25 August 2021
By joining their efforts, the European Commission, the EU Member States and the enterprises will invest more than 22 billion euro over the next programming period to boost innovation in key economic sectors, delivering high quality jobs.
Most of the investment will go to five public-private partnerships, based on equal sharing of cost between the EU budget and the private sector. They will provide a financial support to innovative medicines, aeronautics, bio-based industries, fuel cells and hydrogen, and electronics
They will also find solutions to major challenges for society that are not being solved quickly enough by the market alone, such as reducing carbon emissions or providing the next generation of antibiotics. The package also proposes to extend an initiative to pool research and innovation investments in Air Traffic Management (SESAR), in support of the Single European Sky.
Overall, a proposed €8 billion investment from the next EU research and innovation programme, Horizon 2020, will secure around €10 billion from industry, and close to €4 billion from EU Member States.
The five Public-Private Partnerships, called ‘Joint Technology Initiatives’ (JTIs), are:
– Innovative Medicines 2 (IMI2): to develop next generation vaccines, medicines and treatments, such as new antibiotics
– Fuel Cells and Hydrogen 2 (FCH2): to expand the use of clean and efficient technologies in transport, industry and energy
– Clean Sky 2 (CS2): to develop cleaner, quieter aircraft with significantly less CO2 emissions
– Bio-based Industries (BBI): to use renewable natural resources and innovative technologies for greener everyday products
– Electronic Components and Systems (ECSEL): to boost Europe’s electronics manufacturing capabilities
Background
The JTIs are open to a wide range of industries across Europe, including SMEs, and all types of research organisations can apply for funding. The Commission has developed the new initiatives in close partnership with industry, who in turn have committed substantial financial resources. Major changes have been introduced to address the criticisms that the current initiatives are overly complex and difficult to participate in.
The Innovative Medicines Initiative, Clean Sky and Fuel Cells and Hydrogen JTIs all currently exist, while the Electronics JTI will combine two current partnerships. The Bio-based Industries JTI is a new initiative. New legislative proposals are needed now to establish the initiatives under the next EU research and innovation programme, Horizon 2020, which is subject to approval by the European Parliament and Council.
The package also includes four public-public partnerships between the European Commission and EU Member States: new treatments against poverty-related diseases, measurement technologies for industrial competitiveness, support for high tech SMEs, and solutions for the elderly and disabled to live safely in their homes.
The Commission Communication accompanying the legislative proposals also sets out how the Commission intends to strengthen industrial engagement in Horizon 2020 through further public-private partnerships, such as in the areas of Green Cars, Energy Efficient Buildings, Factories of the Future, Sustainable Process Industries, Robotics and Photonics.