With the aim of boosting investment in research and innovation and addressing major climate and sustainability challenges, the European Commission has announced the launch of eleven European Partnerships with Industry. The European institution wants to make Europe the first climate-neutral economy while respecting the Green Pact for Europe. Taking into account the funding commitments of private partners and Member States, the total amount of these investments is €22 billion. One of these partnerships concerns artificial intelligence, data and robotics.

22 billion in investments

To meet the objectives of the dual ecological and digital transition, the European Commission has announced eleven partnerships that will aim to achieve the digital ambitions of the European Union for this decade, the decade of digital Europe. Under Horizon Europe, the new EU framework programme that will succeed Horizon 2020 for the period 2021-2027, nearly eight billion euros will be allocated to these partnerships.

In total, almost €22 billion will be allocated if funding from Member States and private partners is taken into account. Margrethe Vestager, Executive Vice-President of the European Commission for a digitally ready Europe, said of the initiative:

“Cooperation is essential to meet the challenges of Europe’s ecological and digital transition. Digital technologies are the drivers of this transition to a climate neutral, circular and more resilient economy. The eleven partnerships that the Commission and industry are proposing together today will mobilise significant resources, around €22 billion, so that together we can develop technological tools, related to artificial intelligence, data, robotics and more, that will enable us to meet our environmental and climate goals, to move towards a cleaner and healthier future.”

Internal Market Commissioner Thierry Breton added:

“With these new partnerships, Europe is at the forefront of global technological change, developing key industrial capabilities and accelerating its dual green and digital transition. This will help put Europe on the path to a circular economy and climate neutrality by 2050. Through their work, the partnerships will also focus on developing the digital technologies needed to support Europe’s industrial leadership.”

Eleven partnerships, including one for artificial intelligence, data and robotics

Eleven partnerships have been announced around various and diverse themes. Some of them are more focused on digital transition, AI and new technologies:

• European Partnership for Artificial Intelligence, Data and Robotics: to make the most of artificial intelligence (AI), data and robotics for Europe, this partnership will foster innovation, acceptance and adoption of these technologies, to the benefit of citizens and businesses.
• European Open Science Cloud Partnership: aims to deploy and consolidate by 2030 an open and trusted virtual environment for Europe’s nearly two million researchers to store, share and reuse research data across borders and disciplines.
• European Partnership for Photonics (light particle technologies): aims to accelerate photonics innovations, ensure Europe’s technological sovereignty, increase the competitiveness of the European economy and promote job creation and long-term prosperity
• European Partnership for Connected, Cooperative and Automated Mobility: its objective is to accelerate the implementation of innovative, connected, cooperative and automated mobility technologies and services.

Other partnerships exist: for clean steel, for a sustainable environment built on people, for clean road and water transport, for batteries for example. Mariya Gabriel, Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth, said:

“These partnerships are all about pooling research and innovation resources and ensuring that research results are turned into useful innovations for citizens. With Horizon Europe, we are determined to tackle the climate crisis, provide lasting solutions to major environmental challenges and accelerate a sustainable recovery. This will benefit all Europeans.”

Translated from La commission européenne lance 11 partenariats pour répondre à la transition écologique et numérique