The Horizon Europe Cluster 6 (Food, Bioeconomy, Natural resources, Agriculture and Environment) Info days about the Work Programme 2024 will be taking place in person and online on 27 - 28 September 2023.

The Horizon Europe Cluster 6 2024 calls for proposals will open on 17 October 2023 with a deadline for submission end of February 2024. The 2024 Work Programme includes 75 new topics proposing over 890 Millions of EU funding to support the best actions.

The aim of this hybrid event is to promote funding opportunities and explain the call topics under the 2024 Work programme. A physical brokerage event will be organised on 26 September 2023 in the Charlemagne building of the European Commission.

More information, including registration, are available here.

The European Commission (Directorate General for Communications Networks, Content and Technology) has recently launched a project to “Co-design the Local Digital Twins (LDT) toolbox technical specifications for advancing the transformation of Smart Communities”. To support the design process, they have launched a survey to gather insights and collect the needs and requirements that will guide the co-designing process of the Local Digital Twin Toolbox.

Local Digital Twins (LDTs) are a virtual representation of the physical assets, processes and people within a geographically located community, which reflect and derive from cross-sectorial, historical and (near) real-time data. Their purpose is to enhance evidence-based decision-making, at the operational, strategic and tactical levels, to better meet the needs of communities. Local digital twins combine multiple technologies, such as data analytics and artificial intelligence, enabling predictive and simulation models that can be updated and changed as their physical equivalents change.

The LDT Toolbox project targets parts of the LDT ambition, preferring cases that accelerate the digital transition respecting the values of the EU Green Deal. The project focuses on the less-ready communities, to increase their speed towards adopting local digital twins and democratising technology across the EU.

The project's main objectives are to map EU-based technology providers and users involved in LDT deployment, develop a complete LDT toolbox, validate LDT scenarios, design the toolbox based on the best deployment scenario, and create a plan for widespread adoption in the EU.

Please access the survey here.

The deadline for the survey is 30 June at 23:59 CEST. For any questions please refer to eliana.gerardi@intelleraconsulting.com 

Earlier this month, the first meeting of the ERRIN New European Bauhaus (NEB) Task Force was held to kick off the NEB community. The meeting aimed to build upon the previous NEB mapping carried out this year by ERRIN and to foster an exchange of ideas on how we can leverage the opportunities presented by the NEB initiative. 

After an analysis of the outcomes derived from the internal mapping exercise, participants engaged in an interactive discussion, focusing on the Task Force's priorities and goals, identifying relevant stakeholders for collaboration, and delving into key topics associated with the NEB initiative. Drawing from local initiatives and expectations for the future, members were evaluating the strengths and room for improvement within the NEB initiative for regional and local stakeholders, taking into consideration the continuation of the NEB initiative.  

Following the interactive discussion, two members pitched their NEB local best practices. Juana Mari Delgado-Saborit from Castellon presented the Eco4Better project, a research endeavor targeting indoor air quality and urban health. Ignasi Salvadó-Estivill from 4 Universities Alliance introduced Advancing GReenCare in Europe, an integrated multi-scalar approach aimed at expanding nature-based therapies to enhance mental health equity. This spurred a discussion on opportunities for projects initiated locally and the criteria to become ‘NEB projects’ as such. 

This process builds upon previous ERRIN activities carried out since the co-design phase of NEB in 2021 (read more here). As a NEB partner, we have carried out various dialogues with the Bauhaus Secretariat and organised events to showcase local examples. Earlier this year, we established a NEB Task Force which advocates for local approaches in the NEB initiative. The next NEB Task Force meeting is scheduled for October, with a specific focus on underlining the importance of local approaches to NEB. The event will serve to gather input from members, ultimately leading to the formulation of an ERRIN position on the future of NEB.  

The AI, Data, and Robotics (ADR) partnership is organising an event on 26 June 2023 (11:00 to 12:00 CEST) to discuss the strategic orientations of the AI, Data, Robotics roadmap for the 25-27 work programme.

The partnership aims to enable a responsible AI-powered green digital transformation for an attractive, sustainable, prosperous, secure, and resilient multicultural society, based on European values, with the highest living standard in the World. To achieve this vision, it is necessary to have a strong multi-stakeholder ecosystem pulling in the same direction capable of developing and deploying next-generation technology in accordance with society’s values at an increasing speed, scale, and complexity, creating impact and offering new business opportunities.

The meeting will offer all ADR stakeholders the opportunity to hear, first-hand, the strategic orientations of the AI, Data, Robotics roadmap for the 25-27 work programme. The event will give attendees the opportunity to learn about key priorities emerging from the roadmap, aspirations on how calls will support the discovery of new solutions to global challenges, as well as the opportunity to get involved directly.

 

Agenda

11.00    Welcome

11.05    AI, Data and Robotics: The vision for Europe 2030 High-level presentation of SRIDA

11.20    Short discussion panel on main priorities of the SRIDA

11.45    Q&A session with panel

12.00   Summary and close

Please find more information here and the link to register here.
 

An innovative model of the biomolecular laboratory was developed by a team of young volunteers,  supported by the pro bono assistance offered by some Lombardian Universities (State University of Milan, Politecnico of Milan, University of Bergano) and by Porsche Consulting Italy, directly supervised by Josef Nierling, CEO.The event will take place on 20 June from 18:00-20:00 at Regione Lombardia offices, Brussels.

The extraordinary performance achieved by this laboratory, coupled with the extreme flexibility to deal with the wide set of virus or genetic based diseases, the reduced need of sanitary staff and the low operating costs, make it one of the few positive legacies of the recent pandemic for today's and tomorrow's healthcare systems.
First and foremost, this initiative is imagined as an opportunity to exchange valuable insights with representatives from the European Institutions, EU Member States, and other entities responsible for healthcare system management, both within and outside the EU. The aim is to explore how this project aligns with the policies of the European Union in the realm of health protection, thereby creating a collaborative synergy.

To register, please send an email to lombardia_ue@regione.lombardia.it

ECSO, Major Cities of Europe, EU City ISAC I4C+, in collaboration with the Regional Government of Tuscany, are pleased to organise a Webinar made for and by Regions. The Webinar will take place on 26 June, from 11:00 – 13:30.

The webinar will be an open debate divided into thematic sections (governance models, solutions, services, methodologies and policies) each designed to tackle the lack of cybersecurity readiness and awareness that regions suffer. Each section starts with a regional example and allows ample space for participants’ input.
The webinar will help to create collective cybersecurity knowledge and consolidate a community among European regions.

As digitalisation permeates every aspect of our lives, it becomes evident that citizens, corporations, and governments must accelerate their readiness to face cybersecurity challenges.

This holds true also for regional governments, as they carry the responsibility of harnessing the advantages of emerging technologies to their territorial ecosystems while ensuring strong protection against potential cybersecurity threats. Unfortunately, regions often grapple with insufficient preparedness and a lack of awareness. How do we tackle this problem?

Whether you are an expert in cybersecurity, a policymaker, or simply intrigued by the subject, this webinar offers you a unique opportunity to explore the new ways European regions are actively shaping cybersecurity sovereignty and building a secure digital environment for citizens like yourself. The webinar will feature an open and engaging discussion between industry experts, policymakers, and regional leaders in cybersecurity in different and essential sectors of their ecosystems.

More information can be found here.

Please register for the event here.

The European Commission is organising a public event on the progress of Horizon Europe - stakeholders' contribution to the mid-term evaluation. The workshop will take place online on 29 June from 10:00-13:00 CEST.

The event is organised following the largest public consultation on the past, present and future of the R&I Framework Programmes 2014-2027 which concluded back in February 2023 and to which ERRIN submitted input.

In dedicated breakout sessions, participants will be invited to take the floor and share their individual experiences with Horizon Europe up until now, including regarding the implementation, novelties of the programme and the balance between low and high technology readiness levels.

Representatives from the widening countries are particularly encouraged to take part.

Register here by 22 June. Please note that the places are limited.

This week, ERRIN participated in the Second Forum of the Mission on Adaptation to Climate Change, organised in our member region Blekinge, Sweden. ERRIN has closely followed Mission Adaptation since the start of its development process and actively contributed to the shaping and implementation of the Mission – our latest contribution being the ERRIN input to the Horizon 2014-2027 consultation earlier this year.

As a Friend of the Mission, ERRIN joined the pre-conference workshop to present how the network is supporting regions and their R&I ecosystems in building strong partnerships and developing EU projects – highlighting ERRIN’s recent project facilitation work around the EU Missions calls as an example. The Pathways2Resilience call for Expressions of Interest, which ERRIN is managing as a partner of the project, was also presented to the workshop audience consisting of around 100 local and regional representatives and Friends of the Mission. The call enables regions and communities to express their interest in the support and funding that the Pathways2Resilience programme will grant to 100 regions and communities for the development of resilience pathways and innovation agendas.

This edition of the Mission Forum focused on two key topics: the scale-up of adaptation solutions and the importance of collaboration across different levels of government to enable the successful implementation of the Mission. The Forum was opened by the newly appointed Mission Manger, Elina Bardram (Director, DG CLIMA), who also will be one of the panellists in the policy debate organised as part of the ERRIN Spring Annual General Meeting (AGM) on 22 June.

The ERRIN AGM will provide an opportunity to continue the discussion around the support and implementation frameworks put forward by the EU Missions, as well as the importance of multi-level governance, with European Commission representatives and ERRIN members. Meanwhile, ERRIN will continue to support the implementation of Mission Adaptation through the Pathways2Resilience and RESIST projects.

SMART HY-AWARE holds its final conference on 20 June 2023 in Brussels, Belgium

The event is an opportunity to explore the challenges to promote hydrogen-electric mobility and to discover how partners have successfully boosted the development of the clean hydrogen-based mobility in response to these challenges.

This event will conclude four years of interregional exchange, learning and cooperation between partners from Italy, Hungary, the UK, Greece, The Netherlands and Spain.

From the development of hydrogen master plans, through public-private partnerships, to the creation of calls for proposals dedicated to SMEs and pilot projects as a territorial development axis, the SMART HY-AWARE project partners have managed to find solutions adapted to each of their territories to reduce the carbon footprint through the use of green hydrogen.

2 discussion sessions will guide participants through the challenges related to the use of hydrogen in mobility and the industrial sector, as well as concrete measures implemented in our territories to build and support a viable hydrogen ecosystem.

Please register for the event here.

After two editions in Brussels, the Battery Innovation Days (BID) are back and are moving for the first time in a European Region. 

Today’s key European Research & Innovation initiatives (Batteries Europe, Battery 2030+ and the Batteries European Partnership Association), in partnership with the Batteries 1st and 2nd IPCEIs, are co-organising a hybrid experience, designed to bring together numerous key players and experts from the battery field. This year, thanks to our Host, the Nouvelle Aquitaine Region, BID 2023 will be held in the beautiful city of Bordeaux, France. Similar to previous editions, BID 2023 offers a seamless all-in-one experience on 14 & 15 November, at the Centre de congrès Cité Mondiale and online. BID fosters dialogue among the research community, policymakers, industry players and end-users to boost battery research and innovation in Europe. Batteries are crucial to the enabling of technology that will allow the EU to achieve its zero-emissions goals through a responsible and sustainable market. This event proposes to:

• Stay on top of the latest trends and technologies.
• Gain industry insights. 
• Attend the Battery Young Research Award ceremony.
• Enjoy the networking opportunities and reception event with key stakeholders.

Please register for the event here.