Research and innovation are prerequisites for Green Deal

“Research and innovation are fundamental if we want to turn the Green Deal into reality, while creating opportunities and new jobs”, said Maria da Graça Carvalho MEP, the European Parliament's negotiator of the EU law establishing the Joint Undertakings under Horizon Europe.

Today, MEPs from the European Parliament’s Industry, Research and Energy Committee will vote on a Report setting up public-private partnerships dealing with all major challenges that Europe is facing today, including the green and digital transitions. These partnerships usher in a significant investment from both the private and the public sector.

The nine partnerships will cover areas of strategic importance for Europe ranging from innovation in health to clean hydrogen and from high-performance computing to the circular economy.

“All of these partnerships have the potential to make a difference in each of the nine sectors. They all involve close collaboration with the industry and will play a key role in helping it adjust to the targets of the Green Deal, not to mention the incredibly important partnership on innovative health with the aim of developing new drugs and therapies in this new pandemic normal."

“The green and digital transitions will require transformative measures, which cannot happen without the engagement of the industry and EU governments. These twin transitions also demand support from the European Union to ensure the development of new breakthrough technologies that transform our industries”, concluded Ms Carvalho.

Around half of the budget allocated to Global Challenges and European Industrial Competitiveness under the EU Research and Innovation Funding Programme, Horizon Europe, will be dedicated to these partnerships. The European Union will be providing €10 billion of funding and the private sector partners will match that figure with at least an equivalent amount.