European Alliance Programme

Bioeconomy policy support hub for Member States, regions and sectors is sponsored by European Commission — Horizon Europe. Expected Outcome: Project results are expected to contribute to all of the following expected outcomes: most Member States and regions [1] have established the bioeconomy as an important policy field. Effective bioeconomy policies and strategies are developed and implemented with specific impact targets in mind; policies and action plans and roadmaps are coordinated across parts of government (e.g. Ministries) and across the quadruple helix (government, sectors, research & innovation, society) to take into account the cross-sectoral and place-based character of the bioeconomy, and the need for a whole of government approach. Platforms are established to facilitate dialogue, experimentation, learning and coordination; all actors of the quadruple helix (e.g. policy makers, NGOs, economic sectors) are aware of the bioeconomy, as well as of the potential and challenges that are specific for their perspective and context. The bioeconomy concept, its principles and its solutions and innovations are mainstreamed by sectors (e.g. food, textiles, chemicals, energy, agriculture, forestry). Scope: Proposals should: establish a European Bioeconomy Policy Support Hub to provide innovative approaches, hands-on support, learning and advise to Member States and regions on plans, roadmaps, policies and collaborations to deploy their bioeconomies; provide innovative tools to assess, on an ongoing basis, the stage of development of bioeconomy policies and strategies in Member States and regions, and to assess the quality of their implementation; provide relevant support, new approaches and recommendations to improve and/or take next steps. Take into account the learnings of the Report “ Deploying the bioeconomy in the EU ” (2021, European Commission), as well as the results of relevant Horizon Europe projects (e.g. ShapingBio, CEE2ACT, SCALE-UP); provide an overview of the uptake of new bioeconomy solutions based on biomass and biological resources (including ecosystems) in European value chains and sectors (including service sectors); provide innovative approaches, hands-on support, learning and advise to Member States and regions to deploy their bioeconomies. This can include activities that aim help to: inform and engage political leadership on the potential of the bioeconomy; establish or improve platforms facilitate policy dialogue, experimentation, learning and coordination (e.g. policy labs); map the bioeconomy’s potential across sectors and society at regional and Member State level, and increase awareness; advance skills of policy makers, and learn from best practices in bioeconomy policy and implementation; set-up or improve local bioeconomy councils, i.e. platforms for dialogue between government, sectors, academia and society (quadruple helix) on bioeconomy policies, plans, roadmaps and their implementation; put in place collaborations that facilitate the scaling-up of bioeconomy solutions in value chains and sectors that are relevant for the Member State or region; monitor the bioeconomy as well as the change process it brings; ensure innovative approaches, hands-on support, learning and advise that is both generic (targeting all Member States and regions; or groups of Member States and regions) and tailormade (in response to questions from specific Member States and regions that express clear need and commitment to collaborate); carry out activities to maximize the geographical spread of its support and advice; enable structural dialogue with European Commission services, and collaborate with relevant initiatives such as the Circular Bio-based Europe (CBE) Joint Undertaking, European University Alliances, the European Circular Economy Stakeholder Platform or the BIOEAST initiative collaborate with such partners on a roadmap to ensure that key results, tools and approaches can be sustained after the end of the project; collaborate with relevant Horizon Europe projects (e.g. ShapingBio) and/or build on their results. The Joint Re Programme areas: Horizon Europe (HORIZON), Global Challenges and European Industrial Competitiveness, Food, Bioeconomy Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment, Bio-based Innovation Systems in the EU Bioeconomy Keywords: Bioeconomy, EU research policy /Research policies in the EU, Industrial policy, Innovation policy, Public administration, Advice, Best practice, Member State, Policy support, Region

Geopolitical competition and socioeconomic resilience in CCAM: an innovation and policy roadmap for EU leadership (CCAM Partnership) is sponsored by European Commission — Horizon Europe. Expected Outcome: Project results are expected to contribute to all the following expected outcomes: Assessment of Europe’s CCAM position in global competition, identifying strategic vulnerabilities, dependencies and opportunities across business models, supply chains, critical components, technological capabilities, infrastructure, and regulatory frameworks, supported by advanced AI-driven analytics and innovation mapping tools. Stakeholder-driven, participatory future scenarios and strategic pathways that define Europe’s leading role in the evolving geopolitical, technological, and economic landscape of CCAM. These should be developed using advanced foresight methods ( e.g. qualitative scenarios, horizon scanning, technology roadmapping, etc.), complemented by iterative validation through a minimum of 3 dedicated Living Labs selected to represent diverse European regions, urbanisation levels, and governance capacities, ensuring a structured, robust, and anticipatory approach to long-term decision-making. A data-driven understanding of the socioeconomic effects of different CCAM deployment pathways, based on a quantified assessment across Member States and Associated Countries, economic sectors, and demographic groups, at national and cross-national levels, using innovative, integrated economic-transport modelling that captures dynamic interactions, systemic feedback loops, and long-term impacts. Socioeconomic effects may include, but are not limited to, employment and growth aspects, equity, and transport poverty. Robust governance models, policies and business strategies (including for SMEs and micro-enterprises) that strengthen Europe’s leadership, economic resilience, and market positioning in CCAM, developed through interdisciplinary methods combining policy analysis, institutional diagnostics, and scenario-based stress testing, to ensure robustness under diverse future geopolitical and economic conditions. These should identify viable business cases, recommend sectoral R&D priorities, and support innovation scaling for both public and private entities. Additionally, they should ensure long-term adaptability to geopolitical and market uncertainties, promote equitable growth, reduce external dependencies, and mitigate supply chain vulnerabilities, all while promoting sustainable growth. Ensuring close coordination and synergies the European Connected and Autonomous Vehicle Alliance (ECAVA), in particular the autonomous driving roadmap, announced by the European Automotive Action Plan. Scope: CCAM is a key area of global competition and one of the five pillars of the European Automotive Action Plan for the automotive sector, aimed at helping the industry regain its leadership in the shift towards smarter (AI-powered), cleaner, and more connected vehicles, However, CCAM deployment is shaped by evolving geopolitical dynamics, rapid technological advancements, and economic uncertainties. Europe must secure its leadership in CCAM and strengthen its socioeconomic resilience by continuously addressing vulnerabilities and identifying robust pathways for policy development and market deployment. This topic will assess the global geopolitical landscape of CCAM innovation, map future pathways, and develop evidence-based strategies for policymakers, businesses, and investors. The results will support robust, future-proof policies, business strategies, and investment frameworks, ensuring a resilient, inclusive, and competitive European CCAM ecosystem. Proposed actions are expected to address all of the following aspects: Conduct a comprehensive geopolitical and economic analysis of CCAM to map Europe’s strategic position in global competition. Identify vulnerabilities, dependencies and opportunities in business models, supply chains, critical raw materials, technological capabilities, digital and physical infrastructure, validation processes, safety benchmarks, and pricing strategies, supported by AI-driven analytics and innovatio Programme areas: Horizon Europe (HORIZON), Global Challenges and European Industrial Competitiveness, Climate, Energy and Mobility, Industrial Competitiveness in Transport, Clean, Safe and Accessible Transport and Mobility, Smart Mobility