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Following the first round of the EIC Accelerator 2024 in March, the European Innovation Council (EIC) has selected 68 European companies in a highly competitive process for funding that combines grants and equity. Eight of the thirteen German companies are from Bavaria. BayFOR has successfully supported one of them.

On 8 July, the EU Commission has published the recent edition of the European Innovation Scoreboard which (based on 32 indicators) provides a comparative assessment of the innovation performance of EU Member States and selected competitors. Compared to 2023, fifteen EU Member States saw an increase of their innovation performance in 2024, while it has declined for eleven member states (one, Croatia, remained stable).
 

The European Commission has published an Indicative Audit Programme (IAP), which applies to the EU-funded programmes 2021-2027 and thus also to Horizon Europe. The document defines the general principles and standards for conducting financial project audits. It also contains details on the on-site audit process and the audit steps for the individual cost categories as well as the risk analysis prior to an audit.

Following five years of intense research, the Circular Flooring consortium has proven that it is possible to produce plasticiser-free PVC recyclates from end-of-life flexible floor coverings. The solvent-based recycling process, which is operated with CreaSolv® formulations¹ jointly developed by Fraunhofer IVV and CreaCycle, can efficiently remove critical legacy plasticisers from waste PVC flooring. BayFOR successfully supported the Circular Flooring consortium in preparing its application for EU funding. As a project partner, it also provided the consortium with guidance on project management and communication activities.
 

The new image film for the EU project Circular Flooring has just been released. It gives an insight into the project and the future of PVC recycling.

The European Commission's Directorate-General for Research and Innovation (DG RTD) has published its updated organisation chart, which includes some restructuring of units. The former Directorate F for International Cooperation has been dissolved and its units restructured.

The 2025 Work Programme of the European Research Council has been adopted. The Programme sets out funding opportunities, budgets of the calls, the calendar of grant competition and conditions for ERC funding. The document had been drafted and endorsed by the ERC Scientific Council, and adopted by the European Commission. 

The Digital Europe programme aims to bring digital technology to businesses, the public and public administrations. The European Commission is seeking feedback as part of a public consultation on the interim evaluation of the EU's Digital Europe programme. The evaluation focuses on the programme's effectiveness, efficiency, coherence, relevance and EU added value. Both the activities directly managed by the European Commission and the programme components indirectly managed through other initiatives are being evaluated. The aim of the evaluation is to inform stakeholders about the progress made by the programme and to support the design of future work programmes. The deadline for feedback is 20 September 2024. The consultation can be found here.

Source: KoWi

Today, the EU Commission launched a call for applications for members of the new Technology Council for Advanced Materials. This high-level group will coordinate efforts to meet future needs for advanced materials in Europe and is key to building a single advanced materials ecosystem. It should ensure leadership in promoting research, fast-track deployment of innovations, address European industry needs and offer guarantees for an effective protection of human health and the environment. If you would like to apply as a Bavarian player, please let us know so that we can support you!

The European Commission is currently conducting a public consultation to gather input for the roadmap for the New European Bauhaus (NEB) Facility in the period 2025-2027, as set out in the second Strategic Plan for Horizon Europe, the R&I component will be implemented as a cross-cluster instrument in Horizon Europe with an indicative budget of around EUR 120 million per year.

Canada joins the growing group of non-EU countries associated with the EU's research and innovation programme, Horizon Europe, and will participate in major projects to address global challenges. On 3 July, the European Commission and Canada signed the Association Agreement for the country's participation in the EU's research and innovation framework programme Horizon Europe (2021-2027).