For a timely start of Horizon 2020, the European Commission has already prepared drafts of the first season of programme calls in the first quarter of 2013. In an information event on 15 November 2013 at Munich Airport, the forest -based Sector Technology Platform (FTP) informed visitors about the framework programme known to date with thematic relevance to the forest-wood-paper sector.
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European research area
Timber Construction Europe in the European research area
The area in which research and innovation comes to fruition in Europe has now expanded significantly. With the "Europe 2020" strategy and the "Innovation Union" flagship initiative, the European Union is pursuing the objective to develop a "European Research Area" to increase the competitiveness of the European Economic Area. This is characterised by cooperation, in which national research programmes, transnational research initiatives and the European Research Framework Programme "Horizon 2020" develop a coordinated overall effect.
Strategic priorities
The research activities of the European Research Area pursue smart, sustainable and inclusive growth as strategic priorities. With it, the achievement of five core objectives is linked; in particular, the implementation of the "20-20-20 targets" by 2020:
- Reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by at least 20%
- Increase of energy efficiency by 20%
- 20% of total energy consumption derived from renewable energy
Implementation of the seven flagship initiatives
The implementation of the objectives takes place in the context of the seven flagship initiatives, of which the initiatives
- Resource Efficient Europe ,
- Industrial policy for the globalisation era ,
- Agenda for new skills and new employment opportunities and
- Innovation union
in particular are especially related to the service areas of the European timber construction.
Timber Construction Europe is convinced that funding opportunities for Research and Innovation in the European research area can make an important contribution to significantly increasing competence, performance and competitiveness of European timber construction companies.
Within the framework of its possibilities, Timber Construction Europe offers its members, its affiliated companies and other interested partners and scientific institutions assistance for common research and development work in the field of timber construction.
European program
"HORIZON 2020" at the start"
"Horizon 2020", the 8th European research framework programme, will greatly influence research and innovation at the European level from 2014 to 2020. In 2013, decisions were made to supply the programme with a budget of over 78 billion euros.
First programme calls in 2013
First working programme started
The European Commission published the first programme calls to the 2014/2015 working programme on 11 December 2013. The often two-stage applied research calls require an early entry into the application preparation and consortia with European research partners from parties interested in research due to a tight time frame. The European Association of Timber Construction already provides optimum starting conditions for rapid and targeted topic tracking. Because of their transnational organisational form, they can meet, with few exceptions, the prevailing demand for the integration of three different partners from at least three European countries from the outset.
Large funding opportunities for timber and timber construction
In the first stage of the 2014/2015 "Horizon 2020" programme, significant funding opportunities will be opened in the next two years for the construction-related sector. They touch upon the major challenges in meeting energy and resource efficiency as well as the development of artisanal and industrial building competences of exporting companies.
Additional information
You can find essential information about Horizon 2020 at http://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/portal/
There is also the option to obtain information on the range of European programmes through national advisory and contact points.
For further direct information on the pursuit of research and innovation perspectives in the context of Horizon 2020, the headquarters of Timber Construction Europe are happy to help any interested parties.
Helpdesk
Proposers face major challenges in the pursuit of research concerns in individual cases:
- Self-commitment
Human, financial and temporal capacities - Lack of transparency of funding opportunities
Programmes/individual topics - Search for cooperation partners
Financing partners/project partners /scientific institutions - Application procedure
Compliance with formal requirements/directives/ tight time lines - Formulating proposals
Language barrier/acquisition of content/ fulfilment of the content requirements - Research accompaniment
Project coordination, project management, project administration
The General Secretariat of Timber Construction Europe stands by its members in the pursuit of research concerns by
- Supporting strategic research policy
- Contributing to European/transnational research programmes
- Networking European research interests
- Providing information on funding opportunities
- Initiating research projects
- Developing and expanding research networks
- Positioning research (research vision)
Contact:
Manfred Filippi
European R&D Manager
Forest-based Sector Technology Platform/German National Support Group
c/o Holzbau Deutschland-Institut
Kronenstraße 55 - 58
10117 Berlin
Phone +49 (0) 30 20314-520
Phone +49 (0) 2244 9278920 (Home-Office)
Mobile +49 (0) 162 100 4203
manfred.filippi(at)forestplatform.de