Committee of Permanent Representatives agrees IIP

The Committee of Permanent Representatives has endorsed an agreement between the Council of the European Union and European Parliament representatives on a new generation of public and private partnerships that will allow large scale, long term innovation projects to be carried out under Horizon 2020.

The partnerships will be launched as soon as they have been formally adopted by the Parliament and the Council. The Innovation Investment Package (IIP), which implements the Innovation Union strategy to stimulate economic growth and the creation of jobs, will contribute to pooling research and innovation investments of up to €22bn in sectors tackling the major societal challenges in the next seven years.

Dr Christos Vasilakos, Secretary General for Research and Technology, said: “This package is one of our highest research priorities during our presidency. The significance of the issues and the multiplying effects that the realisation of these initiatives will entail are not only for the research and innovation landscape in Europe, but also for enhancing the industrial participation in Horizon 2020, whilst simultaneously addressing key societal challenges for our citizens.”

Five public private partnerships will be set up or further developed as Joint Technology Initiatives in the fields of bio-based industries, aeronautics, electronics, fuel cells and hydrogen, and innovative medicines.

The Greek politician added: “Within a very limited time schedule for our deliberations, we believe that we have reached a good compromise proposal to be transmitted to the Parliament which will permit the IIP to be rapidly adopted.”

Four public-public partnerships will be also further developed on research programmes jointly undertaken by EU member states and the Commission. These will focus on the areas of active and assisted living, clinical trials in African countries, metrology, and research and development performing SMEs.