European research and innovation on advanced materials: a launchpad for the twin transition, EU resilience and open strategic autonomy
1. Define common objectives and priorities for research and innovation investments for advanced materials
The Technology Council confirmed the four priority areas (mobility, electronics, energy and construction) as announced in the Advanced Materials Communication. Two sub-groups of the Technology Council have been set up to define common objectives and priorities:
- Future Priorities for the health sector – medical devices, with a major stakeholder consultation workshop having taken place in Braga (PT) on 10-11/04/2025.
- Uptake and deployment of advanced materials.
At its second meeting, in light of the first subgroup's contributions, the Technology Council endorsed the supplementary topic of medical devices. The other subgroup concentrated on the adoption and implementation of advanced materials. Key recommendations from this subgroup include subjects such as the application of AI, infrastructure for scaling up advanced materials, and strategies to incentivise investment. A detailed report with the recommendations of this subgroup can be accessed through the Technology Council's dedicated website
2. Update regularly the priority areas to take into account socio-economic, scientific or technological developments, or following the further identification of common needs for joint action
Please consult the meeting outcomes of the Technology Council for Advanced Materials on the dedicated website
3. Address research and innovation needs for the substitution of critical raw materials
The JRC is leading an in-depth study, in collaboration with the Strategic Energy Technology (SET) Plan Implementation Working Groups focused on materials. The study focuses on three key sectors: mobility, construction, and electronics, and its main objectives are to:
- Analyse the usage of CRM in these sectors, including their supply and value chains
- Identify advanced materials that could reduce or eliminate dependencies on CRM.
Two stakeholder technical workshops have taken place. For further information please consult the RMIS website
4. Develop the ‘materials commons’ by mid-2025, a European digital infrastructure for advanced materials aimed at accelerating the research and innovation processes
Advanced Materials R&I will be supported by a pioneer digital infrastructure for advanced materials. This infrastructure will integrate data and computational tools to support R&D and demonstrate several use cases. The ultimate goal is to accelerate research and innovation in advanced materials by pooling EU level expertise, knowledge and resources, from existing and new national digital infrastructures for advanced materials design and development.
A project will be launched on 1 June 2026 to build this pioneer federated digital infrastructure, with a budget of €28 M. More info about the project can be found here.
5. Provide access to existing technology infrastructures and evaluate the possibility of funding new technology infrastructures for identified needs
A study, started in June 2025 and concluded in March 2026, aimed to map advanced materials research and technology infrastructures service providers at national/regional levels, analysing their services, gaps, overlaps, and access conditions and providing recommendations for a single entry catalogue. The study has also examined collaborations and synergies with EU initiatives, notably all Open Innovation Test Beds, relevant European Digital Innovation Hubs, Testing and Experimentation Facilities as well as a possible connection between technology infrastructures and regulatory sandboxes. A validation workshop has taken place on 14 January 2026. The study results will soon be published.
6. Mobilise industrial funding though a Horizon Europe co-programmed partnership with industry
The European Partnership ‘Innovative Advanced Materials for the EU (IAM4EU)’ aims to secure and strengthen European technology sovereignty, industrial leadership and competitiveness in innovative advanced materials in strategic markets for the twin green and digital transitions with a total €500 M of public and private investment until 2030. In line with the Commission Communication on Advanced Materials for Industrial Leadership, it focuses on delivering new safe and sustainable materials and associated technologies fit for the circular economy and responding to industrial needs. The partnership will accelerate design, development and industrial uptake. It follows an open and systemic approach addressing the whole innovation cycle and all types of advanced materials to enable a dynamic innovation ecosystem in Europe.
The IAM4EU Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda (SRIA) is available on the website of the private side association 'The Innovative Advanced Materials Initiative - IAM-I'.
7. Work closely within the Joint European Forum on "Important Projects of Common European Interest”
Within the Joint European Forum on Important Projects of Common European Interest (IPCEIs),
works are ongoing for a candidate IPCEI on Circular Advanced Materials. First national calls for expression of interest have been launched in March 2026. The focus is on circularity in the areas of energy, mobility and electronics.
For more information, please visit the Joint European Forum on IPCEI website.
8. Boost the development and scale up of advanced materials with support from EIC
The European Innovation Council (EIC) Work Programme 2025 featured a dedicated challenge on ‘Acceleration of advanced materials development and upscaling along the value chain’ within the Accelerator scheme, with a budget of €50 M. The Challenge for the EIC WP 2026 addresses advanced materials for cleantech – i.e. advanced materials for renewable energy sources and mid-long-term storage highly relevant for Europe’s energy strategic autonomy – with a proposed budget of €50 M.
More details on this and other funding opportunities can be found on the EIC website.
9. Reinforce, leverage and steer public and private investments in technology development and deployment for advanced materials through EU instruments
Work in progress.
10. Mobilise public procurers to drive innovation markets for advanced materials
A Coordination and Support Action (CSA) project under Horizon Europe Work Programme 2025, “Innovative Advanced Materials Innovation Procurement” with a budget of €2 million is planned to start by mid-2026. The objective is to create a Europe-wide consortium of public procurers that define together unmet procurement needs for innovative solutions based on advanced materials to enable the twin transition and EU’s resilience and economic security. The activities should include market consultation with industry, analysis of market and potential barriers and consultations with relevant stakeholders for future market uptake and effective use of innovation procurement.
11. Launch an Advanced Materials Academy
The European Advanced Materials Academy, led by EIT Raw Materials, started its activities in July 2025 and will operate for a period of four years. The primary objective is to develop a skilled European workforce and prepare the next generation of material scientists to drive innovation in advanced materials. This will be achieved through a range of educational, training, and upskilling initiatives, with a focus on providing certifications and micro-credentials for completed courses.
The Academy aims to achieve the following key targets:
- upskill and reskill approximately 200 000 direct learners (both students and workers) across the EU;
- develop at least 30 learning courses for workers and 30 learning courses for students, which will be fully operational and scalable;
- certify at least 200 education and training providers to train workers and students, ensuring a geographically diverse reach;
- train at least 300 trainers trained to roll-out the program to the targeted learners.
First trainings are available on-line and a proper launch of the Academy offer will be presented at the 2026 EIT Raw Materials Summit.
12. Improve the development and setting of standards on advanced materials
Work in progress.
13. Perform an in-depth analysis of production and use of advanced materials, as well as of the patent landscape
A study on the production and use of advanced materials took place between June 2025 and January 2026. It analysed the current state and trends on industrial uptake, EU production capacity, value chains and trade balance, among other research questions. A workshop organised in the context of this study on 2 February 2026 provided an opportunity for the study team to present the initial study results and seek feedback from a wider audience.
A study on patent landscape has started in June 2025. It has analysed patent activities and performed a large survey on trends for patent exploitation and protection, and overall intellectual assets management strategies, with the objective to identify actions to support patent protection and exploitation for advanced materials. A workshop is planned for 4 May 2026.
14. Set up the Technology Council on Advanced Materials
High-level group set up by Commission Decision (C(2024) 4749), as overall governance, composed of representatives of Member States, academia, RTOs, industry and the European Commission. The Technology Council shall provide strategic steer and advice on the European advanced materials ecosystem, support the identification of common objectives and priority areas for coordinated action. The Council’s inaugural meeting took place on 15 November 2024 in Brussels. The second meeting took place on 25 June 2025 while a third one is scheduled for 14 April 2026.
For more information on the Council’s composition and the outcomes of the meetings, please visit the dedicated website.