Horizon Europe successor needs €200B to meet future challenges, say MEPs According to Science Business, prominent figures in the European Parliament’s research and innovation policy, Christian Ehler and Maria da Graça Carvalho, are emphasizing the necessity of allocating a budget of €200 billion for the European Union’s upcoming seven-year science funding program. This heightened budget is seen as imperative to adequately address and meet the future challenges.
Their call to more than double the current Horizon Europe budget of €95.5 billion, designed for the next framework program (commonly referred to as FP10), establishes a clear position on the budget that the Parliament is likely to advocate for in the next program. However, it is worth noting that achieving such an increase may encounter resistance, given that the EU member states, who bear the financial burden, tend to be more fiscally cautious. Although the EU’s current seven-year R&I Framework program is still in progress, discussions regarding the budget for its successor are already in motion. Know more here.
The Industry, Research and Energy and the Budgets committees adopt position on the STEP According to the European Parliament news, the Strategic Technologies for Europe Platform (STEP) was up for consideration this week by the Industry and Budgets committees. This platform is intended to facilitate EU initiatives in the advancement of crucial and emerging strategic technologies, including artificial intelligence, robotics, renewable energy, and medical innovations. The proposal suggests that STEP has the potential to generate up to €160 billion in fresh investments.
MEPs ask the Commission to conduct an interim evaluation by 2025, including a proposal to amend STEP or a new proposal for a fully-fledged European Sovereignty Fund. If the Commission does not propose the latter, it must justify its choice, MEPs agreed. The legislation was adopted with 43 votes to 6, with 15 abstentions. It will be put to a vote by the full House during the 16-19 October plenary session. Know more here.
Please remember the HUB has published a report on this issue, available here.
European Commission: Experts sought for new science diplomacy working groupsThe European Commission is currently in the stages of establishing science diplomacy working groups and has initiated a Call for Expressions of Interest. These informal working groups will comprise individuals from both the scientific and diplomatic realms, with the overarching objective of establishing a comprehensive European framework for science diplomacy. The initiative involves the formation of five distinct groups, each focusing on specific aspects of the subject matter. Approximately ten members from the scientific community and ten from the diplomatic community will be brought together within each group.
It is essential to note that members will participate in their personal capacity. Detailed eligibility requirements can be found in the official Call document. The deadline for submitting expressions of interest is set for October 31, 2023. The call foe expression of interest is available here.
European Commission: Report outlines five scenarios for science for policyA recent report from the European Commission delves into the prospective ecosystems for science in policy development by 2030. This report introduces five distinct scenarios, each exploring unique facets of research and its application in addressing societal challenges.
These scenarios encompass challenge-focused research, participatory science, data-driven policy recommendations, open science, and evidence creation driven by policy needs.
According to KOWI, the report emphasizes several crucial themes integral to the evolution of science-policy interfaces in Europe, including:
1. Embracing a diverse array of knowledge sources by integrating multiple disciplines, sectors, and public engagement to influence both scientific research and policy formulation.
2. Undertaking a comprehensive restructuring of governance to encompass societal actors such as NGOs, grassroots movements, and citizens in policy advice, promoting meaningful co-creation.
3. Preserving knowledge mechanisms while providing a secure space for the expression of diverse opinions in the realm of scientific advice.
4. Enhancing the coordination of research and innovation policies with other public policies to effectively address complex challenges.
5. Acknowledging the role of values in value-based decision-making and the provision of scientific evidence.
This publication is part of a broader series of eight Deep Dive Foresight Studies, conducted under the Future4Europe platform, which is supported by the EU. Read the full report here.
Ten European cities awarded with EU Mission Label for their plans to reach climate-neutrality by 2030This week, ten European cities were labelled with the award for the EU Mission for Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities, as part of the Horizon Europe initiative. This label signifies a significant achievement, as it acknowledges these cities’ strategies to attain climate neutrality as early as 2030. Additionally, it seeks to facilitate their access to both public and private funding sources to support this objective.
The ten cities that have earned this label are: Sønderborg (Denmark), Mannheim (Germany), Madrid, Valencia, Valladolid, Vitoria-Gasteiz, and Zaragoza (Spain), Klagenfurt (Austria), Cluj-Napoca (Romania), and Stockholm (Sweden). Read the full European Commission´s press release here.
Commission welcomes completion of key ‘Fit for 55′ legislation, putting EU on track to exceed 2030 targetsThe European Commission announced this week the approval of the final components of its ‘Fit for 55’ legislative package, designed to achieve the EU’s 2030 climate objectives. With this comprehensive set of laws, Europe is demonstrating its commitment to fulfilling promises made to its citizens and international partners. It is asserting its leadership in climate action and actively shaping the green transition for the betterment of its people and industries.
This latest development encompasses the revised Renewable Energy Directive and the ReFuelEU Aviation Regulation, effectively establishing legally binding climate targets that span all significant sectors of the economy. The overarching package includes emission reduction goals across various sectors, an objective to enhance natural carbon absorption, an updated emissions trading system to cap emissions, place a price on pollution, and stimulate investments in sustainability. Moreover, it provides social support to citizens and small businesses. This is a significant step forward, especially in the context of the upcoming COP28 UN Climate Conference and the forthcoming European elections. Read the full statement here.
EU and Japan agree to share supercomputers in ground-breaking dealAs reported by Science Business, starting next year, a groundbreaking collaboration will enable European and Japanese scientists to access each other’s supercomputers. This strategic partnership has the potential to accelerate scientific simulations, particularly in fields such as climate research and materials science, while also contributing to the development of the EU’s next-generation supercomputers.
This initiative reflects Brussels’ ongoing efforts to strengthen its research and technology connections with Tokyo, as the European Union seeks to foster closer relationships with fellow democracies, especially in the wake of the Ukraine conflict. It also signifies a broader trend where nations are increasingly forming geopolitical computing alliances due to the escalating costs of supercomputers. These alliances are instrumental in ensuring that countries can maintain their competitiveness in the field of high-performance computing. Read more here.
European Innovation Council and Joint Research Centre Collaborate to Shape EU’s Innovation FutureThe European Innovation Council (EIC) and the Joint Research Centre (JRC) have partnered in a series of Horizon Scanning exercises to boost the EIC’s strategic intelligence capabilities.
This initiative has revealed exceptional investment opportunities in emerging technologies and innovations, aligning with the EU’s long-term goals. It has also identified key drivers, enablers, and barriers to tech development, paving the way for future foresight initiatives.
Three dominant themes—sustainability, energy, and scalability—emerged, guiding the EU’s innovation path. The collaboration concludes with recommendations to streamline Horizon Scanning for the EIC’s specific needs, promising a more competitive and visionary future. Read the full report here.
Europe’s green tech start-ups face up-hill battle accessing financing and public procurementsAccording to insights shared during the panel discussion on financing net-zero at the EU Industry Days 2023, Europe is encountering challenges in attracting investments in green technology. High risks and uncertainty are acting as deterrents for potential investors. The green tech industry in Europe is grappling with regulatory delays and obstacles in accessing private financing.
Ester Baiget, CEO of Danish biotech Novozymes, expressed that it’s increasingly challenging for companies to make a compelling case for investing in Europe when compared to the United States. She cited factors such as the more flexible labor market in the US and regulatory frameworks that expedite the adoption of new technologies, thus facilitating quicker returns on investment. Additionally, the subsidies offered under the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) are luring companies across the Atlantic. These issues were highlighted during the annual EU Industry Days conference in Malaga. Read more in Science Business.
EU-US science and technology agreement renewedAccording to the European Commission, an agreement providing the framework for science and technology cooperation between the EU and US is to be renewed for another five years, after approval by the European Council.
Originally signed in 1998, the agreement has been rolled over every five years since then. It’s a short document that sets out high level terms of engagement between the two powers in science and technology collaboration.
While this renewal is uncontroversial, earlier this year the US only agreed to extent a similar agreement with China at the last moment, giving Washington six months renegotiate it after criticism it could help Beijing to gain key US technologies.
EU R&D spending rose to €331B in 2021 – but research intensity fellIn 2021, the European Union invested €331 billion in research and development, marking an increase of approximately €21 compared to the previous year, as reported by the European Commission on October 4th. However, despite this boost in spending, the proportion of R&D investment relative to the overall GDP experienced a slight decline, dropping from 2.3% to 2.27% between 2020 and 2021. This dip in R&D intensity is attributed to the resurgence of GDP following a decline during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Significant disparities in R&D intensity persist among EU member states, with Belgium leading the way at 3.43% and Romania lagging at 0.47%. For the majority of member states, R&D intensity falls below the EU average.
It’s noteworthy that the EU’s average R&D intensity remains lower than that of other major global players, such as China (2.41% in 2020), Japan (3.34%), and the United States (3.46%), as illustrated in the accompanying graph. Read the full report here.
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