The Euroclusters will contribute to the implementation of the European Commission’s New Industrial Strategy for Europe, as well as its updated Strategy that was published in May 2021 and the SME Strategy for a sustainable and digital Europe adopted in March 2020, by building resilience and accelerating transition to green and digital economy. Euroclusters will also support the implementation of the Green Deal Industrial Plan for the Net-Zero Age and its initiatives (Critical Raw Materials and Net-Zero Industry Acts), and the European Economic Security Strategy to ensure the security of the EU value chains.
The main objective of this call for proposals is to support innovation and adoption of new processes and advanced technologies for strategic autonomy, to build capacity in the most critical areas of the relevant ecosystem(s) and to reinforce transformation into a greener, more digital, and resilient economy.
This call is expected to contribute to the following other supporting objectives:
- to establish networks and strategic partnerships to improve the resilience of the EU industrial ecosystems by developing and strengthening value chains in the EU Single Market;
- to provide training to foster upskilling and reskilling of the workforce and attracting talents;
- to go international to boost access to global supply and value chains.
The call is divided into two strands:
- Strand 1 focuses on net-zero technologies and critical raw materials: this strand covers value chains within or across industrial ecosystems aiming at ensuring access to a secure and sustainable supply of net-zero technologies, including by scaling up the manufacturing capacity of net-zero technologies and safeguarding supply chain resilience or/and at starting or expanding the extraction, processing or recycling of strategic raw materials, or the production and scale-up of materials that can substitute strategic raw materials in strategic technologies;
- Strand 2 covers value chains not covered in Strand 1
Please note: This call will involve sub-granting, therefore once the successful applicants are selected, there will be smaller calls related to the subject of the call. At least 75% of the available budget will be directed to SMEs in the form of financial support to third parties (FSTP), to directly finance services to support their resilience, green and digital transformation related to the main objective of this call for proposals (“Innovation and adoption of new processes and advanced technologies”).
Available budget: EUR 42 000 000
Number of projects to be funded: 16 (with at least 8 projects for Strand 1).
Maximum project duration: 36 months
Opening date: 15 October 2024
Deadline for applications: 5 February 2025 17.00 (Brussels time)
Info session: On 14 November 2024, EISMEA hosted an online informative session on the call "Joint Cluster Initiatives (EUROCLUSTERS) for Europe’s recovery (SMP-COSME-2024-CLUSTER)". (recording available).