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Contact us:
Mariana Santos, INESC Brussels HUB Communications Officer
mariana.f.santos@inesctec.pt

In today's Morning Brief:

Key Takeaways

– The EU is set to put €832 million in defence research and development projects this year under the €8 billion European Defence Fund (EDF). The money will fund 41 joint research projects developing the EU’s high-end defence capabilities in areas such as naval, ground, air combat, space-based early warning and cyber defence.  

 – A Bulgarian member of the European Court of Auditors, Iliana Ivanova, is to become the EU’s new commissioner for research and innovation, the European Commission announced on Wednesday evening.

– European Union legislators struck a deal Tuesday evening on a landmark bill that aims to regulate who can access and share data generated by connected machines and devices, both on the work floor and at home. The new law is a response to the untapped potential of industrial data in Europe, as 80 percent of machine or device-generated data is never used.

– The EU is pressing China to agree to a list of conditions before allowing it to cooperate with European researchers on sensitive areas of research, but there are fears that tie-ups with Britain, Switzerland and Israel could also be prevented by the proposed rules.

– AI rules: find out here how MEPs are shaping EU artificial intelligence legislation in order to boost innovation while ensuring safety and protecting civil liberties.

Horizon Europe

European Sustainable Energy Awards winners 2023 announced

The European Commissioner for Energy, Kadri Simson was present at the European Sustainable Energy (EUSEW) Awards Ceremony to congratulate the projects and individuals taking home the trophies for the Innovation, Local Energy Action and Woman in Energy prizes, as well as the individual selected as the Young Energy Champion.  

Alqueva Floating Solar Farm won the award in the Innovation category for its hybrid energy project bringing together solar energy, hydropower and battery storage. 

Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions researcher, Anastasia-Maria Moschovi, won ‘Woman in Energy’ Prize at European Sustainable Energy Week 2023. From the Portuguese side, Joana Freitas, Board Member of EDP Generation, says “we need all the renewable technologies to come together and deliver the energy transition in Europe”. Know more here.

 

MSCA supports doctoral training and postdoctoral fellowship programmes with €95 million

The European Commission has announced the results of the 2022 Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) call for Co-funding of regional, national and international programmes (COFUND).

The European Commission will fund 30 COFUND projects with €95 million. These include 16 doctoral training programmes and 14 post-doctoral fellowship programmes of outstanding quality.

COFUND provides funding for regional, national and international programmes for training and career development (doctorates and post-doctorate fellowships), through co-funding mechanisms. More info.

 

Bulgaria’s Ivanova named next EU research commissioner

A Bulgarian member of the European Court of Auditors, Iliana Ivanova, is to become the EU’s new commissioner for research and innovation, the European Commission announced on Wednesday evening.

The announcement comes after a few weeks of speculation over who will replace outgoing commissioner Mariya Gabriel, who resigned her post in May to form a new government coalition in her home country of Bulgaria.

“Her experience is crucial in carrying forward the implementation of the EU’s flagship research programme, Horizon Europe, to enhance the performance of EU’s research spending and achieve a better impact on the ground,” said Von der Leyen in a statement late Wednesday.

Ivanova will now have to seek the formal approval of the European Parliament and go through a grilling in the ITRE industry and research committee. Read more here.

 

Lack of investment leaves research Missions failing to deliver

The five high profile Horizon Europe research Missions set up to address grand challenges in areas including climate change, cancer and water pollution are not working out as planned after failing to pull in external funding.  According to Science Business. Marc Lemaître admitted in one of his first public outings since taking up the role in February. 

“Missions, in financial terms, are a very modest part of the Horizon Europe budget. It’s [a few] hundred million euros per year – you don’t get very far with that,” he said. “Clearly, for missions to be ultimately successful it will require the crowding in of many other funding sources and we haven’t in all honestly seen that yet to the extent we would like,” Lemaître told a meeting in Brussels on Monday, organised by Poland’s National Centre for Research and Development and Business & Science Poland.   

There should be a clearer idea of exactly how far off track the five Missions are – and hints of whether the idea of challenge-driven research will be carried over to the next EU research framework programme – in a review of their progress to date that is due to be published on 4 July. Read more.

 

Join the European Community of Practice on Partnership

The ECoPP was launched in April 2022 to further improve the quality of partnership across Europe and propagate the exchange of good practices. It offers a genuine forum for practitioners at all levels of funds’ implementation to exchange and reflect on partnership practices.

The initiative is directed to the following staeholders: regional and urban authorities, economic and social partners, research organisations and universities and EU level umbrella organisations representing the above stakeholders. More info here.

 

UK researchers losing faith as Horizon Europe talks drag on

As stated on Politico, the UK will start rolling out a domestic replacement for the EU’s flagship research and development program after the summer if Brussels continues to block its association to the scheme over Brexit rows.

Science Minister George Freeman told a parliamentary committee Wednesday that the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) and the Treasury are finalizing discussions on how to reallocate funds set aside to pay for Horizon Europe association toward a replacement mechanism for U.K.-based scientists.

Although he said Britain’s preference remains to take part in the EU program, Freeman accused the European Commission of putting on ice their association agreement as a way to increase pressure on London over post-Brexit trade rules in Northern Ireland and warned “time was running out.” Read more at Politico and Research Professional News

 

Investing in clean tech yields results, Commission finds  

Money spent on developing clean technologies isn’t a waste, according to the European Commission’s analysis of 184 demonstrator projects for climate neutrality in energy-intensive industries, worth over €3 billion. 

As stated by Science Business, the analysis revealed public spending can leverage significant private investment and EU funds have a clear role in supporting technologies at different maturity levels. 

“This report sends a signal to industry, public and private investors, national governments and managing authorities to support and increase investments that will turn our ambition into a planet-compatible reality,” said Commission vice president Margarethe Vestager. Read more here.

 

EU to invest €832M in defence R&D  

According to Science Business, the EU is set to put €832 million in defence research and development projects this year under the €8 billion European Defence Fund (EDF). 

The money will fund 41 joint research projects developing the EU’s high-end defence capabilities in areas such as naval, ground, air combat, space-based early warning and cyber defence.  

The European Commission proposed to put an extra €1.5 billion in EDF last week as part of the proposal to create a Strategic Technologies for Europe Platform (STEP) to reinforce the EU’s strategic autonomy. More info.

 

Research & Innovation

Overview on the Electrolyser Summit and Clean Hydrogen Alliance Forum

The Electrolyser Summit brought together 44 CEOs and high-level representatives of the Electrolyser Partnership to showcase progress towards the goals outlined in the Joint Declaration signed in May 2022. The partnership has already planned a manufacturing capacity of 21GW by 2025, surpassing the 25GW target.

This commitment demonstrates the EU’s potential to become a leading electrolyser manufacturing hub, aligned with the Net Zero Industry Act objectives. Several companies announced their plans to construct or expand manufacturing facilities, supported by state aid through the Important Projects of Common European Interest (IPCEI). Additionally, the 6th Forum of the European Clean Hydrogen Alliance received over 200 CEOs from across the hydrogen value chain in attendance. Read more here.

 

Data for decision-makers: Sinay raises €5M thanks to BlueInvest support

Sinay is a French start-up specialised in maritime data solutions. It transforms complex maritime data into easily understandable indicators that decision-makers can use to address environmental challenges and optimise operations at sea.

With the support of the EU BlueInvest Readiness Assistance Programme, Sinay has successfully refined its strategy and business plan and attracted investors. In May 2023, Sinay achieved a remarkable milestone by securing a €5 million in funding.

Founded in 2008, Sinay created the “Sinay Hub”, an AI-based software that collects, analyses, and monitors over 350 terabyte (TB) of worldwide maritime-related data. The data analysed include vessels positions, wind farms positions, biodiversity data of 150 million marine species, and more than 40 years’ worth of historical data on ocean waves, winds and currents.

Utilising advanced machine learning algorithms, Sinay provides insights for the maritime industry to optimise operations at sea while also protecting the environment and biodiversity. Users can access real-time or historical data and reports through the Sinay Hub which combines several modules (air quality, water quality, underwater acoustics, among others). Read more here.

 

Floating solar park in Portugal wins European Sustainable Energy Award

This week,  Alqueva Floating Solar Farm was awarded the European Sustainable Energy Award 2023 in the Innovationcategory. The award recognises outstanding ongoing or recently completed EU-funded projects that show an original and innovative path toward the clean energy transition.

This principle of combining different forms of renewable energy in one project underpins the 5MW Alqueva Floating Solar Farm, where 12 000 solar panels float on 4 hectares of an existing hydropower reservoir in central Portugal. The park, whose elastic mooring system was developed as part of the EU-funded Fresher project (European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund), supplies enough energy to power 30% of the energy usage of households in the region. Read more.

 

The condition of European forests

How do we know which forests are in good shape and which forests need restoration? Researchers from DG REGIO, the Joint Research Centre and the Juan Carlos University of Madrid addressed this question in a recently published article and they used the UN’s system of national accounts to do so.

e forest health assessments shows that European forests are productive and well connected to other forests or natural areas. But they hold too low levels of organic carbon in their soils and too few threatened bird species in their trees. Forests in the Mediterranean region and on the Atlantic plain stretching from France to Denmark are worse off than other forests in Europe. Forests that cover mountains are often in the best condition. Read the full assessment here.

 

AI rules: what the European Parliament wants

On 14 June 2023, the European Parliament adopted its negotiating position on the AI Act. Parliament’s priority is to make sure that AI systems used in the EU are safe, transparent, traceable, non-discriminatory and environmentally friendly.

Parliament also wants to establish a technology-neutral, uniform definition for AI that could be applied to future AI systems. The AI Act sets different rules for different AI risks levels.

Find out how MEPs are shaping EU artificial intelligence legislation in order to boost innovation while ensuring safety and protecting civil liberties here.

 

EARTO´s Joint Reaction to the EIC Board Statement on Intellectual Property

In a collective response to the recent EIC Board statement on intellectual property (IP), the European Association of Research and Technology Organisations (EARTO) and key innovation stakeholders have joined forces to emphasize the significance of safeguarding IP rights. Representing a broad spectrum of expertise, this unified reaction underscores the vital role played by IP protection in fostering innovation and driving economic growth.

EARTO, alongside research institutions, industry leaders, and innovation advocates, highlights the intrinsic link between IP and the innovation ecosystem. The joint response stresses that strong IP protection is not only crucial for stimulating research and development efforts but also for attracting investments and ensuring fair competition in the European market. By encouraging the creation and maintenance of a robust IP framework, the collaborative effort seeks to promote a thriving environment where innovators are incentivized to transform their ideas into tangible solutions that benefit society.

Moreover, the response underlines the need for balanced IP policies that strike a harmonious chord between promoting innovation and supporting collaborative endeavors. While recognizing the importance of addressing societal challenges, the stakeholders emphasize that any measures taken to enhance access to intellectual property must not undermine the fundamental rights of innovators and the fair returns on their investments. The collective response serves as a reminder that fostering a sustainable innovation ecosystem necessitates striking the right balance between incentivizing inventors and ensuring wider access to the benefits derived from their creations. Read the full statement here.

 

Commission seeks to block China from sensitive joint science projects

According to Politico, the EU is pressing China to agree to a list of conditions before allowing it to cooperate with European researchers on sensitive areas of research, but there are fears that tie-ups with Britain, Switzerland and Israel could also be prevented by the proposed rules.

Since 2019, the EU and China have been negotiating an agreement aimed at boosting bilateral cooperation on research and innovation projects. Until now, cooperation has been limited to a number of areas where there was a strong joint interest, such as food security, agriculture and biotechnology.

The European Commission now wants the Chinese government to sign up to rules on issues such as intellectual property, access to R&D funds, open access to published research, ethics, mobility of researchers, and reciprocity.

But EU officials say they are frustrated at the slow progress, due to what they describe as an apparent reluctance on the Chinese side to accept these level playing-field rules. As a result, the Commission is pondering whether to leave sensitive areas of tech such as quantum science, artificial intelligence and 5G out. More info.

 

Europe’s new data law, explained

Industrial manufacturers in Europe sense the opportunity of big data — but Brussels is about to change the rules on how to tap into it.

European Union legislators struck a deal Tuesday evening on a landmark bill that aims to regulate who can access and share data generated by connected machines and devices, both on the work floor and at home.

The new law responds to the untapped potential of industrial data in Europe, as 80 percent of machine or device-generated data is never used. The slow pace of its data economy is a threat to Europe’s industrial base — where the Continent still holds considerable sway — and data will be key for deploying artificial intelligence technologies in coming years.

Last week, the EU’s Internal Market Commissioner Thierry Breton warned that underusing industrial data is “holding back its huge potential for growth and innovation.” Read more in Politico.

 

Research in personalised medicine gains momentum in the EU

As stated by Science Business. experts in personalised medicine have set out a map for what is needed to bring more data-enabled, tailor-made prevention and treatment options to patients in the EU, calling for action on regulatory oversight; the setting up of digital infrastructure for data sharing and modelling; and moves to ensure public trust. 

The experts were speaking on Tuesday at a conference in Stockholm on ‘Life Sciences: The era of personalised medicine’ organised by the Swedish presidency of the EU Council in its last week in the chair. 

Speakers stressed the need to rethink how personalised medicines are regulated and how clinical trials are designed, to adapt to a new reality and ensure there is trust in algorithm-powered prevention and treatment methods.  

For Björn Erikson, director general of the Swedish Medical Products Agency, this new kind of medicine requires new kinds of clinical trials. “This means we really need to develop the science behind the risk-benefit assessment, and that means the science behind methodologies,” he said.   

Personalised medicine relies on having access to disparate data sources, noted Gunilla Nordlöf, director general of the Swedish eHealth Agency. Data sharing must be enabled with the help of effective legislation, technology, interoperability and citizens’ trust, she said.  Read more.

 

European research integrity code updated to reflect advances in artificial intelligence

A new version of the European Code of Conduct for Research Integrity has been published that includes guidance on artificial intelligence (AI), navigating EU data protection laws and how to approach changes to research impact assessments.

The code reflects recent advances in AI, in particular the public release of the large language model-powered ChatGPT in November 2022.

There are two ways in which AI could influence research integrity, according to the code. The first is in using applications like ChatGPT to generate data and write papers, the second is journal publishers using it to run quality checks on articles, for example checking papers are not plagiarised and that graphs and figures are faithful representations of the underlying data.

“In both of these instances, the focus is really on transparency,” said Mathijs Vleugel, scientific policy officer at ALLEA, the European federation of academies of sciences and humanities, which drew up the code. “These are tools that are available to the community, which in principle, have great benefits and should be used in the best way possible. But it’s important that we are transparent that these tools are being used. That’s where the focus is from our side.” Read more in Science Business.

 

Sweden launches national network to help industry access research infrastructures

According to Science Business, Sweden is setting up a national innovation platform for materials and the life sciences, to help companies make the most of research infrastructures such as the Max IV synchrotron radiation facility and the European Spallation Source (ESS), currently under construction near Lund. Seven regional nodes will be established in universities across Sweden to act as gateways to these and other research facilities. 

“That regional approach is important, otherwise we will miss out on very important companies, universities, researchers and competencies,” said Pia Kinhult of the ESS, who is managing the project. “So, we are trying to create one function, and one organisation, but distributed in seven places.” 

The outcome should be greater use of advanced research infrastructures by companies, and a broader awareness of what these resources can offer. “We have an opportunity now to put infrastructures in a more central position in this ecosystem,” said Kinhult. Read more.

 

News from INESC institutes

Applications are open for the “Vencer o Adamastor” prize

The prize, worth 20,000€, recognises ground-breaking projects by young scientists (under 40 years old) carried out in Portugal, in the fields of electrical engineering, computer science, and related disciplines, which demonstrate not only scientific excellence but also the potential for developments that benefit society. The prize is promoted by INESC in partnership with the Portuguese newspaper Público. Deadline for applications: 16 October 2023. More info.

 

INESC TEC Contributes to Reinforcing Security in Urban Mobility

Researchers from INESC TEC have collaborated on the development of a solution aimed at improving railway safety through automatic validation of transportation networks. The solution, created as part of the DigiLightRail project in partnership with Efacec, is based on defining signalling and interlocking rules, with the ultimate goal of reducing accidents caused by signalling system failures in urban mobility.

Known as EVEREST (Efacec Verification of Railway Networks Tool), the solution utilizes the railML metalanguage as a common interface, connecting CAD subsystems for railway line design with a rule specification unit. This enables the formal verification of railway networks according to prevailing standards.

The EVEREST solution aims to increase the accuracy of railway projects, reducing the number of errors that transition to the practical implementation phase. Furthermore, the developed tool allows for coherent network interpretation by engineers and designers, automating information flow between different system points, which improves team productivity. It also enables better support in defining relevant properties for verification and automates the process, reducing associated efforts. Read the full story here.

 

Job Opportunities

– INESC TEC has 33 vacancies in different work areas, such as Electrical Engineering, Power Systems-Smart Grids, Robotics, and more. Find more at INESCTEC website and via LinkedIn

– INESC ID has 9 open positions. More info

– INESC MN is hiring a Junior Characterization Engineer, a Clean Room Process Engineer, and a Junior Researcher – Electrical Engineering. More info

– INOV is hiring a Systems and Network Engineer and a Software Engineer (Full stack) More info

 

Events & Training workshops

– Innovation Fund: How-to webinar and online orientation sessions for third small-scale call applicants, 4 July, 10:00 – 5 July, 17:00. Register here.

– MDCG workshop organised by NEMECYS. 06 July 2023 , Brussels. CYLCOMED project partner Andres G. Castillo (Head of the Pediatric Technological Innovation Department in Foundation for Research of Hospital Infantil Niño Jesús) will join the panel discussion of the Medical Device Coordination Group (MDCG) workshop organised by the NEMECYS project. Know more here.

– Horizon Europe: What next for the lump sum approach? 06 July 2023, 14:30 – 15:30 CET, Brussels. A private Science|Business Network Horizon Working Group meeting. More info

– 2nd Science|Business Sector Day: Green Deal & Climate – The road to net-zero industry. 18-19 September 2023, 14:00 – 12:30 CET, Brussels. Members only. More info

-Horizon Europe – Cluster 6: “Food, bioeconomy, natural resources, agriculture and environment”. 27-28 September 2023, info days. More info.

– 2023 European Researchers Night, 29 September 2023. Find more here.

– The Widening: Founding Group Meeting. 10 October 2023 (TBC), 10:00 – 13:00 CET, Brussels. Members only. More info

– Making waves: Is international R&I bringing a true blue economy within reach? 12 October 2023, 14:00 – 16:45 CET, Brussels. Members only. More info

– 3rd Science|Business Sector Day: Health & Life Sciences – Future-proofing medicines. 13-14 November 2023. 14:00 – 12:30 CET, Brussels. By invitation only. More info

– Horizon Europe: FP10 and Preparing for the 2024 Annual Conference. 28 November 2023. 15:00 – 17:00 CET. Online. Members only. More info

– Behave 2023, the 7th European Conference on Behaviour and Energy Efficiency by the European Energy Network (EnR). 28-29 November 2023. The event will take place in Maastricht, the Netherlands. The theme of this year’s conference will be ‘Scaling-up Behaviour Change in the light of the energy and climate crisis’. More info.

– The Widening: 2023 Annual Conference. 06 December 2023 (TBC). 13:30 – 17:30 CET. Place TBA. Public event. More info

– Annual Network Conference. 06 February 2024. 09:00-17:30 CET. Brussels. Public event. More info

– 8th World Conference on Research Integrity, 2-5 June 2024, at Megaron Athens International Conference Centre (MAICC), Athens. Travel Grant applications open on 26 June 2023. More info

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