In October 2022, the European Commission published a Strategic Research and Innovation Plan (SRIP) to accelerate the shift to safe and sustainable materials and chemicals. In order to boost protection of people and the environment against hazardous substances, the SRIP highlights crucial research and innovation (R&I) needs for this transition and guides funders in their investments.

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In addition to listing the R&I needs for the whole life cycle of such materials and chemicals, SRIP also provides guidance on how to make the most of such R&I activities. The aim is to encourage and guide funders in EU, national, and private financial programs. It reflects the priorities of authorities, scientists, and companies alike.

Mariya Gabriel, Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth, says, “We can harness a big economic opportunity by focusing on safe and sustainable chemicals and materials. European industry can gain a competitive advantage and win consumers’ confidence by investing in such innovative solutions.”

The Commission will refer to the SRIP in the upcoming Horizon Europe Work Programme 2023–2024 expected to be adopted before the end of the year, as an overarching strategy. In order to maximize SRIP’s impact, the Commission will set out a monitoring scheme for its implementation.

The SRIP, first announced in the 2020 Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability and part of the Green Deal zero pollution ambition, identifies R&I areas crucial for boosting the transition to materials and chemicals that are safe and sustainable. It provides a comprehensive outlook of R&I needs from production to (re)use, disposal, and the decontamination of the environment.

The Chemicals Strategy aims to tackle the dual challenge of answering Europe’s need for essential substances and protecting human health and the environment. The EU must have access to these materials and chemicals and achieve its Green Deal goals at a time when manufacturing and supply chains are increasingly complex. In this context, developing a strategic approach to R&I for safe and sustainable materials and chemicals is also an economic opportunity.

The report can be accessed online: European Commission, Directorate-General for Research and Innovation, Strategic Research and Innovation Plan for Safe and Sustainable Chemicals and Materials, Publications Office of the European Union, 2022, https://data.europa.eu/doi/10.2777/876851.

Source: European Commission Research and Innovation