COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS on European Missions
Date: 2021-09-29
Institutions: Directorate-General for Research and Innovation, European Commission
Subjects: EU action, adaptation to climate change, cancer, carbon neutrality, innovation, ocean, research and development, smart city, soil protection, water protection

EN 

  EN 

   EUROPEAN COMMISSION  Brussels, 29.9.2021  COM(2021) 609 final  COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS on European Missions       
 
 
Commission Communication on European Missions  

1.  Introduction 

The  response  of  Europeans  to  extreme  weather  conditions  in  several  EU  countries  this 

summer  testified  to  the  strength  and  importance  of  European  solidarity  and  cooperation. 

European countries hurried to help each other fight wildfires, rebuild the damage caused by 

floods  and  provide  financial  support  to  those  who  lost  their  home.  These  natural  disasters 

confirm once more the climate urgency and biodiversity crisis we are experiencing in Europe 

and in the world.  

The COVID-19 pandemic, which has brought health and socio-economic challenges, clearly 

demonstrated  that  a  crisis  can  best  be  tackled  through  solidarity,  coordinated  action  and  a 

critical role for independent science. It also was a strong reminder that no crisis stands on its 

own. Even though the pandemic had positive effects on, for example, air quality in cities or 

local engagement of neighbours stretching out a helping hand,  it also impacted other health 

risks  such  as  cancer  by  reducing  activities  of  prevention,  early  detection,  diagnosis  and 

treatment.  

These climate and health crises are a call to action for all societal actors to join forces in new 

and innovative ways. Continuing with the status quo is not an option. Europeans are aware of 

the  urgency  to  act  and  strongly  support  science  to  find  solutions.  This  provides  a  unique 

momentum for a new kind of research and innovation policy. With the same team spirit and 

readiness  to  cooperate  that  was  shown  in  these  difficult  moments,  we  can  be  bold  and 

ambitious to shape the future we want to live in.  

With  this  in  mind,  the  European  Parliament  and  Council  of  the  EU  have  mandated  the 

Commission to introduce a new way of working across policy areas, fields of expertise and 

science, directly engaging with companies, local communities and the innovation community: 

EU  Missions1.  Rooted  in  research  and  innovation2,  they  aim  to  address  societal  challenges 

and  reconnect  citizens  with  the  European  Union  by  inspiring  and  empowering  them  to 

improve their lives and those of others.  

1 Missions have their legal base in Horizon Europe Regulation (article 8, REGULATION (EU) 2021/695 of The  
European Parliament and of the Council of 28 April 2021).  
2 Only budgets for Horizon Europe mission support through its Pillar 2 are shown, not including the expected 
substantial funding from other programmes.    

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This is our chance to  work together towards a healthy, green and digital future. This is our 

mission.   

2.  EU Missions 

EU Missions start from the idea that complex societal challenges require a coordinated effort 

across  Europe  to  deliver  impact.  They  support  the  ambitious  priorities  of  this  Commission 

and  recognise  that  we  need  to  go  beyond  the  existing  instruments.  Missions  will  deliver 

results through a new role for research and innovation under the Horizon Europe programme, 

combined  with  a  coordinated,  all-in  approach,  and  a  new  relationship  with  citizens.  EU 

Missions  set  out  bold,  concrete  and  measurable  targets  in  a  well-defined  timeframe  during 

which  results  can  realistically  be  expected.  Monitoring  and  evaluations  will  be  continuous. 

The  missions  will  constitute  a  coordinated  effort  by  the  Commission  to  pool  the  necessary 

resources  in  terms  of  funding  programmes,  policies  and  regulations,  data  services  and 

sources3, as well as other activities to achieve their objectives. They will fully mobilise and 

engage  with  public  and  private  actors,  such  as  EU  Member  States,  regional  and  local 

authorities,  research  institutes,  entrepreneurs  and  public  and  private  investors,  all  to  create 

real and lasting impact.  

A particularly critical element of EU missions will be to reach out to local communities and 

engage with Europe’s citizens, its people, to ensure that there is societal uptake of these new 

solutions and approaches. 

The  missions  will  directly  support  priorities  such  as  the  European  Green  Deal,  Europe’s 

Beating  Cancer  Plan,  An  Economy  that  works  for  people,  the  New  European  Bauhaus4,  as 

well  as  the  EU’s  renewed  industrial  competitiveness  agenda  and  the  European  Space 

Programme,  while  all    supporting  the  United  Nations  Sustainable  Development  Goals 

(SDGs).  Five  mission  areas  were  identified  and  agreed  by  the  co-legislators5,  then  further 

developed  by  dedicated  Mission  Boards  of  experts  and  on  the  basis  of  broad  consultations 

3 e.g. EU space programme, EMODnet, Climate -ADAPT 
4 Will collaborate with missions on shared challenges to accelerate the process of transformation of places 
where we live and our life styles, for more sustainable, inclusive and enhanced quality of life  
https://europa.eu/new-european-bauhaus/system/files/2021-09/COM%282021%29_573_EN_ACT.pdf 
5 https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?qid=1540387631519&uri=CELEX%3A52018PC0435 

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with  stakeholders  and  citizens6.  Now,  the  Commission  is  launching  the  implementation  of 

five EU Missions:   

Adaptation to Climate Change: support at least 150 European regions and 
communities to become climate resilient by 2030. 

This mission will turn the urgent challenge of adapting to climate change into an opportunity 

to make Europe resilient, fair and prepared to deal with climate disruptions, such as extreme 

weather, wildfires and infectious diseases. The mission will support European regions to be 

prepared for the inevitable changes and extreme events and share experiences and solutions 

to prevent loss of lives and livelihoods. 

Cancer: improving the lives of more than 3 million people by 2030 through 
prevention, cure and for those affected by cancer including their families, to live 
longer and better. 

The mission will support Member States, regions and communities on cancer control, even 

more so in light of the disruptive effect of the COVID-19 pandemic. It will enhance 

understanding of cancer, boost prevention, optimise diagnosis and treatment, improve quality 

of lives of patients and their families and ensure equitable access to care across Europe. The 

mission will put citizens, including patients, at the centre of research and innovation, and 

research and innovation at the centre of policy development.  

Restore our Ocean and Waters by 2030  

Man-made,  climate-driven  changes  are  putting  our  ocean  and  waters  and 

consequently  our  societies  at  a  serious  risk.  The  mission’s  new,  systemic  approach  will 

address the ocean and waters as one and play a key role in achieving climate neutrality  and 

restoring nature. The mission will help achieve the EU objectives of protecting  30% of the 

EUs sea area as well as restoring marine eco-systems and 25.000 km of free flowing rivers, 

prevent  and  eliminate  pollution  by  reducing  plastic  litter  at  sea,  nutrient  losses  and  use  of 

chemical  pesticides  by  50%  and  make  the  blue  economy  climate-neutral  and  circular  with 

net-zero maritime emissions. 

6 https://ec.europa.eu/info/research-and-innovation/funding/funding-opportunities/funding-programmes-
and-open-calls/horizon-europe/missions-horizon-europe/citizen-events-and-specialised-missions-
conferences_en 

3 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                           
100 Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities by 2030  

Producing  more  than  70%  of  global  CO2  emissions,  cities  play  a  pivotal  role  in  achieving 

climate neutrality by 2050. At least 100 cities will be supported to become climate-neutral by 

2030.  They will develop in close cooperation with citizens, Climate City Contracts that will 

detail the strategy for deploying and monitoring innovative and digital solutions for reaching 

climate  neutrality.  They  will  lead  in  climate  innovation  and  demonstrate  carbon-reducing 

solutions that will enable all other cities to follow suit by 2050.  

A Soil Deal for Europe: 100 living labs and lighthouses to lead the transition towards 
healthy soils by 2030 

Life on Earth depend on healthy soils, but they are under threat all over the world. In Europe, 

60%-70%  of  soils  are  considered  to  be  unhealthy,  making  us  more  vulnerable  to  food 

insecurity  and  extreme  weather  events.  The  mission  will  engage  with  people  and  create 

effective partnerships across sectors and territories to protect and restore soils in Europe and 

beyond.  It  will  contribute  to  Green  Deal  targets  relating  to  sustainable  farming,  climate 

resilience, biodiversity and zero-pollution. 

3.  Delivering impact 

A new role for research and innovation 

Missions  have  a  clear  starting  point  in  research  and  innovation:  based  on  each  mission’s 

concrete targets, the research and innovation actions set the direction to achieve results. The 

scope  of  the  missions  goes  far  beyond  that  of  a  single  research  project.  Each  mission’s 

objective  is  the  basis  for  a  portfolio  of  research  and  innovation  actions,  which  will  include 

basic  and  applied  research,  across  sectors  and  domains.  Missions  put  emphasis  on 

demonstrating,  scaling  up  and  replicating  existing  and  new  solutions  including  social 

innovations. This will ensure a tailor-made innovation approach including social innovation, 

in which solutions will be fully adapted to fit local circumstances. Furthermore, incremental 

changes will not be sufficient. These challenges require disruption, new ideas and risk-taking. 

Missions fully embrace out-of-the-box thinking by stimulating experimentation and bottom-

up,  multiple  solutions  to  reach  their  objectives,  also  embracing  education  and  training 

institutions for their key role in developing citizens’ talents, knowledge and skills.  It is this 

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open,  inclusive  and  innovative  collaboration,  bringing  also  a  focus  on  social  impact  and 

transformations  with    the  need  for  social  investment  and  new  curricula,  that  increases  our 

chances to find solutions for the complex societal challenges the missions address, as well as 

boosting  spin-offs,  crowding  in  private  investments  and  boosting  researchers’  skills  and 

careers.  The  missions  will  present  a  unique  opportunity  to  combine  the  public  sector’s 

capacity to support experimentation and accept failure, while bringing in the innovative and 

disruptive capacities of the private sector.  

Mission Examples 

  The  Adaptation  to  Climate  Change  mission  will  deliver  75 

large  scale 

demonstrations  of  systemic  transformations  to  prepare  for  major  climate  induced 

hazards,  such  as  flooding  fitted  to  local  circumstances  and  combining  technical 

measures with nature-based solutions.    

  The  Cancer  mission  and  Europe’s  Beating  Cancer  Plan  will  help  to  create  new 

Comprehensive  Cancer  Infrastructures,  aimed  at  improving  patients’  access  to  high 

quality  cancer  care  and  clinical  trials.  Their  creation  requires  a  highly  targeted  EU 

approach  that  reflects  the  specificities  of  each  health  system  as  well  as  existing 

inequalities.  A  close  collaboration  between  policymakers,  researchers,  healthcare 

professionals and patients is a crucial building block. 

  The  Restore  our  Ocean  and  Waters  mission  will  foster  a  digital  ocean  and  water 

knowledge system, which includes preparation of the Digital Twin of the Ocean to be 

integrated with the Destination Earth initiative of the Digital Europe Programme. The 

mission will pilot and test ground-breaking research and innovation to map, monitor, 

predict, manage and restore the ocean and waters  under adverse climate  change and 

anthropogenic  pressures.  It  will  build  on  and  extend  existing  and  planned  European 

infrastructures and services such as Copernicus7 or and EMODet8.  

  The  Climate-Neutral  and  Smart  Cities  mission  will  support  large  scale  R&I 

activities  for  developing,  testing,  demonstrating  and  scaling-up  innovative  solutions 

for climate neutrality in cities across sectors. This will accelerate the capacity of cities 

to deliver on climate neutrality and help cities become hubs focused on scaling-up of 

innovative solutions. 

7 https://www.copernicus.eu/en 
8 European Marine Observation and Data Network 

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  The  Soil  Deal  for  Europe  mission  will  put  communities  and  stakeholders  at  the 

centre  of  the  innovation  process.  It  will  pioneer  the  large  scale  deployment  of  100 

living labs and lighthouses where people from all walks of life and businesses can co-

create knowledge and solutions in real-life conditions and demonstrate their value. 

An all-in approach 

EU  Missions  acknowledge  that  societal  challenges  need  a  comprehensive,  all-in  approach 

that  cuts  across  the  boundaries  of  policies,  programmes  and  different  levels  of  governance. 

Missions facilitate such an approach by starting with a clear objective and shared agreement 

on when that objective has to be realised. Real impact will follow from the missions’ ability 

to  rally  all  actors  –  different  levels  of  government,  researchers  and  innovators,  education 

institutions,  small  and  large  businesses,  investors  and  civil  society  –  behind  these  concrete 

and achievable objectives.  From the start, it gives the opportunity to identify the necessary 

actors, policies and instruments and ensure a shared responsibility and commitments among 

all  those  involved.  To  steer  the  development  of  the  EU  Missions’  implementation  plans,  a 

dedicated Commission governance model has been set up to ensure coordination and identify 

synergies  in  support  of  the  mission’s  objectives.  Close  engagement  of  Member  States  and 

Associated  Countries  will  be  crucial  in  achieving  the  missions’  objectives  and  align  with 

national  strategies.  Complementarities  with  regional  strategies  and  smart  specialisation 

strategies will be identified, to help bridge the innovation divide between Member States and 

regions, with the support of the Committee of the Regions, and Europe’s SME and innovation 

support networks. 

Mission Examples 

  The Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities mission will apply a demand-led approach 

and a Mission Platform will provide the necessary technical, regulatory and financial 

expertise to cities to move towards climate neutrality. The mission will also support a 

portfolio of research and innovation demonstrators and pilots responding to the needs 

expressed by the cities with the full involvement of all relevant actors nationally and 

locally.    

6 

 
 
 
 
 
  The  Cancer  mission  will  kick-off  a  unique  collaboration  with  Member  States  and 

stakeholders at regional, national and EU level. A novel joint governance model9 with 

structured  dialogue  will  ensure  a  systematic  and  effective  integration  of  research, 

innovation and policy developments on cancer in Europe. 

  The Restore our Ocean and Water mission will bring all relevant actors around the 

table  through  implementation  charters.  The  charters  will  commit  the  partners  in  the 

setting  up  of  basin-scale  lighthouses  to  resolve  common,  transboundary  problems 

such  as  marine  and  freshwater  ecosystems  restoration,  pollution  and  to  support  a 

climate-neutral blue economy across the EU. 

A new relationship with citizens 

Another  important  novel  element  of  the  mission  approach  is  how  they  engage  people 

generally and especially the young, communities and social partners. New opportunities for 

participatory democracy across Europe, including digital technologies designed to be resilient 

against  malicious  actors,  make  it  possible  and  necessary  to  rethink  how  citizens  can  help 

shape, implement and monitor the policies that can make a positive difference in their lives.  

Missions  propose  a  new  way  of  finding  solutions,  designed  to  make  it  easier  and  more 

attractive for people to get involved. They focus on clear and concrete objectives, making the 

added value of action at the European Union level much more tangible, interesting and easy 

to engage with. Social innovation and citizens’ science activities have enormous potential to 

contribute to achieving mission objectives. Discussions and exchanges between the Mission 

Boards  and  citizens  across  Europe  were  organised  throughout  2019  and  202010  to  provide 

input  and  comments  on  their  proposals  and  will  continue  in  the  implementation  and 

monitoring phases of the missions through means designed for each mission and supporting 

dialogue across missions. The Conference on the Future of Europe11 has adapted features to 

support dialogue with citizens in its panels and specific means will be created to support such 

dialogue over missions’ life cycles. 

9 ‘joint subgroup on cancer’ under the Steering Group for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention (SGPP) has 
been created, composed of research and health ministries; a dedicated ‘stakeholder contact group’ under the 
Commission’s Health Policy Platform has been established, with more than 300 organisations registered. 
10 https://ec.europa.eu/info/research-and-innovation/funding/funding-opportunities/funding-programmes-
and-open-calls/horizon-europe/missions-horizon-europe/citizen-events-and-specialised-missions-
conferences_en 
11 https://futureu.europa.eu/?locale=en 

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Mission examples: 

  The  Adaptation  to  Climate  Change  mission  will  support  participating  regions  in 

consulting  and  directly  involving  citizens,  –including  through  panels  or  the  most 

accessible  means  -  authorities  and  businesses  with  the  view  to  prepare  regional 

climate risk plans and transformation activities. 

  In the Climate- Neutral and Smart Cities mission,  the selected cities will involve 

their citizens in drawing up the objectives of “Climate City Contracts” to help reach 

climate  neutrality  by  2030.  The  active  involvement  of  citizens  locally  organised 

approaches  will  continue  during  the  implementation,  building  ownership  and 

legitimacy of the actions that the local authorities launch. 

  The Soil Deal for Europe mission will empower citizens to become ‘soil stewards’.  

Citizens  will  benefit  from  opportunities  to  experience  in  practice  how  soil  health 

affects their lives and will be stimulated to participate in citizen science initiatives, for 

example helping gather data for soil monitoring. 

  Young  people  will  be  invited  to  help  protect  the  planet  through  a  planned  Climate 

initiative under the European Solidarity Corps. 

4.  Conclusion 

EU Missions are designed to do things differently. They represent an innovative way to work 

together,  tackle  challenges  and  improve  the  lives  of  citizens  in  Europe  and  beyond.  The 

concrete targets of the missions and their timeline to achieve results by 2030 provide a clear 

path  to  measure  success  and  help  to  rally  support  from  Europeans  across  countries,  sectors 

and disciplines.  

The  Commission  will  mobilise  the  appropriate  instruments  and  resources  in  pursuit  of  the 

missions’ objectives.  To start  the implementation  of the five missions the Commission  will 

make EUR 1.89 billion available from the Horizon Europe programme for the period 2021-

23.  The  first  main  tranche  will  be  in  place  by  the  end  of  2021.  No  later  than  2023,  the 

Commission will make an assessment of the five missions and future financial needs.  

Missions must enable joint learning and experimentation across Europe to innovate to reach 

their  objectives,  by  mobilising  communities  and  governments.  The  active  involvement  of 

Member States, regions, local authorities, researchers, innovators, the private sector, citizens, 

civil  society  and  investors  is  a  critical  success  factor.  Equally,  the  support  and  input  of  the 

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European  Parliament,  for  example  through  the  work  of  its  Special  Committee  on  Beating 

Cancer,  will  also  be  essential.  Further  still  is  the  international  profile  to  be  developed. 

Discussions  with  all  relevant  actors  will  be  organised  in  the  coming  months  to  define 

cooperation and set expectations for their participation in reaching the missions’ objectives.  

The  ambitious  commitments  across  a  timespan  of  nearly  a  decade  present  a  bold  and 

necessary  departure  from  traditional  policy  making.  The  nature  of  the  challenges  and  the 

potential gains demand us to take decisive action. It is time to be bold. 

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Annex – Mission Factsheets 

Adaptation  to  Climate  Change  to  support  at  least  150  European  regions  and 
communities to become climate resilient by 2030 

Why a European Mission? 

Climate change poses an immediate threat to our health and our economy by increasing the 
frequency and intensity of extreme weather events like:  

  Floods 
  Hurricanes 
  Forest fires  
  Heat waves 
  Droughts  

In the EU, impacts of climate-change already cost at least EUR 12 billion per year.  
Estimates show that these losses will grow rapidly if we do not act now.  

Opportunities 

Supporting our regions to become climate resilient helps them to: 

  Be prepared for inevitable changes and extreme events;   
  Share experiences and solutions with multiple benefits; 
  Prevent significant economic losses.  

Goals 

The mission will: 

  Support regions to better understand, prepare for and manage their climate risks and 

opportunities; 

  Support regions to develop transformation pathways and activities; 
  Support innovative climate resilience solutions and help them find additional 

investments; 

  Accelerate the transformation  of ≥150 regions to a climate resilient future; 
  Deploy ≥75 large-scale demonstrations of systemic transformations to climate 

resilience  

Actions 

  A mission Implementation Platform will be established to support and coordinate the 

implementation of the mission and assist participating regions; 

  The Horizon Europe programme will invest EUR 368.36 million in the period 2021-

23 to support the implementation of the mission; 

  The mission will start with 60 – 100 regions and implement first actions between 

2021 and 2023; 

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  Afterwards, the mission will sustain development of innovative climate resilience 
solutions and their implementation on the ground with another 50 – 100 regions. 

Cancer,  improving  the  lives  of  more  than  3  million  people  by  2030  through 
prevention, cure and for those affected by cancer including their families, to live 
longer and better 

Why a European Mission? 

Cancer is a major and growing societal challenge and puts an immense with increasing 
pressure on health systems limiting numbers who can access diagnosis or treatment on 
time: 

  2.7 million people in the EU are diagnosed each year (number will increase); 
  1.3 million people die from cancer each year (number will increase);  
  Total cost of cancer in Europe in 2018, estimated at €199 billion. 

Addressing these challenges cannot be achieved through existing, often fragmented activities 
at EU, national and regional levels, even more so in light of the disruptive effect of the 
COVID-19 pandemic. 

Opportunities 

These challenges present a unique opportunity for the Cancer mission to: 

improve cancer control across Europe;  

 
  put citizens, including patients at the centre of research and innovation; 
  ensure a systematic integration of research and innovation into policy development, 

supporting the implementation of Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan. 

Goals 

The mission, jointly with Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan, will: 

Implement a strategic R&I agenda for a better understanding of cancer; 

 
  Design effective prevention strategies; 
  Develop new methods for screening and early detection; 
  Enable optimised diagnosis and better treatment;  
 
  Provide tailor-made support to countries, regions and communities; 
  Establish a high level of collaboration within the cancer community. 

Improve the quality of life of patients and their families; 

Actions  

  The Horizon Europe programme will provide EUR 378.2 million in the period 2021-

23 to support the implementation of the mission; 

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  Set up the EU platform UNderstanding CANcer.eu (UNCAN.eu) and the European 
Cancer Patient Digital Centre, and support a network of Comprehensive Cancer 
Infrastructures. 

Restore our Ocean and Waters by 2030  

Why a European Mission? 

Life on Earth depends on the health of the connected system of the ocean, seas and inland 
waters, which covers around 75% of the Earth’s surface. It regulates our climate and 
provides oxygen, drinking water, clean energy and food. Yet man-made changes are putting 
our ocean and waters at a serious risk, leading to: 

  Pollution; 
  Biodiversity loss;  
  Extreme weather events such as floods, droughts and heatwaves.  

We need to act now to reverse the degradation of our ocean and waters.   

Opportunities 

A restored ocean and healthy waters can play a key role in achieving: 

  Climate neutrality 

 The ocean and waters are major carbon sinks and are essential 

for adaptation to climate change 

  Biodiversity 
  Economic prosperity 

 The ocean and waters are home to a rich diversity of species.  

 The ocean is estimated to generate €2.5 trillion per year by 

2030 

Goals 

The mission will: 

  Protect and restore aquatic ecosystems and biodiversity.  

o  ≥30% of EU’s sea area protected 
o  ≥10% of EU’s sea area strictly protected 
o  ≥25,000 km of free-flowing rivers restored 
o  Marine and coastal ecosystems restored12 

  Prevent and eliminate pollution  

o  ≥50% less plastic litter at sea 

12 The Mission will also contribute to the forthcoming nature restoration targets for the marine environment, as announced 
in the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030 

12 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                           
o  ≥30% less micro-plastics released into the environment 
o  ≥50% less nutrient losses 
o  ≥50%  less use and risk of chemical pesticides  
  Make the EU’s blue economy carbon-neutral and circular  

o  Net zero maritime emissions 
o  Zero-carbon and low-impact aquaculture 
o  Circular, low-carbon multi-purpose use of marine and water space.  

Actions 

  The Horizon Europe programme will provide EUR 344.16 million in the period 2021-
23 to support the implementation of the mission, with other funding including from 
the European Maritime Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund, Invest EU and other 
programmes e.g. EU Space Program 

  Launch  ‘lighthouses’ in  major sea and river basins to  pilot,  demonstrate  and deploy 

solutions to achieve the mission objectives; 

  Conclude  lighthouse  implementation  charters  to  ensure  governance  and  political 

commitment;  

  Establish  EU-wide  ‘Blue  Parks’  to  provide  new  restoration  and  conservation 

opportunities, as well as expand networks of marine protected areas; 

  Put in place a digital ocean and water knowledge system which includes preparation 
of the Digital Twin Ocean, an action contributing to the activities of the Destination 
Earth  Initiative,  and  improved  environmental  monitoring  of  the  ocean  health, 
supporting effective water management; 

  Connect,  mobilize  and  empower  European  citizens  and  local  communities  to  take 

action for the restoration of the ocean and waters in a more inclusive way. 

100 Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities by 2030  

Why a European Mission? 

Cities play a pivotal role in achieving climate neutrality by 2050. They: 

  Take up only 4% of the EU’s land area; 
  Are home to 75% of EU citizens;  
  Account for > 65% of global energy consumption; 
  Produce >70% of global CO2 emissions. 

While a number of cities have made commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, only 
a handful of cities have adopted a target of climate neutrality by 2030. 

Opportunities 

Climate Neutral and Smart Cities will: 

13 

 
 
 
 
 
  Substantially contribute to the EU’s 55% emission reduction targets;  
  Offer cleaner air, safer transport and less congestion to citizens; 
  Lead in climate and digital innovation, making Europe attractive for investments from 

innovative companies and qualified workers;  

  Be places where “policy meets people”, where the European Green Deal comes alive 

in the daily lives of Europeans; 
Inspire remaining cities in Europe and beyond to become climate neutral 

 

Goals 

The mission will involve local authorities, citizens, businesses, investors as well as regional 
and national authorities in: 

1.  Delivering 100 climate neutral and smart cities by 2030; 
2.  Ensuring that these cities act as experimentation and innovation hubs to enable all 

European cities to follow suit by 2050.  

Actions 

  The Horizon Europe program will invest EUR 359.29 million in the period 2021-23 

to support the implementation of the mission; 

  A  Mission  Platform  will  provide  technical,  regulatory,  and  financial  assistance  to 

cities (2021); 

  Cities  will  prepare,  sign  and  implement  Climate  City  Contracts,  co-created  with 
citizens and local stakeholders and signed by their Mayor or political representative. 

o  2021: Call for Expression of Interest  
o  2022: Selection of cities and preparation of first Climate City Contracts; 

  A portfolio of R&I projects will be launched (2023); 
  A  Global  Knowledge  Exchange  Centre  will  facilitate  knowledge  exchange  between 

cities inside and outside Europe (2023); 

  A  mission  label  will  give  visibility  and  create  funding  and  financing  opportunities, 

e.g. in cooperation with the European Investment Bank Group; 

  A  network  with  national,  local  and  regional  authorities  will  help  increase 
preparedness for the transition towards climate neutrality of cities in their respective 
countries. 

A Soil Deal  for Europe  – 100 living labs  and lighthouses to lead  the transition 
towards healthy soils by 2030 

Why a European Mission? 

Life on Earth depend on healthy soils, but they are under threat in Europe and around 

the world: 

  Soils are the basis of 95% of our food and other essential ecosystem services such as 
clean water, biodiversity and climate regulation. However, 60-70% of soils in the EU 

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are considered to be “unhealthy”, making us more vulnerable to food insecurity and 
extreme weather events;  

  about  70%  of  agricultural  land  in  the  EU  shows  excess  levels  of  nutrients  with 

adverse effects on water quality and biodiversity; 

  about  25% of land in Southern, Central   and Eastern Europe is  at  high or very high 

 

risk of desertification; 
the costs associated with soil degradation in the EU are estimated to exceed 50 billion 
€ per year. 

It is time to act so that future generations inherit clean, productive and resilient soils. 

Opportunities 

These challenges present a unique opportunity for the Soil Deal for Europe mission to: 

  Engage  with  people  and  create  effective  partnerships  for  soil  protection  and  soil 

restoration across sectors and territories; 

  Contribute    to  sustainable  farming  and  forestry,  healthy  and  safe  food  systems, 
climate  resilience,  biodiversity,    zero-pollution,  vibrant  rural  areas  and  other  Green 
Deal ambitions;  

  Support  the  EU’s  ambition  to  lead  on  global  commitments,  notably  the  Sustainable 

Development Goals (SDGs). 

Goals 

To lead the transition towards healthy soils by 2030, the mission will: 

  Fund an ambitious R&I programme with a strong social science component;  
  Put  in  place  an  effective  network  of  100  living  laboratories  and  lighthouses  to  co-
create  knowledge, test solutions and demonstrate their value in real-life conditions; 

  Develop a harmonized framework for soil monitoring and reporting in Europe;  
  Raise people’s awareness on the vital importance of soils. 

Actions 

  The  Horizon  Europe  programme  will  invest  EUR  320  million  in  the  period  2021-

2023 to support the implementation of the mission; 

  Launch of the first wave of living labs in regions all over Europe (2023-2024); 
  Establish  a  coordination  platform  to  oversee  the  network  of  100  living  labs  and 

lighthouses; 

  Support  targeted  networks  for  engagement  with  regions  and  regional  stakeholders, 

businesses and citizens (2023 – 2027); 

  Launch  a  campaign  on  soil  health  by  the  European  Innovation  Partnership  on 

Agriculture (EIP-AGRI) with a focus on the farming and forestry sectors. 
  Set-up an international research consortium on soil carbon sequestration. 

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