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The European Union took the opportunity on Rare Disease Day 2013 to announce that that it will fund 26 research projects in hopes of improving the lives of some of the 30 million Europeans

The possibility of a new EU/US free-trade agreement has been welcomed as likely to benefit research and research-intensive companies. However, it will need to overcome significant reservations in the European Parliament

Complex and inconsistent clinical trial regulations are causing delays and raising costs for academic clinicians conducting international studies. Governments need to harmonise trial approval processes, says the OECD

Researchers at MIT make progress tapping yeast to produce alternatives to gasoline

Europe’s attempt to unify rules on clinical trials in the 2001 Directive is widely acknowledged to be a disaster. After years of debate, the Commission’s proposals for reform are getting a favourable reception, but it is critical the new regulation takes account of emerging technologies

Are buildings that consume less energy really more energy efficient as a result? Researcher Scott Kelly from the University of Cambridge explains how predicting energy efficiency is easier said than done, especially once human behaviour becomes part of the calculation.

Ministers from 24 countries signed the agreement establishing a single court to deal with patent disputes. It’s an important advance for the Single Patent – but now for the hard part - securing national ratification in time for the first patent to be granted in April 2014

BP’s new International Centre for Advanced Materials with its hub at Manchester University now has ten research projects underway across four universities — including one focused on smart “self-healing” coatings

The European Commission has launched a new strategy to enhance the competitiveness of European manufacturing by securing better access to raw materials

Third generation cognitive computing is making sense of data mountains and starting to deliver remarkable improvements in healthcare. Now, sensitively calibrated data protection rules are needed – to reassure patients and protect privacy, whilst allowing progress to continue

Figures for the 2014 - 2020 research budget are starting to emerge despite a lack of clarity from the European Council. But MEPs are determined to reject the budget, and R&D could become part of a test of strength between the EU institutions

There's less for Horizon 2020 than the €80B the Commission proposed, though R&D will get more money than in FP7. With smoke and mirrors obscuring the true figures, MEPs say the real negotiations start now

Winners of European Research Council Proof-of-Concept grants showcased scientific breakthroughs and pitched their market potential to investors at a Science|Business Innovation Board event this week

As the Council meets to continue negotiating the budget for 2014 – 2020, senior industrialists, R&D administrators, university vice chancellors, Nobel prize winners and grass roots scientists insist the proposed €80B Horizon 2020 budget must be approved