EUROPA - Newsroom - Latest stories - Science and technology

Internet on TV, TV on Internet: Commission seeks views on rapidly converging audiovisual world

24/04/2013 - Environment, consumers and health / Science and technology

The Commission wants to explore what this convergence of technology and content could mean for Europe's economic growth and innovation, cultural diversity, and consumers (especially those that may need protection, such as children.) |PHOTOS|VIDEO|

Scoreboard shows EU more innovative, but gap between countries widening

26/03/2013 - Science and technology

Innovation performance in the EU has improved year on year in spite of the continuing economic crisis, but the innovation divide between Member States is widening. This is the result of the European Commission Innovation Union Scoreboard 2013, a ranking of EU Member States.

Keeping the EU's space industry competitive and avoiding satellite collisions

28/02/2013 - Science and technology

The European Commission proposed measures to keep Europe's space industry competitive and to set up a European satellite collision avoidance system.

EU Cybersecurity plan to protect open internet and online freedom and opportunity

07/02/2013 - Justice and citizens rights / Science and technology

The cybersecurity strategy – "An Open, Safe and Secure Cyberspace" - represents the EU's comprehensive vision on how best to prevent and respond to cyber disruptions and attacks. This is to further European values of freedom and democracy and ensure the digital economy can safely grow. |VIDEO|PHOTOS|

Commission issues action call in Davos - with IT sector and telecoms companies - to close digital skills and jobs gap in Europe

25/01/2013 - Science and technology

The Commission is issuing a call to action to companies, governments, educators, social partners, employment service providers and civil society to join us in a massive effort to "turn the tide". Young Europeans should have the tools to enter digital careers or to create jobs as entrepreneurs.

More information on the Digital Agenda for Europe

Digital "to-do" list: new digital priorities for 2013-2014

18/12/2012 - Science and technology

The priorities follow a comprehensive policy review and place new emphasis on the most transformative elements of the original 2010 Digital Agenda for Europe. |PHOTOS|VIDEO 1|2|

Putting patients in the driving seat: A digital future for healthcare

07/12/2012 - Environment, consumers and health / Science and technology

The European Commission has unveiled an Action Plan to address barriers to the full use of digital solutions in Europe's healthcare systems. The goal is to improve healthcare for the benefit of patients, give patients more control of their care and bring down costs.

R&D Scoreboard: Despite crisis, top EU firms continue to invest in innovation

06/12/2012 - Business / Science and technology

In the face of the continuing economic and financial crisis, major EU-based firms continue to rely on R&D for their competitive edge. They increased R&D investment by 8.9% in 2011, up from 6.1% in 2010. |PHOTOS|VIDEO|

EU establishes guidelines for renewable energy policy

03/12/2012 - Energy and natural resources / Science and technology / Transport and travel

The Ministers of the Energy Council adopted conclusions on renewable energy, which outline options for future action, in particular in order to facilitate long-term planning for industry and investors. |PHOTOS|VIDEO 1|2|

Commission proposes rules to make government websites accessible for all

03/12/2012 - Employment and social rights / Science and technology

The Commission's proposal for a Directive on the accessibility of public sector bodies' websites would introduce mandatory EU standardised accessibility features, from the end of 2015, for 12 types of websites.

Commission paves the way for 4G in Europe

05/11/2012 - Science and technology

The decision makes it mandatory for Member States to open the relevant spectrum by 30 June 2014 at the latest, and lays down harmonised technical conditions to allow coexistence between different technologies.

Commission proposes to update radio equipment rules

17/10/2012 - Environment, consumers and health / Science and technology

The proposal aims to make sure all market players comply with the rules regarding the avoidance of interference, so that consumers do not have problems when opening car doors, monitoring their babies or listening to radio.

Count-down to the second launch of Galileo satellites

11/10/2012 - Science and technology

The countdown has started for the launch of Galileo's third and fourth satellites —scheduled for 12 October 2012 at 18:15 UTC from Europe's spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana.

Major banks, telecoms companies and governments join forces in EU-wide cyberattack exercise

04/10/2012 - Justice and citizens rights / Science and technology

Cyber Europe 2012 runs alongside European Cyber Security Month and is the second EU-wide cyber-attack simulation exercise organised by Member States, the Commission and ENISA. |PHOTOS|

Nanomaterials: Case by case safety approach for breakthrough technology

03/10/2012 - Science and technology

The European Commission adopted a communication on the second regulatory review on nanomaterials, which also includes the Commission’s plans to improve EU law to ensure the safe use of nanomaterials.

EU-funded research to make the "cloud" greener

26/09/2012 - Science and technology

A special 3D microchip, being designed by an EU-funded research project, looks set to drastically cut the electricity and the installation costs of servers in cloud computing data centres, cementing Europe's place as the home of green computing.

Safer, more effective and innovative medical devices

26/09/2012 - Science and technology

To ensure that these devices serve the needs and ensure the safety of European citizens, the European Commission proposed two regulations which are fit for purpose, more transparent and better adapted to scientific and technological progress. |PHOTOS|VIDEO|

Commission and European industry commit to bigger and better robotics sector

18/09/2012 - Science and technology

The European Commission, industry and academia have agreed to launch a Public Private Partnership (PPP) in Robotics, to help Europe-based companies take a larger share of the €15.5 billion annual global robotics market.

Commission focuses on international science co-operation to meet global challenges

17/09/2012 - Science and technology

The European Commission has set out a new strategy for developing international cooperation in research and innovation. The strategy proposes to further focus cooperation on EU strategic priorities while maintaining the tradition of openness to third country participation in EU research.

Digital Agenda: Commission moves to foster wireless innovation through sharing of radio spectrum

03/09/2012 - Science and technology

The European Commission unveiled plans to deal with the exponential growth in mobile and wireless data traffic by enabling wireless technologies, including broadband, to share the use of the radio spectrum.

European business to increase R&D spending despite crisis

20/08/2012 - Business / Science and technology

Top EU businesses expect their investments in research and development to grow by an average of 4% annually over the period 2012 to 2014, according to a Commission survey of some of Europe's companies that invest the most in R&D.

New internet service improves greatly GPS reliability

26/07/2012 - Science and technology

Vice President Antonio Tajani launched in Brussels the European Data Access Service (EDAS) - a new commercial service of the European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service (EGNOS) – designed to make satellite navigation in Europe more reliable and thus more effective for use in commercial applications in difficult surroundings. |VIDEO|

European Commission targets barriers to Single Market for research and innovation

17/07/2012 - Science and technology

The European Commission has set out concrete steps Member States should take to achieve the European Research Area (ERA), a Single Market for research and innovation in Europe. The goal is to enable researchers, research institutions and businesses to better move, compete and co-operate across borders. |VIDEO 1|2|PHOTOS|

€8.1 billion investment in research and innovation to create growth and jobs

09/07/2012 - Science and technology

The European Commission has announced the final and biggest ever set of calls for proposals for research under its Seventh Framework Programme (FP7). In total, €8.1 billion will support projects and ideas that will boost Europe's competitiveness and tackle issues such as human health, protecting the environment and finding new solutions to growing challenges linked to urbanisation and managing waste. |VIDEO 1|2|PHOTOS|

Unleashing the huge potential of key enabling technologies for jobs

26/06/2012 - Science and technology

The European Commission tabled its strategy to boost the industrial production of KETs-based products, e.g. innovative products and applications of the future. The strategy aims to keep pace with the EU’s main international competitors, restore growth in Europe and create jobs in industry, at the same time addressing today's burning societal challenges.

Annual scoreboard confirms need for structural economic reform across Europe and surplus of ICT jobs

18/06/2012 - Science and technology

Greater data consumption and a shift to mobile technologies (such as smartphones) and mobile services (such as 3G internet, music streaming and webmail) are the most significant trends in the information & communications technologies (ICT) sector, which now accounts for 8 million jobs and 6% of EU GDP. |VIDEO 1|2|

New Regulation to enable cross-border electronic signatures and to get more value out of electronic identification in Digital Single Market

04/06/2012 - Science and technology

The proposed Regulation will ensure people and businesses can use their own national electronic identification schemes (e-IDs) to access public services in other EU countries where e-IDs are available. |VIDEO|

Council adopts new roaming rules

30/05/2012 - Science and technology

The new legislation revises the current regulation, which will expire on 30 June 2012, by introducing pro-competitive structural measures and extending its validity until 30 June 2022.

New deal to cut mobile roaming prices, including data services

10/05/2012 - Science and technology

The cost of using mobile phones, smartphones and tablets when travelling abroad within the EU will fall sharply from 1 July this year, under an agreement with the Council endorsed by Parliament. |VIDEO|

Commission adopts first report on the application of the Audiovisual Media Services Directive

07/05/2012 - Science and technology

The AVMSD enables the free circulation of audiovisual content and meets important public policy objectives such as banning incitement to hatred, protecting minors from harmful content and promoting European audiovisual works.

Digital Agenda: new strategy for safer internet and better internet content for children and teenagers

02/05/2012 - Science and technology

The internet was not designed with children in mind, but today 75% of children use the internet, a third of them on mobiles. The new strategy is to build up the market for interactive, creative and educational content online. |VIDEO|

An EU Cybercrime Centre to fight online criminals and protect e-consumers

28/03/2012 - Justice and citizens rights / Science and technology

It is estimated that, worldwide, more than one million people become victims of cybercrime every day.The European Commission proposed to establish a European Cybercrime Centre to help protect European citizens and businesses against these mounting cyber-threats. |VIDEO|PHOTOS|