### the focus of activities shall be to reduce congestion , improve accessibility and match user needs by promoting integrated door - to - door transport and logistics ; to enhance inter - modality and the deployment of smart planning and management solutions ; and to drastically reduce the occurrence of accidents and the impact of security threats . ### the focus of activities shall be to reduce congestion , improve accessibility and match user needs by promoting integrated door - to - door transport and logistics ; to enhance inter - and multi - modality and the deployment of e - ticketing , smart planning and management solutions ; and to drastically reduce the occurrence of accidents , lost man - hours due to delays and cancellations and the impact of security threats .


### the focus of activities shall be to develop the next generation of innovative transport means and to prepare the ground for the following one , by working on novel concepts and designs , smart control systems and interoperable standards , efficient production processes , shorter development times and reduced lifecycle costs . ### the focus of activities shall be to develop the next generation of innovative transport system and to prepare the ground for the following one , by working on novel concepts and designs , smart control systems and interoperable standards , efficient production processes , shorter development times and reduced lifecycle costs .


### the focus of activities shall be to develop the next generation of innovative transport means and to prepare the ground for the following one , by working on novel concepts and designs , smart control systems and interoperable standards , efficient production processes , shorter development times and reduced lifecycle costs . ### the focus of activities shall be to develop the next generation of innovative transport means and to prepare the ground for the following one , by working on competitively priced novel concepts and designs , smart control systems and interoperable standards , efficient production processes , shorter development times and reduced lifecycle costs .


### the focus of activities shall be to improve the understanding of transport related socio - economic trends and prospects , and provide policy makers with evidence - based data and analyses . ### the focus of activities shall be to improve the understanding of transport related socio - economic trends and prospects , and provide policy makers with evidence - based data and analyses disseminated via the european commission ' s transport research knowledge centre .


### europe has set out its ambition to move to a new economic model based on smart , sustainable and inclusive growth . this type of transformation will need more than incremental improvements to current technologies . it will require much higher capacity for science - based innovation fuelled by radical new knowledge , allowing europe to take a leading role in creating the technological paradigm shifts which will be the key drivers of productivity growth , competitiveness , wealth and social progress in the future . such paradigm shifts have historically tended to originate from the public - sector science base before going on to lay the foundations for whole new industries and sectors . ### europe has set out its ambition to move to a new economic model based on smart , sustainable and inclusive growth . this type of transformation will need more than incremental improvements to current technologies . it will require much higher capacity for science - based innovation fuelled by radical new knowledge , allowing europe to take a leading role in creating the technological paradigm shifts which will be the key drivers of productivity growth , competitiveness , wealth and social progress in the future . such paradigm shifts have historically tended to originate from curiosity driven basic research before going on to lay the foundations for whole new industries and sectors .


### europe has set out its ambition to move to a new economic model based on smart , sustainable and inclusive growth . this type of transformation will need more than incremental improvements to current technologies . it will require much higher capacity for science - based innovation fuelled by radical new knowledge , allowing europe to take a leading role in creating the technological paradigm shifts which will be the key drivers of productivity growth , competitiveness , wealth and social progress in the future . such paradigm shifts have historically tended to originate from the public - sector science base before going on to lay the foundations for whole new industries and sectors . ### europe has set out its ambition to move to a new economic model based on smart , sustainable and inclusive growth . this type of transformation will need more than incremental improvements to current technologies and knowledge . it will require much higher capacity for basic science and science - based innovation fuelled by radical new knowledge , allowing europe to take a leading role in creating the scientific and technological paradigm shifts which will be the key drivers of productivity growth , competitiveness , wealth and social progress in the future . such paradigm shifts have historically tended to originate from the public - sector science base before going on to lay the foundations for whole new industries and sectors .


### frontier research funded by the erc is thereby expected to have a substantial direct impact in the form of advances at the frontiers of knowledge , opening the way to new and often unexpected scientific and technological results and new areas for research which , ultimately , can generate the radically new ideas which will drive innovation and business inventiveness and tackle societal challenges . this combination of excellent individual scientists with innovative ideas underpins every stage of the innovation chain . ### frontier research funded by the erc is thereby expected to have a substantial direct impact in the form of advances at the frontiers of knowledge , opening the way to new and often unexpected scientific and technological results and new areas for research which , ultimately , can generate the radically new ideas which will drive innovation and business inventiveness and tackle societal challenges . the main emphasis on awarding erc grants is on the innovative ideas , while the track record of investigators is required mainly to demonstrate the capability of accomplishing the proposed project . this combination of excellent individual scientists with innovative ideas underpins every stage of the innovation chain .


### frontier research funded by the erc is thereby expected to have a substantial direct impact in the form of advances at the frontiers of knowledge , opening the way to new and often unexpected scientific and technological results and new areas for research which , ultimately , can generate the radically new ideas which will drive innovation and business inventiveness and tackle societal challenges . this combination of excellent individual scientists with innovative ideas underpins every stage of the innovation chain . ### frontier research funded by the erc is thereby expected to have a substantial direct impact in the form of advances at the frontiers of knowledge , opening the way to new and often unexpected scientific and technological results and new areas for research which , ultimately , can generate the radically new ideas which will drive innovation and business inventiveness and tackle societal challenges . this combination of excellent individual scientists with innovative ideas underpins every stage of the innovation chain . however , the importance of the applied research should not be underestimated .


### the fundamental activity of the erc shall be to provide attractive long - term funding to support excellent investigators and their research teams to pursue ground - breaking , high - gain / high - risk research . ### the fundamental activity of the erc shall be to provide attractive long - term funding to support excellent ideas and their research teams to pursue ground - breaking , high - gain / high - risk research .


### the erc shall also give support , as necessary , to emerging new ways of working in the scientific world with the potential to create breakthrough results and facilitates exploration of the commercial and social innovation potential of the research which it funds . ### the erc shall also give support , as necessary , to new ways of working in the scientific world with the potential to create breakthrough results and facilitates exploration and running of the commercial and social innovation potential of the research which it funds .


### by 2020 , the erc therefore shall aim to demonstrate : that the best researchers are participating in the erc ' s competitions , that erc funding has led directly to scientific publications of the highest quality and to the commercialisation and application of innovative technologies and ideas and that the erc has contributed significantly to making europe a more attractive environment for the world ' s best scientists . in particular , the erc shall target a measurable improvement in the union ' s share of the world ' s top 1 % most highly cited publications . in addition it shall aim at a substantial increase in the number of excellent researchers from outside europe whom it funds and specific improvements in institutional practices and national policies to support top researchers . ### by 2020 , the erc therefore shall aim to demonstrate : that the best ideas are participating in the erc ' s competitions , that erc funding has led directly to scientific publications of the highest quality and to the commercialisation and application of innovative technologies and ideas and that the erc has contributed significantly to making europe a more attractive environment for the world ' s best scientists . in particular , the erc shall target a measurable improvement in the union ' s share of the world ' s top 1 % most highly cited publications . in addition it shall implement promotion measures , aiming to raise the visibility of its programmes and at specific improvements in institutional practices and national policies to support top researchers .


### the erc ' s scientific council shall continuously monitor the erc ' s operations and consider how best to achieve its objectives by means of grant schemes that emphasise clarity , stability and simplicity , both for applicants and in their implementation and management , and , as necessary , to respond to emerging needs . it shall endeavour to sustain and further refine the erc ' s world - class peer - review system which is based on transparent , fair and impartial treatment of proposals so that it can identify ground - breaking scientific excellence and talent regardless of a researcher ' s gender , nationality or age . finally , the erc shall continue conducting its own strategic studies to prepare for and support its activities , maintain close contacts with the scientific community and other stakeholders and look to make its activities complement research conducted at other levels . ### the erc ' s scientific council shall continuously monitor the erc ' s operations and consider how best to achieve its objectives by means of grant schemes that emphasise clarity , stability and simplicity , both for applicants and in their implementation and management , and , as necessary , to respond to emerging needs . it shall endeavour to sustain and further refine the erc ' s world - class peer - review system ensuring fair and impartial treatment of proposals , where care needs to be taken of the coincidence that decision makers within the panels can often also be grant recipients , so that it can identify ground - breaking scientific excellence , breakthrough ideas and talent regardless of a researcher ' s gender , nationality , origin institution or age . finally , the erc shall continue conducting its own strategic studies to prepare for and support its activities , maintain close contacts with the scientific community and other stakeholders and look to make its activities complement research conducted at other levels .


### the erc ' s scientific council shall continuously monitor the erc ' s operations and consider how best to achieve its objectives by means of grant schemes that emphasise clarity , stability and simplicity , both for applicants and in their implementation and management , and , as necessary , to respond to emerging needs . it shall endeavour to sustain and further refine the erc ' s world - class peer - review system which is based on transparent , fair and impartial treatment of proposals so that it can identify ground - breaking scientific excellence and talent regardless of a researcher ' s gender , nationality or age . finally , the erc shall continue conducting its own strategic studies to prepare for and support its activities , maintain close contacts with the scientific community and other stakeholders and look to make its activities complement research conducted at other levels . ### the erc ' s scientific council shall continuously monitor the erc ' s operations and evaluation procedures and consider how best to achieve its objectives by means of grant schemes that emphasise effectiveness , clarity , stability and simplicity , both for applicants and in their implementation and management , and , as necessary , to respond to emerging needs . it shall endeavour to sustain and further refine the erc ' s world - class peer - review system which is based on transparent , fair and impartial treatment of proposals so that it can identify ground - breaking scientific excellence and talent regardless of a researcher ' s gender , nationality or age . if these criteria are not fulfilled , participants may ask the exclusion of experts in order to avoid possible damages . the erc shall continue conducting its own strategic studies to prepare for and support its activities , maintain close contacts with the scientific community , the regional and national funding agencies and other stakeholders and look to make its activities complement research conducted at other levels . finally , the erc will ensure transparency in communication about its activities and results to the scientific community and the general public and maintain updated data from funded projects , including data portability .


### the erc ' s scientific council shall continuously monitor the erc ' s operations and consider how best to achieve its objectives by means of grant schemes that emphasise clarity , stability and simplicity , both for applicants and in their implementation and management , and , as necessary , to respond to emerging needs . it shall endeavour to sustain and further refine the erc ' s world - class peer - review system which is based on transparent , fair and impartial treatment of proposals so that it can identify ground - breaking scientific excellence and talent regardless of a researcher ' s gender , nationality or age . finally , the erc shall continue conducting its own strategic studies to prepare for and support its activities , maintain close contacts with the scientific community and other stakeholders and look to make its activities complement research conducted at other levels . ### the erc ' s scientific council shall continuously monitor the erc ' s operations and consider how best to achieve its objectives by means of grant schemes that emphasise clarity , stability and simplicity , both for applicants and in their implementation and management , and to respond to emerging needs . it shall endeavour to sustain and further refine the erc ' s world - class peer - review system which is based on transparent , fair and impartial treatment of proposals so that it can identify ground - breaking scientific excellence and talent regardless of a researcher ' s gender , nationality or age . finally , the erc shall continue conducting its own strategic studies to prepare for and support its activities , maintain close contacts with the scientific community and other stakeholders and look to make its activities complement research conducted at other levels by avoiding overlap with other research activities .


### the erc ' s scientific council shall continuously monitor the erc ' s operations and consider how best to achieve its objectives by means of grant schemes that emphasise clarity , stability and simplicity , both for applicants and in their implementation and management , and , as necessary , to respond to emerging needs . it shall endeavour to sustain and further refine the erc ' s world - class peer - review system which is based on transparent , fair and impartial treatment of proposals so that it can identify ground - breaking scientific excellence and talent regardless of a researcher ' s gender , nationality or age . finally , the erc shall continue conducting its own strategic studies to prepare for and support its activities , maintain close contacts with the scientific community and other stakeholders and look to make its activities complement research conducted at other levels . ### the erc ' s scientific council shall continuously monitor the erc ' s operations and consider how best to achieve its objectives by means of grant schemes that emphasise clarity , stability and simplicity , both for applicants and in their implementation and management , and , as necessary , to respond to emerging needs . it shall endeavour to sustain and further refine the erc ' s world - class peer - review system which is based on transparent , fair and impartial treatment of proposals so that it can identify ground - breaking scientific excellence and talent regardless of a researcher ' s sex , nationality or age . finally , the erc shall continue conducting its own strategic studies to prepare for and support its activities , maintain close contacts with the scientific community and other stakeholders and look to make its activities complement research conducted at other levels .


### the fet programme shall address the entire spectrum of science - driven innovation : from bottom - up , small - scale early explorations of embryonic and fragile ideas to building new research and innovation communities around transformative emerging research areas and large and federated research initiatives built around a research agenda aiming to achieve ambitious and visionary goals . these three levels of engagement each have their own specific value , while being complementary and synergistic . for example , small - scale explorations can reveal needs for developing new themes that can lead to large - scale action based on roadmaps . they involve a wide range of research players , including young researchers and research - intensive smes , and stakeholder communities , clustered around research agendas as they take shape , mature and diversify . ### the fet programme shall address the entire spectrum of science - driven innovation : from bottom - up , small - scale early explorations of embryonic and fragile ideas to building new research and innovation communities around transformative emerging research areas and large and federated research initiatives built around a research agenda aiming to achieve ambitious and visionary goals . these three levels of engagement each have their own specific value , while being complementary and synergistic . for example , small - scale explorations can reveal needs for developing new themes that can lead to large - scale action based on roadmaps . they involve a wide range of research players , including young researchers , female researchers and research - intensive smes , and stakeholder communities , clustered around research agendas as they take shape , mature and diversify .


### radical breakthroughs with a transformative impact increasingly rely on intense collaboration across disciplines in science and technology and with the arts and humanities . this requires not only excellence in science and technology but also new attitudes and novel interactions between a broad range of players in research . ### radical breakthroughs with a transformative impact increasingly rely on intense collaboration across disciplines in science and technology .


### while some ideas can be developed on a small scale , others may be so challenging that they require a large federated effort over a substantial period of time . major economies worldwide have recognised this , and there is growing global competition to identify and pursue emerging technological opportunities at the frontier of science which can generate a considerable impact on innovation and benefits for society . to be effective , these types of activity need to be built up quickly to a large scale , by federating across programmes at european , national and regional levels around common goals to build critical mass , foster synergies and obtain optimum leveraging effects . ### while some ideas can be developed on a small scale , others may be so challenging that they require a large federated effort over a substantial period of time . major economies worldwide have recognised this , and there is growing global competition to identify and pursue emerging technological opportunities at the frontier of science which can generate a considerable impact on innovation and benefits for society . these advancements will very likely determine the future global leaders in science , technology and economy . to be effective , these types of activity need to be managed expertly and built up quickly to a large scale , by federating across programmes at european , national and regional levels around common goals to build critical mass , foster synergies and obtain optimum leveraging effects .


### the fet programme shall address the entire spectrum of science - driven innovation : from bottom - up , small - scale early explorations of embryonic and fragile ideas to building new research and innovation communities around transformative emerging research areas and large and federated research initiatives built around a research agenda aiming to achieve ambitious and visionary goals . these three levels of engagement each have their own specific value , while being complementary and synergistic . for example , small - scale explorations can reveal needs for developing new themes that can lead to large - scale action based on roadmaps . they involve a wide range of research players , including young researchers and research - intensive smes , and stakeholder communities , clustered around research agendas as they take shape , mature and diversify . ### the fet programme shall address the entire spectrum of science - driven innovation : from bottom - up , small - scale early explorations of embryonic and fragile ideas to building new research and innovation communities around transformative emerging research areas and large and federated research initiatives built around a research agenda aiming to achieve ambitious and visionary goals . these three levels of engagement each have their own specific value , while being complementary and synergistic . for example , small - scale explorations can reveal needs for developing new themes that can lead to large - scale action based on roadmaps . they involve a wide range of research players , including young researchers and research - intensive smes , and stakeholder communities , clustered around evolving research agendas as they take shape , mature and diversify .


### by fostering novel ideas , fet shall support embryonic science and technology research exploring new foundations for radically new future technologies by challenging current paradigms and venturing into unknown areas . a bottom - up selection process widely open to any research ideas shall build up a diverse portfolio of targeted projects . early detection of promising new areas , developments and trends , along with attracting new and high - potential research and innovation players , will be key . ### by fostering novel ideas , fet shall support emerging science and technology research exploring new foundations for radically new future technologies by challenging current paradigms , such as the use of animal models in biomedical research or for the testing of chemicals for adverse effects on human health , and venturing into unknown areas . a bottom - up selection process widely open to any research ideas shall build up a diverse portfolio of targeted projects . early detection of promising new areas , developments and trends , along with attracting new and high - potential research and innovation players , will be key .


### by nurturing emerging themes and communities , fet shall address a number of promising exploratory research themes with the potential to generate a critical mass of inter - related projects that , together , make up a broad and multi - faceted exploration of the themes and build a european pool of knowledge . ### by nurturing emerging themes and communities in close association with societal challenges and industrial technological themes , fet shall address a number of promising exploratory research themes with the potential to generate a critical mass of inter - related projects that , together , make up a broad and multi - faceted exploration of the themes and build a european pool of knowledge .


### by pursuing grand interdisciplinary s&t challenges , fet shall support ambitious large - scale , science - driven research aiming to achieve a scientific breakthrough . such activities will benefit from the alignment of european and national agendas . the scientific advance should provide a strong and broad basis for future technological innovation and economic application in a variety of areas , plus novel benefits for society . ### by pursuing grand interdisciplinary s&t challenges , fet shall support ambitious large - scale , science - driven research aiming to achieve a scientific and technological breakthrough . such activities will benefit from the alignment of european and national and regional agendas . the scientific advance should provide a strong and broad basis for future technological innovation and economic application in a variety of areas , plus novel benefits for society . activities with high societal impact should be prioritized .


### state - of - the - art research infrastructures are becoming increasingly complex and costly , often requiring integration of different equipment , services and data sources and extensive transnational collaboration . no single country has enough resources to support all the research infrastructures it needs . the european approach to research infrastructures has made remarkable progress in recent years with implementing the esfri roadmap for infrastructures , integrating and opening national research facilities and developing e - infrastructures underpinning a digital european research area . the networks of research infrastructures across europe strengthen its human capital base by providing world - class training for a new generation of researchers and engineers and promoting interdisciplinary collaboration . ### state - of - the - art research infrastructures are becoming increasingly complex and costly , often requiring integration of different equipment , services and data sources and extensive transnational collaboration . no single country has enough resources to support all the research infrastructures it needs . the european approach to research infrastructures has made remarkable progress in recent years with continuously developing and implementing the esfri roadmap for infrastructures , integrating and opening national research facilities and developing e - infrastructures underpinning a digital european research area . the networks of research infrastructures across europe strengthen its human resources base by providing world - class training for a new generation of researchers and engineers and promoting interdisciplinary collaboration .


### state - of - the - art research infrastructures are becoming increasingly complex and costly , often requiring integration of different equipment , services and data sources and extensive transnational collaboration . no single country has enough resources to support all the research infrastructures it needs . the european approach to research infrastructures has made remarkable progress in recent years with implementing the esfri roadmap for infrastructures , integrating and opening national research facilities and developing e - infrastructures underpinning a digital european research area . the networks of research infrastructures across europe strengthen its human capital base by providing world - class training for a new generation of researchers and engineers and promoting interdisciplinary collaboration . ### state - of - the - art research infrastructures are becoming increasingly complex and costly , often requiring integration of different equipment , services and data sources and extensive transnational collaboration . no single country has enough resources to support all the research infrastructures it needs . the european approach to research infrastructures has made remarkable progress in recent years with implementing the esfri roadmap for infrastructures , integrating and opening national research facilities and developing e - infrastructures underpinning a digital , networked european research area . the networks of research infrastructures across europe strengthen its human capital base by providing world - class training for a new generation of researchers and engineers and promoting interdisciplinary collaboration .


### the efficiencies of scale and scope achieved by a european approach to construction , use and management of research infrastructures , including e - infrastructures , will make a significant contribution to boosting europe ' s research and innovation potential . ### the efficiencies of scale and scope achieved by a european approach to construction , use and management of research infrastructures , including e - infrastructures , will make a significant contribution to boosting europe ' s research and innovation potential and make the eu more competitive at international level .


### the activities shall aim at developing the european research infrastructures for 2020 and beyond , fostering their innovation potential and human capital and reinforcing european research infrastructure policy . ### the activities shall aim at developing the european research infrastructures for 2020 and beyond , fostering their innovation potential and human resources and reinforcing european research infrastructure policy .


### the aims shall be to ensure the implementation and operation of the esfri and other world - class research infrastructures , including the development of regional partner facilities ; integration of and access to national research infrastructures ; and the development , deployment and operation of e - infrastructures . ### the aims shall be to ensure the implementation and operation of and transnational access to the esfri and other world - class research infrastructures ; funding of operational costs with european added value including the development of regional partner facilities ; integration of and access to national research infrastructures ; and the development , deployment and operation of e - infrastructures .


### the aims shall be to encourage research infrastructures to act as early adopters of technology , to promote r&d partnerships with industry , to facilitate industrial use of research infrastructures and to stimulate the creation of innovation clusters . this activity shall also support training and / or exchanges of staff managing and operating research infrastructures . ### the aims shall be to encourage research infrastructures to act as early adopters of technology , to promote r&d partnerships with industry , to facilitate industrial use of research infrastructures and to stimulate the creation of innovation clusters . this activity shall also support training and / or exchanges of staff managing and operating research infrastructures . synergy and coherence with the marie sklodowska curie actions and the knowledge and innovation communities of the eit shall be encouraged .


### ict underpins innovation and competitiveness across a broad range of private and public markets and sectors , and enables scientific progress in all disciplines . over the next decade , the transformative impact of digital technologies , ict components , infrastructures and services will be increasingly visible in all areas of life . unlimited computing , communication and data storage resources will be available to every citizen on the globe . vast amounts of information and data will be generated by sensors , machines and information - enhanced products , making action at a distance a commonplace , enabling global deployment of business processes and sustainable production sites and bringing a wide range of services and applications . many critical commercial and public services and all key processes of knowledge production in science , learning , business and the public sector will be provided through ict . ict will provide the critical infrastructure for production and business processes , communication and transactions . ict will also be indispensable in contributing to key societal challenges , as well as societal processes such as community formation , consumer behaviour , and public governance , for example by means of social media . ### ict underpins innovation and competitiveness across a broad range of private and public markets and sectors , and enables scientific progress in all disciplines . over the next decade , the transformative impact of digital technologies , ict components , infrastructures and services will be increasingly visible in all areas of life . unlimited computing , communication and data storage resources will be available to every citizen on the globe . vast amounts of real - time information and data will be generated by sensors , machines and information - enhanced products , making action at a distance a commonplace , enabling global deployment of business processes and sustainable production sites and bringing a wide range of services and applications . many critical commercial and public services and all key processes of knowledge production in science , learning , health , business and the public sector will be provided through ict . ict will provide the critical infrastructure for production and business processes , communication and transactions . ict will also be indispensable in contributing to key societal challenges , as well as societal processes such as community formation , consumer behaviour , political participation and public governance , for example by means of social media .


### successive evaluations of ict activities in the union ' s framework programme for research and innovation have shown that focused ict research and innovation investment undertaken at union level has been instrumental in building industrial leadership in areas like mobile communications , safety - critical ict systems , and to address challenges like energy - efficiency or demographic change . union investments in ict research infrastructures have provided european researchers with the world ' s best research networking and computing facilities . ### successive evaluations of ict activities in the union ' s framework programme for research and innovation have shown that focused ict research and innovation investment undertaken at union level has been instrumental in building industrial leadership in areas like mobile communications , safety - critical ict systems , and to address challenges like energy - efficiency or demographic change and better health systems delivery . union investments in ict research infrastructures have provided european researchers with the world ' s best research networking and computing facilities .


### a new generation of components and systems : engineering of advanced and smart embedded components and systems ; ### a new generation of components and systems : engineering of advanced , secure and smart embedded components and systems ;


### next generation computing : advanced computing systems and technologies ; ### next generation computing : advanced computing systems and technologies , including super - and grid - computing ;


### next generation computing : advanced computing systems and technologies ; ### next generation computing : advanced and secure computing systems and technologies ;


### micro - and nanoelectronics and photonics : key enabling technologies related to micro - and nanoelectronics and to photonics . ### micro - and nanoelectronics and photonics and quantum computing : key enabling technologies related to micro - and nanoelectronics , to photonics and quantum computing .


### these six major activity lines are expected to cover the full range of needs . these would include industrial leadership in generic ict - based solutions , products and services needed to tackle major societal challenges as well as application - driven ict research and innovation agendas which will be supported together with the relevant societal challenge . ### these six major activity lines are expected to cover the full range of needs . these would include industrial leadership in generic ict - based solutions , products and services needed to tackle major societal challenges as well as application - driven ict research and innovation agendas which will be supported together with the relevant societal challenge . special attention shall be given to ensuring that state - of - the - art ict solutions are selected for projects funded under the societal challenges priority .


### these six activity lines shall also include ict specific research infrastructures such as living labs for large - scale experimentation , and infrastructures for underlying key enabling technologies and their integration in advanced products and innovative smart systems , including equipment , tools , support services , clean rooms and access to foundries for prototyping . ### these six activity lines shall also include ict specific research infrastructures such as living labs and urban infrastructures provided in the frame of the smartcity context for large - scale experimentation , and infrastructures for underlying key enabling technologies and their integration in advanced products and innovative smart systems , including equipment , tools , support services , clean rooms and access to foundries for prototyping .


### europe must also set the global benchmark on safe and responsible nanotechnology deployment and governance ensuring both high societal and industrial returns . ### europe must also set the global benchmark on safe , secure and responsible nanotechnology deployment and governance ensuring both high societal and industrial returns .


### nanotechnologies are a spectrum of evolving technologies with proven potential , having revolutionary impact in for example materials , ict , life sciences and healthcare and consumer goods once the research is translated into breakthrough products and production processes . ### nanotechnologies are a spectrum of evolving technologies with proven potential , having revolutionary impact in for example materials , ict , manufacturing , life sciences and healthcare and consumer goods once the research is translated into breakthrough products and production processes .


### ensuring the safe development and application of nanotechnologies ### ensuring the safe and secure development and application of nanotechnologies


### developing capacity - enhancing techniques , measuring methods and equipment ### developing capacity - enhancing techniques , characterization , measuring methods and equipment


### the specific objective of advanced materials research and innovation is to develop materials with new functionalities and improved in - service performance , for more competitive products that minimise the impact on the environment and the consumption of resources . ### the specific objective of advanced materials research and innovation is to develop materials with new functionalities – or new materials for a given function – and improved in - service performance , for more accessible and competitive products that minimise the impact on the environment and the consumption of resources .


### the specific objective of advanced materials research and innovation is to develop materials with new functionalities and improved in - service performance , for more competitive products that minimise the impact on the environment and the consumption of resources . ### the specific objective of advanced materials research and innovation is to develop materials with new functionalities and improved in - service performance , for more competitive products that minimise the impact on the environment and the consumption of resources and improve safety and security .


### new advanced materials are needed in developing better performing and sustainable products and processes . such materials are a part of the solution to our industrial and societal challenges , offering better performance in their use , lower resource and energy requirements , and sustainability at the end - of - life of the products . ### new advanced materials are needed in developing better performing and sustainable products and processes and for substituting scarce resources such as ' rare earth elements ' . such materials are a part of the solution to our industrial and societal challenges , offering better performance in their use , lower resource and energy requirements , and sustainability at the end - of - life of the products .


### new advanced materials are needed in developing better performing and sustainable products and processes . such materials are a part of the solution to our industrial and societal challenges , offering better performance in their use , lower resource and energy requirements , and sustainability at the end - of - life of the products . ### new advanced materials are needed in developing better performing and sustainable , safe and secure products and processes . such materials are a part of the solution to our industrial and societal challenges , offering better performance in their use , lower resource and energy requirements , sustainability , and safety and security at the end - of - life of the products .


### to accelerate progress , a multidisciplinary and convergent approach shall be fostered , involving chemistry , physics , engineering sciences , theoretical and computational modelling , biological sciences and increasingly creative industrial design . ### to accelerate progress , a multidisciplinary and convergent approach benefitting from world leading european research infrastructure shall be fostered , involving chemistry , physics , engineering sciences , theoretical and computational modelling , biological sciences and increasingly creative industrial design .


### novel green innovation alliances and industrial symbiosis shall be fostered allowing industries to diversify , expand their business models , re - using their waste as a basis for new productions , e . g . co2 as carbon base for fine chemicals and alternative fuels . ### novel green innovation alliances and industrial symbiosis shall be fostered allowing industries to diversify , expand their business models , using renewable raw materials from biomass and re - using their waste compounds as a basis for new productions , e . g . co2 as carbon base for fine chemicals and alternative fuels .


### research on functional materials , multifunctional materials and structural materials , for innovation in all industrial sectors . ### synthesis and research on functional materials , multifunctional materials and structural materials , for innovation in all industrial sectors .


### research and development to ensure efficient and sustainable scale up to enable industrial manufacturing of future products ### research and development to ensure efficient and sustainable , safe and secure scale up to enable industrial manufacturing of future products


### research and development to ensure efficient and sustainable scale up to enable industrial manufacturing of future products ### research and development to ensure efficient and sustainable scale up to enable industrial manufacturing of smart future products


### materials for a sustainable and low - carbon industry ### materials for a sustainable and low - emission industry


### developing new products and applications , and consumer behaviour that reduce energy demand , and facilitate low - carbon production . ### developing new products and applications , coming from biomass and co2 as carbon source and consumer behaviour that reduce energy demand , and facilitate low - carbon production and also reducing environmental impact .


### promoting technologies such as characterisation , non - destructive evaluation and predictive modelling of performance for progress in materials science and engineering . ### promoting technologies such as characterisation , non - destructive evaluation , continuous assessing and monitoring and predictive modelling of performance for progress in materials science and engineering .


### powered by the expansion of the knowledge of living systems , biotechnology is set to deliver a stream of new applications and to strengthen the union ' s industrial base and its innovation capacity . examples of the rising importance of biotechnology are in industrial applications including bio - chemicals , of which the market share is estimated to increase by up to 12 % - 20 % of chemical production by 2015 . a number of the so - called twelve rules of green chemistry are also addressed by biotechnology , due to the selectivity and efficiency of bio - systems . the possible economic burdens for union enterprises can be reduced by harnessing the potential of biotechnology processes and bio - based products to reduce co2 emissions , estimated to range from between 1 to 2 . 5 billion tons co2 equivalent per year by 2030 . in europe ' s biopharmaceutical sector , already some 20 % of the current medicines are derived from biotechnology , with up to 50 % of new medicines . biotechnology also opens new avenues for exploiting the huge potential of marine resources for producing innovative industrial , health and environmental applications . the emerging sector of marine biotechnology has been predicted to grow by 10 % a year . ### powered by the expansion of the knowledge of living systems , biotechnology is set to deliver a stream of new applications and to strengthen the union ' s industrial base and its innovation capacity . examples of the rising importance of biotechnology are in industrial applications including bio - chemicals of which the market share is estimated to increase by up to 12 % - 20 % of chemical production by 2015 , as well as agricultural applications including crop production , which is the starting point of the food production value - chain and bio - economy as a whole . a number of the so - called twelve rules of green chemistry are also addressed by biotechnology , due to the selectivity and efficiency of bio - systems . the possible economic burdens for union enterprises can be reduced by harnessing the potential of biotechnology processes and bio - based products to reduce co2 emissions , estimated to range from between 1 to 2 . 5 billion tons co2 equivalent per year by 2030 . in europe ' s biopharmaceutical sector , already some 20 % of the current medicines are derived from biotechnology , with up to 50 % of new medicines . biotechnology also opens new avenues for exploiting the huge potential of marine resources for producing innovative industrial , health and environmental applications . the emerging sector of marine biotechnology has been predicted to grow by 10 % a year .


### the specific objective of biotechnology research and innovation is to develop competitive , sustainable and innovative industrial products and processes and contribute as an innovation driver in a number of european sectors like agriculture , food , chemical and health . ### the specific objective of biotechnology research and innovation is to develop competitive , sustainable , safe and secure , and innovative industrial products and processes and contribute as an innovation driver in a number of european sectors like agriculture , food , energy , chemical and health .


### powered by the expansion of the knowledge of living systems , biotechnology is set to deliver a stream of new applications and to strengthen the union ' s industrial base and its innovation capacity . examples of the rising importance of biotechnology are in industrial applications including bio - chemicals , of which the market share is estimated to increase by up to 12 % - 20 % of chemical production by 2015 . a number of the so - called twelve rules of green chemistry are also addressed by biotechnology , due to the selectivity and efficiency of bio - systems . the possible economic burdens for union enterprises can be reduced by harnessing the potential of biotechnology processes and bio - based products to reduce co2 emissions , estimated to range from between 1 to 2 . 5 billion tons co2 equivalent per year by 2030 . in europe ' s biopharmaceutical sector , already some 20 % of the current medicines are derived from biotechnology , with up to 50 % of new medicines . biotechnology also opens new avenues for exploiting the huge potential of marine resources for producing innovative industrial , health and environmental applications . the emerging sector of marine biotechnology has been predicted to grow by 10 % a year . ### powered by the expansion of the knowledge of living systems , biotechnology is set to deliver a stream of new applications and to strengthen the union ' s industrial base and its innovation capacity . examples of the rising importance of biotechnology are in industrial and agricultural applications including food and feed production , bio - chemicals , of which the market share is estimated to increase by up to 12 % - 20 % of chemical production by 2015 . a number of the so - called twelve rules of green chemistry are also addressed by biotechnology , due to the selectivity and efficiency of bio - systems . the possible economic burdens for union enterprises can be reduced by harnessing the potential of biotechnology processes and bio - based products to reduce co2 emissions , estimated to range from between 1 to 2 . 5 billion tons co2 equivalent per year by 2030 . in europe ' s biopharmaceutical sector , already some 20 % of the current medicines are derived from biotechnology , with up to 50 % of new medicines . biotechnology also opens new avenues for exploiting the huge potential of marine resources for producing innovative industrial , health and environmental applications . the emerging sector of


### development of emerging technology areas such as synthetic biology , bioinformatics and systems biology , which hold great promise for completely novel applications . ### development of emerging technology areas such as synthetic biology , bioinformatics and systems biology , biopharmaceuticals , which hold great promise for completely novel applications e . g . biologically active natural peptides with proven mode of pharmacological action .


### developing industrial biotechnology for competitive industrial products and processes and its environmental dimension . ### developing industrial biotechnology and industrial scale bio - process design for competitive industrial products and processes and its environmental dimension .


### development of platform technologies to enhance leadership and competitive advantage in a wide number of economic sectors . ### development of platform technologies , molecular tools sensing , biomarker discovery and analysis and drug discovery and analysis ) to enhance leadership and competitive advantage in a wide number of economic sectors .


### europe needs to continue to invest at an union level to maintain european leadership and competence in manufacturing technologies and make the transition to high - value , knowledge - intensive goods , creating the conditions and assets for sustainable , production and provision of lifetime service around a manufactured product . resource intensive manufacturing and process industries need to further mobilise resources and knowledge at union level and continue to invest in research , development and innovation to enable further progress towards a competitive low carbon economy and to comply with the agreed union wide reductions in greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 for industrial sectors . ### europe needs to continue to invest at an union level to maintain european leadership and competence in manufacturing technologies and make the transition to high - value , resource and energy efficient , knowledge - intensive goods , creating the conditions and assets for sustainable , production and provision of lifetime service around a manufactured product . resource intensive manufacturing and process industries need to further mobilise resources and knowledge at union level and continue to invest in research , development and innovation to enable further progress towards a competitive low carbon and resource efficient economy and to comply with the agreed union wide reductions in greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 for industrial sectors .


### the specific objective of advanced manufacturing and processing research and innovation is to transform today ' s industrial forms of production towards more knowledge intensive , sustainable , trans - sectoral manufacturing and processing technologies , resulting in more innovative products , processes and services . ### the specific objective of advanced manufacturing and processing research and innovation is to transform today ' s industrial forms of production towards more knowledge intensive , sustainable , trans - sectoral manufacturing and processing technologies , resulting in more innovative , safe and secure products , processes and services .


### the manufacturing sector is of high importance to the european economy , contributing to around 17 % of gdp and accounting for some 22 million jobs in the union in 2007 . with the lowering of economic barriers to trade and the enabling effect of communications technology , manufacturing is subject to strong competition and has been gravitating to countries of lowest overall cost . due to high wages , the european approach to manufacturing therefore has to change radically to remain globally competitive and horizon 2020 can help bring together all the relevant stakeholders to achieve this . ### the manufacturing sector is of high importance to the european economy , contributing to around 17 % of gdp and accounting for some 22 million jobs in the union in 2007 being most of the enterprises small and medium . with the lowering of economic barriers to trade and the enabling effect of communications technology , manufacturing is subject to strong competition and has been gravitating to countries of lowest overall cost . due to high wages , the european approach to manufacturing therefore has to change radically to remain globally competitive and horizon 2020 can help bring together all the relevant stakeholders to achieve this .


### reducing energy consumption and co2 emissions by the development and deployment of sustainable construction technologies . ### improving energy efficiency and reducing co2 emissions by the development and deployment of sustainable construction technologies .


### strengthening the european space sector by boosting space research and innovation is vital to maintain and safeguard europe ' s capability of access to and operations in space in support of union policies , international strategic interests and competitiveness amongst established and emerging space faring nations . ### strengthening the european space sector by boosting research and innovation in the fields of earth observation , navigation , telecommunications , science and exploration is vital to maintain and safeguard europe ' s capability of access to and operations in space in support of union policies , international strategic interests and competitiveness amongst established and emerging space - faring nations .


### strengthening the european space sector by boosting space research and innovation is vital to maintain and safeguard europe ' s capability of access to and operations in space in support of union policies , international strategic interests and competitiveness amongst established and emerging space faring nations . ### strengthening the european space sector , public and private , by boosting space research and innovation is vital to maintain and safeguard europe ' s capability of access to and operations in space in support of union policies , international strategic interests and competitiveness amongst established and emerging space faring nations and companies .


### research , technology development and innovation underpin capacities in space which are vital to european society . while the united states of america spends around 25 % of their space budget on r&d , the union spends less than 10 % . moreover , space research in the union is fragmented in the national programmes of a few member states . to maintain the technological and competitive edge union level action is needed to coordinate space research , to promote the participation of researchers from all member states , and to lower the barriers for collaborative space research projects across national borders . this needs to be done in coordination with the european space agency , which has successfully managed industrial satellite development and deep space missions on an intergovernmental basis with a subset of the member states since 1975 . in addition , the information provided by european satellites will offer an increasing potential for further development of innovative satellite - based downstream services . this is a typical activity sector for smes and should be supported by research and innovation measures in order to reap the full benefits of this opportunity , and especially of the considerable investments made on the two union flagships galileo and gmes . ### research , technology development and innovation underpin capacities in space which are vital to european society . while the united states of america spends around 25 % of their space budget on r&d , the union spends less than 10 % . moreover , space research in the union is fragmented in the national programmes of a few member states . to maintain the technological and competitive edge union level action is needed to coordinate space research , to promote the participation of researchers from all member states , and to lower the barriers for collaborative space research projects across national borders . this needs to be done in coordination with the european space agency , which has successfully managed industrial satellite development and deep space missions on an intergovernmental basis with a subset of the member states since 1975 . in addition , the information provided by european satellites will offer an increasing potential for further development of innovative satellite - based downstream services . this is a typical activity sector for smes and should be supported by research and innovation measures in order to reap the full benefits of this opportunity , and especially of the considerable investments made on the two union flagships galileo and gmes , but also in the electronic communications sector which shall contribute to achieving the targets of the union ' s digital agenda by , for example , closing the digital divide , thus enabling the emergence of e - businesses across the european territory and consequently contributing to the development of the digital single market .


### targeted , focusing on policies and key sectors crucial for tackling societal challenges , enhancing competitiveness , supporting sustainable , low - carbon , inclusive growth , and providing environmental and other public goods . this component shall help the union address research and innovation aspects of sectoral policy objectives . ### targeted , focusing on policies and key sectors crucial for tackling societal challenges , enhancing competitiveness , supporting sustainable , low - carbon , inclusive growth , promoting renewable energies and providing environmental and other public goods . this component shall help the union address research and innovation aspects of sectoral policy objectives .


### the debt and equity facilities , supported by a set of accompanying measures , will support the achievement of horizon 2020 ‘ s policy objectives . to this end , they will be dedicated to consolidating and raising the quality of europe ' s science base ; promoting research and innovation with a business - driven agenda ; and addressing societal challenges , with a focus on activities such as piloting , demonstration , test - beds and market uptake . ### the debt and equity facilities , supported by a set of accompanying measures managed by the european investment bank and the european investment fund , will support the achievement of horizon 2020 ‘ s policy objectives . to this end , they will be dedicated to consolidating and raising the quality of europe ' s science base ; promoting research and innovation with a business - driven agenda ; and addressing societal challenges , with a focus on activities such as piloting , demonstration , test - beds and market uptake . in the interest of ensuring critical mass and a whole - innovation - chain approach , they will preferentially target activities resulting from other actions funded under horizon 2020 , including the new dedicated sme instrument .


### in addition , they will help tackle the r&i objectives of other programmes and policy areas , such as the common agricultural policy , climate action , and the common fisheries policy . complementarities with national and regional financial instruments will be developed in the context of the common strategic framework for cohesion policy , where an increased role for financial instruments is foreseen . ### in addition , they will help tackle the r&i objectives of other programmes and policy areas , such as the common agricultural policy , climate action , the common fisheries policy , the cohesion policy and the programme for sme competitiveness . complementarities with national and regional financial instruments will be developed in the context of the common strategic framework for cohesion policy , where an increased role for financial instruments is foreseen .


### demand - driven , providing loans and guarantees on a first - come , first - served basis , with specific support for beneficiaries such as smes and mid - caps . this component shall respond to the steady and continuing growth seen in the volume of rsff lending , which is demand - led . under the sme window , activities shall be supported that aim to improve access to finance for smes and other entities that are r&amp ; d - and / or innovation - driven . ### demand - driven , providing loans and guarantees on a first - come , first - served basis , with specific support for beneficiaries such as smes and mid - caps . this component shall respond to the steady and continuing growth seen in the volume of rsff lending , which is demand - led . under the sme window , activities shall be supported that aim to improve access to finance for smes and other entities that are r&amp ; d - and / or innovation - driven , such as ip - backed finance or the use of intangible assets as collateral .


### targeted , focusing on policies and key sectors crucial for tackling societal challenges , enhancing competitiveness , supporting sustainable , low - carbon , inclusive growth , and providing environmental and other public goods . this component shall help the union address research and innovation aspects of sectoral policy objectives . ### targeted , focusing on policies and key sectors crucial for tackling societal challenges , enhancing competitiveness , supporting sustainable , low - emission , inclusive growth , and providing environmental and other public goods . this component shall help the union address research and innovation aspects of sectoral policy objectives .


### the start - up window , supporting the seed and early stages , shall enable equity investments in , amongst others , knowledge - transfer organisations , seed capital funds , cross - border seed funds , business angel co - investment vehicles , intellectual property assets , platforms for the exchange and trading of intellectual property rights , and early - stage venture capital funds . ### the start - up window , supporting the seed and early stages , shall enable equity investments in , amongst others , knowledge - transfer organisations , seed capital funds , cross - border seed and early - stage funds , business angel co - investment vehicles , intellectual property assets , platforms for the exchange and trading of intellectual property rights , early - stage venture capital funds and funds of start - up funds for cross - border activities , possibly combined with the equity facility for growth of the competitiveness and sme programme .


### support for research intensive smes ### support for research intensive smes in all fields , including agriculture .


### enhancing the innovation capacity of smes ### enhancing the innovation capacity of smes in all fields , including agriculture .


### however , smes have – despite their important economic and employment share and significant innovation potential – size - related problems to become more innovative and more competitive . although europe produces a similar number of start - up companies than the united states of america , european smes are finding it much harder to grow into large companies than their us counterparts . the internationalised business environment with increasingly interlinked value chains puts further pressure on them . smes need to enhance their innovation capacity . they need to generate , take up and commercialise new knowledge and business ideas faster and to a greater extent to compete successfully on fast evolving global markets . the challenge is to stimulate more innovation in smes , thereby enhancing their competitiveness and growth . ### however , smes have – despite their important economic and employment share and significant innovation potential – size - related problems to become more innovative and more competitive . although europe produces a similar number of start - up companies than the united states of america , european smes are finding it much harder to grow into large companies than their us counterparts . the internationalised business environment with increasingly interlinked value chains puts further pressure on them . smes need to enhance their innovation capacity and to have ready access to different forms of financial support . they need to generate , take up and commercialise new knowledge and business ideas faster and to a greater extent to compete successfully on fast evolving global markets . the challenge is to stimulate more innovation in smes , thereby enhancing their competitiveness and growth .


### however , smes have – despite their important economic and employment share and significant innovation potential – size - related problems to become more innovative and more competitive . although europe produces a similar number of start - up companies than the united states of america , european smes are finding it much harder to grow into large companies than their us counterparts . the internationalised business environment with increasingly interlinked value chains puts further pressure on them . smes need to enhance their innovation capacity . they need to generate , take up and commercialise new knowledge and business ideas faster and to a greater extent to compete successfully on fast evolving global markets . the challenge is to stimulate more innovation in smes , thereby enhancing their competitiveness and growth . ### however , smes have – despite their important economic and employment share and significant innovation potential – size - related problems to become more innovative and more competitive . although europe produces a similar number of start - up companies than the united states of america , european smes are finding it much harder to grow into large companies than their us counterparts . the internationalised business environment with increasingly interlinked value chains puts further pressure on them . smes need to enhance their research and innovation capacity . they need to generate , take up and commercialise new knowledge and business ideas faster and to a greater extent to compete successfully on fast evolving global markets . the challenge is to stimulate more innovation in smes , thereby enhancing their competitiveness and growth .


### smes are key drivers of innovation thanks to their ability to quickly and efficiently transform new ideas in successful businesses . they serve as important conduits of knowledge spill - over bringing research results to the market . the last twenty years have shown that entire sectors have been renewed and new industries created driven by innovative smes . fast growing enterprises are crucial for the development of emerging industries and for the acceleration of the structural changes that europe needs to become a knowledge based and low carbon economy with sustained growth and high quality jobs . ### smes are key drivers of innovation thanks to their ability to quickly and efficiently transform new ideas in successful businesses . they serve as important conduits of knowledge spill - over bringing research results to the market . the last twenty years have shown that entire sectors have been renewed and new industries created driven by innovative smes . fast growing enterprises are crucial for the development of emerging industries and for the acceleration of the structural changes that europe needs to become a knowledge based and low emission economy with sustained growth and high quality jobs .


### smes can be found in all sectors of the economy . they form a more important part of the european economy than of other regions such as the united states of america . all types of smes can innovate . they need to be encouraged and supported to invest in research and innovation . in doing so they should be able to draw on the full innovative potential of the internal market and the era so as to create new business opportunities in europe and beyond and to contribute to find solutions to key societal challenges . ### smes can be found in all sectors of the economy . they form a more important part of the european economy than of other regions such as the united states of america . all types of smes can innovate . they need to be supported to invest in research and innovation and also to enhance their capacity to manage innovation processes . in doing so they should be able to draw on the full innovative potential of the internal market and the era so as to create new business opportunities in europe and beyond and to contribute to find solutions to key societal challenges .


### smes shall be supported across horizon 2020 . for this purpose a dedicated sme instrument shall provide staged and seamless support covering the whole innovation cycle . the sme instrument shall be targeted at all types of innovative smes showing a strong ambition to develop , grow and internationalise . it shall be provided for all types of innovation , including service , non - technological and social innovations . the aim is to develop and capitalise on the innovation potential of smes by filling the gap in funding for early stage high risk research and innovation , stimulating innovations and increasing private - sector commercialisation of research results . ### smes shall be supported across horizon 2020 . for this purpose a dedicated sme instrument shall provide staged and seamless support covering the whole innovation cycle . the sme instrument shall be targeted at all types of innovative smes showing a strong ambition to develop and innovate , with a particular focus on start - ups , spin - offs and fast growing smes . the smes will be the main applicant , but will be encouraged to cooperate with research institutes and other companies . it shall be provided for all types of innovation , including service , non - technological and social innovations . the aim is to develop and capitalise on the innovation potential of smes by filling the gap in funding for early stage , radical , high risk research and innovation , stimulating innovations and increasing private - sector commercialisation of research results . the instrument will operate under a single management structure , light administrative regime and a single entry point . a dedicated innovation support structure will be implemented , building on existing structures such as the enterprise europe network and other innovation service providers and mentoring / coaching schemes , to support the smes participating in this instrument to fully exploit the research results .


### smes shall be supported across horizon 2020 . for this purpose a dedicated sme instrument shall provide staged and seamless support covering the whole innovation cycle . the sme instrument shall be targeted at all types of innovative smes showing a strong ambition to develop , grow and internationalise . it shall be provided for all types of innovation , including service , non - technological and social innovations . the aim is to develop and capitalise on the innovation potential of smes by filling the gap in funding for early stage high risk research and innovation , stimulating innovations and increasing private - sector commercialisation of research results . ### smes shall be supported across horizon 2020 . for this purpose a dedicated sme instrument shall provide staged and seamless support covering the whole innovation cycle . the sme instrument shall include visible funding modules for simple and fast access and be targeted at all types of innovative smes showing a strong ambition to develop , grow and internationalise . it shall be provided for all types of innovation , including service , non - technological and social innovations . the aim is to develop and capitalise on the innovation potential of smes by filling the gap in funding for early stage high risk research and innovation , stimulating innovations and increasing private - sector commercialisation of research results . the sme instrument shall be implemented in a bottom - up logic with open calls .


### smes shall be supported across horizon 2020 . for this purpose a dedicated sme instrument shall provide staged and seamless support covering the whole innovation cycle . the sme instrument shall be targeted at all types of innovative smes showing a strong ambition to develop , grow and internationalise . it shall be provided for all types of innovation , including service , non - technological and social innovations . the aim is to develop and capitalise on the innovation potential of smes by filling the gap in funding for early stage high risk research and innovation , stimulating innovations and increasing private - sector commercialisation of research results . ### smes shall be supported across horizon 2020 . for this purpose a dedicated sme instrument shall provide staged and seamless support covering the whole innovation cycle . the sme instrument shall be targeted at all types of innovative smes showing a strong ambition to develop , grow and internationalise . it shall be provided for all types of innovation , including service , non - technological and social innovations , given the projects have a european dimension . the aim is to develop and capitalise on the innovation potential of smes by filling the gap in funding for early stage high risk research and innovation , stimulating innovations and increasing private - sector commercialisation of research results . the instrument will provide a quality label for successful smes in view of their participation in public procurement .


### supporting market - driven innovation to improve the framework conditions for innovation and tackling the specific barriers preventing , in particular , the growth of innovative smes . ### supporting market - driven innovation to improve the framework conditions for innovation and tackling the specific barriers preventing , in particular , the growth of innovative smes . certain regulatory methodologies used to evaluate the ecotoxicity of substances impede the placing on the market of preparations made from complex natural substances . new methodologies need to be developed so that the environmental impact of complex natural substances can be evaluated more effectively .


### lifelong health and wellbeing for all , high - quality and economically sustainable health and care systems , and opportunities for new jobs and growth are the aims of support to research and innovation in response to this challenge and will make a major contribution to europe 2020 . ### lifelong health , mental and physical wellbeing for all , inclusive , high - quality and economically sustainable health and care systems , solutions to deal with the economy of an ageing population and opportunities for new jobs and growth are the aims of support to research and innovation in response to this challenge and will make a major contribution to europe 2020 .


### the cost of union health and social care systems is rising with care and prevention measures in all ages increasingly expensive , the number of europeans aged over 65 expected to nearly double from 85 million in 2008 to 151 million by 2060 , and those over 80 to rise from 22 to 61 million in the same period . reducing or containing these costs such that they do not become unsustainable depends in part on ensuring the lifelong health and wellbeing of all and therefore on the effective prevention , treatment and management of disease and disability . ### the cost of union health and social care systems is rising with care and prevention measures in all ages increasingly expensive , the number of europeans aged over 65 expected to nearly double from 85 million in 2008 to 151 million by 2060 , and those over 80 to rise from 22 to 61 million in the same period . preventing or containing these costs such that they do not become unsustainable depends in part on better informing and increasing the responsibility of citizens regarding health determinants in order to ensure the lifelong health and wellbeing of all and therefore on the effective prevention tools financed at an appropriate level , on the access to appropriate and specialised treatment and the management of disease and disability , while taking due account of the gender dimension .


### chronic conditions such as cardiovascular disease , cancer , diabetes , neurological and mental health disorders , overweight and obesity and various functional limitations are major causes of disability , ill - health and premature death , and present considerable social and economic costs . ### chronic conditions such as cardiovascular disease , pulmonary disease , cancer , diabetes , rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases , allergies , respiratory , neurological and mental health disorders , overweight and obesity , infertility disorders and various functional limitations are major causes of disability , ill - health , morbidity and premature death , and present considerable social and economic costs . chronic non - communicable diseases account for 86% of deaths in the who european region .


### meanwhile , drug and vaccine development processes are becoming more expensive and less effective . persistent health inequalities must be addressed , and access to effective and competent health systems must be ensured for all europeans . ### meanwhile , drug and vaccine development processes are becoming more expensive and less effective , while public health interventions , health promotion , risk factors reduction and prevention strategies proved to be cost - effective in the long term . the validity of the underlying animal tests for humans more and more challenged . their regulatory science needs to be improved . persistent health inequalities must be addressed , and access to effective , viable and competent health systems must be ensured for all europeans .


### the response depends on excellence in research to improve our fundamental understanding of health , disease , disability , development and ageing , and on the seamless and widespread translation of the resulting and existing knowledge into innovative , scalable and effective products , strategies , interventions and services . furthermore , the pertinence of these challenges across europe and in many cases , globally , demands a response characterised by long term and coordinated support for co - operation between excellent , multidisciplinary and multi - sector teams . ### the response depends on excellence in research and on the efficient dissemination of research results to improve our fundamental understanding of health , disease , disability , development and ageing , and on the seamless and widespread translation of the resulting and existing knowledge into innovative , scalable and effective prevention , products , strategies , interventions and services . in particular , a large - scale human biology - based research effort is needed to discover the key events in the biological pathway between early disruptions in genetic and cellular processes and the manifestation of adverse human health outcomes . furthermore , the pertinence of these challenges across europe and in many cases , globally , demands a response characterised by long term and coordinated support for co - operation between excellent , multidisciplinary and multi - sector teams , not only at union but also at global level , by supporting for instance research and development capacity in endemic areas and diseases , in particular malaria , dengue fever and tuberculosis .


### effective health promotion , supported by a robust evidence base , prevents disease , improves wellbeing and is cost effective . health promotion and disease prevention also depend on an understanding of the determinants of health , on effective preventive tools , such as vaccines , on effective health and disease surveillance and preparedness , and on effective screening programmes . ### effective health promotion , supported by a robust evidence base , prevents disease , improves mental and physical wellbeing and is cost effective . health promotion and disease prevention also depend on an understanding of the determinants of , and links between , physical and mental health , on european data based on common indicators , on effective preventive tools , such as vaccines and behavioural interventions addressing risk factors , including obesity , on effective health and disease surveillance and preparedness , and on effective screening programmes and early diagnosis .


### successful efforts to prevent , manage , treat and cure disease , disability and reduced functionality are underpinned by the fundamental understanding of their determinants and causes , processes and impacts , as well as factors underlying good health and wellbeing . effective sharing of data and the linkage of these data with large scale cohort studies is also essential , as is the translation of research findings into the clinic , in particular through the conduct of clinical trials . ### successful efforts to prevent , manage , treat and cure disease , disability and reduced functionality are underpinned by improved molecular knowledge of diseases through biomedical research , the fundamental understanding of their determinants and causes , processes and impacts , as well as of factors underlying good health and wellbeing . building on the results of biomedical research in developing treatment and , in particular stratified and personalised medicine , is a powerful tool for providing disease treatment that is tailored to the patient ' s genetic make - up and to the specific disease type , thus increasing the efficiency of care and patients ' quality of life . effective collection and sharing of data , standardised data processing and the linkage of these data with large scale cohort studies is also essential , as is the timely translation of research findings into the clinic , in particular through the conduct of multicentre clinical trials .


### all of these activities shall be undertaken in such a way as to provide support throughout the research and innovation cycle , strengthening the competitiveness of the european based industries and development of new market opportunities . ### all of these activities shall be undertaken in such a way as to provide support throughout the research and innovation cycle , while avoiding unnecessary research duplication , strengthening the development of new market opportunities and the competitiveness of the european based industries and supporting smes . . emphasis will also be placed on engaging all health stakeholders –including patient and patient organisations– in order to develop a research and innovation agenda that actively involves citizens and reflects their needs and expectations . to this end , a broad basis of research is of utmost importance for a high level of competitivity and future innovation in the european union


### specific activities shall include : understanding the determinants of health , improving health promotion and disease prevention ; understanding disease and improving diagnosis ; developing effective screening programmes and improving the assessment of disease susceptibility ; improving surveillance and preparedness ; developing better preventive vaccines ; using in - silico medicine for improving disease management and prediction ; treating disease ; transferring knowledge to clinical practice and scalable innovation actions ; better use of health data ; active ageing , independent and assisted living ; individual empowerment for self - management of health ; promotion of integrated care ; improving scientific tools and methods to support policy making and regulatory needs ; and optimising the efficiency and effectiveness of healthcare systems and reducing inequalities by evidence based decision making and dissemination of best practice , and innovative technologies and approaches . ### specific activities shall include : understanding the determinants of health , improving health promotion and disease prevention ; understanding the pathways of human disease , of toxicity , of biomarkers and modes of action and improving diagnosis ; developing effective screening programmes and improving the assessment of disease susceptibility ; improving surveillance and preparedness ; developing better preventive tools , including vaccines ; using in - silico medicine for improving disease management and prediction ; improving disease treatment with an emphasis on the development of stratified / personalised medicine and orphan medicinal products ; transferring knowledge stemming from basic research to clinical practice and scalable innovation actions in a more timely and efficient manner , by fostering high - quality translational research ; better use of health data ; promoting active ageing , independent and assisted living ; individual empowerment for self - management of health ; promotion of integrated care ; improving scientific tools and methods to support policy making and regulatory needs ; and optimising the efficiency and effectiveness of healthcare systems , including by the development and wider implementation of e - health solutions , and reducing inequalities by evidence based decision making and dissemination of best practice , and innovative technologies and approaches .


### lifelong health and wellbeing for all , high - quality and economically sustainable health and care systems , and opportunities for new jobs and growth are the aims of support to research and innovation in response to this challenge and will make a major contribution to europe 2020 . ### lifelong health and wellbeing for all , high - quality and economically sustainable , safe and secure health and care systems , and opportunities for new jobs and growth are the aims of support to research and innovation in response to this challenge and will make a major contribution to europe 2020 .


### the cost of union health and social care systems is rising with care and prevention measures in all ages increasingly expensive , the number of europeans aged over 65 expected to nearly double from 85 million in 2008 to 151 million by 2060 , and those over 80 to rise from 22 to 61 million in the same period . reducing or containing these costs such that they do not become unsustainable depends in part on ensuring the lifelong health and wellbeing of all and therefore on the effective prevention , treatment and management of disease and disability . ### the societal and financial cost of union health and social care systems is rising with care and prevention measures in all ages increasingly expensive , the number of europeans aged over 65 expected to nearly double from 85 million in 2008 to 151 million by 2060 , and those over 80 to rise from 22 to 61 million in the same period . costs also result from discrimination on the basis of disability and from the creation of physical and social environments which are inaccessible to persons with disabilities . reducing or containing these costs such that they do not become unsustainable depends in part on ensuring the lifelong health and wellbeing of all and therefore on the effective prevention , treatment and management of disease and disability .


### chronic conditions such as cardiovascular disease , cancer , diabetes , neurological and mental health disorders , overweight and obesity and various functional limitations are major causes of disability , ill - health and premature death , and present considerable social and economic costs . ### chronic conditions such as cardiovascular disease , cancer , diabetes , neurological and mental health disorders , dependence syndromes , overweight and obesity and various functional limitations are major causes of disability , ill - health and premature death , and present considerable social and economic costs .


### in the union , cvd annually accounts for more than 2 million deaths and costs the economy more than eur 192 billion while cancer accounts for a quarter of all deaths and is the number one cause of death in people aged 45 - 64 . over 27 million people in the union suffer from diabetes and the total cost of brain disorders has been estimated at eur 800 billion . environmental , life - style and socio - economic factors are relevant in several of these conditions with up to one third of the global disease burden estimated to be related to these . ### in the union , cvd annually accounts for more than 2 million deaths and costs the economy more than eur 192 billion . cancer accounts for a quarter of all deaths and is the number one cause of death in people aged 45 - 64 , while over 27 million people in the union suffer from diabetes and the total cost of brain disorders has been estimated at eur 800 billion . this figure will continue to rise sharply , largely as a result of the growing incidence of neurodegenerative diseases , such as parkinson’s and alzheimer’s , which is linked to the rising average age of europe’s population . environmental , life - style and socio - economic factors are relevant in several of these conditions with up to one third of the global disease burden estimated to be related to these . in the case of other conditions , in particular neurodegenerative diseases , however , if prevention strategies are to be effective a major boost will need to be given to etiological research and better early diagnosis and treatment options will need to be developed .


### infectious diseases , are a global concern , accounting for 41 % of the 1 . 5 billion disability adjusted life years worldwide , with 8 % of these in europe . emerging epidemics and the threat of increasing anti - microbial resistance must also be prepared for . ### infectious diseases , are a global concern , accounting for 41 % of the 1 . 5 billion disability adjusted life years worldwide , with 8 % of these in europe . emerging epidemics , re - emerging infectious diseases and the threat of increasing anti - microbial resistance must also be prepared for .


### meanwhile , drug and vaccine development processes are becoming more expensive and less effective . persistent health inequalities must be addressed , and access to effective and competent health systems must be ensured for all europeans . ### meanwhile , drug and vaccine development processes are becoming more expensive and less effective as these are often not tested for the effect on the age group which makes most use of them , i . e . the elderly . persistent health inequalities must be addressed , and access to effective and competent health systems and safe treatment options must be ensured for all europeans irrespective of their age or background .


### effective health promotion , supported by a robust evidence base , prevents disease , improves wellbeing and is cost effective . health promotion and disease prevention also depend on an understanding of the determinants of health , on effective preventive tools , such as vaccines , on effective health and disease surveillance and preparedness , and on effective screening programmes . ### effective health promotion , supported by a robust evidence base , prevents disease , improves wellbeing and is cost effective . health promotion and disease prevention also depend on an understanding of the determinants of health , on effective preventive tools , such as vaccines , on effective health and disease surveillance and preparedness , and on effective screening programmes . the spa industry , which is a european speciality , should benefit from appropriate research focussed on prevention as well as on care and welfare .


### effective health promotion , supported by a robust evidence base , prevents disease , improves wellbeing and is cost effective . health promotion and disease prevention also depend on an understanding of the determinants of health , on effective preventive tools , such as vaccines , on effective health and disease surveillance and preparedness , and on effective screening programmes . ### effective health promotion , supported by a robust evidence base , prevents disease , improves wellbeing and is cost effective . health promotion , wellbeing and disease prevention also depend on an understanding of the biological and social determinants of health , on effective preventive tools , on effective health promotion , health and disease surveillance and preparedness , and on effective screening programmes .


### specific activities shall include : understanding the determinants of health , improving health promotion and disease prevention ; understanding disease and improving diagnosis ; developing effective screening programmes and improving the assessment of disease susceptibility ; improving surveillance and preparedness ; developing better preventive vaccines ; using in - silico medicine for improving disease management and prediction ; treating disease ; transferring knowledge to clinical practice and scalable innovation actions ; better use of health data ; active ageing , independent and assisted living ; individual empowerment for self - management of health ; promotion of integrated care ; improving scientific tools and methods to support policy making and regulatory needs ; and optimising the efficiency and effectiveness of healthcare systems and reducing inequalities by evidence based decision making and dissemination of best practice , and innovative technologies and approaches . ### specific activities shall include : understanding the determinants of health , improving health promotion and disease prevention ; understanding disease and improving diagnosis ; developing effective screening programmes and improving the assessment of disease susceptibility ; improving surveillance and preparedness ; developing better preventive and therapeutic vaccines ; developing new biopharmaceuticals , cell - based therapies and new production methods ; using in - silico medicine for improving disease management and prediction ; treating disease ; transferring knowledge to clinical practice and scalable innovation actions ; better use and organisation of health data ; application of efficient e - health systems ; active ageing , independent and assisted living ; patient ' s needs serving innovative orthopaedic tools ; individual empowerment for self - management of health ; promotion of integrated care ; improving scientific tools and methods to support policy making and regulatory needs ; and optimising the efficiency and effectiveness of healthcare systems and reducing inequalities by evidence based decision making and dissemination of best practice , and innovative technologies and approaches .