In its Final Assessment Report of iNTeg-Risk (www.integ-risk.eu) the European Commission flagged the project and the work of the consortium made up of 60 beneficiaries and 29 Third Parties as a "success story" (the Report is available for Project Partners at http://www.integrisk.eu-vri.eu/home.aspx?lan=230&tab=533&itm=534&pag=594).

The EC explicitly highlights EU-VRi's project management ("outstandingly effective and efficient") for this complex large collaborative project which has received more than 12.5 Million EUR funding from 2008 to 2013.

The follow-up initiatives, such as the European Emerging Risk Radar (E2R2) or the European Common House Safety are underway and we are looking forward to build up on the results that have been achieved in iNTeg-Risk.

The OECD/iNTeg-Risk Workshop on Advanced Methods and Tools for Dealing with Systemic Global Risks highlighted new development trends and tools for understanding and managing systemic risks and making sense of them for crisis managers.

Pierre-Allain Schieb presented the work of "Future Global Shocks" and an update related to the potential of space based technologies. Stéphane Jacobzone presented the G20/OECD framework for disaster risk assessment and financing, drawing on concrete examples and links to technologies.

The workshop was enriched with presentations from international experts on advanced methods and tools for risk management. Distinguished experts participating in the dynamic panel discussion included:

• Prof. Kenneth Oye, from the Center for International Studies at MIT,
• Dr. Nishimura from the University of Tokyo Japan, and
• Eric Rigaud from Mines Paris Tech.

Click here to download the newsletter!

The 5^th iNTeg-Risk Conference held on May 21-22, 2013 in Stuttgart, Germany, was a success where more than 60 papers related to the topics of this year's conference (management of emerging risks and related early warnings) have been submitted and presented at the event.

Furthermore, over 130 participants attended this event of the year for iNTeg-Risk project! The 5^th iNTeg-Risk conference served as an excellent opportunity for project partners to communicate their results to the "outside world" and an opportunity for interested professionals, not participating in the iNTeg-Risk project, to learn about the project and its numerous results. This conference was partly dedicated to one of the ways for ensuring sustainability of the final project results: The European Emerging Risk Radar (E2R2) Initiative is envisaged as a platform enabling to recognize, monitor and manage emerging risks at the European level.

Click here to find out more details about this exciting event!

The paper provides a summary of the achievements, and highlight the open issues and possibilities opening at the end of the European research project iNTeg-Risk (“Early Recognition, Monitoring and Integrated Management of Emerging, New Technology related Risks”). The project, joining efforts of 87 companies and organizations has delivered over 240 official deliverables (documents, software, demonstrators...), has fulfilled fully its work plan, and, at the same time, shown that there are a number of open issues, which will require further attention of the research community, institutions and industry in the future. As the basis for these future efforts, iNTeg-Risk has summarized its results in a set of major deliverables, labeled, at the end of the project by the developers, as the “Big 7” of iNTeg-Risk. They are: (1) iNTeg-Risk Catalogue of Emerging Risks – RiskEars system, (2) iNTeg-Risk Framework for Emerging Risk Management, (3) the library of iNTeg-Risk Methods, Handbooks and Guidelines for emerging risk analysis, (4) iNTeg-Risk dynamic library of emerging Risks Key Indicators (KPIs – Key Performance Indicators), (5) iNTeg-Risk CWA (CEN Workshop Agreement) document – the European pre-standardization document for Emerging Risk Management, (6) European Master and Certification in the area of Risk Engineering and Management – education and training for improved emerging risks management in the EU, and, (7) iNTeg-Risk Risk Radar & 1StopShop – the web-based prototype system-of-systems for early detection, recognition, monitoring and management of emerging risks. The paper puts the main deliverables into context of an overall improvement of the emerging risk management which took place in the last years, within and outside iNTeg-Risk project, and, in particular, to the improvements expected to contribute to the development of “risk radars”. In that sense, the project results definitely bring us “nearer to improved Early Recognition, Monitoring and Integrated Management of Emerging, New Technology related Risks”.

To read more, click here to download the full paper.

The 60-day public comment phase (http://www.cen.eu/cen/sectors/technicalcommitteesworkshops/workshops/pages/ws67-integrisks.aspx) for the draft iNTeg-Risk CWA "Managing emerging technology-related risks” has closed, with the comments implemented and consolidated. This phase has confirmed a high level of interest and acceptance, as well as indicated key future concerns.

The role of this CEN workshop is to summarise and exploit the results of iNTeg-Risk project with respect to the Emerging Risk Management Framework (ERMF) and the ERRAs (Emerging Risk Representative industrial Application) grouped around the emerging risks related topics. Therefore, the iNTeg-Risk CWA consists of a general Guideline for ERMF supported by additional parts derived from the iNTeg-Risk findings and solution packages.

The full copy of this issue can be accessible at http://theparliament.com/digimag/issue366, or downloaded here.

This course took place in Paris from January 14 - 17, 2013 and was hosted by the iNTeg-Risk partner, INERIS. The course was led by Mr. Olivier Salvi (INERIS/EU-VRi) as the main lecturer.

Check out also our calendar of courses to find other topics which may be of interest for you!

EU-VRI ENISFER

ENISFER is the European Network of Industrial Systems and Facilities for Exploration of Emerging Risks within the EU-VRi organization and tools.

The aim of ENISFER is to have a network of relevant and representative organizations/companies, departments/facilities or persons to continuously innovate and improve management of emerging risks. Therefore, this network will have a structuring effect for all the stakeholders concerned by technology related emerging risks at a regional, national, European or international scale (read more about ENISFER).

• yourself as an individual (Risk Expert); and/or
• your Organization/Company; and/or
• your Department/Facility; and/or
• other entities.

• finding experts in various areas of (emerging) risk management and engineering;
• finding companies/organizations and their research facilities relevant for your work;
• contacting other ENISFER partners for partnership opportunities.

* Please note that registration to ENISFER is not a membership and at this stage there are no obligations and/or financial contribution foreseen. In addition, the main benefits at this stage are as described above.

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The coordinator of iNTeg-Risk project, Aleksandar (Sasa) Jovanovic, gave a presentation on iNTeg-Risk project at WCR in Sydney Australia. The presentation informed participants from all over the world about the main results achieved thus far before the project ends in May 2013. Furthermore, the presentation addresses follow-up initiatives, in particular, the "European Emerging Risk Radar (E2R2)" (click here for more information about E2R2).

Details of the SRA event:

World Congress on Risk (WCR)
Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre
Sydney, Australia
July 18-20, 2012

The overall theme of the WCR 2012 was Risk and Development in a Changing World, and the three daily sub-themes were:
1.        Disasters and Resilience;
2.        Global and Emerging Risks; and
3.        Risk and Sustainable Development.

Alternatively, visit the SRA WCR webpage at http://sra.org/worldcongress2012 for more information.

This first ever event entirely dedicated to Natech was organized by the OECD Working Group on Chemical Accidents and sponsored as well as hosted by the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Protection and Nuclear Safety of Germany (BMU) and the Government of Saxony. The German Federal Minister of BMU, Ms. Ruth Oldenbruch, and the Minister for the Environment and Agriculture of the free State of Saxony, Mr. Frank Kupfer also participated at the event.

The workshop represented the culminating event of a four year OECD Natech project to which also the DG Joint Research Centre of the European Commission has participated.

The workshop investigated specific elements related to the prevention of, preparedness for, and response to chemical accidents caused by natural hazard or natural disaster. The venue of the workshop was at the Internationales Congress Center Dresden of the Maritim Hotel.

More details about the programme and other practical information on the venue, accomodation and travelling can be found at the following links:

• OECD workshop outline
• OECD draft workshop programme
• OECD workshop registration form
• Congress center workshop venue
• Hotel Maritim accomodation

The course is part of the series of courses which all belong to joint effort of iNTeg-Risk project (represented by EU-VRi and other partners), University of Stuttgart (ZIRN) and Steinbeis University Berlin (STI Advanced Risk Technologies) to set a modern, modular and distributed model of education and certification in the area of Risk Engineering and Management with particular emphasis on the issue of emerging risks, in particular those related to new technologies.

The event took place on May 2-5, 2012 at the Stuttgart Institute of Management and Technology (SIMT). This specialist course was organized in conjunction with the 4^th iNTeg-Risk Conference 2012.

Participants of the course had opportunity to extend their knowledge in the area of industrial safety, starting with different aspects of risks and terminology used in the field, with special focus on major accident prevention and related process safety risk assessment methodology. The participants came from different countries (Spain, Serbia, Germany, China, France, etc.) possessing different profiles (PhD, MSc and BSc students, professionals), thus allowing them to enjoy and profit from a real international environment during the course.

A guidance document on "How to avoid common errors identified in cost claims" has been published by the European Commission (EC), whereby it listed 10 of the most frequently recurring errors along with some explanatory notes.

Therefore, the beneficiaries of grant support under the 7^th Framework Programme should pay particular attention to the issues set out in this document when preparing their cost claims.

Click here to download the guidance document.

Alternatively, the document can also be found under the Guidance documents section on EC Cordis webpage: http://cordis.europa.eu/fp7/find-doc_en.html

The iNTeg-Risk Course II-R4a "RBI-PETRO: Risk Based Inspection - Petro", which is part of the announced series of SHB/iNTeg-Risk courses, took place on March 27-30, 2012 in Rotterdam, the Netherlands.

During the 4-day course, 12 participants from Germany, Romania, China, Italy, Slovakia, the United Kingdom and Serbia had opportunity to learn more about Risk-Based Inspection (RBI) in general, its application in industry using different tools as well as to understand RBI technologies, procedures, and working processes in compliance with the main reference documents.

This series of courses is proudly organized through the joint effort of iNTeg-Risk project, University of Stuttgart (ZIRN) and Steinbeis University Berlin (STI Advanced Risk Technologies) to set a modern, modular and distributed model of education and certification in the area of Risk Engineering and Management with particular emphasis on the issue of emerging risks, especially those related to new technologies.

Furthermore, the course is a part of the European Master and Certification Program in Risk Engineering and Management.

The UK Government's CCRA report sets out the main priorities for adaptation in the UK under 5 key themes identified in the CCRA 2012 Evidence Report – Agriculture and Forestry; Business, industries and Services; Health and Wellbeing; Natural Environment and Buildings and Infrastructure – and describes the policy context, as well as the action already in place to tackle some of the risks in each area. In addition, it highlights the constraints of the CCRA analysis and provides advice on how to take account of the uncertainty within the analysis.

For further information on the CCRA including evidence report, summary of the key findings, reports and summaries for each of the eleven sectors, etc., click here.

Media coverage on this report can be accessed below:

• Shukman, D. (January 26, 2012) First report on UK climate impact. BBC News.

The course is also a part of SHB's European Master and Certification Program in Risk Engineering and Management.

During five days of the course, 20 participants from Germany, Italy, France, Greece, Serbia and United Arab Emirates had opportunity to learn and extended their knowledge on the main topics of risks related to the general use of the chemicals by a modern society and related industrial sectors (hazards, related risks, and due legislative safety measures considering accidental and chronic risks within life cycle of hazardous materials, major accidents prevention and related process safety risk assessment methodology).

This US EPA report on "Guidance to Facilitate Decisions for Sustainable Nanotechnology" provides further insight into the current practices of performing environmental, health, economic and social assessment of nanotechnological applications.

This report was developed to provide a broad guidance for assessing the sustainability of nanoproducts and is intended to lay the groundwork for developing a decision-support framework through continual updates as research in this area progresses. Furthermore, it will aid stakeholders when navigating the various choices that must be made to foster the development of sustainable nanotechnology.

This Concept Note is an effort to set forth ideas for more proactive management of emerging risks, in particular in industry. It is intended for senior management in private sector organisations, although the ideas also apply in the public sector, and particularly, in government agencies with responsibility for establishing and enforcing risk regulation. The aim is to stimulate discussion at the conceptual and policy level on how management of emerging risks can be improved, and on how further research in a variety of disciplines might contribute to such improvement.

Brussels, 18 October 2011 – "Nanomaterials" are materials whose main constituents have a dimension of between 1 and 100 billionth of a metre, according to a recommendation adopted by the European Commission today. The announcement marks an important step towards greater protection for citizens, clearly defining which materials need special treatment in specific legislation.

European Environment Commissioner Janez Potočnik said: "I am happy to say that the EU is the first to come forward with a cross-cutting designation of nanomaterials to be used for all regulatory purposes. We have come up with a solid definition based on scientific input and a broad consultation. Industry needs a clear coherent regulatory framework in this important economic sector, and consumers deserve accurate information about these substances. It is an important step towards addressing any possible risks for the environment and human health, while ensuring that this new technology can live up to its potential."

Nanomaterials are already being used in hundreds of applications and consumer products ranging from toothpaste to batteries, paints and clothing. Developing these innovative substances is an important driver for European competitiveness, and they have significant potential for progress in areas like medicine, environmental protection and energy efficiency. But as uncertainties remain about the risks they pose, a clear definition is needed to ensure that the appropriate chemical safety rules apply. The definition will help all stakeholders including industry associations, as it brings coherence to the variety of definitions that are currently in use in different sectors. The definition will be reviewed in 2014 in the light of technical and scientific progress.

The recommendation also delivers on a commitment made in 2009 to the European Parliament to issue a single definition that is broadly applicable to all EU legislation concerned by nanomaterials.

The definition adopted today is based on an approach considering the size of the constituent particles of a material, rather than hazard or risk. The wording describes a nanomaterial as "a natural, incidental or manufactured material containing particles, in an unbound state or as an aggregate or as an agglomerate and where, for 50% or more of the particles in the number size distribution, one or more external dimensions is in the size range 1 nm – 100 nm."

The definition is based on scientific advice from the Scientific Committee on Emerging and Newly Identified Health Risks (SCENIHR) and the Joint Research Centre (JRC). A draft version of the definition was subject to a public consultation.

Background
Nanomaterials are currently governed by a variety of legislative instruments at EU and national level. However, definitions have been developed on a case-by-case basis and vary across sectors, creating unnecessary burdens for industry and hampering public debate about risks and benefits of these substances. This recommendation gives EU legislators a legal reference for nanomaterials, when adopting new or implementing existing legislation.

The experience of the first registration deadline (30 November 2010) under REACH, the EU's overarching chemicals policy, showed that companies needed more clarity about their obligations with regard to nanomaterials. REACH has a key role to play in generating information about the properties of nanomaterials as chemical substances. With the adopted definition it will be easier for companies to assess their registration dossiers and determine exactly when they should consider their products as nanomaterials.

Further information:
http://ec.europa.eu/environment/chemicals/nanotech/index.htm
MEMO/11/704

The presentation

The Institut National de l’Environnement industriel et des RISques (INERIS), a founding member of EU-VRi, presents the European Economic Interest Grouping and its different projects with some key figures. Indeed, the presentation gives information about iNTeg-Risk and Alfa-Bird and insists on the fact that EU-VRi approaches its projects in a multidisciplinary way what allows it to work effectively on the emerging risks.

The Interview

In the interview which includes a presentation of the Prof. Dr. Aleksandar Jovanovic, the CEO of EU-VRi explains what iNTeg-Risk is and what its goals are.