European Union future developments

To oversee this surveillance, the European Union has developed a system based on four fundamental cornerstones and controlled by four Community Reference Laboratories (Decision 91/664/EEC) hierarchically linked to a series of 36 authorized National Laboratories (Decision 93/257/EEC). The four cornerstones are a program of reference materials (53), a set of regularly updated mandatory minimum quality criteria for analytical techniques (54-57), a series of Reference Manuals (58, 59), and a continuous series of laboratory workshops plus a future Peer Review Group (60). 

In view of the finiteness of fossil energy products, accompanied by growing environmental problems, it is necessary to establish new, sustainable and future-oriented concepts for energy generation. The goal of sustainable development inevitably involves the exploitation of renewable sources of energy. Therefore, the European Union (EU) aims to double the proportion of renewable energy from 6% to 12% by 2010. Currently, around 4% (69 MtOE = 69 x 1061 of oil equivalents) of the EU s total... 

The effect of environmental concerns on future developments in the paint industry is discussed. Particular attention is paid to volatile organic compound regulations, developments in powder coatings, and radiation-curable coatings. Tabulated information is presented on applications, backbone type and typical mechanical properties of Incorez W830 series PU dispersions and Incorez W2000 series uiethane/aciylic hybrids. 10 refs. EUROPEAN COMMUNITY EUROPEAN UNION UK WESTERN EUROPE... 

Foodomics, Functional Foods, and Nutraceuticals There is a clear trend in medicine and biosciences toward prevention of future diseases through adequate food intakes and the development of new functional foods and nutraceuticals. Although there is no officially accepted definition of functional foods, the definition proposed by Diplock et al. (73) is commonly used in the European Union and considers that a food is functional when it beneficially affects one or more target functions in the body beyond adequate nutrition in a way that is relevant to an improved state of health and well-being and/or reduction of risk of disease. Functional foods may include both natural (unmodified) foods and foods in which a component has been added, removed, or modified (including the bioavailability) by... 

Future authenticity testing of cocoa butter and chocolate products is likely to follow defined paths. To assure the authenticity of cocoa butters databases of the composition of the relevant fats will be required, constructed from a statistically significantly number of samples of proven provenance and processing history. Analyses must be carried out using internationally validated methods and characterized reference materials by a number of respected laboratories. Scientific co-operation within the European Union is beginning to develop such approaches in ensuring the authenticity of other foods such as olive oil. 

The oleochemical industry is fairly well developed and its future secure because of a reliable supply of raw materials. The world s fats and oils output has been growing rapidly over the past few decades, far beyond the need for human nutrition. The world s production and consumption of natural oils and fats has grown from 79.2 million t in 1990 to 117 million t in 2001. Malaysia, Indonesia, and Argentina are notable excess-supply producers India, the European Union countries, and China are notable high-demand areas that supplement regional production through imports (1). 

These tendencies can only be transformed into practical results if existing and future laws, regulations, and framework conditions are taken into account. The European legislative process, and the expansion of the European Union, will play important roles, in particular the chemical policies product liability laws. The particular relevance of these aspects to the adhesives industry and development of new adhesives, and the chances and risks involved, are treated in greater detail later. 

The parallels that can be drawn among the countries are to be found in the historical development of all the 10 countries during the last 50 years. Future requirements will be harmonized being based on the European Union environmental legislation and also on the wide international collaborations necessary in the field. 

Sustainable Bridges (2007) Sustainable Bridges - Assessment for Future Traffic Demands and Longer Lives, Integrated Project in the Sixth Framework Programme on Research, Technological Development and Demonstration of the European Union, FP6-PLT-001653, httr) //www.sustainablebridges.net... 

The decline of the welfare state has created an increasing level of awareness by individuals that the well-being—current and future—of themselves and their families is more in their own hands and less in the hands of the state. This development has created a breed of consumers that demand anytime-anywhere delivery of quality financial services. At the same time we have witnessed an increased sophistication of the consumers in terms of the financial products they buy and the channels of service delivery they use. These trends are universal among developed economies, from the advanced and traditionally liberal economies of North America, to the increasingly deregulated economies of the European Union and pre-accession States, and the post-Communist countries. 

Similarly, the European Union (EU) has listed cobalt as one of the 40 critical metals for future development (2). These facts clearly indicate that cobalt is badly needed for further world development. 

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