ICT sector to get major funding boost
The European Commission’s Neelie Kroes has said she expects the ICT sector to receive nearly 20% of all Horizon 2020 funding.
Speaking ahead of the formal launch of the next research framework programme, that will begin in January 2014, the Key Enabling Technology (KET) of ICT will sit under the Industrial Leadership pillar.
“Over the seven-year budget period, Horizon 2020 will inject tens of billions of euros in essential research and innovation funding, of which around one fifth will be for ICT. This includes the KET of microelectronics, nanoelectronics and photonics, which support innovation in other sectors, as well as research into areas such as robotics or e-infrastructures.”
Other KETs in the pillar include biotechnology, nanotechnology, advanced materials and advanced manufacturing and processing. Funding for space research will also form part of the Industrial Leadership pillar.
Kroes added that it was important for Europe to work together on new research and developments, with cross-border collaboration having a key role to play as the “future of EU research”.
“We get the biggest boost when we work together on research, allowing knowledge and its benefits to work across borders. That is the philosophy of FP7 and it will be the philosophy of Horizon 2020; the future of EU research.
“I want the research under Horizon 2020 to be even more focused on competitiveness and even more challenging and disruptive, yet simultaneously more coherent, so that we can continue to deliver on the requirements for Europe’s scientific excellence and industrial competitiveness and towards a more prosperous society.”
ICT is also set to benefit from the further development of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology’s ICT Labs Knowledge and Innovation Community. The EIT will see a major funding increase under Horizon 2020, from €308.7m to around €3bn.
