\
&
Contact us
\
&
Contact us
The European Partnership on Animal Health and Welfare (EUPAH&W) iwill launch its second external co-funded research and innovation call "shaping the future of animal health and welfare" during the course of January 2026. The Call will aim to foster international collaboration and impactful research and innovation across Europe and will be supported by funding organisations across 19 countries. Proposals submitted under this Call must address animal welfare or prevention and control and spanning welfare assessment, humane transport and slaughter, disease prevention, resilience, therapeutics, and innovation. You can find more information about the call on this website.
2025-12-23 Agro-Food, EnvironmentThe European Commission would like to revise the European rules on marine environment protection. This initiative follows the evaluation of the EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive. It aims to better protect the marine environment, simplify rules and their implementation, improve data use, and reduce administrative burden including by easing reporting. This will be done without having a negative effect on the environmental goals of the Directive, which are to ensure that EU marine waters are clean, healthy, resilient and productive. You can access the survey via this webpage.
2025-12-22 Climate, Energy, MobilityThe European Commission has launched an Automotive Package to support the automotive sector's transition to clean mobility by 2050. This package aims to enhance competitiveness, simplify regulations, and encourage the production of zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) within the EU. The Automotive Package establishes a policy framework focused on achieving climate neutrality in the automotive sector while offering manufacturers greater flexibility to meet CO2 targets. Key features include reduced compliance burdens and additional financial support measures, such as a battery booster initiative worth €1.8 billion to bolster the EU's battery production capabilities. From 2035, carmakers must reduce their tailpipe emissions by 90%, allowing certain vehicles to play a role beyond this date, while corporate vehicle initiatives are set to establish mandatory targets for Member States to enhance the market for low-emission vehicles. To drive the uptake of zero- and low-emission vehicles, the package introduces measures like banking and borrowing of emissions allowances and super credits for affordable small electric vehicles. Furthermore, the Automotive Omnibus aims to cut administrative costs, projected to save businesses approximately €706 million annually, and strengthens the EU's competitive edge through reduced red tape and harmonised car labelling rules for consumer clarity. This effort is part of a broader strategy established in response to insights from industry stakeholders during the Strategic Dialogue launched by President von der Leyen in January 2025. Entities interested in exploring these initiatives are encouraged to review the full Automotive Package details through the European Commission's website.
2025-12-22 Agro-Food, EnvironmentThe European Commission, led by DG AGRI, is preparing a new EU Agricultural Research and Innovation (R&I) Strategic Approach, planned for mid-2026. This Strategic Approach aims to secure the long-term competitiveness, sustainability and resilience of the EU’s agri-food sector, forestry and rural areas, and contribute to the objectives of the Vision for Agriculture and Food and other Commission initiatives. They invite interested persons to take part in a short questionnaire designed to gather feedback from key stakeholders across the agricultural, forestry, and rural sectors. You can access the survey here.
2025-12-22 Digital, Industry & Space Digital Europe AI Continent Cybersecurity DefenceFlanders is pursuing an active industry and export policy focused on defence innovation. With the Flemish Innovation and Industry Strategy for Security and Defence (VISD) and a new weapon trading decree, the government plans to help local companies market their technologies internationally. The European defence and security market is rapidly expanding, and Flanders boasts strong companies and knowledge institutions across key domains such as maritime technology, aerospace, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and biotechnology. The VISD aims to convert these strengths into projects ready for national defence, EU, or NATO collaboration and export. To facilitate this, Flanders is bringing together companies, research centres, and government around targeted technological initiatives. Flemish Minister-President Matthias Diependaele announced an initial investment of €5 million, expected to grow to €50 million per year by 2029, to support the development of projects from pilot to effective implementations. This funding is intended to enhance production and export capabilities within the region, supporting the broader context of European security. In addition to investments, VISD provides active support to Flemish companies in finding partners, engaging with European programmes, and accessing test and research infrastructure. Furthermore, initiatives like the 'Defence in Flanders Days' aim to increase visibility for the sector, fostering local production of new technologies. The government is also updating the weapon trading decree, which regulates the transport of military goods and civilian firearms. Given the complex nature of the existing 2012 legislation, the updated framework aims to offer greater legal certainty for companies while aligning closely with European regulations. The goal is to reduce bureaucratic burden and expedite licensing processes where appropriate, ensuring stringent controls to prevent misuse of Flemish technology. The new approach is tailored based on the sensitivity of transactions, simplifying procedures for trade with reliable partners and within recognised cooperative frameworks. Overall, VISD and the updated weapon trading decree are seen as pivotal in fostering innovation and export potential, thereby creating high-tech job opportunities in Flanders.
Sign up for personalised information!
We offer news and event updates, covering all domains and topics of Horizon Europe, Digital Europe & EDF (and occasionally, for ongoing projects, Horizon 2020).
Stay informed about what matters to you. By signing up, you can opt in for email notifications and get access to a personalised dashboard that groups all news updates and event announcements in your domain(s).
Only for stakeholders located in Flanders
Health Digital, Industry & Space Digital Europe
Professor Inez Germeys leads the Center for Contextual Psychiatry at KU Leuven, which is a large multi-disciplinary research group focusing on the interaction between the person and the environment in the development of psychopathology. She has received a European Research Council (ERC) Consolidator grant (INTERACT) and Proof of Concept grant (IMPACT). With these grants professor Germeys and her team researched a new mobile self-management therapy for patients with a psychotic disorder. The Acceptance and Commitment Therapy in Daily Life (ACT-DL) was further developed for the clinical environment. In line with that the Horizon 2020 IMMERSE project aims to thoroughly evaluate strategies, processes, and outcomes of implementing a digital mobile mental health solution.
