High Performance Computing, Horizon Europe, Sustainable batteries, EIC Pathfinder projects, Forthcoming events

[Susanne Henningsen]

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	21 December 2020 	


  Digital Excellence & Science Infrastructure


	
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Top News
Commission welcomes political agreement on Horizon Europe, the next EU 
research and innovation programme

The Commission welcomes the political agreement between the European 
Parliament and the Council on Horizon Europe, the largest transnational 
programme ever supporting research and innovation. The new EU research 
and innovation programme will have a budget of around €95.5 billion for 
2021-2027 (current prices).

More 
<https://ec.europa.eu/newsroom/dae/redirection.cfm?item_id=697120&newsletter=129&lang=default> 


graphic showing people moving on a lawn, amongst them a nurse and a 
patient in a wheelchair, office workers, scientist and cyclist, and a 
rocket in the sky, with text Horizon Europe

Commission welcomes political agreement on €7.5 billion Digital Europe 
Programme

On Monday, the Commission welcomed the political agreement between the 
European Parliament and the EU Member States on the first EU programme 
that aims to accelerate the recovery and drive the digital 
transformation of Europe. Trilogue negotiations have now concluded, 
pending the final approval of the legal texts by the European Parliament 
and the Council.

More 
<https://ec.europa.eu/newsroom/dae/redirection.cfm?item_id=697400&newsletter=129&lang=default> 


slide with text digital europe programme

Europe fit for the Digital Age: Commission proposes new rules for 
digital platforms

The Commission proposes an ambitious reform of the digital space, a 
comprehensive set of new rules for all digital services, including 
social media, online market places, and other online platforms that 
operate in the European Union: the Digital Services Act and the Digital 
Markets Act.

More 
<https://ec.europa.eu/newsroom/dae/redirection.cfm?item_id=697541&newsletter=129&lang=default> 


graphic representing the online marketplace

European Democracy Action Plan: making EU democracies stronger

The European Commission has presented this week its European Democracy 
Action Plan to empower citizens and build more resilient democracies 
across the EU. Standing up to challenges to our democratic systems from 
rising extremism and perceived distance between people and politicians, 
the Action Plan sets out measures to promote free and fair elections, 
strengthen media freedom and counter disinformation.

More 
<https://ec.europa.eu/newsroom/dae/redirection.cfm?item_id=696193&newsletter=129&lang=default> 


photo of people in a meeting raising their hands to vote

Commission welcomes political agreement on the Cybersecurity Competence 
Centre and Network

Today, the EU institutions have reached a political agreement, subject 
to formal approval by the European Parliament and the Council of the EU, 
on the Cybersecurity Competence Centre and Network, an initiative that 
aims to improve and strengthen technology and industrial cybersecurity 
capacities of the EU and help create a safe online environment.

More 
<https://ec.europa.eu/newsroom/dae/redirection.cfm?item_id=697189&newsletter=129&lang=default> 


photo of computerscreen with warning

New EU Cybersecurity Strategy and new rules to make physical and digital 
critical entities more resilient

The Commission and the High Representative of the Union for Foreign 
Affairs and Security Policy have presented this week a new EU 
Cybersecurity Strategy. As a key component of Shaping Europe's Digital 
Future, the Recovery Plan for Europe and the EU Security Union Strategy, 
the Strategy will bolster Europe's collective resilience against cyber 
threats and help to ensure that all citizens and businesses can fully 
benefit from trustworthy and reliable services and digital tools.

More 
<https://ec.europa.eu/newsroom/dae/redirection.cfm?item_id=697653&newsletter=129&lang=default> 


graphic representing a security breach with random digits

Commission proposes measures to boost data sharing and support European 
data spaces

The Regulation will facilitate data sharing across the EU and between 
sectors to create wealth for society, increase control and trust of both 
citizens and companies regarding their data, and offer an alternative 
European model to data handling practice of major tech platforms.

More 
<https://ec.europa.eu/newsroom/dae/redirection.cfm?item_id=695074&newsletter=129&lang=default> 


slide with background in blue and purple with text Data governance the 
European way

Sustainable batteries
Green Deal: Sustainable batteries for a circular and climate neutral 
economy

The European Commission proposes to modernise EU legislation on 
batteries, delivering its first initiative among the actions announced 
in the new Circular Economy Action Plan. Batteries that are more 
sustainable throughout their life cycle are key for the goals of the 
European Green Deal and contribute to the zero pollution ambition set in 
it. They promote competitive sustainability and are necessary for green 
transport, clean energy and to achieve climate neutrality by 2050. The 
proposal addresses the social, economic and environmental issues related 
to all types of batteries.

More 
<https://ec.europa.eu/newsroom/dae/redirection.cfm?item_id=696903&newsletter=129&lang=default> 


grapic of a green hedge in the form of a battery

Batteries Europe’s Strategic Research Agenda sets the priorities of 
future battery research

The recently published Strategic Research Agenda encompasses those 
short-term and long-term priorities that European battery research needs 
to follow in order to strengthen the position of the EU on the global 
market.

More 
<https://ec.europa.eu/newsroom/dae/redirection.cfm?item_id=697754&newsletter=129&lang=default> 


The cover of the Batteries Europe Strategic Research Agenda

EuroHPC Joint Undertaking
EU invests further in European world-class supercomputing in Bulgaria

The European High-Performance Computing Joint Undertaking, which pools 
European resources to buy and deploy world-class supercomputers and 
technologies, announced this week the signature for a contract worth 
€11.5 million for a new supercomputing system in Bulgaria. The new 
system will be capable of more than 4.4 petaflops, and will be hosted by 
Sofiatech.

More 
<https://ec.europa.eu/newsroom/dae/redirection.cfm?item_id=697338&newsletter=129&lang=default> 


graphic showing a computer rack and interconnected hubs

EIC Pathfinder pilot
European Innovation Council awards €74 million to cutting-edge 
technologies for the green and digital transitions

The 18 new projects gained support from the European Innovation Council. 
The first ones of them start with their research right in January 2021.

More 
<https://ec.europa.eu/newsroom/dae/redirection.cfm?item_id=696945&newsletter=129&lang=default> 


European Innovation Council (a logo)

Breakthrough research on hydrogen-metal systems for clean energy

HERMES, a new Pathfinder project, wants to study hydrogen (and 
deuterium) evolution in unconventional conditions, such as on 
metal-hydrides.

More 
<https://ec.europa.eu/newsroom/dae/redirection.cfm?item_id=696761&newsletter=129&lang=default> 


MetaVEH will revolutionise sensor applications

A new Pathfinder project focuses on harvesting as the power source for 
remotely located sensors and smart structures.

More 
<https://ec.europa.eu/newsroom/dae/redirection.cfm?item_id=696464&newsletter=129&lang=default> 


Vector visualisation of Industry 4.0

The MUHAI project introduces meaning and understanding in artificial 
intelligence

The new Pathfinder project develops foundational technologies for 
achieving human-centric artificial intelligence.

More 
<https://ec.europa.eu/newsroom/dae/redirection.cfm?item_id=696462&newsletter=129&lang=default> 


photo of the research team of MUHAI

Thermophotonics as a solution to recovering energy from waste heat

The TPX-Power project will try to develop new thermophotonic technology 
in order to resolve global problem of rapidly increasing waste heat from 
various industrial and societal activities.

More 
<https://ec.europa.eu/newsroom/dae/redirection.cfm?item_id=696463&newsletter=129&lang=default> 


Green leaf in a bulb

MAIA: AI system for acting in multiple contexts

MAIA proposes a paradigm shift in the field of prosthetics. The new 
Pathfinder project wants to develop prosthetic and assistive devices 
controlled by human-centric artificial intelligence.

More 
<https://ec.europa.eu/newsroom/dae/redirection.cfm?item_id=696461&newsletter=129&lang=default> 


Two robotic arms touching index fingers of each other

LICROX designs a new type of solar fuel production inspired by nature

A new Pathfinder project called LICROX explores new ways of solar fuel 
production based on conversion of sunlight into molecules capable of 
storing chemical energy.

More 
<https://ec.europa.eu/newsroom/dae/redirection.cfm?item_id=696460&newsletter=129&lang=default> 


Close-up of a green leaf

Forthcoming Events
Connect University continues with presenting top trends in emerging 
technologies

With the beginning of a new year, Connect University prepares open 
webinars dedicated to novel achievements in communications networks, 
content and technologies. The first event takes place on 26th January 2021.

Discover more on Future and Emerging Technologies with CONNECT Universitiy

	
Date

	Date 	
	26/01/2021

More 
<https://ec.europa.eu/newsroom/dae/redirection.cfm?item_id=697016&newsletter=129&lang=default> 


Event reports
Communication strategies for high-risk research

High-risk research and its communication image – that was the topic of 
the first panel discussion held during the "Signals from the Future" event.

More 
<https://ec.europa.eu/newsroom/dae/redirection.cfm?item_id=695203&newsletter=129&lang=default> 


letter cubes spelling

This newsletter is published periodically by the Digital Excellence & 
Science Infrastructure Directorate of the European Commission 
Directorate General for Communications Networks, Content & Technology 
and the FET Open unit of the Research Executive Agency of the European 
Commission.

Visit our websites & newsrooms:
FET: 
https://ec.europa.eu/digital-single-market/en/policies/future-and-emerging-technologies 
<https://ec.europa.eu/digital-single-market/en/policies/future-and-emerging-technologies> 

FET Flagships: 
https://ec.europa.eu/digital-single-market/en/fet-flagships 
<https://ec.europa.eu/digital-single-market/en/fet-flagships>
High Performance Computing: 
https://ec.europa.eu/digital-single-market/en/high-performance-computing 
<https://ec.europa.eu/digital-single-market/en/high-performance-computing>
eInfrastructures: 
http://ec.europa.eu/digital-single-market/en/e-infrastructures 
<http://ec.europa.eu/digital-single-market/en/e-infrastructures>


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