EU on a new mission – Developing solutions by 2030
A world without cancer and climate disasters, but with clean oceans, seas and waters, greener cities and healthy soil and food: What sounds like utopia at first glance is a concrete target mission of the European Union. Through these "EU missions", the EU aims to develop concrete solutions to the major challenges of our time. The term is deliberately inspired by the Apollo space mission of the 1960s, which put humankind on the moon for the first time.
The new approach in the EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation "Horizon Europe": By 2030, it aims to develop and implement measures to tackle today’s most pressing challenges, including ambitious research and innovation projects, policy and legislative measures, the transfer of knowledge to society and the involvement of citizens in innovation projects. To achieve this, cooperation between politics, science and business in the Member States, but also regions, cities and municipalities, must be supported.
Premiere for a new field of policy advice
DLR Projektträger has taken on a completely new field of policy advice, coordinating interdepartmental exchange and setting up tailor-made strategy and implementation processes. To this end, DLR Projektträger has set-up a Mission Secretariat on behalf of the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) to help develop national roadmaps and identify suitable measures to achieve the missions. Other tasks include knowledge management and the implementation-oriented transfer between the relevant actors. We are also responsible for the strategic, content-related and organisational preparation of dialogue formats and conferences at national and EU level, as well as for public relations and specialist communication, including event management.
Establishment of the "European Missions Network”
DLR Projektträger is also active at European level to facilitate Europe-wide coordination between national, regional and local initiatives and to actively involve stakeholders from industry and civil society in the implementation of EU missions. On behalf of the European Commission, DLR Projektträger is implementing the project "Transnational Cooperation on the Missions Approach" (TRAMI) together with other European partners. One of the most important measures of the project is the establishment of the European Missions Network, which we coordinate, as a central information platform. In addition to exchange and learning formats, the network will pool expertise, experience, scientific knowledge and practical examples. In particular, we will benefit from many years of experience in setting up other EU-wide networks.
Missions under Horizon Europe until 2030
- Cancer
Core objective: to improve the quality of life for more than 3 million people
- Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities
Core target: 100 climate-neutral and smart cities
- Adaptation to Climate Change
Core objective: To support the climate resilience of at least 150 European regions and communities
- Restore our Ocean and Waters
Core objective: To revitalise and clean up our seas and waters
- A Soil Deal for Europe
Core target: 100 "Living Labs" and lighthouse farms for soil restoration
What makes a mission?
- Ambitious, realistic and measurable objectives with a clear time horizon
- Concentration of activities on concrete issues of social importance
- Close collaboration at regional, national and European level
- Interdisciplinary cooperation that goes beyond research and innovation
- Increased visibility of research and innovation issues and involvement of citizens