Understanding the Future of Emerging Technologies: Breakthrough and collaborative research for Europe’s future

At the end of January, the role of Emerging Technologies and Innovation Ecosystems in Europe was discussed during the High-Level Roundtable event held in Brussels

The EU shall continue supporting low-TRL collaborative and interdisciplinary research in the post-2020 R&I Programme (Horizon Europe) with dedicated instruments and funding schemes, taking into account the lessons drawn from the Horizon 2020 Future Emerging Technologies Programme. These were the last conclusions of the High-Level Roundtable "Deep-Science, Deep-Tech, Deep-Mind: The Role of Emerging Technologies and Innovation Ecosystems in Horizon Europe", held in Brussels last January 31.

The High-Level Roundtable was organised by APRE – Italian Agency for the Promotion of European Research and CNR – National Research Council of Italy, the coordinator of the H2020 FETFX project, in collaboration with the European Commission. The workshop gathered more than 50 participants from European institutions, Member States and Associated Countries delegates, experts from academia, research and industrial associations, including Thomas Skordas, (Director 'Digital Excellence and Science Infrastructure' at European Commission DG Connect), Neville Reeve (Policy Development and Coordination at European Commission DG Research & Innovation) and Tommaso Calarco (Director of the Institute for Quantum Control of the Peter Grünberg Institute at Forschungszentrum Jülich).

FETFX was also invited to promote the Future and Emerging Technologies (FET) programme and its achievements in the last 30 years by broadcasting the video that highlights this. The film was produced by the EFFECT project, the predecessor of FETFX.

Some key recommendations emerged from the stakeholder debate. These were summarised in the prepared report. Participants reaffirmed the importance of having a space dedicated to interdisciplinary and collaborative breakthrough research within Horizon Europe. Its structure has to follow the bottom-up approach adopted within the Horizon 2020 FET Open scheme. The FET programme may be at risk as the FET scheme shifts from the science-oriented pillar to the new European Innovation Council Pathfinder.

FET Flagships were recognised during the meeting as an excellent instrument in strengthening science and technology cooperation between the Union and its partners. Their cooperation will unite the researchers and industry players with the Member States given a common research agenda. In turn, their joint effort will deliver benefits for society.

Other recommendations that were proposed included arguments about the current Horizon 2020 FET Flagships (Human Brain Project, Graphene, Quantum Technologies), future ones, and new EU R&I instruments, namely R&I Missions or Institutional Partnerships.

Discover more at: www.apre.it/media/549652/roundtable_report_deeptech_31jan2019.pdf

Provided by iCube Programme