The area of Research Ethics and Integrity is fast evolving. In the EU and internationally, new legislation, codes and good practices are constantly being developed. In this complex environment, researchers cannot easily identify and be aware of the rules to be followed. This also constitutes a challenge for the ethics/integrity experts.
The new Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) envisages a regionalised ecosystem-based approach relying on detailed measures proposed jointly by Member States under the umbrella of common principles and benchmarks set up in EU legislation. This will require choosing appropriate management units (fisheries, fishing gears, sea basins, fish stocks, stock assemblages, target fleets, geographical units, etc.) and combining in an innovative manner management instruments and new governance mechanisms adapted to specific regional needs.
Ecological or ecosystem-based approaches have emerged as an alternative to farming based on chemical inputs. Farming systems implementing such approaches (eco-functional intensification) are often defined as "low-input", but they generally require more knowledge and labour per hectare than those based on chemical inputs.
The European Research Area (ERA) priorities underline the importance of an open labour market for researchers. This includes the removal of barriers to researchers mobility, training, and attractive careers. Europe will need around 1 Mio more researchers in the coming years; students, and young researchers need to be better informed about European opportunities so that they continue their research career.
Research ethics is commonly associated with life sciences and in particular medical and biomedical research. The focus of the attention concerns interventions on humans, the involvement of children and vulnerable population.
Childhood obesity is one of the most serious public health challenges of the 21st century and its prevalence has increased at an alarming rate in the last decades. The main problem is that overweight and obese children are likely to remain obese in adulthood and more likely to develop noncommunicable diseases like diabetes and cardiovascular diseases at a younger age. An integrated EU approach to help reduce the impact on health of poor nutrition, excess weight and obesity is a political objective.
In recent decades, sweeteners and sweetness (flavour) enhancers (S&SEs) have become key ingredients in food produced and consumed in the EU, and exported to and from it. Because of their diversity (natural/artificial, geographical origin, processing, caloric content, etc.), S&SEs are used in different foodstuffs and food processes and in different dosages. However, information is lacking about new and emerging S&SEs throughout the agri-food chain, (e.g.
With increasing urbanisation, massive daily flows of agricultural products, water and energy coming from rural/remote areas to cities generate high amounts of heat, CO2, waste water and other waste. In certain contexts, urban agriculture has been shown to improve food security and to bring economic, environmental and social benefits to cities.