According to the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC), the European manufacturing system can only make an effective and competitive transition to a cutting-edge digital and environmentally friendly economy when it is ready for significant investments in innovation. As the main job creators and providers, small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) need particular support. The […]
Auditors assess EU support for industry 4.0 and digital innovation in Europe
The European Court of Auditors is conducting an audit of EU support and funding for digitising industry and boosting digital innovation in Europe. The auditors will examine whether the European Commission provides effective support to Member States for digitisation of their industries, and helps start-ups and small- and-medium sized enterprises (SMEs) in their efforts to […]
H2020: BBI-RIA: Use tree species and/or varieties to create new bio-based value chains
This project to identify underutilized species that may have the greatest impact on the expansion and diversification of forest raw material for the bio-based industry falls within the Bio-based Industries Research and Innovation (BBI-2019-SO1-R1) sub-programme of the Horizon 2020 Programme. The forest sector has the potential to mobilize new biomass feedstocks for the biotechnology industry […]
H2020: Secure, clean and efficient energy: Solar Energy in Industrial Processes
This call, which focuses on the incorporation of solar energy into industrial processes in order to reduce dependence on fossil fuels, is part of the Secure, clean and efficient energy sub-programme of the Horizon 2020 Programme. The potential of applying solar energy for industrial purposes is still largely untapped. Using solar energy to provide the […]
Research Fund for Coal & Steel: Research on the reduction of CO2 emissions from steel production
This call (EP-PP-CLEAN-STEEL-2019) from the Coal and Steel Research Fund, aims to identify and accelerate the deployment of cutting-edge technology pathways for the commercial demonstration of near-zero CO2 steel production by 2030 in Europe. Although the pilot project is mainly aimed at the steel sector, it should not be limited to this sector or other […]
H2020: BBI-RIA: Development of technologies to improve profitability and sustainability in biorefinery operations
This project to develop cutting-edge technologies to improve the cost-effectiveness and sustainability of pre-treatment stages in biorefinery operations is part of the Bio-based Industries Research and Innovation action ( BBI-2019-SO2-R2) sub-programme of the Horizon 2020 Programme. The implementation of biorefining concepts at large scales is often affected by the need to achieve a balance between […]
ENISA is setting the ground for Industry 4.0 Cybersecurity
The EU Agency for Cybersecurity ENISA is stepping up its efforts to foster cybersecurity for Industry 4.0 by publishing a new paper on ‘Challenges and Recommendations for Industry 4.0 Cybersecurity’ . This work is following up on the recently published seminal study on ‘Good Practices for Security of IoT in the context of Smart Manufacturing‘. […]
Commission presents results of initiative supporting regions in industrial transition
The Commission has presented the first results of an initiative launched a year ago to support 10 EU regions and two Member States in industrial transition. They applied to receive Commission support and expertise in achieving industrial transition and designing development strategies based on their areas of competitive strength – their so-called ‘smart specialisation’ assets. […]