Innovation News

As of 1 April 2018, Jean-Eric Paquet replaced Robert-Jan Smits as the new Director-General of DG Research and Innovation (DG RTD). Mr. Paquet is a French national who has served as one of the three Deputy Secretaries-General of the Juncker Commission since 2015. With 23 years of experience in the European Commission, Paquet has most […]

In the first meeting of 2018, the FTP Advisory Committee (FTP AC) shifted its chairmanship. Torgny Persson, Chair of the Swedish NSG and R&I Director of the Swedish Forest Industries Federation, was unanimously elected by the FTP National Support Groups (NSGs) to take up the role as vice-Chair. At the same time, the Director of the […]

As of 17 October 2017, a new transnational ERA-NET Cofund Call ‘ForestValue– Innovating forest-based bioeconomy‘, has been launched for joint European research, development and innovation proposals in the field of the forest bioeconomy.  With a total available budget of over € 40 million, the joint European Call contributes to transforming the current resource-intensive economy to a sustainable biobased […]

Johan Elvnert, Managing Director of the Forest-based Sector Technology Platform (FTP) has been leading the VERAM activities related to the establishment and consolidation of the Research and Innovation Roadmap 2050. The final conference of the EU-funded VERAM, held in Brussels, on 17 April 2018, will disseminate the vision and roadmap that lay out key research and […]

EU Raw Materials 2050: Roadmap to Success Registration for the final conference of the project VERAM – Vision and Roadmap 2050 for European Raw Materials, is now open. The EU Raw Materials 2050: Roadmap to Success conference will take place on 17 April 2018, at Palais des Académies/Paleis der Academiën, in Brussels. Research and innovation […]

The importance of the bioeconomy is increasingly recognized in Europe and beyond. In light of this, the objectives of the 2012 EU Bioeconomy Strategy and the accompanying Action Plan have delivered on many of their proposed objectives. It was recently decided to review the EU Bioeconomy Strategy to make sure it remains relevant in a […]

On 28 February, nine European Technology Platforms (ETPs) operating within the bioeconomy and food value chain came together, on the invitation of the European Commission (EC), DG RTD – Directorate General for Research and Innovation. The main objective of the meeting was for the EC to gather input from the ETPs on common future research […]

In February, Professor Mariana Mazzucato published a report on mission-oriented research and innovation in the EU. Written at the request of the Commissioner for Research, Science and Innovation, Carlos Moedas, and as a result of her extensive research, and consultation with internal and external stakeholders, the report provides strategic recommendations on missions and how they can […]

Following the launch of the 2018-2020 Work Programmes of Horizon 2020 last October, the first deadlines to submit project proposals for calls relevant for the forest-based sector under different parts of the Work Programmes are swiftly approaching. Among the Call topics appearing over the next three years, some 15 relevant Calls are due in February […]

Since 1984 the Research and Innovation Framework Programmes (FPs) have been amongst Europe’s great successes in supporting and fostering research in Europe. The framework programmes are a clear priority for the forest-based sector, especially today, when Horizon 2020 (2014-2020) undergoes a provisional evaluation and while, at the same time, preparations are ongoing for its successor, […]