On Tuesday 9 December, European research ministers will meet in Brussels to adopt their negotiating position (‘general approach’) on the revised EuroHPC Joint Undertaking Regulation. They will also discuss the Horizon Europe 2028-2034 programme and the ‘Scaleup Europe’ Fund.
EuroHPC. The revision of the European High-Performance Computing (EuroHPC) Regulation sets out the legal basis needed to empower the EuroHPC Joint Undertaking to enable the establishment of artificial intelligence (AI) gigafactories in Europe. AI gigafactories are facilities integrating massive computing power, thanks to more than 100,000 advanced AI chips, with energy-efficient data centres and AI-based automation.
It provides an opportunity to introduce strategic provisions for quantum technologies, such as quantum computing, quantum communication and quantum sensing and metrology, in line with the European Quantum Strategy (see EUROPE 13720/14). The Regulation also focuses on the co-ordination of quantum research and innovation (R&I) efforts, including industry orientation, in order to capitalise on Europe’s scientific strengths and commercial potential.
The aim is also to attract private capital for public-private partnerships.
According to the proposed general approach, the rules on public procurement have been adapted to comply with the EU’s Financial Regulation. Their approach involves a Joint Procurement Agreement (JPA) between the Joint Undertaking and the Member State, to contract computing time from a selected AI factory with one or more Member State contracting authorities.
The text also provides for stricter budget guarantees and clarifies the conditions for using remaining allocations from the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) or other regional and structural funds to invest in AI gigafactories or other activities of the EuroHPC Joint Undertaking.
Read the draft general approach: https://aeur.eu/f/jwh
Horizon Europe. On the basis of the Progress Report on the Horizon Europe framework programme for research and innovation (R&I) 2028-2034 (see EUROPE 13763/16), Ministers will hold a policy debate (see EUROPE 13761/4). They will be asked two questions, on R&I priorities with clear European added value and on priorities that will require EU funding.
Read the Report: https://aeur.eu/f/js6 ;
‘Scaleup Europe’ Fund. During the public session, the European Commission will inform ministers about the ‘Scaleup Europe’ Fund. Announced by its President, Ursula von der Leyen, in her State of the Union 2025 address (see EUROPE 13706/6), this fund is intended to enable major investments in young, fast-growing companies in critical technology sectors. It will operate as a market-based growth fund, managed and co-financed by the private sector, investing in major European-led funding rounds and filling one of the main financial gaps in the innovation cycle today.
For more information: https://aeur.eu/f/jwj
The Commission will keep ministers informed of developments in research safety.
European University Alliances. The French delegation will report on the contribution of the European University Alliances to European competitiveness, which include 73 European University Alliances comprising nearly 650 higher education establishments of all types across Europe. France has carried out a qualitative evaluation of the transformative effect of the European Universities Initiative on higher education institutions involved in the creation of European University Alliances.
For more information: https://aeur.eu/f/jwk (Original version in French by Anne Damiani)