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Detection of fraudulent practices in commercially available cinnamon
Get PDFUpon request of DG SANTE, the JRC carried out a study to address the subject of fraud in the cinnamon market within the EU. Two screening methods based on Energy Dispersive x-Ray Fluorescence and FT-Raman spectroscopy, respectively, were developed and in-house validated to detect fraudulent practises in the cinnamon sector, in particular substitution of Ceylon cinnamon by cassia.
A method based on Head Space-Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry, was developed and validated in-house as a quantitative confirmatory method for the results obtained by the two screening methods. If needed, after proper validation via an inter-laboratory comparison, the method could be used by control laboratories to detect samples suspect of fraud.
A method based on DNA analyses, was developed and in-house validated to detect the fraudulent substitution of cinnamon by clove and/or pepper, following a specific request made by DG SANTE.
The four methods were used to study a set of more than hundred commercially available cinnamon samples. The total ash content in those materials was determined by Thermo-gravimetric Analyses.
The outcome of the study is presented and discussed in this report. Summarising, a high rate of suspicious samples was found, in particular among Ceylon cinnamon, the most expensive cinnamon species on the market.JRC.F.4 - Food Integrit
Capturing the Potential of the Circular Economy Transition in the EU Aluminium Industry
Get PDF- Climate Change Mitigation: By 2050, Circular Economy strategies can save 12-14 Mt CO2-eq. emissions annually in the aluminium sector, compared to relying solely on decarbonisation strategies
- Reduced Resource Dependency: They can reduce the direct input of bauxite for the EU aluminium industry by 27%
- Lower Energy Demand: These strategies can also decrease the EU aluminium industry’s demand for fossil energy carriers by 9% and electricity by 22%
- Higher Economic Security: The EU’s trade balance can be improved by EUR 3.6 billion through reduced importsJRC.B.5 - Circular Economy and Sustainable Industr
Environmental Footprint Initiative - Agricultural Working Group Milestone 7
Get PDFThe Environmental Footprint (EF) methods, developed by the European Commission, provide a comprehensive framework for evaluating environmental impacts across different sectors. This report presents the outcomes from the Agricultural Working Group (AWG), milestone 7, which addresses cross-cutting issues including the boundary between the technosphere and ecosphere, regionalisation, and land transformation. The report delves into the need for a hybrid approach to modeling agricultural impacts, emphasizing the incorporation of terrestrial ecotoxicity effects and the accurate capture of crop-specific emissions. It also discusses the spatial resolution requirements essential for regionalization and the potential alignment of the Soil Quality Index (SQI) for land use models. Furthermore, the report underscores the importance of refining methodologies for assessing pesticide residues and heavy metal uptake in crops, considering both human toxicity and environmental impacts. By proposing operational recommendations and highlighting areas for further research, this work aims to enhance the robustness of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) databases and software, thereby supporting the development of sustainable agricultural practices within the EF framework.JRC.D.3 - Land Resources and Supply Chain Assessment
Hybrid Experts in Disaster Risk Management: an Experience of Role Playing in International Evidence for Policy Schools
No full textThis paper analyses three training courses on the relationship between science and decision-making in disaster risk management (DRM) and civil protection, organised by the European Commission in 2020, 2022 and 2023.
A masterclass on science for DRM was repeated 8 times involving 102 participants. They participated in a role-playing activity as civil protection Decision-Makers and Scientists within reference scenarios. In 2023, the role of Hybrid Expert was also introduced.
When Hybrid Experts were available, Decision-Makers employed them extensively, and they performed a liaison action that, in their absence, Scientists and Decision-Makers did not perform. Their potential positive effect was recognised.JRC.E.1 - Disaster Risk Managemen
Entrepreneurship in the EU: key insights into business dynamics in rural regions
Get PDFThis brief presents JRC analyses exploring entrepreneurship and business dynamics across EU territories. The evidence confirms urban–rural gaps in firm creation, high-growth enterprises, and especially in the startup landscape, while also highlighting distinctive strengths and success stories showing that rural areas can be engines of growth not only in sectors often associated with rural economies, but also in more diversified and knowledge-intensive activities. These findings point to untapped entrepreneurial potential of rural territories and the need for place-based policies to turn it into a driver of Europe’s competitiveness.JRC.B.3 - Territorial Developmen
JRC MARS Bulletin - Global outlook - Crop monitoring European neighbourhood - Ukraine - September 2025
Get PDFUkraine experienced unusually dry conditions in summer in the southern and eastern oblasts, leading to well below-average yields for summer crops there. In contrast, an adequate water supply and the absence of severe heat stress supported a positive yield outlook in the northern and western regions, despite delayed development.
A dry start to the summer of 2025 negatively affected the final stages of winter crop development in the central oblasts. In the west, the harvesting campaign was hampered by excessive rainfall in July, which reduced the quality of both grains and rapeseed. Altogether, winter crop yield expectations were slightly below average. While production forecasts for wheat and rapeseed are above the five-year average, thanks to an increased sown area, barley production is expected to fall below average, as the area has been considerably reduced.
During most of summer, a rainfall deficit persisted in the eastern and southern oblasts, negatively affecting grain maize, sunflower and soybean. By contrast, the northern and western oblasts profited from an adequate soil moisture, maintaining summer crop yield potential despite delayed development from late sowing and emergence.
At the national level, grain maize and soybean yields are forecast to be above the five-year average. Soybean production has been further supported by an expansion in cultivated area, while a limited reduction in maize area has not been sufficient to offset the expected yield gains, resulting in production estimates that are still above the five-year average. Sunflower yields, however, are
expected to remain below average, largely due to the drought in the south, where most sunflower cultivation takes place; this prediction is supported by the oblast-level analysis. However, the production outlook remains around average, as the sown area increased.JRC.D.5 - Food Securit
Review of Health Effects of Automotive Brake and Tyre Wear Particles
No full textNon-exhaust emissions from brakes and tyres are becoming the major transport-related contributor of particulate matter (PM) pollution in cities. Furthermore, tyre microplastics are the major contributor of unintentionally released microplastics in all environmental compartments. The European Union introduced for the first time worldwide limits for brakes (PM10) and tyres (total abrasion mass) with the Euro 7 regulatory step. Thus, the interest in brake and tyre particles regarding health and environmental impacts has significantly increased in recent years. In this review, we summarise studies that assessed the impact of brake and tyre particles on human, mammalian, aquatic, and terrestrial cells and organisms. Furthermore, we summarise the studies that compared the impact of brake and tyre particles to other sources. We also critically examine the sampling methodologies of brake and tyre particles for health and environmental impact studies.JRC.C.4 - Sustainable, Smart and Safe Mobilit
Towards a Community Acceleration Survey for Europe’s automotive industry
Get PDFThe European automotive industry is undergoing a major transformation in light of the twin transitions of decarbonisation and digitalisation. While Europe has long held a leading position in internal combustion engine vehicles, it now faces increasing competition in the emerging net-zero technological trajectory centred on battery electric vehicles. Although aggregate indicators continue to reflect strong innovation performance by EU-based firms, they often do not differentiate between the legacy and emerging trajectories. As the global transformation of the automotive industry enters the ‘acceleration phase’—marked by battery electric vehicles reaching mass markets—effective policy making requires more timely and differentiated evidence on changes in innovation activities and production capacity. To address this need, this paper proposes the introduction of a Community Acceleration Survey (CAS) for the European automotive industry. Building on existing survey instruments, the CAS would enable a rapid tracking of developments in innovation activities and adjustments in production capacity across both legacy and emerging technology trajectories as well as corporate perceptions of clean industrial policy mixes. It would offer just-in-time policy insights by capturing firm-level data on the transformation of business activities and the role of policies. The paper outlines a proposed CAS questionnaire structure, consisting of five question blocks covering general enterprise information, clean industrial policy mix perceptions, innovation and production activities in both trajectories, organisational characteristics, and an assessment of and responses to acceleration challenges. The CAS is proposed for implementation in EU Member States with a strong automotive industry presence, such as Germany, France, Poland, the Czech Republic, and Italy. As a panel survey, it would generate a continuous and targeted evidence base to support European policymakers in navigating the ongoing transformation of the automotive industry in a manner that aligns decarbonisation efforts with industrial competitiveness.JRC.B - Fair and Sustainable Econom
From Lisbonisation to Hyper-Lisbonisation: the long goodbye to EU Cohesion Policy's original goals
No full textThe paper examines the impact of major historical events, crises and theoretical models on the governance and objectives of Cohesion Policy over 25 years. It proposes a periodisation in three stages: Lisbonisation (2000–14), Territorialisation (2014–20) and Hyper-Lisbonisation (2020–present). In the first phase, Cohesion Policy aligned more closely with European Union-wide competitiveness goals. The Territorialisation phase sought to reconcile this with place-based, bottom-up approaches. The Hyper-Lisbonisation stage, driven by recent crises, accentuates competitiveness through more (nationally) centralised and flexible governance to meet short-term priorities. The paper finds that across these phases, the policy has diverged from its original objectives.JRC.B.7 - Innovation Policies and Economic Impac
Lifetime Assessment of European Reinforced Concrete Structures Subjected to Climate Change-Induced Carbonation
No full textAssessing the impact of climate change on the corrosion of reinforced concrete (RC) buildings in major European cities is crucial for developing effective adaptation strategies for both existing and future building stock in Europe. This study presents a quantitative evaluation of climate-induced carbonation of RC structures using a simplified probabilistic model. The model estimates carbonation depths under baseline conditions and future climate scenarios, offering insights into the necessary revisions of design standards and safety provisions to ensure long-term serviceability, safety, and durability of European buildings. Results reveal significant increases in carbonation depth over a 60-year period (by 2085), with projected growth ranging from 25% to 45% under an intermediate risk scenario and 58% to 89% under a high-risk scenario. Additionally, the paper discusses key sources of uncertainty that influence lifetime assessments, emphasizing the importance of addressing these uncertainties to improve the climate resilience of the existing and future building stock. The main findings highlight the urgency of climate-resilient measures to safeguard Europe's building infrastructure in the face of a changing climate.JRC.E.3 - Built Environmen