1. Latest (EC funded) research projects on bees and pollinators
Béla ATZÉL, PhD
planning and programming officer
Agri-Food Chain
European Commission
Directorate-General for Research & Innovation

2. Structure of the presentation
1) Completed projects
2) On-going projects
3) Future perspectives

3. 1) Completed projects FP6
BRAVE - Bee research and virology in Europe - identifying the research needs for protecting European agriculture and ecosystems against viral diseases (2005)
ALARM - Assessing LArge-scale environmental Risks with tested Methods ( )
BEE SHOP - Bees in Europe and Sustainable Honey Production ( )

4. FP7
BEE DOC - Bees in Europe and the decline of honeybee colonies ( )
CLEANHIVE - Detecting the Pathogen that Threatens European Honey Bees ( )
APIFRESH - Developing European standards for bee pollen and royal jelly: quality, safety and authenticity ( )

5. 2) On-going EC funded research
5 projects, funded by FP7 instruments:
FP7-KBBE - FP7 Specific Programme 'Cooperation' - Research Theme: 'Food, agriculture and fisheries, and biotechnology'
FP7-ENVIRONMENT - FP7 Specific Programme 'Cooperation'- Research Theme: 'Environment (including climate change)'
FP7-SME - FP7 - Research theme: Research for the benefit of SMEs
FP7-IDEAS-ERC - Specific Programme 'Ideas' implementing the Seventh Framework Programme
Total cost: EUR
EU contribution: EUR

6. Inventory of projects
SMARTBEES – Sustainable Management of Resilient Bee populations ( )
AMIGA - Assessing and Monitoring the Impacts of Genetically modified plants on Agro-ecosystems ( )
STEP – Status and Trends of European Pollinators ( )
SWARMONITOR - development of a tool for effective diagnostic monitoring of honey bee colonies ( )
SPACERADARPOLLINATOR - Space use by bees– radar tracking of spatial movement patterns of key pollinators ( )

7. SMARTBEES Sustainable Management of Resilient Bee populations (2014-2018)
Project reference:
Total cost:
EUR
EU contribution:
EUR
Coordinated in:
Germany
Subprogramme:
KBBE Sustainable apiculture and conservation of honey bee genetic diversity
Call for proposal:
FP7-KBBE single-stage
Funding scheme:
CP-TP - Collaborative Project targeted to a special group (such as SMEs)

8. Objectives
to identify crucial facets of honeybee resistance to colony losses, Varroa and viruses;
to characterise the genetic background of the resistance mechanisms in honeybees;
to develop breeding strategies to increase the frequencies of these valuable traits in local honeybee populations;
to promote multiple local breeding efforts, to conserve local resilient populations and will develop molecular tools for describing and safeguarding future populations;
to protect European natural honeybee heritage.

9. AMIGA Assessing and Monitoring the Impacts of Genetically modified plants on Agro-ecosystems ( )
Project reference:
Subprogramme:
KBBE GM crops in the EU - systematically assessing environmental and economic impacts
Call for proposal:
FP7-KBBE
Funding scheme:
CP-IP - Large-scale integrating project
Total cost: EUR EU contribution: EUR Coordinated in: Italy

10. Objectives
providing baseline data on biodiversity in agro-ecosystems in the EU;
defining lists of suitable bioindicators for various European regions;
improving knowledge on potential long term environmental effects of genetically modified plants (GMPs);
testing the efficacy of the EFSA Guidance Document (GD) for the Environmental Risk Assessment (ERA) of GMPs;
exploring new strategies for post market monitoring;
estimating the compatibility of GMPs with the Integrated Pest Management (IPM) principles implemented in the EU;
providing a systematic analysis of economical aspects of GMPs cultivation in the EU; and
setting a training and communication plan addressing public concerns about GMPs.

11. STEP Status and Trends of European Pollinators (2010-2015)
Project reference:
Total cost:
EUR
EU contribution:
EUR
Coordinated in:
United Kingdom
Subprogramme:
ENV Assess the pan-European status of pollinators
Call for proposal:
FP7-ENV
Funding scheme:
CP-FP - Small or medium-scale focused research project

12. Objectives
to document the status and trends of pollinators (managed honeybees, wild bees and hoverflies) and animal-pollinated plant populations;
to determine and analyse the multiple pressures that are driving changes in pollinators and animal-pollinated plants;
to assess the impact of changes ;
to evaluate and synthesise strategies to mitigate the impacts;
to analyse and improve the interface between the scientific knowledge base on pollinator change assessment and policy instruments to reduce pollinator / pollination loss and mitigate its effects;
to develop communication and educational links with a wide range of stakeholders and the general public.

13. SWARMONITOR Development of a tool for effective diagnostic monitoring of honey bee colonies ( )
Project reference:
Subprogramme:
SME Research for SME associations
Call for proposal:
FP7-SME-2012
Funding scheme:
BSG-SME-AG - Research for SME associations/groupings
Total cost:
EUR
EU contribution:
EUR
Coordinated in:
United Kingdom

14. Objectives
to develop the first monitoring tool that would detect changes in honey bee activity within the beehive for the effective management of bees.
the tool to allow beekeepers to remotely diagnose colony status without the invasive opening of hives for physical inspection.
to increase the efficiency of beekeeping allowing small and hobby beekeepers to more closely manage their colonies and predict behaviour that requires intervention remotely.
to allow commercial beekeepers to keep more hives over greater geographical distances so increasing their efficiency and profitability.

15. SPACERADARPOLLINATOR Space use by bees– radar tracking of spatial movement patterns of key pollinators ( )
Project reference: Funded under: FP7-IDEAS-ERC
Subprogramme:
ERC-AG-LS8 - ERC Advanced Grant - Evolutionary, population and environmental biology
Call for proposal:
ERC-2013-ADG
Funding scheme:
ERC-AG - ERC Advanced Grant
Total cost: EUR EU contribution: Coordinated in: United Kingdom

16. Objectives
transponder miniaturisation, to develop radar technology to allow coverage of areas of up to 10km2 and the exploration of the 3rd dimension of insect flight;
tracking bees in three dimensions:
to identify the rules of bee movements at the landscape scale,
to monitor natural resource exploration and exploitation
to quantify individual differences in space use.
to monitor competitive interactions as well as the possibility of social learning in space use.
to identify spatial movement strategies of queens and males;
to increase the understanding of pollinator space use, but also for the conservation, management, and the understanding of mating patterns in the plants they pollinate.

17. 3) Future perspectives FP7 is replcaced by Horizon 2020
Increase in budget, coupling research to innovation, challenge- based approach, new approach to Work Programme and Calls…
THERE IS ROOM for project proposals on bees and pollination
Excellent Science
European Research Council (ERC)
Industrial leadership
Innovation in SMEs
Societal Challenges
SC2: Food Security, Sustainable Agriculture and Forestry…
SC5: Climate Action, Environment, Research Efficiency…

18. Thank you for your attention!