The European Commission (EC) announced today nearly €6.4 billion of investment in research and innovation. The funding, its largest to date, covers a vast range of scientific disciplines and commercial sectors, with a special emphasis on smaller businesses.
The EC says this funding will increase European competitiveness and address critical policy issues, with some €800 million reserved for small and medium-sized businesses. About 3,000 smaller enterprises are expected to take part. In some fields — notably health, knowledge-based bio-economy, environment and nanotechnologies — more than one-third of the budget (35%) must be taken up by small and medium-sized businesses.
The EC says grants will be awarded through calls for proposals and evaluations of submitted applications will take place over the next 14 months. Announcements for the calls are expected to begin on 20 July.
A key feature of this funding — the heart of the package, as described by the EC — is the emphasis on translating research into new technologies, products, and services. Some €270 million will go into nanotechnology research that could lead to patenting and commercialization. Another €206 million will be spent on clinical trials to speed new medicines on the market.
Information and communications technologies will get an increase of €1.2 billion with about half of that funding earmarked for next generation network and service infrastructures, robotic systems, electronic and photonic components, and digital content technologies.
Máire Geoghegan-Quinn, European Commissioner for Research, Innovation and Science, said the package “will contribute to new and better products and services, a more competitive and greener Europe, and a better society with a higher quality of life.”
Photo: Jeff Barnes/Flickr
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