HORIZON BLOG: European R&D policy newsbytes

During a summit held in Washington D.C. last Thursday, the U.S. Departments of Justice and Commerce launched the Disruptive Technology Protection Network with Japan and the Republic of Korea (ROK), a partnership aimed at expanding collaboration on technology protection measures.

At the event, the three countries affirmed the importance of combating illicit technology transfer due to its threat to national security, leading to the signing of two Memoranda of Intent for enhanced cooperation.

“Preventing sensitive technologies from being acquired by authoritarian regimes and hostile nation-states is not only a critical endeavor, but a shared one,” said Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Export Enforcement Matthew S. Axelrod.  “Yesterday’s Summit formally launched our work with our partners in South Korea and Japan, as we join together to prevent our countries’ most sensitive items from getting into the world’s most dangerous hands.”

More details here.

On Monday, the EU Council approved a protocol facilitating data flow with Japan, a measure that marks a significant stride in digital collaboration.

By including provisions on cross-border data flows in the EU-Japan Economic Partnership agreement, the protocol ensures robust legal frameworks for data exchange so that companies will be able to handle data efficiently under predictable regulations, avoiding costly storage requirements

The move would not only eradicate unjustified data localisation barriers but also streamlines operations for businesses by removing cumbersome administrative hurdles.

This harmonisation, reads the Council’s press release, would enhance economic competitiveness and underscore a commitment to mutual digital prosperity.

More details here.

The White House unveiled a series of measures to commercialise clean energy adoption to coincide with Earth Day last week.  

The grab-bag of initiatives include energy technology prizes, a new Adoption Readiness Level framework from the Department of Energy, and a new template for technology transfer agreements.  

The National Science Foundation also said it would launch a series of new “Translation Accelerators”, designed to boost commercialisation.  

The US has released guidelines for how best to use AI in science, two weeks after EU science advisors unveiled their own recommendations.  

Drawn up by the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology, the report makes five recommendations, including making sure that scientists can broadly access the necessarily computing power and datasets to make advantage of the technology.  

Access to federal data sets for researchers should be improved, and scientists should experiment with AI assistance in their work. 

“The objective should not be to maximize the amount of automation, but to allow human researchers to achieve high quality science that utilizes AI assistance responsibly,” the report says.  

In a position paper published today, the Guild of European Research-Intensive Universities says deans of UK universities could enable seed funding to help UK researchers get back into EU collaborative networks.

"Universities could support this re-engagement by providing seed funding for Horizon applications and exploring bilateral agreements that could enable researchers to join larger networks," reads the document.

“Research collaboration with continental Europe remains central to UK universities. Our reassociation to Horizon Europe both confirms these strong ties and encourages the UK research community to strengthen the engagement even further,” said Anselm Heinrich, International Dean at the College of Arts at the University of Glasgow.

The UK had been stuck outside of Horizon Europe because of Brexit until last year. London and Brussels were able to reach a deal after years of haggling over bigger political issues, such as Northern Ireland’s place in the EU single market, but also over more prosaic issues, such as the UK’s net contribution to Horizon Europe.

At the time, the UK government was worried that researchers and universities would would not be able to get up to speed with the EU funding programme, re-integrate themselves in EU funding networks, and win enough grants to cover the UK’s financial contribution.

Read the full statement here.

The Commission approved a €300 million French State aid measure to support Nuward, a subsidiary of Electricité de France's (EDF), in developing innovative small modular nuclear reactors (SMRs).

The aid will be provided as a direct grant to cover Nuward's R&D plans until early 2027, focusing on designing, testing, and preparing safety demonstrations for SMRs.

“This project will contribute to the decarbonisation of energy systems and to the EU’s open strategic autonomy, while limiting possible distortions of competition,” said Margrethe Vestager, executive vice-president in charge of competition policy.

Read the full announcement here.

The European Research Infrastructure Consortia (ERIC) Forum, the umbrella group that brings together major research infrastructures, is calling for an increase in funding for ERICs in FP10, the EU’s next Framework Programme for Research and Innovation.

In a position paper released recently, the ERIC Forum, which represents 28 organisations, say that increased economic support for Europe’s research infrastructures is crucial to ensure the success of FP10. 

“It is essential for the EC [European Commission] to engage in dialogue with MS [member states] to support for enhanced budgets under structural funds where applicable, recognising the broadened scope and increased value ERICs now offer in alignment with EU objectives,” reads the document.

The position paper also has recommendations on consolidation, structural support, governance, innovation, and researchers’ access to ERIC services.

“For researchers to fully benefit from the ERIC services now available to them, funding for access to and usage of these services (including physical, remote and virtual user access) at the European level should be continuously available,” the paper says .

Read ERIC Forum’s position paper here.

The European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) announced today that Girls Go Circular, a Horizon Europe-funded project, has reached its goal of training 40,000 girls in STEM three years ahead of schedule.

The programme was launched in 2020 as part of the European Commission's Digital Education Action Plan 2021-2027 to empower girls in Europe's innovation landscape and address gender disparity in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM).

Today, April 25th, marks also the 2024 edition of International Girls in Information Communication and Technology (ICT) Day, which draws attention to the critical need for more girls and women in the ICT sector.

"The Girls Go Circular project was launched with a clear goal: to show young girls and women that Europe’s innovation landscape is incomplete without their ideas, their passion and their visions. Funded under Horizon Europe, our research and innovation programme, the European Institute of Innovation and Technology and its community have a key role to play in closing the gender gap in research and innovation, said EU research commissioner Iliana Ivanova.

“I look forward to seeing these girls and young women shape the future of Europe."

More details here.

The European Union and Türkiye reaffirmed their commitment to intensifying cooperation in green and digital transition and greater integration in the European Research Area, including EU missions and partnerships under Horizon Europe.

EU research commissioner Iliana Ivanova and Mehmet Fatih Kacır, minister of industry and technology of the Republic of Türkiye, met today in Istanbul for the second High-Level Dialogue on science, research, technology, and innovation.

They announced that three Turkish innovation programmes will participate in the European Innovation Council (EIC) Plug-in scheme. Also, a Community Hub of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) will be established in Türkiye by the end of 2024.

“Close cooperation in research and innovation with like-minded partners is a key priority for the European Union. This is why our high-level dialogue was a milestone. We discussed how to deepen our already very successful cooperation even further,” said Ivanova. “Together, we can succeed in the green and digital transitions quicker.” 

More details here.

Today, EIT Health Scandinavia launched the EIT Health Biobanks and Health Data Registries platform, a centralised digital hub that aims to connect EU researchers, clinicians, and industry professionals with European biobanks and health data registries to share information and advance medical research.

“With the EIT Health Biobanks and Health Data Registries Portal, not just connecting data; we are connecting minds, fostering collaboration, and propelling healthcare innovation forward,” said Annika Szabo Portela, EIT Health Scandinavia managing director.

Last month, the European Parliament and the Council of the EU reached a deal on the European Health Data Space (EHDS), legislation designed to allow EU citizens access to their health records wherever in Europe and to choose whether or not to allow their anonymised data to be shared for secondary use in research and public health.

Read EIT Health Scandinavia full announcement here.