New Era of European Funds: Current Opportunities

On November 10, the Council and the European Parliament reached an agreement on the multiannual financial framework for 2021-2027 after several months of tough negotiations. The agreement represents an essential step towards launching the European recovery plan, as it sets out the budgets allocated to the various instruments. In total, Spain will receive €140 billion to be executed over a six-year period. This unprecedented mobilization of funds brings hope to a European industrial sector that has been hit hard after so many months of economic uncertainty.

Innovation Fund, Next Generation EU, the Recovery and Resilience Facility, REACT-EU, the Just Transition Fund, InvestEU, Horizon Europe… these have been dominating the headlines in recent months, announcing a shower of millions. However, in this new era of European funds that lies ahead, things won’t be easy for businesses. While they are being asked to be “proactive” in presenting ideas to their regional reference bodies, the truth is that it is still unclear what the procedure for applying for these funds will be, or when applications will open. Given the formal procedures these funds still have to go through, everything suggests that the first calls for applications will not open until the second half of 2021.

Nevertheless, 2020 has also brought new opportunities for our businesses through research and development projects that address the current climate crisis and help protect Europe’s biodiversity and ecosystems. In this regard, the European Commission launched an exceptional call for proposals in September linked to the Green Deal and funded by H2020, with a budget of €1 billion.

This call, which will remain open until January 26, seeks to stimulate a fair and sustainable social transition, helping Europe recover from the coronavirus crisis by turning environmental challenges into opportunities for innovation. This call differs from previous ones in that it will fund fewer, more specific actions that deliver clear, noticeable results in the short to medium term, along with a vision for long-term change.

In this regard, the H2020 Green Deal call will support initiatives across eight thematic areas that reflect the main lines of work of the European Green Deal:

• Increasing climate ambition.
• Clean, affordable and secure energy.
• Industry for a clean and circular economy.
• Energy and resource-efficient buildings.
• Sustainable and smart mobility.
• “Farm to fork” strategy.
• Biodiversity and ecosystems.
• Zero pollution, toxic-free environments.

And two cross-cutting areas: strengthening knowledge and empowering citizens.

Businesses therefore have before them the first major opportunity to start securing funding for their green technology projects, ahead of the rest of the European funds.

If you would like to receive updated information on funding opportunities, leave us your details at this LINK and we will keep you informed of any news.

11/26/2020