European research and innovation on advanced materials: a launchpad for the twin transition, EU resilience and open strategic autonomy
The Technology Council for Advanced Materials confirmed the four priority areas (mobility, electronics, energy and construction) announced in the Advanced Materials Communication. To complement these, two sub-groups of the Technology Council have been set up to define common objectives and priorities. 1) Future Priorities for the health sector – medical devices. 2) Uptake and deployment of advanced materials. Outcomes of these subgroups are available in the Technology Council website, see below.
For more information please consult the meeting outcomes of the Technology Council for Advanced Materials on the dedicated website.
Please consult the meeting outcomes of the Technology Council for Advanced Materials on the dedicated website.
A study, focussing primarily on the mobility, construction and electronics sector, has started in September 2024 with the support of DG JRC and will run until April 2026. As part of this project, two on-line stakeholder workshops are planned. The first workshop was held on 25 February 2025.
This work is performed in close collaboration with the Strategic Energy Technology (SET) Plan Implementation Working Groups addressing materials for the energy sector.
For further information please consult the project website.
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 topic under Horizon Europe Work Programme 2025 (Cluster 4 - “Digital, Industry and Space”) aims to build this pioneer federated digital infrastructure, with a budget of 28 million euro.
A study has started in June 2025 aiming to map advanced materials research and technology infrastructures service providers at national/regional levels, analysing their services, gaps, overlaps, and access conditions. The study will also examine 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. The study will conclude by the beginning of 2026. The analysis will also support the creation of a European single-entry catalogue for advanced materials’ Technology Infrastructures.
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. 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 of safe and sustainable advanced materials and associated technologies fit for the circular economy. 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 Commission and the private partners plan to invest up to €250 million each by 2030 in this partnership. 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'. 4 topics under the Horizon Europe Work Programme 2025, Cluster 4 ‘Digital, Industry and Space’ contribute to the implementation of the IAM4EU partnership.
Within the Joint European Forum on Important Projects of Common European Interest (IPCEIs), discussions are underway on a potential candidate IPCEI focused on circular advanced materials for clean technologies. For more information, please visit the Joint European Forum on IPCEI website.
The European Innovation Council (EIC) Work Programme 2025 features a dedicated challenge on ‘Acceleration of advanced materials development and upscaling along the value chain’ within the Accelerator scheme, with a budget of 50 MEUR. More details on this and other funding opportunities can be found on the EIC website.
Work in progress.
The Horizon Europe Working Programme 2025 includes a CSA topic “Innovative Advanced Materials Innovation Procurement”, with a budget of 2 million euro. 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.
The European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) has issued a call for proposals to Knowledge and Innovation Communities (KICs) related to this initiative. The selected proposal will be announced in the coming weeks. The Academy is planned to be launched in the second half of 2025 and to be running by beginning of 2026. The Academy’s primary goal is to develop a skilled and knowledgeable EU workforce capable of driving innovation in advanced materials that are safe, sustainable and circular, by supporting education and training initiatives for scientists and promoting the upskilling and reskilling of the existing workforce.
Action postponed to mid 2025.
A study on the production and use of advanced materials has started in June 2025 . It will analyse the current state and trends on industrial uptake, EU production capacity and leading technologies, among other research questions. The objective is to identify focus areas to support advanced materials development and deployment.
A study on patent landscape has started in June 2025. It will analyse patent activities and perform 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.
The Commission Decision (C(2024) 4749), adopted on 5 July 2024, established the Technology Council for Advanced Materials. The Council’s inaugural meeting took place on 15 November 2024 in Brussels. The second meeting took place on 25 June 2025. For more information on the Council’s composition and the outcomes of the meetings, please visit the dedicated website.