CoR Plenary (April 2022)

Following the adoption of the United Nations sustainable development goals in 2015, research and innovation investment strategies worldwide are increasingly geared towards the twin green and digital transitions, in a bid to reinforce the impact of public investments in science and technology by improving their capacity to pool resources and rally various actors, including citizens, behind a specific goal (also known as 'directionality'). Horizon Europe, the 9th EU framework programme for research and innovation (2021-2027), establishes five 'missions' to be achieved by 2030. These are the EU's long-term, cross-cutting research priorities, namely: adaptation to climate change; cancer – improving the lives of more than 3 million people; restore our oceans and waters; 100 climate-neutral and smart cities; and a soil deal for Europe. On 29 September 2021, the European Commission presented a communication in which it set out the missions' goals by 2030, and outlines their early implementation phase from 2021 to 2023 through dedicated calls for funding adopted and published through Horizon Europe. The missions echo calls from the European Parliament to support transnational cooperation in research and innovation through EU investment. The five mission goals cut across the EU's political priorities, including the Europe's Beating Cancer plan and the European Green Deal.

The Commission launched five new EU missions, a new and innovative way to work together and improve the lives of people in Europe and beyond. EU missions aim to tackle big challenges in health, climate and the environment, and to achieve ambitious and inspiring goals in these areas.
A novelty of Horizon Europe and also an original concept in EU policy, bringing together several Commission services under the authority of nine College members, missions will support research to deliver on the Commission's main priorities and find responses to some of the greatest challenges we are facing today: fighting cancer, adapting to climate change, protecting the ocean, seas and waters, living in greener cities and ensuring healthy soil and food.

Adapting to climate change, protecting water, greening cities, ensuring healthy food and fighting cancer are some of today's major challenges that EU missions, launched by the European Commission, seek to address. Markku Markkula (FI/EPP), rapporteur for the European Committee of the Regions' opinion on the subject and member of Espoo City Council, stresses that missions need to be underpinned by an effective multilevel governance system linking them to local and regional development strategies, COVID-19 recovery measures and innovation funding through the Structural Funds.