Today, 18 March, marks the start of the Research & Innovation (R&I) Week, the Commission’s flagship event shaping the future of European research and innovation. The first day features the opening ceremony at 14:00 CET, a journey through the 40-year-old history of the EU R&I framework programme and discussions about its future, and culminates with the announcement of the Women Innovators Prize Ceremony at 17:00 CET.
Iliana Ivanova, Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth said:
“This year, we stand at an important crossroads of our common journey. We mark the 40th anniversary of the EU research and innovation framework programmes and at the same time, we start reflecting on the shape of the next one. So, the R&I Week is a perfect opportunity to celebrate our past, take stock of the present and discuss our future.”
On 19 March, the focus shifts to the European Innovation Council (EIC) Summit which includes high-level conversations, policy debates, and strategic workshops for researchers and entrepreneurs on topics such as intellectual property rights, investments, and scaling up. Concurrently, the Innovation Procurement Conference, organised by the Belgian Presidency of the Council of the European Union, will commence as of 16:00 CET and will run until 20 March. The Presidency will showcase the outcomes and learnings after almost 7 years of the Programme for Innovation Procurement (PIP), which launched more than 100 innovative projects and demonstrates the Flemish government’s strong commitment to innovation procurement.
As of 14:00 CET, on 20 March, the R&I Days will provide a forum for discussing ways to make Europe greener, more equitable, and competitive, drawing on the experience of the previous Research and Innovation Framework Programmes. Attendees will go through EU-funded research and innovation initiatives, see their societal impact, and participate in discussions about the importance of continued investment in research and innovation.
Key Announcements and Reports
Throughout the R&I Week, the European Commission will continue to issue strategic announcements, providing updates on major policy initiatives and calls, such as:
- The EIC Impact Report 2023
- The new EIC Ambassadors
- The winners of the Women Innovators Prize
- The results of the Regional Innovation Valleys call
- The New European Innovation Agenda report
- The living guidelines on the responsible use of generative AI in research
- EIC Scaling Club
- EU Mission for Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities labels
- Horizon Strategic Plan 2025-2027
- The launch of the official EU-CH negotiations and the launch of the transitional arrangements (TA) for the 2024 ERC calls
- European Innovation Procurement Awards winners announcement
- Two publications on the EU added value of investing in research and innovation for a competitive, green, and fair Europe entitled “Why investing in research and innovation matters for a competitive, green, and fair Europe? and “The added value of European investments in Research and Innovation”.
Background
The Research and Innovation Week (R&I Week) will take place between 18 and 21 March 2024 in Tour & Taxis, Brussels, Belgium. Amongst the participants, the Commission will count policymakers, researchers, innovators, and other stakeholders. The Research and Innovation Week is organised in collaboration with the Belgian Presidency of the Council of the European Union.
More information
Research and Innovation Week
European R&I Days 2024
EIC Summit 2024
Belgian Presidency Conference on Innovation Procurement
Publication: Why investing in research and innovation matters for a competitive, green, and fair Europe?
Publication: The added value of European investments in Research and Innovation
Press contact:
EC Spokesperson for Research, Science and Innovation
