1. Horizon 2020 as an opportunity
for innovation in water
European Commission
Directorate General for Research
and Innovation
Kurt Vandenberghe
Director for Environment
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2. WATER
A major component of successive EU
environmental research programmes
 A major environmental component and a major
societal challenge
 A key element of EU environmental (water),
climate change (adaptation), international and
development cooperation policies (Rio+20)
 A sector of key economic importance and ready for
innovation

3. FP7 Cooperation - Environment Theme
(including climate change)
An important milestone on EU water research
 Innovative resource efficient technologies, process
and services
 Demonstration and exploitation of most promising
prototypes and tools derived from European
research activities (towards market uptake)
 SME targeted topics and bottom-up approaches
 Risk assessment and management, global water
resources, emerging pollutants,
 International co-operation with non-EU countries EU-India cooperation in water technology, research
and innovation (joint/complementary calls)

4. AquaFit4Use
Sustainable Water Use in Water-Intensive Industries
Achievements:
Better definition of water quality needs in chemical, food, textile,
paper industries  Fresh water withdrawal reduced by 20 to 50
percent
Other results:
− Technology for salt removal reducing fresh water
intake for cooling by 80%
− Optimised technology for fouling prevention
Why does it matter?
Better definition of water quality =
− For industry: Better products and processes at lower costs
− For ecosystems: Minimised impact on available water
resources
Countries involved: NL, BE, CZ, DE, DK, ES, FR, IT, SE, SI, PL, UK
EU investment: Almost €10 million – Other Sources: €5 million

5. •FP7-ENV-20013 WATER DEMO&INNO Call
•A dedicated contribution to EIP Water
 A very competitive call attracting more than 130 proposals
and more than 1500 organisations (55% of them representing
industry and SMEs).
11 proposals selected for funding, addressing innovative
solutions for a wide variety of water challenges in urban, rural,
agricultural and industrial domains and promoting innovative
public procurement strategies.
Combination of innovative solutions with real business cases,
e.g.
• making a business case for smart water supply networks
• applying an evaluation framework to account for changes
in the value of ecosystem services of water bodies
Particular attention given to linking these projects with the 9
priority Action Groups of the EIP Water

6. What is Horizon 2020
 Research and innovation funding programme (2014-2020)
about €70 billion
 A core part of Europe 2020, Innovation Union & European
Research Area:
− Responding to the economic crisis to invest in
future jobs and growth
− Addressing people’s concerns about their
livelihoods, safety and environment
− Strengthening the EU’s global position in research,
⃰
innovation and technology
All funding figures in this presentation are subject to the pending Multiannual Financial Framework
Regulation by the EP and the Council
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7. What's new
 A single programme bringing together three separate
programmes/initiatives*
 Coupling research to innovation – from research to retail,
all forms of innovation
 Focus on societal challenges facing EU society, e.g. health,
clean energy and transport
 Simplified access, for all companies, universities, institutes in
all EU countries and beyond
⃰ The 7th Research Framework Programme (FP7), innovation aspects of
Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Programme (CIP), EU contribution to the
European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT)
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8. Three priorities
Excellent
science
Industrial
leadership
Societal
challenges
(SC)
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9. Priority 3.
Societal challenges
Why:
• Concerns of citizens and society/EU policy objectives
(climate, environment, energy, transport, etc) cannot be
addressed without innovation
• Breakthrough solutions come from multi-disciplinary
collaborations, including social sciences & humanities
• Promising solutions need to be tested, demonstrated and
scaled up

10. Proposed funding (€ million, 2014-2020)
Health, demographic change and wellbeing
7 472
Food security, sustainable agriculture, marine and
maritime and inland water research & the
Bioeconomy
3 851
Secure, clean and efficient energy *
5 931
Smart, green and integrated transport
6 339
Climate action, environment, resource efficiency
and raw materials
3 081
Europe in a changing world-inclusive, innovative and
reflective societies
1 309
Secure societies-protecting freedom and security of
Europe and its citizens
1 695
Science with and for society
462
Spreading excellence and widening participation
816
⃰ Additional funding for nuclear safety and security from the Euratom Treaty activities
(2014-2018)

11. Societal Challenge 5: Climate action, environment,
resource efficiency and raw materials
Objective:
"to achieve a resource – and water – efficient and climate change
resilient economy and society, the protection and sustainable
management of natural resources and ecosystems, and a
sustainable supply and use of raw materials, in order to meet the
needs of a growing global population within the sustainable limits
of the planet's natural resources and eco-systems."

12. Societal Challenge 5: Climate action, environment,
resource efficiency and raw materials
Broad lines of activities:
• Fighting and adapting to climate change
• Sustainably managing natural resources and ecosystems
• Sustainable supply of non-energy and non-agricultural raw
materials
• Transition towards a green economy through eco-innovation
• Global environmental observation and information systems
• Cultural heritage

13. Strategic programming in H2020
• To increase impact of funding, and a more integrated
approach by:
 Bringing together activities from different
challenges
 Providing support across the innovation cycle
 Use of funding schemes available
• Work programmes expected to have a 2 year-duration
 First Work Programme 2014-15

14. Focus Areas
Twelve focus areas identified, of which five linked
to 'Climate action, environment, resource
efficiency and raw materials:
•Waste: A resource to recycle, reuse and recover raw
materials
•Water innovation: Boosting its value for Europe
•Energy-efficiency
•Disaster-resilience: Safeguarding society and adapting to
climate change
•Blue growth: Unlocking the potential of the oceans

15. EU major policy drivers for research and
innovation in the water sector in the context of
Horizon 2020
 Innovation Union Flagship Iniative (European Innovation
Partnerships)
 Resource Efficency Flagship Iniative
 Eco-Innovation Action Plan
 EU water related policies (Blueprint to safeguard Europe’s
waters)
 Joint Programming Initative "'Water challenges in a
Changing World“
 Water related ETPs (WssTP, SusChem) and PPPs (SPIRE)
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16. Water innovation: Boosting
its value for Europe
Rationale:
 Reinforce water innovation capacity and market uptake of
successful research results
 Boost the competitiveness and growth of the European water
sector
 Create leadership in water resources management and position
Europe as a global market leader in water related innovative
solutions
 Support the needs of relevant EU water, innovation and resource
efficient policies, international commitments and related
initiatives: EIP Water, EIP Agriculture, JPI on Water, SPIRE PPP,
IPCC, Rio+20, etc.

17. Water innovation: Boosting
its value for Europe
- Areas covered in 2014 WP
 Bridging the gap: from innovative
water solutions to market replication
 Integrated approaches to water and climate change
 Stepping up EU research and innovation cooperation in the
water area
 Harnessing EU water research and innovation results for
industry, policy makers and citizens
 Strengthening international R&I cooperation in the field of
water

18. Horizon 2020 support to the market uptake of
innovation
 Stronger support to activities closer to end-users and
markets
 More partnering for greater impact (PPPs, P2Ps, EITKIC)
 Strengthened bottom-up activities (SME instrument,
Fast Track to Innovation)
 More support to demand-driven innovation (public
procurement for innovation, debt and equity
facilities)
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19. SME instrument
?
Procurement
Concept &
Feasibility
Assessment
IDEA
Demonstration
Market Replication
Research
Development
Commercialisation
business coaching throughout the project
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SME window EU
financial facilities
MARKET

20. Fast Track to Innovation (FTI)
- speed up time from idea to market
- increase industry participation and first-time applicants
- contribute to innovation and competitiveness in Europe
 Close-to-market innovation actions
 maximum 5 partners, up to 3 million euro
per project
 Bottom-up driven logic
 Higher weighting for criteria "impact"
 Continuously open call with three cut-off
dates per year
 Time to grant not exceeding 6 months
 Covering any technology fields across
LEITs and Societal Challenges
 Pilot FTI with cut-off date in 2015 (up to
100 projects)
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21. Horizon 2020 and COSME are
complementary programmes to generate
growth and jobs
Different focus
 Horizon 2020 = innovation driven growth
 COSME = support to create favourable business environment and
competitiveness
But closely coordinated, for instance:
 Integrated financial instruments (debt and equity), with facilities
in both programmes serving complementary objectives
 Enterprise Europe Network (EEN) set up under COSME, but
supports SMEs for EU funding
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22. Cohesion Policy
Synergies with Horizon 2020
 Both parts of EU 2020 Strategy
 Strengthening research and technological innovation
is part of the 11 thematic priorities of ERDF
 Possibility of joint implementation by a single
beneficiary of projects from ERDF and H2020
 Smart specialisation strategies
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23. Smart Specialisation Strategies

Concentrate resources on a limited and selected number
of R&I priorities

Priorities are to reinforce the regions' strenghts,
In line with the national reform programme (NRP)

The agreement on the Strategy is an ex-ante condition for
the allocation of support from the Structural funds

Commission assists regions to develop their strategies:
Smart Specialisation Platform
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24. HORIZON 2020
Thank you
for your attention!
Find out more:
www.ec.europa/research/horizon2020