Everyone at the table: Co-creating knowledge for food systems transformation

A group of high-level independent experts appointed by the European Commission presented their early findings on ways to strengthen the international science policy interface (SPI) for improved food systems governance. The experts analyzed a number of existing science policy interfaces and concluded that, while a number of them work very well, an additional framework linking local, national, regional and international levels, as well as different food systems related sectors, may be needed. Read the full report here and find more info on R&I on food systems here. You can also join the Food2030 community and watch a panel discussion on the theme here.

High-tech surveillance equipment to detect migrant boats

We all know of the hopeless tragedy hitting Afghanistan in the last couple of weeks, since the withdrawal of US troops began. Meanwhile, as the so-called migration crisis to an ailing European continent happily getting older, the real root behind the strained social support systems (go-figure the contradiction…), stalled during the pandemic high months due to strict border controls, the EU’s border agency is trialling new high-tech surveillance equipment to detect migrant boats, just as rapid gains by Taliban fighters in Afghanistan have raised the prospect of a surge in people fleeing to Europe.

International Conference on Biometrics for Borders (ICBB 2021)

On 27-28 October 2021 Frontex, the European Border and Coast Guard Agency, will hold its third International Conference on Biometrics for Borders (ICBB 2021). The thematic focus of the ICBB 2021 will be biometric interoperability in the context of European Union’s external border management and include topics related to border security and specific border control technologies. During this year’s event, there will be a dedicated session focusing on the interplay between interoperability of biometrics and e-health border management needs motivated by the COVID-19 pandemic. All the info here.

EU and Japan announce increased cooperation on sustainability and innovation in agriculture

At the occasion of the Pre-Summit of the United Nations Food System Summit (UNFSS), Commissioner for Agriculture Janusz Wojciechowski and Minister for Agriculture, Forestry and Fishery of Japan Kōtarō Nogami, met in Rome to strengthen European and Japanese ties in the field of agriculture and rural development. Specifically, they jointly recognised the crucial importance of the questions raised by the United Nations in the preparation for the upcoming Food System Summit – in particular, in relation to the challenges posed to agriculture and rural areas as backbones of food systems.

Vacation reading: the suggestions of permanent representatives to the EU

Reading can be a healing. While I became an unconditional fan of audiobooks, admittedly they are not for everyone and there are many more books available out there for which there is no audio version (yet…). The European Council Library invited staff from the member states’ permanent representations to the EU to make recommendations for books to read over the summer. 23 permanent representations decided to take part with this year’s theme ‘Travel across Europe through literature’. Find here the full list.

And because you should go and look at the suggestions of other countries, let me spoil the party and tell you upfront which is the choice of the Portuguese Ambassador: Leva-me contigo (Take me with you) by Afonso Reis Cabral, an exploration of Portugal through the lens of a traveller across the N2 road and his incursions into nearby villages.

EU TENDERS

Clean Sky Joint Undertaking

CSJU.2021.CEI.01 — Individual Experts to assist the Clean Sky 2 Joint Undertaking with High Level Support and Professional Advice on communicating Research and Innovation

Deadline: 30 September 2021

European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC)

CEI/2019/RMC/11165 – Editing and Proofreading, and Rapporteur Services

With this call for expression of interest, ECDC invites candidates to express their interest in one or more of the following services: • SUB LIST 1 Rapporteurs services • SUB LIST 2 Editing and proofreading services for the scientific journal Eurosurveillance • SUB LIST 3 Editing and proofreading services for ECDC technical and scientific reports.

Deadline: 7 May 2023

CEI/2021/RMS/13281 – Intellectual Support Services for ECDC Meetings and Events

Deadline: 14 April 2025

European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA)

CINEA/2021/OP/0001 – Study to Bring More Algae Species to the EU Market and to Create an European Algae Stakeholders Forum (ForAlgae)

The study will aim at unlocking algae sector potential in Europe by supporting the sector and creating a European algae stakeholders forum (ForAlgae) – a collaborative algae stakeholders forum for linking and sharing best initiatives, practices and knowledge for strengthening the community, representing stakeholders in a single forum, to further collaborate to develop a common agenda and to contribute to ongoing and future activities of the European Commission. The study will also aim to support bringing more algae species to the EU market as either traditional or novel food or food supplements that are currently not allowed for use in the EU. All expenditure will cover the tasks fulfilling the two above mentioned objectives.

Deadline: 26 August 2021

European Commission, DG Agriculture and Rural Developement (AGRI)

AGRI/2021/OP/0002 – Pilot project: Developing a Farmers’ Toolbox for Integrated Pest Management Practices from across the Union. Part 2: Converting Farm Accountancy Data Network into Farm Sustainability Data Network

Converting Farm Accountancy Data Network (FADN) into Farm Sustainability Data Network (FSDN).

Deadline: 21 September 2021

European Commission, DG Competition (COMP)

COMP/2021/OP/0002 – Ex Post Evaluation: EU Competition Enforcement and Acquisitions of Innovative Competitors in the Pharma Sector Leading to the Discontinuation of Overlapping Drug Research and Development Projects

Empirical research by Cunningham et al. (2021) suggests that in the pharmaceutical industry a considerable number of acquisitions might have as their object or effect the discontinuation of overlapping drug R&D projects to the detriment of innovation competition and ultimately consumers. Such acquisitions are commonly referred to as ‘killer acquisitions’. The study aims to determine what are the typical features of such killer acquisitions and obtain evidence on the prevalence of such acquisitions, as this would allow the Commission to determine which transactions in the pharmaceutical industry deserve closer scrutiny. A second objective of the study is to conduct ex post evaluations of selected past merger decisions. These case studies aim to assess whether in the concentrations notified to and examined by the Commission under the EU Merger Regulation, the Commission correctly anticipated the risks of possible discontinuations of competing lines of drug R&D projects.

Deadline: 18 October 2021

European Commission, DG Defence Industry and Space (DEFIS)

DEFIS/2021/OP/0005 – New Space Solutions for Long-term Availability of Reliable, Secure, Cost Effective Space Based Connectivity

In order to assess the innovative approaches towards a secure space connectivity system, the tender specifications include activities required for the concept definition and preliminary concept design, definition of services with a suitable business case and approach to frequency rights.

Deadline: 10 September 2021

DEFIS/2021/OP/0004 – Preparation of Standards for Galileo Timing Receivers

The intent of this call for tenders is to progress on the standardisation process of Galileo timing receivers. The target users for the standard are all Galileo Timing users, with special focus on critical infrastructures and critical applications.The standard must be coherent and take into account the specificities of the Galileo Timing Service. This will become fundamental in order to ensure the end to end performance of the Galileo Timing Service for those users which make use of a receiver developed according to the Standard.

Deadline: 8 September 2021

European Commission, DG Education,Youth, Sport and Culture (EAC)

EAC/2021/OP/0001 – Support for the Implementation of the European Graduate Tracking Initiative

This tender aims to support the European graduate tracking initiative to make national graduate data more comparable at European level. Lot 1 intends to contract a Support Service for the European Network of Graduate Tracking to organise the meetings and the annual work programmes of the network, and to raise awareness on its outcomes. The contractor for Lot 2 will coordinate the second phase of the European pilot survey of higher education graduates (Eurograduate), for which comparable data should be collected in an estimated 18 countries during Autumn 2022.

Deadline: 24 September 2021

EAC/2021/OP/0003 – Supporting the Development of the Digital Education Hub

As part of the Digital Education Action Plan 2020-2027, DG EAC is setting up a European Digital Education Hub. The Hub will facilitate the exchange of experiences and solutions for digital education. The Hub will support cross-sector collaboration on digital education in Europe. The Hub foresees the creation of a community of practice and will engage a wide variety of stakeholders.The services to be requested imply the setup and management of a Community of Practice that will cooperate to propose and accelerate solutions for digital education.

Deadline: 3 September 2021

European Commission, DG Energy (ENER)

ENER/2021/OP/0004 – Multiple Framework Contracts in cascade for Provision of Preparatory, Review, Impact Assessment Studies, Technical Assistance on Product-related Energy Efficiency Policy and Consumer Oriented Studies

This new FWC aims to provide preparatory and review studies, and technical assistance for the different phases of policy development in support of product-related energy efficiency policies, including but not limited to ecodesign, energy labelling and tyre labelling. In addition, the services will provide consumer oriented studies (i.e. behavioural studies) related to consumer aspects of products and buildings related policies, such as (but not limited to) the energy label, the tyre label, Energy Performance Certificates (EPC) and the Smart Readiness Indicator (SRI).

Deadline: 7 October 2021

European Commission, DG Health and Food Safety (SANTE)

SANTE/2021/OP/0009 – HERA Preparatory Action: Horizontal — Intelligence Gathering, Threat Assessment and Global Surveillance

Based on the experience on Covid-19, which has exposed the fragility of the EU system to prepare and respond to threat collectively, this preparatory action will contribute to strengthening the preparedness and response mechanisms. The action will act as a horizontal pillar and provide the basis for the methodology to be employed in the intelligence gathering and threat assessment as well as analysis work of the future HERA.

Deadline: 6 September 2021

European Commission, DG Mobility and Transport (MOVE)

MOVE/2021/OP/0008 – Technical Study on the Future of Ship Energy Efficiency Measures

To support global agreement on the new Ship Energy Efficiency Design Index beyond Phase 3 in the context of the Initial IMO Strategy on reducing GHG emissions from ships and provide additional insight into the energy efficiency of ships calling in EU ports.

Deadline: 8 October 2021

MOVE/2021/OP/0007 MOVE/D2/FV-2021-271 – Support Study on the Life-cycle Analysis of Alternative Fuels at International Maritime Organisation

To support further development and dissemination of guidelines on life-cycle analysis of alternative fuels in the context of the Initial IMO Strategy on reducing GHG emissions from ships.

Deadline: 1 October 2021

European Commission, DG for Climate Action (CLIMA)

CLIMA/2021/OP/0001 – Technical Support on International Fluorinated Greenhouse Gas/Ozone Depleting Substances Issues and Dissemination

Technical support on international Fluorinated greenhouse gas/Ozone Depleting Substances issues and Dissemination. An existing long-term contract for support on international matters in this sector has been extended until 28 December 2021. International negotiations will continue to require technical input and outreach on our policies remains necessary, especially since the next few years will be crucial in ensuring an early adoption of climate-friendly refrigeration technologies at global level, in line with the requirements of the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol. Thus a new contract must be in place when the existing contract expires.

Deadline: 6 September 2021

European Commission, DG for Communications Networks, Content and Technology (CONNECT)

CNECT/2021/OP/0030 – Study on the Impact of Recent Developments in Adtech and their Impact on Privacy, the Publishers and Advertisers — VIGIE 2020-663

The purpose of the study is to assemble evidence on developments over the last 10-15 years in the online advertising industry that could inform future policy options for safeguarding individual privacy and supporting European publishers and advertisers. The study will address the evolution of the online advertisement industry, its impact on privacy, publishers and advertisers in the EU, and the viability of alternatives to systematic monitoring of individual behaviour and profiling of individuals.

Deadline: 6 September 2021

CNECT/2021/OP/0026 – Study on the Economic Potential of Far Edge Computing in the Future Smart Internet of Things

The aim of the study is to analyse Europe’s economic opportunities and to derive solid economic data, as well as future policy development for Euope’s digital, industrial and green strategies. Our objectives are:1) To identify and measure the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and challenges of European stakeholders and their competitiveness in a cloud continuum with strong growth at the Far Edge;2) To quantify with broad and robust data Europe’s economic opportunities, in general and in four important vertical areas: mobility, agriculture, energy, and manufacturing;3) To derive scenarios in said sectors, which demonstrate ecological and green benefits of strengthening Far Edge computing;4) To discuss the impact of Far Edge computing in the context of the European data, industrial and green strategies;5) To identify and evaluate the potential impact of European measures at programme and policy level in order to support this opportunity for European industry.

Deadline: 3 September 2021

CNECT/LUX/2020/CPN/0062 – Study on the System Architecture of a Quantum Communication Infrastructure

The objective is to conduct a system study to define the architecture and design the system of a Quantum Communication Infrastructure (QCI) for both the Terrestrial and Space segments. The tender will provide a roadmap for the deployment of the architecture with the key technologies and technology components required for the terrestrial and space segment, including R&D efforts. The costs and timelines associated to the different phases of the deployment will be explained and detailed. The architecture will have to be modular and scalable to include any new application or technology when available. This tender is part of a coordinated call with the European Space Agency (ESA) which will launch the same study but for the space segment of the architecture. The present call addresses only the terrestrial segment.

Deadline: N/A

European Commission, DG for Environment (ENV)

ENV/2021/OP/0009 – Technical and Scientific Support to the European Drought Observatory (EDO) for Resilience and Adaptation — 2 Lots

The aim is to support the JRC European drought observatory in improving its capacity to address adaptation to droughts in various sectors. This is a part of the EP Preparatory action 07027758 and complementary to the conclusions of the 2019 Fitness Check of the EU water law concerning climate change and droughts, as well the relevant Commission recommendations to MS in relation to climate change and droughts (the latest EC report on the implementation of the Water Framework Directive and the Floods Directive). Furthermore, it is in line with the priority actions of the new EU Strategy on Adaptation to Climate change, adopted on 24 February 2021.

Deadline: 23 August 2021