiple chemical contaminants in foods') project, which clinched EUR 9.62 million under the 'Food quality and safety' Thematic area of the EU's Sixth Framework Programme (FP6).

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One of the biggest gripes consumers have about the fruits and vegetables they eat is that they often taste like cardboard. And while it's easy to blame farmers for using pesticides to kill the varmints that invade our foods, farmers claim they use them to ensure good quality and safe foods. Thankfully, several researchers in Europe are working to provide consumers with foods that taste just like they should taste. Professor Holger Puchta from the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) in Germany is one such researcher, and the European Research Council (ERC) has awarded him an Advanced Research Grant worth EUR 2.5 million for his latest endeavour.

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An EU-funded team of researchers, led by the Sainsbury Laboratory, Norwich Research Park in the UK, have discovered the culprit responsible for late blight in potatoes and tomatoes, and downy mildew in cruciferous vegetables and other crops. Presented in the journal Science, the study was funded in part by the AVRBLB2-CPT ('Manipulation of host target by the AvrBlb2 effector of the late blight pathogen Phytophthora infestans') project, which received a Marie Curie Intra-European Fellowships grant worth EUR 171,740, under the EU's Seventh Framework Programme (FP7).

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In order to help inform debate on genetically modified organisms, the European Commission is publishing today a compendium entitled "A decade of EU-funded GMO research". The book summarizes the results of 50 research projects addressing primarily the safety of GMOs for the environment and for animal and human health. Launched between 2001 and 2010, these projects received funding of €200 million from the EU and form part of a 25-year long research effort on GMOs.

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Today, the European Commission published a Communication entitled '"Maritime Spatial Planning in the EU – Achievements and future development". This report reviews developments concerning Maritime Spatial Planning since the 2008 Roadmap, including the results of the public consultation process. By bringing sea-related activities in different sectors together within a common planning framework, Maritime Spatial Planning can be used to prevent conflicts, maximise synergies, and ensure the efficient and sustainable use of scarce maritime space. Today's report clearly concludes that action is now needed at EU level to ensure that Maritime Spatial Planning is deployed in the most coherent and effective way possible across sea basins to the benefit of both the development of maritime activities and the protection of the marine environment.

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Guaranteeing quality to consumers and a fair price for farmers are the twin aims of the "Quality Package" adopted today by the European Commission. This Quality Package sets up for the first time a comprehensive policy on certification schemes, value-adding terms for agricultural product qualities, and product standards. Until now these have been spread among numerous pieces of legislation. With this Package, the Commission covers all facets of quality, from compliance with minimum standards to highly specific products.

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The European Commission has today adopted a proposal on "contractual relations in the milk sector". The proposal aims to boost the position of the dairy producer in the dairy supply chain and prepare the sector for a more market oriented and sustainable future. It provides for written contracts between milk producers and processors, the possibility to negotiate contract terms collectively via producer organisations in a way as to balance the bargaining power of milk producers relative to major processors, specific EU rules for inter-branch organisations and measures for enhancing transparency in the market. The measures are proposed to be valid until 2020 with two intermediate reviews. Appropriate size limits for collective negotiations and other specific safeguard measures should ensure the achievement of the objectives of strengthening the bargaining power of milk producers whilst safeguarding competition and the interests of SMEs. The Commission has also adopted today a report on the dairy market within the context of smoothly phasing out the milk quota system.

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The European Commission has approved measures to provide information on, and to promote agricultural products in third countries. Member States submitted 24 programmes to the Commission to be examined. The 7 programmes that have been accepted are from Greece, Italy, Poland and Portugal. The products covered are PGI and PDO, wine, fruit and vegetables, meat, spirits and olive oil. The EU contribution is € 10.9 million (50% of the total budget of the programmes).

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Information about food, and especially its risks, flash before our eyes on a daily basis. But how effective and balanced is the information we get? EU-funded researchers believe that enhancing the delivery of information and advice on emerging food risks could help fuel consumer confidence in foods, curb economic losses related to food scares and reduce the number of illnesses linked to foods. The FOODRISC ('Food Risk Communication. Perceptions and communication of food risks/benefits across Europe: development of effective communication strategies') project is working to offer consumers the right information they need about food/risk benefit relationships. Funded under the 'Food, agriculture and fisheries, and biotechnology' (KBBE) Theme of the EU's Seventh Framework Programme (FP7) to the tune of EUR 2.97 million, FOODRISC is filling the gaps along the food information chain.

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EU-funded researchers have sequenced the genome of a major fungal disease that affects various cereal crops including barley. Presented in the journal Science, the research could help bolster our understanding of the evolution of plants. The study was funded in part by the BIOEXPLOIT ('Exploitation of natural plant biodiversity for the pesticide-free production of food') project, which is backed with almost EUR 16 million under the 'Food quality and safety' Thematic area of the EU's Sixth Framework Programme (FP6).

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Since 2006, the EU has trained 23,000 professionals worldwide to improve food safety through its Better Training for Safer Food initiative (BTSF). Now, the European Commission is seeking to further improve this initiative. It is launching a dialogue with all key stakeholders, including the African Union, starting today at a two-day high-level conference in Brussels. A working document recently adopted by the Commission on the BTSF programme serves as the basis for discussions. It identifies the challenges BTSF is facing and a series of possible actions to overcome them – including, for example, a study to accurately estimate training demand. The Conference will analyse the working document's proposals, both in terms of BTSF's core training activities within the EU and third countries and in light of actions taken in Africa on sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) issues within the Better Training for Safer Food in Africa programme (BTSF Africa).

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The European Commission has adopted its fishing opportunities proposal for 2011 setting levels of total allowable catch (TAC) and fishing effort for the Atlantic, the North Sea, and international waters regulated by a Regional Fisheries Management Organisation. The proposal is based on scientific advice about the quantities of fish that can be caught sustainably. The Commission has discussed working methods with Member States and stakeholders and has taken into account their advice, while being consistent with the objective of achieving maximum sustainable yield (MSY) by 2015.

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The European Commission has today published a Communication on "the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) towards 2020 – Meeting the food, natural resources and territorial challenges of the future". The reform aims at making the European agriculture sector more dynamic, competitive, and effective in responding to the Europe 2020 vision of stimulating sustainable growth, smart growth and inclusive growth. The paper outlines three options for further reform. Following discussion of these ideas, the Commission will present formal legislative proposals in mid-2011.

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A total of € 578.5 million of EU farm money unduly spent by Member States is claimed back as a result of a decision adopted today by the European Commission. This money returns to the EU budget because of non-compliance with EU rules or inadequate control procedures on agricultural expenditure. Member States are responsible for paying out and checking expenditure under the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), and the Commission is required to ensure that Member States have made correct use of the funds.

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White spot syndrome virus (WSSV) has a devastating impact on shrimp farming throughout the world, becoming more aggressive as the epidemic spreads, contrary to other viruses like flu that gradually die out. Scientists from Wageningen University in the Netherlands discovered that WSSV evolves when shrimp farming practices are adapted. They hope that greater understanding will allow further control and containment of the disease. The findings were recently published in the journal PLoS ONE.

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A global scientific partnership for sustainable agriculture has launched a research initiative worth nearly USD 600 million (around EUR 440 million) to help lift people out of poverty and tackle climate change by allowing massive greenhouse gas savings. The Global Rice Science Partnership (GRiSP) says it will achieve these goals via the genetic engineering of rice; the crops can be grown easily in even the poorest countries. The GRiSP believes the initiative will boost supplies enough to reduce estimated rice price hikes by around 6.5% by 2020.

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Gregor Mendel, the 19th century Augustinian monk and scientist, heralded as the father of modern genetics, used the gene that controls pea flower colour to study the inheritance of certain traits in pea plants. But researchers have been baffled about how trait transmission actually works. Enter an EU-funded team of researchers that has uncovered the mystery behind one of science's most renowned biology experiments. Their latest study, funded in part by the GRAIN LEGUMES ('New strategies to improve grain legumes for food and feed') project, which received nearly EUR 15 million under the 'Food quality and safety' Thematic area of the EU's Sixth Framework Programme (FP6), sheds new light on the underlying molecular genetics behind Mendel's experiment.

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Food aid plans submitted by Member States for the 2011 Aid for the Needy Scheme were voted in the Single CMO Management Committee. Next year 20 Member States will use the scheme – with the Czech Republic participating for the first time. Originally designed to provide surplus stocks of farm produce ('intervention stocks') to needy people, the scheme was amended in the mid-1990s to make it possible to supplement intervention stocks with market purchases in certain circumstances. However, this year existing intervention stocks (cereals, milk powder, limited quantities of butter) cover most of the needs for the 2011 plan, so only limited recourse to market purchases is necessary. The allocated budget of 500 million Euros is the same as for the 2009 and 2010 plans. The scheme for 2011 is not related to the recent adapted proposal to adjust the scheme in future [see IP/10/1141]. The 2011 plan will now be adopted by the Commission in the near future.

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Researchers and industry actors have begun trials on a newly developed multilayered packaging applicable for high-pressure food sterilisation. The innovative packaging is an outcome of the EU-funded NOVELQ (Novel Processing Methods for the Production and Distribution of High-Quality and Safe Foods') project, which has received just over EUR 11 million under the 'Food quality and safety' Thematic area of the Sixth Framework Programme (FP6). Findings were recently presented at the facilities of Wageningen Universiteit en Researchcentrum (UR) Food and Biobased Research in the Netherlands.

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Scientists are bringing down the deadly cattle plague 'rinderpest', effectively locking into place the steps required for full eradication of this viral disease. It will be only the second time in history that people have succeeded in eradicating a viral disease - after smallpox which was wiped out 30 years ago. While the disease does not affect humans directly, it adversely affects people's pockets and tummies, as farmers contend with the loss of sick cattle or other hoofed animals, and in turn with economic loss or even famine.

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Scientists in the US have worked out how fungi manage to reduce drag on their spores so as to spread them as high and as far as possible. They say their discovery could help researchers find new ways to control the spread of fungal pathogens such as sclerotinia that cause various diseases in crops like sunflowers to soybeans, and cost farmers billions of euro every year. The study was funded in part by the EU via a Marie Curie Fellowship worth some EUR 18,000 under the Seventh Framework Programme (FP7). The findings were recently published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) journal.

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One of the world's most highly-regarded skincare products is 'Crème de la Mer', a cream containing fermented kelp that is used to moisturise skin. The cream was originally developed by Max Huber, a scientist at US space agency NASA, to treat severe chemical burns. Companies worldwide are working to identify and exploit various natural sources of compounds that could prove effective in drugs and other products. Joining this effort is an EU-funded team of scientists that is hunting for biologically active substances in marine organisms that could be suitable for use as a basis for pharmaceutical goods. The MAREX ('Exploring marine resources for bioactive compounds: from discovery to sustainable production and industrial applications') project has received EUR 6 million under the 'Food, agriculture and fisheries, and biotechnology' (KBBE) Theme of the EU's Seventh Framework Programme (FP7) to collect, isolate and classify marine organisms, including sea anemones, tunicates and micro and macroalgae, from the Mediterranean, Baltic and Arabian Seas as well as the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans.

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In a communication presented on 6 October 2010, the European Commission maps out the road towards the Innovation Union, marking a new milestone for this flagship initiative launched as part of the Europe 2020 strategy. The communication details comprehensive and decisive action to achieve Innovation Union and underlines the need for political determination. Designed to boost green growth and social progress, the Innovation Union would concentrate Europe's combined efforts on key challenges such as climate change, energy and food security, health and the demographic change linked to an ageing population. The strategy to bring it about calls for public sector intervention to stimulate the private sector and eliminate the factors that complicate entrepreneurial efforts to bring innovative ideas to market.

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Growing concerns about carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and fuel supply are encouraging Europeans to focus on biofuels as an alternative to fossil fuels, which are non-renewable resources. The DISCO ('Targeted discovery of novel cellulases and hemicellulases and their reaction mechanism for hydrolysis of lignocellulosic biomass') project, which has clinched almost EUR 3 million in financial support to find new ways of converting renewable materials into biofuels, is helping this effort. The project is funded under the 'Food, agriculture and fisheries, and biotechnology' Theme of the EU's Seventh Framework Programme (FP7).

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The European Commission will tomorrow present to stakeholders and potential participants its €45 million investment in research projects on maritime activities. "The ocean of tomorrow 2011" call for research proposals invites funding bids from projects proposing innovative, forward-looking and sustainable approaches to reap the great potential of our seas and oceans. The money will be allocated to large multidisciplinary research projects involving partners from different EU and partner countries. Tomorrow's information day will take place at the ‘‘Albert Borschette’’ Conference Centre (ABCC), 36 Rue Froissart, Brussels, with opening speeches by EU Commissioner for Research, Innovation and Science Máire Geoghegan-Quinn and EU Commissioner for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Maria Damanaki at 10h00 followed by a press conference at approximately 10h40 in ABCC Room 4C.

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The European Commission today adopted an amended proposal to improve the current food distribution programme for the most deprived persons in the European Union. It builds on a 2008 proposal allowing the scheme to use market purchases on a permanent basis, to complement available intervention stocks. Member States would choose what food to distribute and food distribution plans would be established for three-year periods. Food would continue to be distributed in cooperation with charities and local social services. Every year, more than 13 million European citizens benefit from this programme. The amended proposal provides stable and more favourable rates of national co-financing and puts an annual ceiling of € 500 million on the EU's contribution. It makes a number of other adjustments to the original 2008 proposal and aligns it with the Lisbon Treaty. The 2008 proposal was not adopted by the Council, despite the supportive stance of the European Parliament.

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The European Commission has today adopted a draft decision on a EU-Morocco bilateral trade agreement for agri-food and fisheries products. It now passes to the Council and the European Parliament for approval. The agreement will reinforce the position of European exporters on the Moroccan market, particularly exporters of processed agricultural products, representing a major offensive interest for the EU with full liberalisation planned in stages over the next ten years, with the exception of pasta, for which a quantitative restriction is provided. In the agricultural products sector, the agreement will allow for the immediate liberalisation of 45% of the value of EU exports and 70% in ten years. The tinned food, dairy products, oilseeds and fruit and vegetable sector will benefit fully from total liberalisation. The fisheries sector will also be opened up for EU products (91% after five years and 100% in 10 years).

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The Commission today approved the national programmes of the 27 Member States to improve the production and marketing of apiculture products for the period 2011-2013. The EU contribution to the financing of the programmes has increased by almost 25% compared to the previous period (2008-2010), from € 26 million to € 32 million per year.

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Storing seeds adequately and applying isolation distances are the most effective way to prevent the co-mingling of genetically modified (GM), conventional and organic maize seeds, according to a report prepared by the European Coexistence Bureau (ECoB). Published by the Joint Research Centre (JRC) Institute for Prospective Technological Studies (IPTS) and backed by a group of stakeholders, the 'Best Practice Document' also outlines how alternative measures, such as shifting flowering times of GM and non-GM fields (i.e. temporal isolation), can be used in EU Member States that have the right climatic conditions.

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An international team of scientists has sequenced the genome of the cacao tree, Theobroma cacao, the source of chocolate, cocoa and cocoa butter. The research, posted online at Nature Precedings, could improve the ability of cacao tree crops to withstand drought and disease, and trigger the development of better products for consumers.

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An international team of scientists has sequenced over 90% of the genome of the domestic turkey (Meleagris gallopavo). Details of the genome, published in the PLoS [Public Library of Science] Biology journal, shed new light on avian biology and could help turkey producers deliver a better product. The work was partly supported by the EU through the QUANTOMICS ('From sequence to consequence - tools for the exploitation of livestock genomes') project, which is funded to the tune of EUR 6 million under the 'Food, agriculture and fisheries, and biotechnology' Theme of the EU's Seventh Framework Programme (FP7).

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EU scientists have succeeded in obtaining viable mass eggs from Atlantic bluefin tuna in captivity, using natural means and without any hormonal induction. If breeding can be developed on a commercial scale, pressure on endangered wild stocks could be significantly relieved. This is the result of the third year of work of SELFDOTT, a research project funded by the European Union to the tune of € 2.98 million and co-ordinated by the Spanish Institute of Oceanography (IEO). The results of the project have been filmed and will be broadcast on 26th August on "Futuris", the science programme of TV channel Euronews.

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This Memorandum provides additional information, maps and graphs related to the IP/10/1027  on the forecast of crops production. During the agricultural season, the European Commission's Joint Research Centre (JRC) regularly issues forecasts for the main crop yields and produces analyses of the impact of weather conditions on crop production. These are based on methodologies using satellite remote sensing and mathematical models which simulate crop growth.

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A new agreement governing the wine trade between Australia and the European Union enters into force tomorrow (1 September 2010). This agreement replaces the one signed in 1994. The new agreement safeguards the EU's wine labelling regime, gives full protection to EU geographical indications, including for wines intended for export to third countries, and includes a clear Australian commitment to protect EU traditional expressions. It also provides for the phasing out of the use of a number of important EU names such as Champagne and Port on Australian wines within a year of the agreement coming into force.

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EU-funded scientists have discovered that temperatures greater than 16°C can cause skeletal deformities in young salmon. The finding is part of the FINE FISH ('Reduction of malformations in farmed fish species') project, which received EUR 3.02 million under the SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) cross cutting activity of the Sixth Framework Programme (FP6). Results of the study were recently published in BMC (BioMed Central) Physiology.

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The European Commission says cereal production in 2010 will be close to the average recorded since 2005. According to a report drafted by the Joint Research Centre (JRC), the yield per hectare will be 5% above average, while cultivated areas will shrink on the whole. Europe has faced a number of extreme weather events, such as floods and rain shortages, since the start of the year. In its report, the JRC notes that bumper harvests in some EU areas have helped counterbalance the effects of poor weather on crops in other areas.

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Today the Commission proposed to confer to Member States the freedom to allow, restrict or ban the cultivation of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) on part or all of their territory. While keeping unchanged the EU's science-based GM authorisation system, the adopted package consists of a Communication, a new Recommendation on co-existence of GM crops with conventional and/or organic crops and a draft Regulation proposing a change to the GMO legislation. The new Recommendation on co-existence allows more flexibility to Member States taking into account their local, regional and national conditions when adopting co-existence measures. The proposed regulation amends Directive 2001/18/EC to allow Member States to restrict or prohibit the cultivation of GMOs in their territory.

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Eight EU-funded research projects on food quality and safety will be presented on 8 July at a conference at the European Parliament. This is part of Commissioner Geoghegan-Quinn's overall initiative to communicate better on the practical benefits EU research is bringing to the EU's Europe 2020 strategy in terms of improved quality of life and as a key driver of economic growth and high quality jobs. For example, one project, ISAFRUIT, has found that eating two apples (300gr) a day can help reduce cholesterol by 10% and that dipping apples and peaches in hot water at precise temperatures can reduce brown rot by 80% and remove e-coli and salmonella bacteria. The other projects to be presented cover: tackling epizootic animal diseases such as foot and mouth disease; how diet and hereditary factors can influence the risk of cancer; setting up a Europe-wide food and nutrition information web-based service; alternative fish feeds for healthier and greener seafood; improving the freshness of industrially pre-baked bread; cereals as a weapon against metabolic disorders; and a sustainable network integrating international food research institutions.

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The European Commission has decided today to extend the mandate of the High Level Group on the Competitiveness of the Agro-Food Industry, upgrading it to a High Level Forum to improve the functioning of the food supply chain as regards contractual relations, logistics and competitiveness. The agro-food industry represents 2% of Europe's GDP and 13.5% of total employment in the EU’s manufacturing sector. It consists of approximately 310 000 enterprises, including some global leaders. It continues to play a fundamental role in satisfying the needs of consumers and contributes an annual production of more than € 600 billion to the EU economy. However, the entire European food supply chain has entered a period of adjustment. Consumer preferences are changing as a result of income and lifestyle developments as well as shifts in population. Customer concerns about food safety, health and prices have also imposed stringent requirements on the sector.

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EU-funded scientists have harnessed Atlantic bluefin tuna (BFT) eggs without hormonal induction. This has never happened at an aquaculture facility, far away from the fish's natural spawning habitat. The result is part of the SELFDOTT ('From capture based to self-sustained aquaculture and domestication of bluefin tuna, Thunnus thynnus') project, which received EUR 2.98 million under the 'Food, agriculture and fisheries, and biotechnology' Theme of the EU's Seventh Framework Programme (FP7).

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Twelve top scientists will meet in Paris today to prepare a European-level work programme to coordinate nationally funded research aimed at securing a safe and sustainable food supply. This is the first meeting of the Scientific Advisory Board for the EU Joint Programming Initiative (JPI) on Agriculture, Food Security and Climate Change. This initiative involves twenty European countries overall and is jointly led by France, through its National Institute for Agricultural Research (INRA) and the UK, through the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC). It will bring together researchers, improve the effectiveness of national funding totalling over a billion euro annually, share existing research results and coordinate future work to avoid duplication and maximise value for money. The European Commission helped to shape and prepare the JPI that is being launched today and on 28 April put it on a formal footing by adopting a Recommendation. The Commission will also contribute about € 2 million.

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Over 54% of the Mediterranean fish stocks which have been analysed by scientists are found to be overfished. To remedy this situation, the EU adopted, back in 2006, the 'Mediterranean Regulation' which aims to improve fisheries management in order to achieve sustainable fisheries, protect the fragile marine environment and restore fish stocks to healthy levels. It applies to EU member states around the Mediterranean. To allow Member States time to get prepared for the implementation of this Regulation, a long transition period of 3 years was agreed for a number of its provisions. As of 1 June, the Regulation is fully in force and must be implemented by the Member States concerned. However, Member States so far have largely failed to take all necessary measures to ensure full implementation and the Commission deeply regrets this. The Commission calls on Member States, to urgently take action, through the application of measures based on science and aiming a high degree of sustainability.

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The High Level Group on Milk, set up last October in the wake of last year's dairy crisis, has finalised the report on its deliberations, including recommendations to the Commission on seven issues. These include an invitation to come forward with concrete moves to enhance the use of written contracts in the dairy supply chain and to consider proposals to increase the collective bargaining power of dairy producers.

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How safe is the food we eat? While many have been stumped by this question, the EU-funded MONIQA ('Monitoring and quality assurance in the total food supply chain') project has responded with the development of reliable tools and methods to assess the foods we consume. The project, backed with over EUR 12 million under the 'Food quality and safety' Thematic area of the EU's Sixth Framework Programme (FP6), offers a database of food quality and safety issues, as well as analytical tools for food production and the supply chain.

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A new culture of opportunities is being created for beer, cheese, yoghurt and wine. Reliable flavour notes and the health-promoting benefits of probiotics go hand in hand with yeast cultures being developed by a new consortium, Cornucopia, coordinated by Professor Jure Piskur of Lund University in Sweden and financed with EUR 3.4 million from the EU.

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The Scientific Advisory Board for the new EU Joint Programming Initiative (JPI) on Agriculture, Food Security and Climate Change held its maiden meeting in Paris, France on 10 June where it launched a joint research effort targeting a safe and sustainable food supply in Europe. The European Commission, which was instrumental in driving forward the JPI, has pledged some EUR 2 million to help bring this goal to fruition.

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An EU-funded study has successfully generated plant growth from specific root bacteria to improve the yield of top-performing wheat varieties in the UK. For modern farming, this means less use of chemical fertilisers and potentially better quality crops. The RHIBAC ('Rhizobacteria for reduced fertiliser inputs in wheat') project received EUR 2 million in funding from the 'Food quality and safety' Thematic area of the EU's Sixth Framework Programme (FP6).

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Wealth and population density are the main factors driving the rise of invasive species in Europe, new EU-funded research reveals. Writing in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), the scientists warn that tackling the invasive species problem will not be easy. EU support for the research came from the DAISIE ('Delivering alien invasive species inventories for Europe') project, which is supported through the 'Sustainable development, global change and ecosystems' Thematic area of the Sixth Framework Programme (FP6), and the PRATIQUE ('Enhancements of pest risk analysis techniques') project, which is funded under the 'Food, agriculture and fisheries, and biotechnology' Theme of the Seventh Framework Programme (FP7).

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Plants put up a good fight against their enemies but there are differences both within and between species in how effective their defences are, new EU-funded research shows. The scientists, led by the Max Planck Institute for Developmental Biology in Germany, have discovered that while one plant may succumb to a bacterial infection, its neighbour will bloom rather successfully. However, disease resistance can come at a price. The study's findings are published in the journal Nature. This research is supported via 3 projects funded under the EU's Sixth Framework Programme (FP6): SY-STEM ('Systems biology of stem cell function in Arabidopsis thaliana (A. thaliana)'), which received EUR 2.43 million under the Marie Curie Research Training Networks (RTN) mobility scheme; AGRON-OMICS ('Arabidopsis growth network integrating OMICS technologies'), backed with EUR 12 million under the 'Life sciences, genomics and biotechnology for health' Thematic area; and ARABRAS ('Identifying relevant candidate genes for improving plant growth under abiotic stress conditions in Brassica crops'), supported with almost EUR 900,000 via the Plant Genomics ERA-NET (European Research Area Network).

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The energy and agricultural sectors need to be dramatically reformed if the world is to become truly sustainable, cautions the UNEP (the United Nations Environment Programme) in a new study report, put together by the International Panel for Sustainable Resource Management, and launched in Brussels, Belgium on 2 June by European Environment Commissioner Janez Potocnik and UNEP Deputy Executive Director Angela Cropper.

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