DAILY NEWS
Brussels, 30 January 2025
Commission launches new Biotech and Biomanufacturing Hub to support innovative companies
The Commission has today launched a new Biotech and Biomanufacturing Hub to support companies – particularly start-ups and SMEs - in bringing innovative products to the EU market and increase their competitiveness. The Hub will also help companies identify the support available to them at EU level and how to access this support to help them to expand and grow.
The Biotech and Biomanufacturing Hub explains in an easy, accessible way and in all EU languages:
The Hub, hosted on the Commission's Your Europe portal, will serve as an operational tool for easy and accessible information on the relevant EU legislation, financing opportunities and business support networks, such as the Enterprise Europe Network and European Cluster Collaboration Platform.
The continuous development of the Hub will be supported through a dedicated taskforce of small and medium-sized enterprises advisors under the Enterprise Europe Network.
Biotechnology is one of the fastest growing innovative industries in the EU, which has the potential to revolutionise health, agriculture, food and feed and industry in Europe over the coming years. A thriving biotechnology and biomanufacturing sector will be key to building a more competitive, innovative and resilient EU, that succeeds in its green and digital transitions.
Background
The Biotech and Biomanufacturing Hub is a key deliverable of the Commission's Strategy to boost biotechnology and biomanufacturing in the EU. This Strategy, published in March 2024, announced the establishment of the Hub to better support scale-up and to ease navigating regulations.
More information
Link to Hub
Quote(s)
Biotechnology is a key driver of industrial innovation, competitiveness and productivity, while using fewer resources, producing less emissions and generating less waste. From advancing healthcare solutions to bio-based products in sectors such as chemicals, food, detergents, paper&pulp and textiles, biotech holds transformative potential for scaling up Europe’s industrial production and increasing prosperity. The EU is set to create an optimal environment to support its scale-up, ensuring this critical sector thrives for the benefit of our citizens and industries alike. The Hub is a practical tool that will support this.
Stéphane Séjourné, Executive Vice-President for Prosperity and Industrial Strategy
Biotechnology has a fundamental role in boosting the EU’s competitiveness and embracing innovation and technology, shaping the future of European healthcare. Artificial intelligence can help us to transform biotechnology for the discovery and development of life-saving therapies, to better prevent and predict diseases, and to make personalised and patient-centred medicine a reality. The Commission is committed to unlocking the full potential of biotech and to helping this critical sector to grow for the benefit of our citizens and businesses.
Olivér Várhelyi, Commissioner for Health and Animal Welfare
More than €1 billion from the European Defence Fund to develop next generation defence technologies and innovation
Today, the Commission has adopted the fifth annual Work Programme under the European Defence Fund (EDF), allocating over €1 billion to defence collaborative research and development projects.
With the 2025 EDF Work Programme, the Commission unlocks significant additional funding to support the development of critical defence technologies and capabilities. The Work Programme allocates around €100 million each in critical fields such as ground combat, space, air and naval combat, as well as energy resilience and environmental transition.
Supporting European collaborative defence R&D projects
The EDF25 Work Programme supports the development of critical defence technologies and capabilities required in line with the EU capability priorities agreed by Member States and further elaborated in the Strategic Compass. It launches 9 competitive calls for proposals addressing 31 topics (more information in a factsheet). This includes 15 topics to support research actions, 15 topics to support development actions and 1 topic in support of the EDF National Focal Points network. 14 of the proposed call topics support the objectives of the Strategic Technologies for Europe Platform (STEP) in the field of digital technologies and deep-tech innovation, clean and resource-efficient technologies and biotechnologies. Projects meeting the eligibility requirements of this call will be awarded a STEP Seal. In addition, 2 specific grant agreements will further support the Alliance for defence medical countermeasures.
A budget of around or more than €100 million addresses future challenges in the fields of ground combat, space, air combat and energy resilience and environmental transition. Furthermore, more than €40 million of EU funding is allocated to R&D efforts in critical areas in the current and future operational context, such as cyber, naval combat, underwater warfare, simulation and training, advanced passive and active sensors.
Calls for proposals will prepare the ground for a wide range of enabling technologies related to autonomous triage and evacuation of injured personnel, multifunctional information distribution system, human-AI dialogue, chiplets for defence applications, soldier systems, and great-depth enabling technologies.
4% of the EDF 2025 budget is dedicated to a call addressing disruptive technologies. In addition, around 6% is devoted to two non-thematic calls on innovative and future defence solutions, inviting specifically SMEs to apply for research and development actions.
Calls for proposals are expected to be opened for submission in mid-February 2025, with a deadline for submission of 16 October 2025.
Supporting European Defence Tech Innovation
The EDF 2025 Work Programme continues the support to defence innovation through the EU Defence Innovation Scheme (EUDIS), providing grants and services for start-ups, scale-ups, SMEs, research & technology organisations, accelerators and other non-traditional actors to help them overcome defence market entry barriers, bring ideas to the market and make a difference to EU security and defence.
The Work Programme includes a technological challenge in the field of artificial intelligence, and R&D calls to promote synergies between civil and defence innovation focusing this year on space, energy resilience, ground combat and cyber. This year's focus is on technologies supporting ground combat and force protection capabilities. For the first time, Ukrainian entities will be eligible to receive acceleration support as third parties in this type of calls. Non-thematic calls for proposals, open exclusively to SMEs or SMEs together with research organisations, are also supported under the Work Programme.
In addition to R&D grants, the 2025 round will fund innovation support activities. This includes the 2nd edition of the EUDIS Defence Hackathon, which will take place on 9-11 May 2025 in eight different EU locations and focus on creating innovative hardware and software solutions tailored to the urgent needs of the Ukrainian battlefield and similar operational contexts.
The European Defence Fund, with a budget of around €7.3 billion for the period 2021-27, is the Commission's instrument for supporting collaborative defence R&D. Without substituting Member States' efforts, it promotes cooperation between companies of all sizes and research actors throughout the EU and Norway (as associated country).
The EDF supports competitive and collaborative defence projects throughout the entire cycle of research and development, focusing on projects leading to state-of-the-art and interoperable defence technologies and equipment. It also fosters innovation and incentivises the cross-border participation of SMEs.
With the adoption of the 2025 Work Programme, the Commission has committed €5.4 billion since the entry into force of the EDF Regulation in May 2021, becoming one of the top investors in defence R&D. It also contains several measures to further support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and mid-caps under the EU Defence Innovation Scheme (EUDIS).
For More Information
European Defence Fund – Work Programme 2025
Factsheet
A functioning European Defence Market strengthens Europe´s security and preparedness. The European Defence Fund is vital to our pursuit of tech sovereignty in the field of defence. The 2025 Work Programme solidifies Europe’s ability to act independently.
Henna Virkkunen, Executive Vice-President for Tech Sovereignty, Security and Democracy
As we adopt the 5th European Defence Fund Work Programme, we are reinforcing our commitment to strengthen European defence industry and develop the next generation technologies and capabilities our armed forces need to keep Europeans safe. The continued common investment in defence R&D is key for the strengthening of Europe’s defence readiness.
Andrius Kubilius, Commissioner for Defence and Space
President von der Leyen launches Strategic Dialogue on the Future of the Automotive Industry and announces Action Plan
Today, President von der Leyen has convened key European industry leaders, social partners, and stakeholders for the launch of the Strategic Dialogue on the Future of the European Automotive Industry. This dialogue marks the start of an inclusive and collaborative process aimed at addressing critical challenges facing the sector and ensuring its continued success as a major driver of the European economy.
Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen, said: "The European automotive industry is at a pivotal moment, and we acknowledge the challenges it faces. That is why we are acting swiftly to address them. The fundamental question we need to answer together is what we still miss to unleash the innovative power of our companies and ensure a robust and sustainable automotive sector. Today marks the beginning of a dialogue that will help us navigate the changes ahead. The outcome of this dialogue will be a comprehensive Action Plan, which we will present on March 5th. This Action Plan will chart a clear course to ensure our industry can thrive in Europe and compete successfully on a global stage."
The automotive industry is a vital engine for European prosperity, supporting over 13 million direct and indirect jobs and contributing approximately €1 trillion to our gross domestic product. Beyond the economic impact, the industry ensures the safe and affordable mobility of our citizens and businesses, producing products that are globally admired.
The European automotive and supplier industry is undergoing a profound and transformative shift. The Commission acknowledges the urgent need to take measures that will both protect the European automotive industry and ensure its continued prosperity within the European Union. In this context, President von der Leyen has tasked Commissioner Tzitzikostas to present an Action Plan on the 5th of March.
The Action Plan will address a broad range of issues relevant for the sector, such as ensuring access to talent and resources, fostering technological innovation and the development of next-generation vehicles, and establishing a pragmatic and predictable regulatory framework. It will be based on:
The output of this consultative process will inspire the Action Plan, to be presented by Commissioner Tzitzikostas.
The Council and European Parliament will be closely involved in the process and will be regularly informed and consulted on the Dialogue.
For more information
List of participating organisations
Press release: Strategic Dialogue on the Future of the European Automotive Industry will be launched on 30 January
Concep Note: Strategic Dialogue on the Future of the European Automotive Industry
Press release: Strategic Dialogue on the Future of the European Automotive Industry to start in January
The European automotive industry is at a pivotal moment, and we acknowledge the challenges it faces. That is why we are acting swiftly to address them. The fundamental question we need to answer together is what we still miss to unleash the innovative power of our companies and ensure a robust and sustainable automotive sector. Today marks the beginning of a dialogue that will help us navigate the changes ahead. The outcome of this dialogue will be a comprehensive Action Plan, which we will present on March 5th. This Action Plan will chart a clear course to ensure our industry can thrive in Europe and compete successfully on a global stage.
Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission
The European automotive industry is a key pillar of the European economy. The sector is now in the middle of deep structural shifts. I am very happy that we started the dialogue with the key stakeholders today. This dialogue is very important for developing the EU Industrial Action Plan for the automotive sector, which I will present early in 2025.
Apostolos Tzitzikostas, Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism
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