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News
- Biopatents in Animal Breeding - applicability of patent law and recommendations for the future development of the regulatory and legislative framework
Research project
The project is funded by the Federal Agency for Agriculture and Nutrition (BLE) and aims to generate scientific evidence to support policy decisions on biopatenting in animal breeding.
The research will run for a period of 2 years until the end of 2012.
The consortium consists of researchers from Cardiff University, the Technical University of Munich and sofia - Society for Institutional Analysis at the University of Applied Sciences, Darmstadt.
More...
(1 June 2011) - The European Impact Assessment and the Environment
Publication
The European Commission requires an impact assessment report for any regulation proposed. This book analyzes the quality of impact assessments and discusses deficits and possible improvements. Based on 30 case studies of impact assessments, an institutional analysis of the relevant actors is conducted, which shows that there are many shortcomings, among them an incentive problem concerning desk officers in the European Commission. The book includes various articles which address controversial problems and possible solutions. It offers a comprehensive overview of the practice of impact assessment in the EC, as well as an institutional analysis of the processes involved and of the checks and balances between politicians and their administration. More... (-> Publications)
(2 September 2010)
- Simulation and Evaluation of Better Regulation of Converging Technologies (SEBEROC)
Research project
The SEBEROC project is carried out on behalf of the SKEP Network and aims at a better regulation of converging technologies.
The research will run for a period of 2 years until the end of 2011.
The consortium brings together researchers from Austria (ifz - Inter-University Research Centre for Technology, Work and Culture, Graz), Finland (SYKE – Finnish Environment Institute, Helsinki), Germany (sofia - Society for Institutional Analysis at the University of Applied Sciences, Darmstadt), the Netherlands (University of Amsterdam and VU University Amsterdam) and the United Kingdom (Cardiff University).
More...
(5 July 2010)
- Nanomaterials on the market:
What regulators need to know (15.10.2009)
The European Commission organized a conference in Brussels which adressed the following questions:
- Which information do we have?
- Is REACH sufficient?
- Need for strengthening information reporting?
The topic "Does REACH provide the necessary answers? What is and is not covered by REACH" was adressed by Prof. Dr. Martin Führ (download of the presentation).
Further information can be found under www.nanomaterialsconf.eu
- International research project: clima-pro (23 February 2009)
The research-project clima-pro deals with the question of "Developing instruments to improve the business cooperation of German enterprises in terms of environmental and climate protection projects in developing and newly industrializing countries."
More information about the project clima-pro.
- New study: Legal appraisal of the proposed REACh-Annex XIII revision (10.12.2008)
The summary of the study "Legal appraisal of the proposed REACh-Annex XIII revision" by Martin Führ on behalf of WWF European Policy Office has been published as sofia - Statement Nr. 08-2.
Summary of the study.
Download under "publications".
- The research project "Evaluation of the German Act on Environmental Impact Assesment", granted by the German Federal Environmental Protection Agency (Umweltbundesamt, FKZ: 205 16 104), is finished. The following research questions were investigated: What benefits are associated with EIA and what expenditure? What deficiencies and positive effects are identifiable with regard to the EIA and what can they be traced back to? What incentives are available for the project participants to actually fulfil the requirements of the EIA? What modifications can be recommended in respect of the legal embodiment and/or implementation practice?
Download: Study (2009, german)
Download: Publication in Environmental Law Network International 2007 , p. 25 - 29 (Methodology of the Analysis, engl.)
- International workshop "Improving the Integrated European Impact Assessment" - Berlin, 15-17 September 2008
The international workshop "Improving the Integrated European Impact Assessment", Berlin, 15-17 September 2008, explored means and possibilities to strengthen the environmental aspects within the EU Impact Assessment System. Are environmental aspects covered appropriately by actual assessements of impacts? This and further questions were discussed during the workshop.
More information about the workshop "Improving the Integrated European Impact Assessment".
- Sofia contribution by Stefanie Merenyi to the Korea-EU Joint Workshop in SEOUL, Dec. 3rd-4th 2007 as outlined in the program.
- In context of the German EU-presidency a workshop with Member States experts from environmental authorities took place at October 11 - 12, 2007 in Berlin.
Consequences of REACh for other legal and administrative environmental instruments - Evaluating the Environmental Effectiveness of REACh
(REACh:EEE)
more...
- Legal appraisal of nano technologies
Existing legal framework, the need for regulation and regulative options at a European and a national level.
Findings of a study on behalf of the German EPA (Umweltbundesamt).
Download of the study (pdf, 440 KB, 75 pp.)...
Download of the presentation (pdf, 197 KB)...
given Prof. Dr. Martin Führ, Stefanie Merenyi and Andreas Hermann LL.M. at the elni-forum in Brussels December 6, 2006.
- Mind the Gap - Interface Problems between EC Chemicals Law and sectoral environmental legislation
Führ, M./Merenyi, S.; In: Review of European Community and International Environmental Law (RECIEL), 15, 2006 (3), 281-292 (Blackwell Publishing).
- Implementation of risk reduction measures under REACh
Toxic ignorance has become a major issue in the current debate on chemical policy both in the EU and the US. The term refers to a lack of knowledge of the health and environmental properties, as well as the mechanisms of action, of Existing Chemicals. There can be little doubt that this term also goes to the heart of the problem facing us today. However, the availability of such data – at any rate for individual substances – gives rise to a new problem, which is that such data must now be evaluated in light of the actions that need to be taken. Here the legal interface with other sector of environmental legislation are crucial.
"Inter-face problems between REACh and sector specific environmental legislation (IPPC/WFD)" is the titel of a study carried out on behalf of the German Federal Environmental Agency.
Download of the english version: UBA - Text 04/2005 (pdf, 1,5 MB).
German Version: UBA - Text 03/2005 (pdf, 1,5 MB).
- elni forum
On June 30, 2005 the study "Interface problems between REACh and sector-specific environmental legislation (IPPC/WFD)" carried out on behalf of the German Federal Environmental Agency was presented at the elni forum in Brussels, hosted once again by the Centre d'étude du droit de l'environnement at the Faculté de droit des Facultés universitaires Saint-Louis.
Download of the presentation at the elni forum or visit the official elni-Website.
Latest update on: 10 December 2009
For further news see also: german version.
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