European analytical column No. 37 from the Division of Analytical Chemistry (DAC) of the European Association for Chemical and Molecular Sciences (EuCheMS)

INTRODUCTORY COMMENTS FROM THE CHAIRMAN OF DACThe European Analytical Column has again a somewhat different format. We have once more invited a guest columnist to give their views on various matters related to Analytical Chemistry in Europe. This year we have invited Professor Manfred Grasserbauer of the Vienna University of Technology to present some of the current challenges for European analytical chemistry. During the period 2002–2007 Professor Grasserbauer was Director of the Institute for Environment and Sustainability, Joint Research Centre of the European Commission, Ispra. There is no doubt that many challenges exist at the present time for all of us representing a major branch of chemistry, namely analytical chemistry.The global financial crisis is affecting all branches of chemistry but analytical chemistry in particular since our discipline by tradition has many close links to industry. We notice already now a decreased industrial commitment with respect to new research projects and sponsoring of conferences. It is therefore important that we strengthen our efforts and that we keep our presence at analytical chemistry meetings and conferences unchanged.Recent activities of DAC and details regarding the major analytical-chemistry event this year in Europe, Euroanalysis XV in Innsbruck, are also reported