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More excellent research, impactful innovation and technology scale-ups are needed to make Europe more globally competitive, secure and sustainable. These are among the twelve expert recommendations presented today to the Commission to strengthen Horizon Europe, the EU research and innovation programme, and its successor.

On 17 September, re-elected EU Commission President von der Leyen announced the names and allocated policy portfolios who will form the next College of EU Commissioners. Ekaterina Zaharieva (a Bulgarian MP and former Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs) has been entrusted with a portfolio named “Startups, Research and Innovation”, which she will oversee under the guidance of two Executive Vice-Presidents (for prosperity & industrial strategy; and tech sovereignty, security and democracy).

The European Union, its Member States and countries associated to its research and innovation programme, Horizon Europe, have joined forces in a new European Partnership on Rare Diseases (ERDERA). Launched under Horizon Europe, ERDERA’s aim is to transform the landscape of rare disease research across the continent and deliver significant health benefits to the estimated over 30 million people in Europe affected by rare diseases through improved prevention, diagnosis, and treatment.

On 10 September 2024, the European Commission signed a Memorandum of Understanding with SPACE AISBL - the partnership association representing space actors across Europe - for the co-programmed European Partnership for Globally Competitive Space Systems.

On 9 September, Mario Draghi, former President of the European Central Bank, presented his long-awaited report on the future of European competitiveness. Consisting of two parts (Part A: A competitiveness strategy for Europe; Part B: In-depth analysis and recommendations), the report identifies three main areas where urgent action is needed to revitalise sustainable growth.

On 18-19 September 2024, the European Research Area Stakeholder Conference 2024 will take place in Brussels, organised by the European Commission, Directorate-General for Research and Innovation, with the support of the Horizon Europe INSPIRING ERA project.

The prize is open to universities, higher education institutions, and other research performing organisations (public or private), established in an EU Member State or a Third Country associated to Horizon Europe. There are three categories open for submission: Sustainable, Newcomer and Inclusive. Deadline to apply is 16 October and each winner will receive a €100,000 prize. The Award was created under Horizon Europe to recognise the outstanding results achieved by academic and research organisations in the implementation of Gender Equality Plans.

Further information can be found here.

Source: EU Commission

The European Commission's Directorate-General for Research and Innovation has published a new evaluation of lump sum funding in Horizon 2020 and Horizon Europe. The report is based on data from Horizon 2020 and Horizon Europe projects, as well as a survey of successful and unsuccessful applicants and evaluators.

Today, the European Commission launched a call for nominations of scientists to be shortlisted for future membership of the Group of Chief Scientific Advisors (GCSA). The group provides high-quality, timely and independent scientific advice to the College of European Commissioners on any subject, including on policy issues that the European Parliament and the Council consider to be of major importance.

Following the first round of the EIC Accelerator 2024 in March, the European Innovation Council (EIC) has selected 68 European companies in a highly competitive process for funding that combines grants and equity. Eight of the thirteen German companies are from Bavaria. BayFOR has successfully supported one of them.