The European Commission announced, on Tuesday 19 September, that it had informed the Member States of its intention to launch the ‘Joint European Forum for Important Projects of Common European Interest’ (JEF-IPCEIs).
An Important Project of Common European Interest (or IPCEI) is a mechanism by which several Member States can be authorised, under certain conditions, to jointly finance large-scale, innovative and financially high-risk projects. These projects must meet an objective of common interest and contribute to economic growth, employment and European competitiveness.
The Commission stresses that the forum will aim to increase the effectiveness of IPCEIs and identify strategic technologies relevant to potential future IPCEIs.
The new forum will bring together experts from the Member States, Commission departments and other stakeholders, including representatives from the world of research and innovation and representatives of industry.
The ‘Joint European Forum for IPCEIs’ should also facilitate exchanges of experience and best practice between Member States to define procedures for selecting, evaluating and implementing IPCEIs.
The Commission proposes that the first meeting of the Forum, to be held in October 2023, should focus on identifying and prioritising technologies that are strategic for the European economy and likely to be relevant candidates for future IPCEIs. (Original version in French by Émilie Vanderhulst)