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Our office will be closed from 22 December 2025 to 6 January 2026. We will resume our services on 7 January 2026.

In urgent matters, you can reach our team – between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. – at administration@no-spam-pleasebayfor.org or by phone at +49 89 9901 888-0 on the following days:
22/23 December 2025, 29/30 December 2025, and 5 January 2026. On 2 January 2026, the office will also remain closed.

Season's Greetings and a Happy New Year!
Your team of the Bavarian Research Alliance

The European Commission has approved the main work programme for Horizon Europe for the period 2026–2027. With a total budget of €14 billion, the EU will specifically strengthen its global leadership in research and innovation. Key European priorities such as climate neutrality, the responsible use of artificial intelligence (AI), and Europe's resilience in a rapidly changing world will be given particular focus.

A recent study by the European Commission's Joint Research Centre (JRC) reveals that Munich is on par with Paris and Madrid as a leading hub for digital research, innovation, and startups within the European Union. The analysis provides valuable insights for the EU's strategy to promote start-ups and scale-ups..

In 2024, EU member states invested an estimated €403.1 billion in research and development (R&D). This is an increase of 3.6% compared to 2023, when the figure was €389.2 billion. A ten-year comparison reveals significant growth: since 2014, R&D expenditure has increased by 62.2% (from €248.6 billion). The R&D intensity of an EU country indicates the extent to which research and development is prioritised as a strategic area of action.

The European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) and the Enterprise Europe Network (EEN) have signed their first joint guidelines for cooperation. The agreement, drawn up by the EIT and the European Commission's Directorate-General for the Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship, and SMEs (DG GROW), provides the framework for Europe-wide, strategic coordination, including pilot activities for 2025.

The EU continues to expand its innovation landscape in the water sector. The European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) has announced the winning consortium for the new Knowledge and Innovation Community (KIC), 'EIT Water'. This new EIT innovation community will address key challenges relating to water resources, marine ecosystems, and the sustainable blue economy, actively shaping Europe's water future in the process.

The EU-funded project TwinVECTOR has strengthened Czech expertise in advanced battery research, sustainability and techno-economic assessment through European cooperation over the past three years. By enhancing the research and management capacities at Tomas Bata University in Zlín and through new international collaborations, multidisciplinary teams worked on next-generation battery technologies. The focus was on the safety, sustainability and costs of lithium-ion batteries as well as the development of a modified solid polymer electrolyte.

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The European Commission has presented a new bioeconomy strategy aimed at accelerating Europe's transformation towards a sustainable, competitive and resilient economy. The strategic framework sets out how Europe can make more efficient use of biological resources from land and sea to drive the circular economy, decarbonisation, and independence from fossil fuel imports.

The European Commission has unveiled a comprehensive digital package aimed at reducing the administrative burden on businesses and boosting innovation across Europe. With simplified rules for artificial intelligence (AI), cybersecurity and data use, as well as the introduction of a European Business Wallet, the EU aims to streamline processes for SMEs, start-ups and industrial companies, and make the digital single market more efficient.

The European Union has approved the annual budget for 2026, thereby confirming the important role of research and innovation in ensuring Europe's future viability. €14.1 billion has been earmarked for research and innovation, €13 billion of which will go to Horizon Europe, ensuring stable funding levels. Despite the tight budgetary situation, the EU is maintaining its stable funding approach and continues to provide a reliable basis for planning for stakeholders in science, industry and civil society.