HORIZON BLOG: European R&D policy newsbytes

28 Mar 2024 | Live Blog

Horizon Europe is well underway, but the world of European R&D policy goes well beyond the confines of the €95.5 billion R&D programme. EU climate, digital, agriculture and regional policies all have significant research and innovation components. National governments often come up with new R&D policies, decide to fund new research avenues, and set up international cooperation deals. This blog aims to keep you informed on all of that and more.

If you have any tips, please email them at [email protected].

You can read the full archive of this blog here.

EuroTech Universities published a prospectus for FP10 stressing the pivotal role of science and technology universities in Horizon Europe’s enhancement and refinement. 

The Alliance calls for budget transparency, increased support for collaborative basic and applied research, and strengthening partnerships with countries outside the EU. Joining other research organisations, EuroTech wants to see a doubling of the Horizon Europe budget to €200 billion to FP10, too. 

Read the position paper here

 

Bettina Stark-Watzinger, Federal Minister of Education and Science of Germany, and Michelle Donelan, UK Secretary of State for Science, Innovation, and Technology, signed a joint statement on future bilateral research cooperation between the two countries yesterday in London. 

The partnership will focus on key technologies such as artificial intelligence, battery research, quantum and fusion research, and research security. 

“Germany is the UK’s second-largest trading partner, as well as a critical science and research partner through the likes of Horizon Europe and CERN. To capitalise on this, bringing our shared strengths in science and technology together will be essential,” said Donelan. 

Read the full announcement here (in English) and here (in German). 

 

After UK’s recent association to Horizon Europe, another step was made today to strengthen the partnership between London and Brussels with the launch of the EIT Hub UK by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT).  

“The new EIT Hub will bring together innovators from the EU and the UK to work together on solutions to our common challenges. I look forward to our collaboration continuing to bear fruit, shaping a future that we want,” said Iliana Ivanova, European Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth. 

Read the full announcement here

 

The European Commission is hosting an online info session to present new funding opportunities part of the EU Missions in Horizon Europe in the areas of health, climate and the environment. 

The event will take place on 25 and 26 April. Details are available here

 

The bell rang, closing the calls for proposals for the €890 million EU funds dedicated to Horizon Europe Cluster 6: Food, Bioeconomy, Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment. 

The European Research Executive Agency (REA) announced the closing, after receiving a total of 1,269 applications for the seven calls proposed.  

EUFarm2Fork—the grant that included most topics and funds—received the highest number of applications. Project ideas focused on 'New healthy and sustainable food products and processes' and 'EU-African Union cooperation on agroforestry management for climate change adaptation and mitigation.'  

More details on the results here

 

On Women’s Day, the Commission set a new goal to achieve minimal gender balance in R&I by adding 200,000 women to the field of energy transition by 2050.  

According to the EC report released last week, women in the renewable energy sector represent 22 percent of the workforce and are subject to gender pay gaps and discrimination. 

The document suggests significant cultural, societal, and policy changes to promote STEM careers for women and increase their representation in the EU energy sector. 

Read the full report here

 

The German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) and the French Ministry of Higher Education and Research (MESR) announced a joint call for proposals to fund innovative hydrogen R&D projects. 

The two countries will provide a budget of between 1.5 and 2.5 million euros that will be earmarked for a three-year collaboration between applicants from at least one German and one French research institute. 

Projects must be submitted by May 6, 2024. 

More details are available here

 

The European Commission has announced recommendations for industry-academia co-creation and citizen engagement to maximise the transformation of R&I results into solutions that benefit society. 

The Commission wants to encourage researchers and innovators to build strong partnerships between, and to build up links between research organisations and societal actors. 

“These codes of practice, developed with stakeholders, will be a valuable tool for bridging the gap between the lab and the market and for boosting knowledge valorisation," said Iliana Ivanova, EU commissioner for research and innovation. 

Read the full announcement here

 

Germany’s largest research organisation is putting its weight behind a call by MEPs for a €200 billion budget for FP10, the EU’s next Framework Programme for Research and Innovation. 

In a position paper released last week, Helmholtz says increased investment is crucial to ensure the success of FP10.   

Bigger funds would help the EU solve big challenges such as digital transformation, energy transition, climate change, the depletion of natural resources and the degradation of ecosystems. 

“To meet all these enormous challenges, an increased, very ambitious research budget is key to promoting future innovative and creative solutions – and a sustainable future for Europe,” the paper says. 

In an interview with Science|Business in January, Helmholtz president Otmar Wiestler said FP10 should include EU-wide efforts to take industrial leadership in new technologies. 

 

While 2024 is the election year for around 64 countries and the European Union, for the European Research Council (ERC) it is the chance to evaluate the outcomes of the projects it funded on democracy.

The ERC published a report that explores the outcomes of its €368 million funded projects in voting behavior, digital campaigns, and disinformation, among others.

The report is not putting forward any policy suggestions,  however, it seeks to present decision-makers with scientific evidence for addressing challenges to democratic systems worldwide.

More details are available here.

 

Subscribe to Live Blog Entries