New and innovative technologies, such as road traffic safety solutions or multi-material 3D printing, need to be tested and up-scaled before they can enter the market successfully. Technology infrastructures are facilities, equipment, capabilities and support services where industrial players can find support to commercialise new products, processes and services, in full compliance with EU regulations.

This new Staff Working Document suggests that the EU and the Member States can together have a more ambitious and shared vision to support industry scale-up and technology diffusion at EU level.

Read more: Technology Infrastructures

This new report provides an overview of over 250 projects financed in 2016-2018 by the Horizon 2020 programme that contribute to the different stages of a circular economy. The fields covered are very diverse and address all kinds of production processes, new bio-based and biodegradable products, substitution or recovery of raw materials, conversion of CO2, packaging, plastics, etc. Since 2018, an ambitious Focus Area entitled ‘Connecting economic and environmental gains – the Circular Economy’ mobilises substantial resources to develop new technologies and new business models and facilitate their uptake by industry and SMEs.

In addition, many other fields within the Horizon 2020 programmes contribute to the circular economy package. Altogether, the projects are mobilising around EUR 1,450 million, of which more than EUR 1,237 million as EU funding.

Read more: Horizon 2020 R&I projects on Circular Economy

This new report provides an overview of over 250 projects financed in 2016-2018 by the Horizon 2020 programme that contribute to the different stages of a circular economy. The fields covered are very diverse and address all kinds of production processes, new bio-based and biodegradable products, substitution or recovery of raw materials, conversion of CO2, packaging, plastics, etc. Since 2018, an ambitious Focus Area entitled ‘Connecting economic and environmental gains – the Circular Economy’ mobilises substantial resources to develop new technologies and new business models and facilitate their uptake by industry and SMEs.

In addition, many other fields within the Horizon 2020 programmes contribute to the circular economy package. Altogether, the projects are mobilising around EUR 1,450 million, of which more than EUR 1,237 million as EU funding.

Read more: Horizon 2020 R&I projects on Circular Economy

The development and integration of advanced nanomaterials is a key ambition for the European Union as it seeks to make European industry more innovative and more competitive. This CORDIS Results Pack showcases 14 EU-funded projects that have all addressed the upscaling of laboratory-proven nano-based technologies for reaching industrial-scale production and application, providing exciting new opportunities for European industrial production.

More information

The Sector Skills Alliance in Additive Manufacturing (SAM) kicked-off in January 2019. It will respond to increasing labour needs by developing an effective system to identify and anticipate the right set of skills for Additive Manufacturing.

The Partnership - led by the European Federation for Welding, Joining and Cutting (EWF) - brings together stakeholders from industry, research, universities, Vocational Education and Training organisations and qualification organisation from various geographical areas.

SAM’s main features are:

• A Skills Strategy providing solutions to foster and support the competitiveness of the AM sector
• A methodology for continuous assessment of current and future skills needs in AM
• An AM Observatory providing mapping and monitoring of the AM industry technological trends, skills shortages and mismatches, policies
• A network of AM training centres in Europe

More information

On 23-24 October 2018, the EU AM-Motion project organised an event about additive manufacturing with the European Commission. The aim was to discuss the challenges and key pillars for additive manufacturing industrialisation and market implementation.

The report of this workshop is now available

On 6 December, the winners of the Innovation Radar Prize were announced at the European Commission's ICT conference in Vienna. This Prize shows how EU funding is helping brilliant innovators to transform their research results into tangible benefits for the citizens.

Two "Key Enabling Technologies" projects from the Horizon 2020 "NMBP" programme are among the winners !

The 2018 Innovation Radar Prize goes to Gr3n from Switzerland, partner in the SYMBIOPTIMA project, for their breakthrough technology for "upcycling" PET/ polyester.

The Prize for the "Best early stage innovation" category goes to BioInicia (Spain), coordinator in the OptiNanoPro project, for their surface adhesion breakthrough that can revolutionise efficiency of solar panels and food packaging.

Read more about Innovation Radar Prize

2018 is the European Year of Cultural Heritage! Europe has a huge number of artefacts and their preservation poses a significant challenge to conservation approaches and materials. How can advanced materials and nanotechnologies contribute to the conservation of European and global cultural heritage?

More information (PDF)

Eight NanoData Landscape Compilation studies covering the application of nanotechnology in the fields of construction, energy, environment, health, ICT, manufacturing, photonics and transport were published in 2017, based on data from 2015 and 2016. This report is an update of those studies and is based on data collected in 2016 and 2017. NanoData Landscape Compilation studies covering the application of nanotechnology in the fields of construction, energy, environment, health, ICT, manufacturing, photonics and transport were published in 2017, based on data from 2015 and 2016. This report is an update of those studies and is based on data collected in 2016 and 2017.

Metalworking industries increasingly rely on additive manufacturing for the production of high added-value final parts and products. However, high costs and unpredictable defects are hampering the complete deployment and full adoption of this technology. Two EU funded projects have started recently under the topic “Factories of the Future – Pilot lines for metal additive manufacturing”, to address this challenge and ensure that Europe successfully makes the transition towards lower energy consumption and more efficient production.

Additive manufacturing factsheet  772 KB