Horizon Europe Cluster 4: An overview of Digital and Emerging Technologies for the Green Deal, and Human-Centred and Ethical Development of Digital and Industrial Technologies

Horizon Europe (HE) Cluster 4 supports the EU’s strategic objectives through activities in the areas of Digital, Industry and Space, adhering to the AI, Data and Robotics Partnership.

Activities of this Work Programme will contribute to “Destination 4: Digital and Emerging Technologies for Competitiveness and Fit for the Green Deal” with the Key Strategic Orientations (KSOs) A and C, and to the “Destination 6: A Human-centred and Ethical Development of Digital and Industrial Technologies” with the KSO D, these are:

• KSO A: Promoting an open strategic autonomy by leading the development of key digital, enabling emerging technologies, sectors and value chains to accelerate and steer the digital and green transitions through human-centred technologies and innovations.
• KSO C: Making Europe the first digitally-led circular, climate-neutral and sustainable economy through transforming its mobility, energy, construction and production systems.
• KSO D: Creating a more resilient, inclusive and democratic European society, prepared and responsive to threats and disasters, addressing inequalities and providing high-quality health care, and empowering all citizens to act in the green and digital transitions.

KSO A has the most direct contribution with impact areas (1) competitive and secure data economy and (2) high-quality digital services for all. As expected impacts (1) unlocking the full potential of new tools, technologies and digital solutions for a healthy society and (2) maintaining an innovative, sustainable and globally competitive health-related industry. Next, an overview of the themes and current calls of Cluster 4:
 
A) Innovation in AI, Data and Robotics, including “tomorrow’s deployable robots”:
The objective of this theme is to “ensure autonomy for Europe in AI, data and robotics in developing world-class technologies serving the needs of all types of European industries” it considers numerous sectors such as “manufacturing to healthcare, public sector, utilities, retail, finance, insurance, transport, agriculture, energy, telecommunications, environmental monitoring, construction, media, creative and cultural industries, fashion, tourism, etc.”. It is expected that to “provide top-performing solutions that industries will trust and adopt to maintain their competitiveness and maximize their contribution to environmental and resources sustainability”. Moreover, it aims to “ensure autonomy for Europe in robotics, leading the way in research, development and deployment of world-class technologies”. Three topics are related to such themes: HORIZON-CL4-2022-DIGITAL-EMERGING-02-05 / -06 / -07.

A few notes about the calls:

• Both RIAs with topics HORIZON-CL4-2022-DIGITAL-EMERGING-02-05 and HORIZON-CL4-2022-DIGITAL-EMERGING-02-05 oversee providing funding to 3rd parties (Open Calls).
• All proposals are expected to allocate tasks to cohesion activities with the co-programmed partnership on AI, Data and Robotics.
• Proposals should consider collaborating with the past CSA (Coordination and Support Action) topic HORIZON-CL4-2021-HUMAN-01-02, and where relevant, synergies with other European partnerships are encouraged.
• Full use should be made of the common resources available in the AI-on-Demand platform, Digital Industrial Platform for Robotics, data platforms, and other relevant digital resource platforms.

 
B) Graphene:
This theme aims “to strengthen and accelerate the technology developments that support a strong European supply and value chain in graphene and related materials and provide first-mover market advantages of scale”. Furthermore, “activities beyond R&I investments will be needed to realize the expected impacts: testing, experimentation, demonstration, and support for take-up using the capacities, infrastructures, and European Digital Innovation Hubs made available under the Digital Europe Programme”. There are five topics related to such themes: HORIZON-CL4-2022-DIGITAL-EMERGING-02-17 / -18 / -19 / -20 / -22.

A few notes about the calls:

• Proposals should cover the contribution to the governance and overall coordination of the Graphene Flagship initiative.
• The topics are fundamentally oriented to 2D materials (2DM) technology and the emergence of competitive value chains in graphene in Europe.
• Innovation opportunities and production capabilities of graphene are meant to contribute across numerous industrial sectors (e.g. aviation, automotive, electronics, batteries, healthcare).
• Proposals should include activities aiming at facilitating future exploitation of results.

In total, there are Eight Calls related to A) and B) with a deadline of 16 November 2022 and a budget of EUR 127M:

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​C) Leadership in AI based on trust: 
The objective of this theme is to “ensure autonomy for Europe in AI, leading the way in research, development and deployment of world-class technologies that are beneficial to humans individually, organizationally and societally, and that adhere to European values, such as the principles reflected in our fundamental rights and environmental sustainability”. Moreover, the technologies need to be “developed that industries and citizens will trust, so and that they could be applied in a wide range of applications and industrial sectors”. As for the prioritized sectors, key applications would be (but not limited to) “healthcare or in diverse critical infrastructures such as energy and transportation”. Lastly, “proposals are encouraged to link with relevant European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) and its Knowledge and Innovation Communities (KICs), in particular, the EIT Digital”. Two topics related to this theme: HORIZON-CL4-2022-HUMAN-02-01 / 02

​A few notes about the calls:

• Topic HORIZON-CL4-2022-HUMAN-02-01 consists of two different pathways to choose from: (1) reach truly mixed human-AI initiatives for human empowerment, and (2) trustworthy hybrid decision-support.

• Topic HORIZON-CL4-2022-HUMAN-02-02 considers funding 3rd parties (Open Calls).

• Proposals should consider collaborating with the past CSA (Coordination and Support Action) topic HORIZON-CL4-2021-HUMAN-01-02, and where relevant, synergies with other European partnerships are encouraged.

In total, there are two Calls related to C) with a deadline of 16 November 2022 and a budget of EUR 101M:

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​Article Courtesy of EAIC Member FI Group.