Subsidy and Innovation News, No 295_19 June 2020 - Topsector Agri & Food

Subsidy and Innovation News, No 295_19 June 2020
Newsletter for Wageningen University & Research on the EU Framework Programme for Research and
Development, other international subsidies, national and regional subsidies, EU policy and national R&D and
innovation programmes.

Table of Contents
Articles in Dutch are marked by the symbol 

HORIZON 2020 3
 Building a low-carbon, climate resilient future: Green Deal call: European Green Deal call 2020 (19 June 2020) 3
 Commission changes Horizon work programme to reflect its global coronavirus R&D pledge (18 June 2020) 6
 Meer dan € 30 miljoen voor 9 Nederlandse innovatieve scale-ups (17 juni 2020) 7
 COVID-19 outbreak: latest H2020 call deadline updates (11 June 2020) 7
Horizon Europe 10
 New Partnerships in Horizon Europe state of play (19 June 2020) 10
 EU should ‘mainstream’ research and innovation across other EU programmes, says research commissioner (18 June 2020) 11
 HORIZON BLOG: Research and innovation in the next EU budget (18 June 2020) 12
 Rathenau: “Verbind Europese onderzoeksprogramma’s met lokale problemen” (18 juni 2020) 13
 Missies gebaat bij steun onderzoeksinfrastructuren (16 juni 2020) 14
 Commissie één stap dichter bij Green Deal call (16 juni 2020) 14
 Horizon Europe websites (16 juni 2020) 15
Other International subsidy news 16
National subsidy news 17
 Six researchers awarded the highest distinction in Dutch Science (19 June 2020) 17
 Verbrede HER+-subsidie vanaf 1 september open (17 juni 2020) 18
 Two projects with China on green cities (15 June 2020) 18
 Additional corona measures regarding the Vidi rounds (15 June 2020) 19
 Changed internal WUR VIDI procedure due to covid 19 (15 June 2020) 20

 1

Binnen de KIA Landbouw, Water, Voedsel gaan rond eind juni 2020 vanuit NWO de volgende twee thematische calls open (15 juni
 2020) 21
Regional subsidy and innovation news 22
 Aangepaste openstelling: resterend budget vanaf 18 juni beschikbaar (17 juni 2020) 22
EU R&D and innovation policy 23
 Hoe moet Europa omgaan met gevolgen coronacrisis voor onderzoek en innovatie? (18 juni 2020) 23
 Rapport over de Blauwe Economie 2020 (18 juni 2020) 23
 EU-ministers van Landbouw willen meer r&d voor biodiversiteit en groene landbouw (18 juni 2020) 23
 Onderzoeksfinanciers uit Midden-Europa lokken internationale onderzoekers (18 juni 2020) 23
 De rollen van het hoger onderwijs in duurzame-innovatie-ecosystemen (18 juni 2020) 23
 De volgende generatie statistieken over wetenschap, onderwijs en innovatie (18 juni 2020) 24
 Europese Commissie presenteert Europese strategie voor coronavaccin (18 juni 2020) 24
 Meer samenwerking nodig bij aanpak toekomstige pandemieën (18 juni 2020) 24
 VK: President Royal Society waarschuwt voor massaal vertrek wetenschappers 24
 Week 25: update corona (17 juni 2020) 24
 Nederland behoort opnieuw tot Europese leiders in digitalisering (12 juni 2020) 25
National R&D and innovation policy news 27
 Bijdrage AWTI voor Algemeen Overleg Wetenschapsbeleid (18 juni 2020) 27
 Is coronacrisis kans of risico voor duurzame economische transitie? (18 juni 2020) 27
 Minister zoekt meer ruimte voor ongebonden onderzoek (18 juni 2020) 27
 Technologische industrie aan vooravond recessie: derde kwartaal wordt dieptepunt (18 juni 2020) 27
 Nederlandse experts: “Kennis aan de basis van economisch herstel EU” (18 juni 2020) 27
 Zonder biomassa wordt het halen van de klimaatdoelen nog lastiger (16 juni 2020) 28
Global R&D and innovation policy news 30
 Onderzoeksgemeenschap reflecteert op gevolgen pandemie (18 juni 2020) 30
 Wordt het ontwikkelen van nieuwe ideeën steeds ingewikkelder en tijdrovender? (18 juni 2020) 30
 Waarom dit het moment is voor open innovatie (18 juni 2020) 30
 Mondiaal partnerschap voor kunstmatige intelligentie gelanceerd (18 juni 2020) 30
 Wageningen University & Research related Events Error! Bookmark not defined.
Events 31
 NWO national congress Life2020, Egmond aan Zee, 26-27 mei 2020 Life2020 is postponed to 2021 31
 Water Innovation Europe 2020 ‘ A Water-Smart Society for a European Green Deal" goes digital, 22-26 June 2020 31
 Towards a Mission on Healthy Oceans: State of implementation and ways to improve stakeholders engagement 23 June 2020 32
 The EU Sustainable Energy Week (EUSEW) 2020 is going completely digital from 23 to 25 June 2020 32
 The ECCM conference 2020 goes digital!, 26 June 2020 32
 5th International Conference on New Business Models Sustainable, Circular Inclusive, Radboud University Nijmegen 1-2 July 2020
 GAAT HELEMAAL DIGITAAL 33
 The EUBCE 2020 is going virtuel and becomes e-EUBCE, 6-9 July 2020 33
 ICSD 2020 : 8th International Conference on Sustainable Development, Rome, 9-10 September 2020 34
 ILSI Europe postpones the General Assembly and the Annual Symposium 2020 due to the COVID-19 outbreak until 5th and 6th
 October 2020 34
 EU Green Week 2020 in Brussels is now scheduled for 19-22 October 2020 35
 Fueling the Future Summit | 10 november 2020 35
 JPI Urban Europe Policy Conference 2020, Brussels, 11-12 November 2020 36
 6th JPI HDHL International Conference, Brussels, 17 June 17 2020 POSTPONED SPRING 2021 36
Courses and Workshops 37
 Foreseen Courses EU office in 2020 37
 Overzicht trainingen Team IRIS / RVO 2020 37
 Overzicht trainingen ITIS / RVO 37
Call deadlines 38
 HORIZON Europe calls 38
 HORIZON 2020 calls 38
 Other related EC calls (JTI, ERA-COFUNDS, JPI´s etc.) 40
 Other international calls 41
 National calls 42
 Regional calls 47
About the EU office 48
Contacts 48
Disclaimer 49
 WUR is serious about data 49

 2

HORIZON 2020

WUR Europe team and Green Deal call: European Green Deal call 2020 (19 June 2020)
Source: Wageningen Europe Team / EU Office
End of September 2020 the EC expects to publish the Horizon European Green Deal call 2020: Building a low-carbon, climate
resilient future. The foreseen deadline is end of January 2021. Last week a new DRAFT workprogramme was leaked and
spread around. In this DRAFT more information about the topics and the foreseen budgets per area and topic.

This call is aimed at ‘fast impact’ for society and contribute to the aims of the European Green Deal. The EC aims for innovation and
demonstration.

The latest version of the Green Deal call can be downloaded for the WGO Portal:
https://intranet.wur.nl/Project/GrantOffice/Pages/jLvvwS9WNUCgLxkg2BYj7g#mD0e7XBPTkS8gM_xhqGL0w

Please be aware this this is still a Draft Workprogramme and texts may change or even disappear. Furthermore the budget is
not fixed yet.

The Wageningen Europe Team is very eager to pro-actively support Wageningen researchers in developing strong competitive
proposals, we can help you with strong partners from our European networks. The competition will be very high, also area 6 ‘Farm to
Fork’ (see overview below). So please inform us Peter.jongebloed@wur.nl or Jelle.maas@wur.nl or Martin.scholten@wur.nl about
initiatives you are in involved.

Structure of Green Deal call
 The structure of the Green Deal Call (GDC) reflects the eight key European Green Deal (EGD) work streams and is
 complemented by three horizontal areas (strengthening knowledge; empowering citizens; and international cooperation),
 which cut across the eight areas and offer a longer-term perspective in support of the transformations required by the EGD.
 • GDC is a different call. It aims to: produce tangible results - visible to the citizens - in a relatively short time frame
 • To increase impact and visibility, proposed actions are limited in number, with a strong focus on impact, supporting
 primarily (but not exclusively) innovation and demonstration actions. Research Actions and Coordination and Support
 Actions will also be included in the call

Foreseen Timeline
 • Mid-June (the week 15-19 June) – Last Strategic PC meeting
 • July – Interservice consultation
 • August – Opinion of the Strategic PC
 • Mid –September – adoption of the WP update by the Commission and call opening
 • End of January 2021 – Expected closing of the call

 3

• Q3/Q4 2021 – Signature of grant agreements (Obligatory!)

Overview table topics, budget per topic and total budget per area / topic
Budget figures are indicative and based on the assumption of an overall budget of EUR 1 billion. Based on the final amount
available, necessary adjustments will be made.
 Area of the call Topic Title of topic Type of
 Number action
 Area 1: Increasing 1.1 1.1. Preventing and fighting extreme wildfires with the IA en
 Climate Ambition: integration and demonstration of innovative means CSA
 Cross sectoral Two subtopics: Total available budget €75 million
 challenges 1: IA €15-20 million
 2: CSA €2-3 million

 1.2 Towards climate-neutral and socially innovative cities RIA
 Total available budget €53 million
 RIA: Up to €53 million

 1.3 Climate-resilient Innovation Packages for EU regions IA/CSA
 Total available budget €45 million
 Two subtopics
 Subtopic 1) Innovation Packages for transformational
 adaptation of European regions and communities (Innovation
 Actions; €10-15 million)

 Subtopic 2) Support the design, testing and upscale of
 Innovation Packages (Coordination and Support Action; €3
 million)
 Area 2: Clean, 2.1 Demonstration of innovative critical technologies to enable IA
 affordable and secure future large-scale deployment of offshore renewable energy
 energy technologies and their integration into the energy system
 Total available budget €80 million
 RIA: €20-40 million
 2.2 Develop and demonstrate a 100 MW electrolyser upscaling the IA
 link between renewables and industrial applications
 Total available budget €60 million
 IA: up to €60 million
 Area 3: Industry for a 3.1 Closing the industrial carbon cycle to combat climate change IA
 clean and circular Total available budget €80 million
 economy IA: up to €40 million
 3.2 Demonstration of systemic solutions for the territorial IA
 deployment of the circular economy
 Total available budget €60 million
 IA: up to €20 million

 Area 4: Energy and 4.1 Building and renovating in an energy and resource efficient way IA
 resource efficient Total available budget €60 million
 buildings IA €15-20 million
 Area 5: Sustainable 5.1 Green airports and ports as multimodal hubs for sustainable IA
 and smart mobility and smart mobility
 Total available budget €100 million
 Two subtopics
 Area A: Green Airports (IA €15-20 million)
 Area B: Green Ports (IA €15-20 million)
 Area 6: Farm to Fork 6.1 Testing and demonstrating systemic innovations for sustainable IA
 food from farm to fork
 Total available budget €72 million
 Proposals will test, pilot and demonstrate innovative
 systemic solutions (TRL 5-7) in one of the following six
 urgent and pressing food systems’ challenges:
 A. Achieving climate neutral farms by reducing GHG emissions
 and by increasing farm-based carbon sequestration and
 storage (IA €9-12 million)
 B. Achieving climate neutral food businesses by mitigating
 climate change, reducing energy use and increasing energy
 efficiency in processing, distribution, conservation and
 preparation of food (IA €9-12 million)

 4

C. Reducing the dependence on hazardous pesticides;
 reducing the use and increasing the efficiency of fertilisers;
 reducing the losses of nutrients from fertilisers, towards zero
 pollution of water, soil and air (IA €9-12 million)
 D. Reducing the dependence on the use of antimicrobials in
 animal production and in aquaculture (IA)
 E. Reducing food losses and waste at every stage of the food
 chain including consumption, while also avoiding unsustainable
 packaging (IA €9-12 million)
 F. Shifting to sustainable healthy diets 1, sourced from land,
 inland water and sea, and accessible to all EU citizens,
 including the most deprived and vulnerable groups (IA €9-12
 million)

Area 7: Ecosystems 7.1 Restoring biodiversity and ecosystem services RIA
and Biodiversity Total available budget €75 million
 RIA: €15-20 million

Area 8: Zero-pollution, 8.1 Innovative, systemic zero-pollution solutions to protect health, RIA
toxic-free environment t environment and natural resources from persistent and mobile
 chemicals
 RIA: €8-12 million

 8.2 Fostering regulatory science to address chemical and RIA
 pharmaceutical mixtures: from science to evidence-based
 policies
 RIA: €4-6 million

Area 9: Strengthening 9.1 European Research Infrastructures’ capacities and services to RIA
our knowledge in address European Green Deal challenges
support of the EGD Two Sub-topics
 (a)Support Europe leadership in clean energy storage
 technologies
 The Commission considers that proposals requesting a
 contribution from the EU of up to EUR 7 million would allow this
 topic to be addressed appropriately. Nonetheless, this does not
 preclude submission and selection of proposals requesting
 other amounts.

 (b) European research infrastructures and monitoring
 networks for greenhouse gases observing, air quality and
 citizens’ health in cities
 The proposals will address one of the two objectives b1) or b2).
 All proposals should propose a roadmap for upscaling (section
 b3).

 (b1) Enhancing European research infrastructures for
 greenhouse gases observation
 (b2) Enhancing observations for air quality in urban areas
 (b3) Roadmap for upscaling
 The Commission considers that proposals requesting a
 contribution from the EU of up to EUR 13 million for
 greenhouse gases observation and up to EUR 8 million for air
 quality monitoring would allow this topic to be addressed
 appropriately. Nonetheless, this does not preclude submission
 and selection of proposals requesting other amounts.

 Interesting? Part (b) European research infrastructures and
 monitoring networks for greenhouse gases observing, air
 quality and citizens’ health in cities
 The proposals will address one of the two objectives b1) or
 b2). All proposals should propose a roadmap for upscaling
 (section b3).

 5

(b1) Enhancing European research infrastructures for
 greenhouse gases observation
 9.2 Developing end-user products and services for all stakeholders RIA
 and citizens supporting climate adaptation and mitigation
 RIA: €5 million

 9.3 A transparent and accessible ocean: towards a digital twin of IA
 the ocean
 IA: up to €12 million
 Area 10: Empowering 10.1 European capacities for citizen deliberation and participation for RIA
 citizens for the the Green Deal
 transition towards a RIA: €3-5 million
 climate-neutral,
 sustainable Europe
 10.2 Behavioural, social and cultural change for the Green Deal RIA
 RIA: €3-5 million
 10.3 Enabling citizens to act on climate change and environmental IA
 protection through education, citizen science, observation
 initiatives, and civic involvement
 Two Sub-topics
 1. Subtopic 1: Enabling citizens to act on climate
 change and for sustainable development through
 education (IA: €5 million)
 2. Subtopic 2: Enabling citizens to act on climate
 change and for sustainable development through
 better monitoring and observing of the
 environment and their environmental impacts (IA:
 €5 million)

 Area 11: International 11.1 Accelerating demonstration of clean energy solutions in Africa IA
 cooperation and the Mediterranean
 IA: €5-10 million

Commission changes Horizon work programme to reflect its global coronavirus R&D
pledge (18 June 2020)
Source: Science|Business Bulletin No. 852
In the new work programme, the European Commission drops plan to spend €32.5M extra on Marie Curie fellowships for
researchers travelling to work on international coronavirus projects

The European Commission has published an updated work programme for the final year of Horizon 2020 to reflect changes proposed
during a fundraising event held in May to boost global R&D efforts against the pandemic.
Back then, the commission said it would divert €675 million https://sciencebusiness.net/covid-19/news/eu-divert-further-eu675m-
horizon-2020-money-coronavirus-rd of Horizon 2020 funding into research on vaccines, diagnostics and therapeutics against
COVID-19. The move was part of its contribution to an international pledging event, which sought to raise €7.5 billion from around the
world.
However, the updated work programme now says it will redeploy €641 million “not yet allocated” from Horizon 2020, along with
“reflows” from financial instruments, and €1 million from the Knowledge and Innovation Communities of the European Institute of
Innovation and Technology.
The new figure is €33 million less than initially foreseen in May, because the commission has given up on plans to devote an
additional €32.5 million to Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions, which was intended to finance the travel of researchers working on
international COVID-19 projects.

 6

In the end, the new work programme will see €400 million from Horizon 2020 in risk finance allocated through the European Investment
Bank’s InnovFin programme for infectious diseases; €172 million for the expansion of ongoing COVID-19 research projects; €50 million
in additional support for vaccines research done by the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness and Innovation; €15.5 million to set up a
new research infrastructure to collect population health data from across the EU; and €3.5 million for the deployment of innovative
robotics solutions in healthcare.

In addition, before revising the work programme, the commission had already boosted the budget for COVID-19 R&D coordinated by
Innovative Medicines Initiative (IMI), a public-private partnership between the EU and the pharmaceutical industry. IMI is to receive €72
million to support research to develop treatments and diagnostics for COVID-19, instead of the €45 million initially planned.
In total, the EU is set to spend around €1 billion from Horizon 2020 on pandemic R&D. “The €1 billion in funding is already boosting
efforts to find solutions to test, treat and prevent coronavirus for all,” said EU research commissioner Mariya Gabriel.
The commission can increase the €641 million figure by 20 per cent if researchers submit a larger number of suitable proposals than
foreseen.
“Research and innovation [are] at the core of our coordinated response, and Horizon 2020 has proven its value as a flexible instrument
to address this crisis,” Gabriel said.

Meer dan € 30 miljoen voor 9 Nederlandse innovatieve scale-ups (17 juni 2020)
Bron: Website RVO https://www.rvo.nl/actueel/nieuws/meer-dan-€-30-miljoen-voor-9-nederlandse-innovatieve-scale-ups
Nieuwe manieren om patiënten te beademen zodat er minder schade aan de longen ontstaat als gevolg van COVID-19, een lange
afstand drone voor medische spoedzendingen en het wereldwijd redden van 6 miljard eendagshaantjes. Dit is nu allemaal mogelijk
door de succesvolle voorstellen van 9 Nederlandse mkb’ers voor de laatste oproep van de EIC Accelerator Horizon 2020.
De oproep bestond uit een schriftelijke beoordeling én een interview. Alleen de 181 ondernemers met de hoogte scores werden
geïnterviewd, waarvan 15 Nederlandse deelnemers. Maar liefst 9 van deze 15 ondernemers kregen een toekenning van hun
projectaanvraag, waarmee Nederland het land is met het grootste aantal winnaars.
Innovatieve scale-ups met internationale groei ambities
Horizon 2020 is het programma van de Europese Commissie om Europees onderzoek en innovatie te stimuleren. EIC Accelerator richt
zich vooral op innovatieve scale-ups met internationale groei ambities, met het plan op te schalen en een nieuw product, proces of
dienst naar de Europese markt te brengen. Met dit instrument kunnen innovatieve bedrijven maximaal € 2,5 miljoen aan subsidie
krijgen en optioneel equity aanvragen. Het totale budget voor deze call was de afgelopen ronde € 314 miljoen. De Nederlandse
winnaars ontvingen gezamenlijk € 30,4 miljoen aan financiële ondersteuning, waarvan € 18,26 miljoen aan subsidie en € 12,17 miljoen
aan equity. De Europese Commissie deed een dringende oproep om voorstellen die bijdragen aan de coronacrisis.

Voor meer informatie: https://www.rvo.nl/actueel/nieuws/meer-dan-€-30-miljoen-voor-9-nederlandse-innovatieve-scale-ups

COVID-19 outbreak: latest H2020 call deadline updates (17 June 2020)
Reacting to the COVID-19 crisis, deadlines for some calls are extended to give more time for applicants to prepare their proposals.
This concerns the following calls:
Call ID: Topic ID: Deadline extended to:
 SESAR-VLD2-01-2020
 SESAR-VLD2-02-2020
H2020-SESAR-2020-1 25 June
 SESAR-VLD2-03-2020
 SESAR-VLD2-04-2020
 SESAR-WAVE3-01-2020
 SESAR-WAVE3-02-2020
H2020-SESAR-2020-2 SESAR-WAVE3-03-2020 25 June
 SESAR-WAVE3-04-2020
 SESAR-WAVE3-05-2020

 7

Call ID: Topic ID: Deadline extended to:
 SESAR-WAVE3-06-2020
 SESAR-WAVE3-07-2020
H2020-FETFLAG-2018-2020 FETFLAG-04-2020 2 July
 IMI2-2020-20-01
 IMI2-2020-20-02
 IMI2-2020-20-03
H2020-JTI-IMI2-2020-20-two-stage (stage 2) 19 November
 IMI2-2020-20-04
 IMI2-2020-20-05
 IMI2-2020-20-06

New (Horizon 2020) FAQs have been published! (Update 14 May 2020)
In relation to the COVID-19 outbreak, new Horizon 2020 FAQs https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-
tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/support/faq;type=1;programme=H2020;keyword=COVID-19%20outbreak have been
posted.

Useful links & resources

Coronavirus research
 • Research projects and initiatives to tackle the spread of coronavirus and preparedness for other outbreaks:
 https://ec.europa.eu/info/research-and-innovation/research-area/health-research-and-innovation/coronavirus-research-and-
 innovation_enc
 • Horizon 2020 projects working on COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2 and related topics: Guidelines for open access to
 publications, data and other research outputs https://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/data/ref/h2020/other/hi/oa-
 pilot/h2020-guidelines-oa-covid-19_en.pdf
 • Research and Innovation text mining: COVID-19 portfolio analysis
 https://webgate.ec.europa.eu/cas/login?loginRequestId=ECAS_LR-24594405-
 kEmaH2OiNPX1vb6KXoCzVTzkvOVgyzfKWzY4PPM7QookoKY4zewjOKJrIngoMLhGSoeJ4lQd5ORMpPRh1zhvOhhm-
 rS0vSrmBGYCx0fBzcVunZM-
 f6sdzym2hmH5TMrf0SkEgU7tNyT2FaWnVvhjt4fsxsRYLWwJFuzTzYk3Jck99xyUI5wKexxzy0EdK4wxnErtCPa

Project results
 • Horizon Results Platform: COVID-19: https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-
 tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/opportunities/horizon-results-platform/search;campaigns=1

EU funded projects
 • Outcome of emergency funding action for coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 outbreak: 18 new projects (March 2020):
 https://ec.europa.eu/info/sites/info/files/research_and_innovation/research_by_area/documents/ec_rtd_cv-projects.pdf
 • List of ERC-funded research projects related to coronavirus: https://erc.europa.eu/list-erc-funded-research-projects-
 related-coronavirus
 • CORDIS articles about coronavirus projects: https://cordis.europa.eu/

Actions against COVID-19 https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/covid-19
 • MedTech Open Innovation Testbed projects launch call to support SMEs
 • EIT Urban Mobility: COVID-19 Crisis Response Call for Proposals 2020 https://www.eiturbanmobility.eu/wp-
 content/uploads/2020/05/EIT-UM-COVID-19-Call-For-Proposals_20200511.pdf
 • EIT Food: COVID-19 Rapid Response Call for Innovation projects https://www.eitfood.eu/news/post/covid-19-rapid-
 response
 • EIT Manufacturing: Open call for fast-track innovation projects and scale-up and SME support in response to the
 COVID-19 crisis http://eitmanufacturing.eu/activities/open-call-in-response-to-the-covid-19-crisis/
 • EIT Climate-KIC: Extraordinary Post COVID-19 Regeneration Call 2020 https://www.climate-kic.org/get-involved/apply-for-
 a-grant/
 • EIT Crisis Response Initiative https://eit.europa.eu/our-activities/covid-19-response/eit-crisis-response-initiative
 • COVID-19 Industrial Clusters Response Portal: https://www.clustercollaboration.eu/coronavirus#covid-calls
 • EARTO Members’ Actions against COVID-19: https://www.earto.eu/earto-members-actions-against-covid-19/
 • PRACE (Partnership for Advanced Computing in Europe) Fast Track Call for Proposals: https://prace-ri.eu/prace-
 support-to-mitigate-impact-of-covid-19-pandemic/
 • HADDOCK (a simulation platform tool now integrated in the European Open Science Cloud (EOSC) portal) to support
 coronavirus research: https://www.eosc-hub.eu/news/haddock-support-covid-19-research
 • EGI call for COVID-19 research projects: EGI and Open Science Grid (OSG) in the USA are joining forces to commit
 specialized technical support, specialized simulation tools, and compute and storage resources, to accelerate
 progress on COVID-19 research: https://www.egi.eu/egi-call-for-covid-19-research-projects/

 8

• COST Actions unite efforts in the fight against COVID-19: https://www.cost.eu/news/cost-actions-unite-efforts-in-the-fight-
 against-covid-19/
 • EUREKA multilateral call for solutions for COVID-19 Echo Period – Life without a vaccine:
 https://www.eurekanetwork.org/content/multilateral-call-solutions-covid-19-echo-period

For the most actual news please consult: https://ec.europa.eu/info/research-and -innovation/research-area/health-research-and-
innovation/coronavirus-research-and-innovation_en

More interesting information on impact of COVID-19 on (inter)national and European funding can be found on the site of
ARMA.nl https://www.armanl.nl/web/node/404 ARMA-NL is the Dutch Association for professionals in European and
(inter)national externally financed research, innovation and education projects.

 9

Horizon Europe

New Partnerships in Horizon Europe state of play (19 June 2020)
Source: Wageningen Europe Team / EU Office
Background
In Horizon 2020 we have more than 120 different partnerships running at the moment. Public-public partnerships: lile ERA-nets,
ERA-NET-COFUND, EJP’ and JPI’s. Public-Private Partnerships: Joint Undertakings (BBI), Contractual PPP’s and Article 187. EIT-
KICs and FET-FLAGSHIPS.

With the new partnerships in Horizon Europe the EC wants:
 • to rationalise the European R&I partnerships landscape which is very scattered now.
 • to improve the openness and transparency of R&I partnerships and
 • to link the R&I partnerships to future EU R&I missions and/or strategic priorities.

The aim of European partnerships with EU and associated countries, the private sector, foundations and other stakeholders is to deliver
on global challenges and modernise industry.

There are 3 types of Partnerships.
 1. Co-programmed European Partnerships
These are partnerships between the Commission and private and/or public partners. They are based on memoranda of understanding
and/or contractual arrangements.
 2. Co-funded European Partnerships using a programme co-fund action
Partnerships involving EU countries, with research funders and other public authorities at the core of the consortium.
 3. Institutionalised European Partnerships
These are partnerships where the EU participates in research and innovation funding programmes that are undertaken by EU
countries. These partnerships require legislative proposals from the Commission and are based on a Council Regulation (Article 187
https://eur-lex.europa.eu/summary/glossary/joint_undertaking.html ) or a Decision by the European Parliament and Council (Article 185
https://ec.europa.eu/programmes/horizon2020/en/h2020-section/article-185). They are implemented by dedicated structures created for
that purpose. Institutionalised partnerships will only be implemented where other parts of the Horizon Europe programme, including
other types of partnership, would not achieve the desired objectives or expected impacts.

EIT Knowledge and Innovation Communities https://eit.europa.eu/our-communities/eit-innovation-communities (KICs) are also
institutionalised partnerships. EIT KICs aim to address skills shortages ands are already established under Horizon 2020. Key partners
in EIT KICs are higher education institutions, research organisations, companies and other stakeholders. The Joint Undertaking BBI
is also an institutionalised partnerships.

Process for development of partnerships
After a consultation process the commission proposed 49 ideas for European partnerships. Just recently the EC also proposed a
potential partnership pandemics. These 49 partnerships are proposed in the Strategic Orientations towards the first Strategic
Plan for Horizon Europe (published in December 2019)
https://ec.europa.eu/info/sites/info/files/research_and_innovation/strategy_on_research_and_innovation/documents/ec_rtd_orientations
-he-strategic-plan_122019.pdf

Member states are now asked to further develop the European Partnerships. National Researcher funders (ministries, research funders
like NWO, provinces/ regions) are now in the lead especially for the co-funded and co-programmed partnerships. They need to
organise themselves and align with research funders from other member states and the knowledge institutions. They need to develop
the programme and to find financial Commitment. The EC is also involved in this process! This process is running now until
November this year!

In the domain of WUR and LNV the following foreseen European Partnerships are very relevant:
 1. Accelerating farming systems transition: agro-ecology living labs & research infrastructures (2023-2024: Co-funded)
 2. Animal health: Fighting infectious diseases (2023-2024: co-funded or co-programmed)
 3. Environmental Observations for a sustainable EU agriculture (2023-2024: co-funded or co-programmed)
 4. Rescuing biodiversity to safeguard life on Earth (2021-2022: Co-funded)
 5. A climate neutral, sustainable and productive Blue Economy (2021-2022: Co-funded)
 6. Safe and Sustainable Food System for People, Planet & Climate (2023-2024: Co-funded)
 7. Circular bio-based Europe: Sustainable, inclusive and circular bio-based solutions (Launch in 2021: institutional)
 8. Water4All: Water security for the planet (2021-2022: Co-funded)

 10

9. Chemical Risk assessment (2021-2022: Co-funded)
 10. One-Health AMR (2023-2024: Co-funded)

As you can see some partnerships start earlier than others. And the first one one Agro-ecology may start earlier than 2023-2024.

The WUR Europe Team, WUR LNV account and the KB-themes are joining forces to work together with LNV and other Dutch
ministries to prioritize and further develop the partnerships with the aim to use the EU funds as multiplier for Dutch (LNV, EZK, VWS,
I&W, Topsector and Wageningen) priorities / policies.

Please let us know when researchers are approached!

EU should ‘mainstream’ research and innovation across other EU programmes, says
research commissioner (18 June 2020)
Source: Science|Business Bulletin No. 852
In parliament meeting, Maryia Gabriel calls for swift agreement on next EU budget as she informs MEPs of the final steps
towards launching Horizon Europe in January 2021

Maryia Gabriel. Photo: European Commission.

After months of focusing on the coronavirus pandemic, the commission has come back in full swing to finalise details of
Horizon Europe. In a meeting in the European Parliament’s industry and research committee (ITRE) Maryia Gabriel told MEPs
the commission is “making advances” on new rules for how Horizon Europe will work in synergy with other EU funding
streams.

“Research and innovation need to be integrated and mainstreamed across other EU programmes,” Gabriel told MEPs on Tuesday.
The commission is also finalising details on a number of other outstanding issues in Horizon Europe, such as rules for foreign
participation and which research partnerships with industry will be funded, as member states get set for six months of intense
negotiations over the multiannual EU budget after Germany takes over the EU presidency at the start of July.
“These are issues that are on the table and I'm working on them with my team,” Gabriel said.
However, Gabriel warned that progress will be difficult if EU member states cannot reach an agreement on the budget. A summit of
heads of state will take place on Friday, but expectations for a deal are low and the president of the EU Council Charles Michel is
bracing for some difficult summits ahead.
One of the two Horizon Europe rapporteurs, German MEP Christian Ehler, said a budget deal is needed by September or October if the
commission and the parliament are to make any progress on synergies and international cooperation in Horizon Europe. “We are
running out of time,” he said.

Focus on synergies
Gabriel said her team is working with cohesion and reforms commissioner Elisa Ferreira to make sure that the European Regional and
Development Fund (ERDF), European Social Fund (ESF) and the Cohesion Fund can boost research capacities in emerging regions
but also finance research projects that will inevitably fall below the high bar needed for success in Horizon Europe.
Previous schemes, like the ‘seal of excellence’ have failed to move money from structural funds – that includes ERDF and ESF –
towards projects that came just under the funding thresholds of the commission in Horizon 2020, the current research programme.
According to Paul Webb, the commission’s head of unit for budget and long-term budget synergies, the budget proposal put forward in
May allows member states to allocate up to 5 per cent of their EU structural funds to national research proposals which will be
evaluated and managed as part of Horizon Europe.

Member states will be able to transfer money from structural funds, which are usually spent on basic infrastructure, to Horizon Europe
and use it on research projects that would not otherwise get EU funding because of the strong competition.
In addition, Gabriel said money from the regional fund could provide financing for the first phase of research and innovation projects
with regional focus. Then, as projects advance and regional researchers build up capacity and excellence, the commission could
provide additional funding for the researchers directly through Horizon Europe. “We also need to look at how we can work more closely
with the member states and regions to provide funding,” said Gabriel.

 11

The commission is also working on a plan for the European Institute for Innovation and Technology and the European Innovation
Council to work in tandem, but more work needs to be done to clarify how that would work in practice. “I do see them working in
synergy. But how do we transform the nice word synergy into something operational?” said Gabriel.

Next on the horizon: partnerships and missions
The commission has a total of 40 candidates for public-private research partnerships, of which 30 are slated to begin in the first two
years of Horizon Europe. “We are currently finalising our offer so that we can provide funds by the end of the year,” Gabriel said.
But if a budget is not agreed by the end of 2020, the commission would need to find a workaround so that partnerships can start on
time.
Gabriel is also intending to develop a new partnership on pandemic preparedness, but that would require more time to prepare and is
unlikely to start along with the other 30.
As for its planned research missions, an initiative by the commission to harness broader citizen support for ‘moonshot’ research
projects, Gabriel said the panels in charge of drafting the missions will present their final recommendations in September, during the
commission’s flagship R&D conference, the Research and Innovation Days.

A boost for hydrogen research
Gabriel also announced a plan to boost research and development of hydrogen fuels. The plan would fall under the commission’s
broader strategy, spearheaded by commission executive vice-president Frans Timmermans, to significantly reduce the carbon footprint
of the EU’s economy in the coming decades.
Gabriel said she is working with Timmermans his team and other commissioners on a hydrogen strategy that includes R&D currently
being done in Horizon 2020 via a public-private partnership on fuel cells and hydrogen. “We're going to be proposing a hydrogen hub
and Horizon Europe has a role to play,” she said.
The new strategy is to be published in July. It will build on the research done so far, and add investment in infrastructure and to
make sure the new technology could be sold at affordable prices in Europe.

New ERC president
Before ending her tour de force in the parliament, Gabriel also announced progress on finding a suitable candidate for president of the
European Research Council (ERC), to replace Mauro Ferrari who resigned in April after three months in office. Ferrari had
disagreements https://sciencebusiness.net/news/people-lost-patience-how-mauro-ferrari-and-brussels-fell-out-love-each-other-three-
short with the scientific council of the ERC over his job performance and the role of the research funder in the coronavirus pandemic.
An independent search committee will be looking for suitable candidates and will soon provide the scientific council with a shortlist of
names.
According to Gabriel, the next ERC president could be appointed by the end of the year. But, before that, the commission will name an
interim president “soon” so that the search committee could “do its work serenely,” Gabriel said.

HORIZON BLOG: Research and innovation in the next EU budget (18 June 2020)
Source: Webiste Science|Business https://sciencebusiness.net/framework-programmes/news/horizon-blog-research-and-innovation-
next-eu-budget
The Coimbra group, a European university lobby association, calls on policymakers to strengthen investments in education and
research by including funding for Erasmus+ and Horizon Europe in the EU’s recovery package.
In a statement https://www.coimbra-group.eu/joint-statement-from-coimbra-group-rectors-advisory-group-and-executive-board-on-the-
next-european-multiannual-financial-framework-and-the-recovery-instrument-next-generation-eu/ released this week, the group
expressed concern about the lack of explicit support for education and the Erasmus+ programme in the current recovery budget
proposal, and reminded EU leaders that “the future of Europe will crucially depend on the support given to its young people and their
commitment to the further development of Europe.”

Horizon Europe and Erasmus+ budgets ‘do not meet Europe’s needs’, says university group
The European University Association (EUA), Europe’s largest university lobby group, says the proposed Horizon Europe and
Erasmus+ budgets are insufficient to address the EU’s recovery needs.
In a statement https://eua.eu/downloads/publications/eua%20position%20-%20heu-e.pdf published a day before EU leaders are set to
discuss the new EU budget, the group calls on policymakers to increase the budget for Horizon Europe, invest more in basic research,
which gets no funding under the Commission’s recovery package, and increase support for humanities and social sciences.
“The EU’s collective aspirations towards European R&I and education programmes have never been higher as they aim at fostering the
green and digital transitions,” says the statement. “Budgets allocated to these policy objectives should provide the means to deliver on
those ambitions.”
The group also asks policymakers to increase funding for Erasmus+ and ensure there is enough money for collaboration with countries
outside the EU.

Science Europe: Commission budget proposal could ‘seriously damage’ excellent science pillar in Horizon Europe
Science Europe, the association representing Europe’s major public research organisations, say
https://www.scienceeurope.org/news/strengthening-european-research-funding-boost-needed-to-guarantee-sustainability/ EU leaders
should reconsider European Commission’s budget proposal for Horizon Europe, as it could be “seriously damaging” for parts of the
programme focused on blue sky research and research mobility.

 12

According to the commission’s budget proposal released in May, most Horizon Europe programmes would lose 3.2 per cent of their
budget. Meanwhile, the commission proposed to give a €13.5 billion boost from its pandemic recovery fund to the European Innovation
Council and applied research in health, digital and climate.
Science Europe says the plan should be “reconsidered” so that the recovery money also reaches the coffers of European Research
Council, Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions and research infrastructures.
In addition, Science Europe has reiterated previous calls for a €120 billion budget for Horizon Europe, a marked increase from
the current proposal, which is to be discussed by EU leaders in a videoconference on Friday 19 June.

Research infrastructures, with an eye on budget, argue they’re needed for Horizon ‘missions’
A week before European leaders are set to discuss the next EU budget, an association of big research infrastructure published a paper
arguing why their labs are needed to make a success of the EU’s planned research ‘missions.’
As part of its next big R&D programme, Horizon Europe, the European Commission plans to launch five missions – big, ambitious
https://www.eric-forum.eu/2020/06/12/the-eric-community-and-horizon-europe-mission-areas/ efforts involving many researchers – such
as tackling cancer and adapting to climate change. In its paper , the European Research Infrastructure Consortium (ERIC)
Forum details how its members “contribute to” these projects. ERICs are big research facilities that are legally incorporated under a
special EU regulation, and usually receive at least some of their funding from Horizon.

Increase Horizon Europe budget to about €120 billion, urge European research chiefs
Leaders of six leading European research organisations are calling on EU policymakers to increase the budget of Horizon Europe from
the €94.4 billion foreseen by the European Commission to around €120 billion as recommended by the European Parliament in 2018.
The group believes research will play a key role in the post-pandemic recovery and an ambitious Horizon Europe budget is key to
guaranteeing Europe has the means to build a prosperous future. “Massive investments in research, comprising the entire knowledge
value chain in terms of technology readiness levels, from basic research to market deployment will be essential to return to economic
and societal prosperity following the pandemic,” says the group’s statement.
The statement was signed by the presidents of the G6 network of European research organisations: Italy’s National Research Council
(CNR), France’s National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS), Spain’s Council for Scientific Research (CSIC), the Helmholtz
Association, the Leibniz Association, and the Max Planck Society.

ISE warns new budget proposal undermines basic research
The Initiative for Science in Europe (ISE), a group of research organisations and learning societies, is concerned that basic research
will be underfunded in the next EU budget if the European Research Council gets a funding cut.
Under the new European Commission budget proposal, the ERC gets a 3.2 per cent cut along with many other projects financed under
Horizon Europe. “Without basic research in the picture, the EU will not properly address Global Challenges and Industrial
Competitiveness. We call on the Commission to allow all forces to join together, including scientists working in basic sciences.,” says
the group’s statement https://initiative-se.eu/he-budget-statement/ issued today.
In late April, the group sent an open letter to EU leaders asking them to avoid overfunding research fields relevant to the current
pandemic, however, they regret their voice has not been heard.

Strengthen ERA and fund basic research, says university lobby group
University Association CESAER Tuesday issued a statement https://www.cesaer.org/content/5-operations/2020/20200609-position-
recovery--mff.pdf urging EU leaders to strengthen the European Research Area (ERA) and avoid diverting funding from basic to
applied research.
Under the European Commission’s new proposal, the €13 billion Horizon Europe boost will only fund the European Innovation Council
and applied research projects in health, digital and climate, while other Horizon programmes get a 3.2 per cent cut. The group believes
the new proposal risks underfunding basic research and says the budget should not be further tilted towards applied research.
CESAER also urge EU leaders to strengthen the ERA with a new funding instrument, a framework for talent circulation, and a boost for
research organisations in underperforming countries.
“Now is the right time to fully acknowledge the vital importance of research, education and innovation and their value as global public
goods,” says the group’s statement.

Rathenau: “Verbind Europese onderzoeksprogramma’s met lokale problemen” (18 juni
2020)
Bron: AWTI e-mail alert 18 juni 2020
De EU wil met het nieuwe meerjarenprogramma voor onderzoek en innovatie, Horizon Europe, de resultaten van het
onderzoek zichtbaarder maken voor een breed publiek. Maar hoe? Onderzoekers van het Rathenau Instituut stellen in een blogpost
van de London School of Economics dat de EU het onderzoeksprogramma dienstbaar moet maken aan duurzaamheidstransities van
de lange termijn en zich niet moet fixeren op zichtbare impact op de korte termijn. Daartoe moet het EU-onderzoek gekoppeld worden
aan nationale en regionale problemen.
Blogpost London School of Economics: https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/impactofsocialsciences/2020/06/16/to-achieve-visible-impacts-
horizon-europe-must-connect-to-local-innovation-dynamics/

 13

Missies gebaat bij steun onderzoeksinfrastructuren (16 juni 2020)
Bron: Neth-ER Nieuwsbrief week 25, 2020

Eenentwintig Europese onderzoeksinfrastructuren kunnen een belangrijke bijdrage leveren aan de missies in Horizon Europe.
De zogenaamde ERIC’s kunnen bijvoorbeeld hun instrumenten en data beschikbaar stellen of onderzoekers met elkaar in
contact brengen. Dat bepleit het Forum European Research Infrastructure Consortium. Vooral de missie gericht op
klimaatverandering kan op steun rekenen.

Welke onderzoeksinfrastructuren voor welke missies
Eenentwintig Europese onderzoeksinfrastructuren en vier “pre-infrastructuren” zullen bijdragen aan de missies in Horizon Europe. Dat
stelt de koepel van de zogenaamde European Research Infrastructure Consortia (ERIC), ERIC Forum, in het position paper
https://www.eric-forum.eu/2020/06/12/the-eric-community-and-horizon-europe-mission-areas/ ‘The ERIC community and Horizon
Europe Mission Areas’. Voor elk van de vijf missiegebieden in Horizon Europe heeft ERIC Forum in kaart gebracht welke
onderzoeksinfrastructuren kunnen bijdragen. Daarbij denken maar liefst zeventien consortia een bijdrage te kunnen leveren aan de
missie adaptation to climate change, including societal transformation. Voor de andere gebieden varieert dit van twaalf tot veertien. Vier
ERIC’s zijn zelfs van plan aan alle missies mee te werken. Als mogelijke diensten noemt het forum onder meer het beschikbaar stellen
van hoogtechnologische apparatuur en datasets, maar ook het mobiliseren van aangesloten onderzoekers.

Context
De missies vormen een nieuw onderdeel van Horizon Europe. Het doel van de missie-gedreven aanpak is het vergroten van de impact
van onderzoek op de samenleving. Er zijn vijf mission boards die missies moeten formuleren op het gebied van kanker,
klimaatverandering, gezonde oceanen, bodemgezondheid & voedsel en klimaatneutrale steden. Het ERIC Forum https://www.eric-
forum.eu/ is een Horizon 2020 project dat de samenwerking tussen 21 Europese onderzoeksinfrastructuren bevordert. ERIC Forum
staat los van het European Strategy Forum on Research Infrastructures, dat het Europees beleid voor onderzoeksinfrastructuren
coördineert.

Meer informatie:
Position paper ERIC Forum https://www.eric-forum.eu/2020/06/12/the-eric-community-and-horizon-europe-mission-areas/: The ERIC
community and Horizon Europe Mission Areas

Commissie één stap dichter bij Green Deal call (16 juni 2020)
Bron: Neth-ER Nieuwsbrief week 25, 2020

https://ec.europa.eu/info/research-and-innovation/strategy/european-green-deal/call/#survey-results-by-call-area. Bijna 6000
onderzoekers, burgers en bedrijven vulden de enquête in. Hoewel biodiversiteit als meest urgent wordt geacht, is men niet te spreken
over het ontwerp voor de call-tekst. Ook de tekst voor onderzoek naar de energietransitie in Afrika wordt minder gewaardeerd.
Onderwerpen die in de enquête als neutraal of minder relevant werden aangeduid, zijn het bestrijden van bosbranden, groene
(luchthavens), een elektrolyse machine van 100 MW en het digitaal observeren van oceanen.

Context
De Green Deal is de topprioriteit van de Commissie Von der Leyen en heeft als doel om Europa voor 2050 klimaatneutraal te maken.
Ter voorbereiding van een speciale Green Deal call in Horizon 2020 schreef de Commissie een online enquête uit, wat niet gebruikelijk

 14

is voor onderdelen van werkprogramma’s. Met de call is naar verwachting 1 miljard euro gemoeid. Dat komt bovenop de 350 miljoen
euro die wordt vrijgemaakt in de European Innovation Council https://www.neth-er.eu/nl/nieuws/Update-EIC-werkprogramma-bevat-
Green-Deal-call-van-350-miljoen.

Meer informatie:
Website Commissie https://ec.europa.eu/info/research-and-innovation/strategy/european-green-deal/call/#survey-results-by-call-area:
European Green Deal call

Horizon Europe websites (16 juni 2020)
Bron: Rijksdienst voor Ondernemend Nederland (RVO).
Bij RVO hebben de National Contact Point een start gemaakt met een informatiewebsite over Horizon Europe:
www.rvo.nl/horizon-europe

Verder heeft de EC een website gemaakt waarin ze uitleggen welke typen partnerships er onder Horizon Europe voorzien worden (de
link wordt nog toegevoegd aan onze nieuwe website):
https://ec.europa.eu/info/horizon-europe-next-research-and-innovation-framework-programme/european-partnerships-horizon-
europe_en#partnership-candidates-and-contact-details
En met wat doorklikken krijg je ook een overzicht van de inhoudelijke richting van alle individuele partnerships:
https://ec.europa.eu/info/horizon-europe-next-research-and-innovation-framework-programme/european-partnerships-horizon-
europe/candidates-european-partnerships-health_en. Hier volgen naar verwachting op korte termijn updates (de bedoeling is ruim voor
het einde van deze maand).

De lidstaten moeten de komende tijd bepalen in welke partnerships ze actief mee willen doen en hoeveel geld ze willen reserveren voor
de cofunded partnerships voor de partnerschap binnen cluster health zijn ze dat allemaal m.u.v. Innovatieve Health Initiative (geen
directe bijdrage gevraagd) en EU-Africa Global Health (niet cofunded, wel bijdrage)). Dat betekent dat men vanuit het veld bezig is de
diverse onderdelen van de ministeries (in dit geval met name VWS) te motiveren om nu in actie te komen.

 15

Other International subsidy news

 16

National subsidy news

Six researchers awarded the highest distinction in Dutch Science (19 June 2020)
Source: Website NWO News & Events https://www.nwo.nl/en/news-and-events/news/2020/06/six-researchers-awarded-the-highest-
distinction-in-dutch-science.html
Six researchers will receive the highest awards in science. Professor Nynke Dekker, professor Jan van Hest, professor
Pauline Kleingeld and professor Sjaak Neefjes will be awarded the Spinoza Prize. Professor Linda Steg and professor Ton
Schumacher receive the Stevin Prize. Each laureate will receive 2.5 million euros, which they can spend on scientific research
and activities related to knowledge utilisation.
The researchers are receiving the prize for their outstanding, pioneering and inspiring work. The key focus of both prizes is the quality
of the researcher: whereas the Spinoza Prize emphasises the scientific work and fundamental questions, the Stevin Prize primarily
honours the societal impact.

Internationally renowned leading scientists

Spinoza Prize
Professor Nynke Dekker
Nynke Dekker (1971) is Professor of Biological Physics at the Kavli Institute of Nanoscience of TU Delft, and one of the pioneers in
molecular biophysics. She designs, develops and uses innovative instrumentation at the nanometre scale for her pioneering research
on individual DNA and RNA molecules and their interactions with enzymes and molecular motors in bacteria, viruses and eukaryotes.
Amongst other things, she has clarified how chemotherapy treatments kill cancer cells at the molecular level.
Professor Jan van Hest
Jan van Hest (1968) is Professor of Bio-organic Chemistry at Eindhoven University of Technology. He designs and develops new
materials and catalytic processes that combine artificially produced molecules with biological components, such as nanoreactors that
can be deployed as artificial organelles in living cells to initiate reactions with enzymes. These materials are used in biocatalysis and for
biomedical applications, for example transporting drugs through the human body.
Professor Pauline Kleingeld
Pauline Kleingeld (1962), Professor of Ethics and its History at the University of Groningen, is an astute and versatile researcher. A
groundbreaking interpretation of Kant’s ethics and political philosophy provides new perspectives on moral universalism, autonomy,
free will and cosmopolitanism. She also critically assesses Kant’s racist and sexist prejudices. Thanks to her original approach and
ideas, she has become an internationally renowned Kant expert who also builds important bridges to current philosophical discussions
and behavioural sciences research.
Prof. Sjaak Neefjes
Sjaak (Jacques) Neefjes (1959), Professor of Chemical Immunology (Leiden University) and head of the Department of Cellular and
Chemical Biology (Leiden University Medical Center), is a multidisciplinary scientific all-rounder. He develops ingenious techniques and
combines insights from chemistry, cell biology, immunology and biochemistry to study processes in individual cells. That leads to
fundamental, groundbreaking discoveries about the functioning of the immune system, which are translated into clinical applications for
cancer and infectious diseases as well as for autoimmune diseases such as rheumatism and multiple sclerosis.

Stevin Prize
Prof. Ton Schumacher
Ton Schumacher (1965) is an internationally renowned researcher in the field of immunotherapy against cancer. He is group leader
Molecular Oncology & Immunology at The Netherlands Cancer Institute and affiliated with the Oncode Institute. He is also Professor of
Immune Technology at Leiden University and Leiden University Medical Center. The immunologist has played a crucial role in the rapid
development of this discipline due to his scientific discoveries as well as his ability to translate these into patient-oriented applications.
Breakthroughs in the area of genetically manipulating T-cells have led to a new treatment against blood cancer. Schumacher’s
publications about neo-antigens open the door to a personalised cancer vaccine.
Prof. Linda Steg
Linda Steg (1965), Professor of Environmental Psychology at the University of Groningen, is deemed to be one of the most innovative
and influential pioneers in her relatively young discipline. Her research focuses on which factors stimulate environmentally friendly
behaviour. An important outcome is that people’s actions are not solely based on “rational” facts and arguments or cost-benefit
analyses, but that moral and environmental considerations play a role too. Mainly as a result of Steg’s efforts, this behavioural factor
has gained considerable importance in international climate policy. With her groundbreaking research into the environmental behaviour
of people, numerous policy-defining publications and participation in authoritative international committees, she has made a major
contribution to the rapid development of her discipline.

Selection of the laureates
NWO invites a limited number of people who, by virtue of their positions, nominate candidates for a Spinoza Prize or a Stevin Prize.
This year, NWO received approximately 25 nominations for each prize. The Spinoza and Steven committees consist of twelve

 17