21/10/2016 (Agence Europe) – Several research projects into the Zika virus will benefit from a total amount of €45 million from the EU research and innovation framework programme (Horizon 2020), according to an announcement made by the European Commission on Friday 21 October. Five consortiums are particularly involved: ZikaPLAN (€11 million, coordinated by the University of Umeå, in Sweden), ZIKAction (€7 million, PENTA Foundation, Italy), ZikAlliance (€12 million, INSERM, France), ZIKAVAX (€5 million) and INFRAVEC2 (€10 million, Institut Pasteur, France). Carlos Moedas, the European commissioner for research, welcomed this news and said: "This research is an example of how we can mobilise funding quickly to face major new threats, and how we can lead a major research effort on a global scale". (JK)