The European Commission is set to propose, on Wednesday 2nd July, that its funding programmes stimulate the procurement of innovations through specific calls for projects, with a budget of around €300 million, according to the draft ‘Strategy for European Life Sciences’ obtained by Agence Europe on Friday 27 June.
These projects would be in the field of life sciences, such as adaptation to climate change, next-generation vaccines or affordable solutions for cancer.
The Commission is preparing this new strategy, as announced in the 2024-2029 political guidelines and in the ‘Competitiveness Compass’. This strategy should position the EU as the most attractive place in the world for life sciences by 2030, while the ‘Choose Europe for science’ initiative aimed at attracting researchers has also been launched (see EUROPE 13646/17).
This strategy will involve various sectors in the field of life sciences in Europe, a field that studies all forms of life on the planet, from micro-organisms to plants, animals, human beings and ecosystems as a whole. The aim is to stimulate innovation that can contribute to Europe’s ecological and digital transition, while ensuring that technologies are safe and widely used. This could lead to advances in healthcare, agriculture, energy, food and biotechnology.
According to the document, the Commission will also propose to launch a strategic interface linking start-ups, industry and investors in the life sciences field, leveraging the portfolios of the European Innovation Council (EIC) and the Trusted Investors Network.
It will also suggest setting up a Life Sciences Coordination Board’ within the Commission, as part of a ‘whole-of-government’ approach, which will ensure coherence between policies, funding and activities in support of innovation.
The Commission will support life sciences stakeholders and policy-makers in their societal engagement by creating a repository of tools and best practices in the areas of responsible R&I, risk communications and science communication and by conducting pilot societal engagement actions.
Read the draft initiative: https://aeur.eu/f/hm6 (Original version in French by Anne Damiani)