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Commission welcomes EU Member States' approval of multi-billion euro innovation partnerships

, 6 May 2014

STATEMENT/14/149 (see the source)

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European Commissionrn -rn STATEMENT/14/149rn rn 06/05/2014sentence permalink

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European Commission

Statement

Brussels, 6 May 2014

Commission welcomes EU Member States' approval of multi-billion euro innovation partnershipssentence permalink

The European Commission has welcomed today's final adoption by EU Member States of nine public-private and public-public research partnerships worth up to €20 billion. The partnerships had already been approved by the European Parliament on 15 April. Most of the investment will go to five public-private partnerships in innovative medicines, aeronautics, bio-based industries, fuel cells and hydrogen and electronics. The decision paves the way to launch these partnerships, with first calls for projects expected on 9th July. EU Member States are expected to formally adopt related partnerships on rail transport and air traffic management (Single European Sky Air Traffic Management Research) worth an additional €2 billion in the coming weeks.sentence permalink

Commissioner Máire Geoghegan-Quinn, responsible for Research, Innovation and Science welcomed the adoption: "This is essential investment in our economy and in a better quality of life. The fact that we can now launch first calls for research projects on 9th July is good news as there is a lot of work to be done. I urge businesses and academic researchers to respond to these calls – we need everyone working together on challenges like finding the next generation of antibiotics or alternatives to fossil fuels."sentence permalink

Vice-President of the European Commission @NeelieKroesEU, responsible for the Digital Agenda, said: “Europe must consolidate its high-tech strengths. These partnerships give us the means to work together to create jobs and keep Europe competitive.”sentence permalink

European Commission Vice-President Siim Kallas, responsible for Mobility and Transport, said: "Extending SESAR is crucial to continue improving air traffic management. The Single European Sky and its technology arm SESAR go hand in hand to raise the performance of the sector, its efficiency and make it fit for the future. With an EU contribution of 585 million euros for the next call, we are on track to reach the objectives set in Horizon 2020 and the 2011 Transport White Paper".sentence permalink

Over the next seven years, the EU's contribution of €9 billion to the package will unlock an equivalent investment from the private sector and €4 billion from Member States. The EU funding will come from Horizon 2020, the European Union's new €80 billion research and innovation programme running from 2014-2020.sentence permalink