On Monday 1 July, the Belgian Presidency of the EU Council sent national delegations draft conclusions on advanced materials. These new materials, with improved properties and designed for superior performance, were the subject of a policy debate at the ‘Research’ Council of 23 May (see EUROPE 13403/11).
The draft conclusions stress the need to strengthen and finance an advanced materials ecosystem in Europe, integrating the principles of the circular economy and contributing to a competitive green and digital transition.
The draft text proposes to confirm the preliminary priorities formulated by the Commission in its draft strategy (see EUROPE 13359/16) to concentrate Research and Innovation (R&I) initially in the fields of energy, mobility, construction and electronics.
However, the document proposes that the Commission should continue to work on the subject and the priorities to be reviewed and updated in cooperation with the Member States.
In its document, the Belgian Presidency also proposes to take note of the Commission’s proposal to establish a governance structure, in the form of an Advanced Materials Technology Council, to coordinate the actions of stakeholders, and asks the Commission to avoid administrative burdens.
Finally, the Commission is invited to examine possible improvements to intellectual property to support R&I in advanced materials, particularly with regard to patents.
Work will continue under the Hungarian Presidency starting 11 July.
Link to the document: https://aeur.eu/f/cx0 (Original version in French by Émilie Vanderhulst)