M-ERA.NET 3 aims at coordinating the research efforts in the participating EU Member States, Regions, and Associated States in materials research and innovation, including materials for future batteries, to support the circular economy and Sustainable Development Goals. A large network of national and regional funding organisations from 25 EU Members States, 4 Associated States and 6 countries outside Europe will implement a series of annual joint calls to fund excellent innovative transnational RTD cooperation, including one call for proposals with EU co-funding and additional non-cofunded calls. Continuing the activities started under the predecessor project M-ERA.NET 2 (3/2016-2/2021), the M-ERA.NET 3 consortium will address emerging technologies and related applications areas, such as - for example- surfaces, coatings, composites, additive manufacturing or integrated materials modelling. Research on materials supporting the large scale research initiative on future battery technologies will be particularly highlighted as a main target of the cofunded call (Call 2021) with a view to supporting in particular SDG 7 (“Affordable and clean energy”) by enabling electro mobility through sustainable energy storage technology and SDG 9 (“Industrial innovation and infrastructure”) by enhancing scientific research and upgrading the technological capabilities of industrial sectors. Several relevant action plans and initiatives will serve as programmatic guides for M-ERA.NET 3 when defining the joint activities, such as the Circular Economy Action Plan, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals, the EC communication “A clean planet for all”, and the “European Green Deal”. The total mobilised public call budget is expected to reach 150 million € with additional private investment of 50 million €. Thus, the leverage effect of the EU contribution will reach a factor of 13, exceeding by far the minimum required factor of 5.

Despite efforts to reduce fragmentation across the European Research Area, the European scientific system is still facing challenges in achieving gender equality and gender mainstreaming in research and innovation. In this context, and in line with ERA policy goals and national contexts, the GENDER-NET Plus ERA-NET Cofund aims to strengthen transnational collaborations between research programme owners and managers, provide support to the promotion of gender equality through institutional change and instigate the integration of sex and gender analysis into research and funding programmes. To do so, project partners – a consortium of 16 committed organisations – will join forces to 1) Implement a joint co-funded call for proposals, 2) Design and implement transnational actions on the promotion of gender equality through institutional change and the integration of sex and gender analysis into research, 3) Update and enlarge the mappings and analyses carried out in GENDER-NET on the promotion of gender equality in research and innovation, 4) Carry out a joint assessment of gender differences and bias in access to research grants and define and develop appropriate conditions for promoting equal opportunities in research funding, 5) Promote and disseminate key findings. GENDER-NET will address these goals through 7 work packages and relies on a strong transnational cooperation between partner EU Member States, Associated Countries, and Third Countries, to contribute to the advancement of gender equality in the ERA.

Building on the Horizon 2020 project GENDERACTION, the overall goal of GENDERACTIONplus is to contribute to the coordination of gender equality and inclusiveness objectives of the new European Research Area through the development of a policy community of practice consisting of national authorities from 11 MS and 2 AC and 7 MS Associated partners and an RFO community of practice from 8 MS and 2 AC and 9 Associated partners. The coordination network covers a total of 23 MS and 3 AC with 26 project partners and 18 Associated partners. Specifically, the project aims to: 1) Develop strategic policy advice on existing and emerging policy solutions in the key thematic areas (intersectionality and inclusiveness; gender-based violence; gender dimension in research, innovation and teaching; monitoring and evaluation of ERA gender equality actions; supporting institutional change through gender equality plans); 2) Enhance the policy-making process through engaging with stakeholders, CSOs and citizens; 3) Build capacities, competence and expertise for gender equality and mainstreaming in R&I among the policy and RFO community members, with special attention to countries with a less comprehensive policy; 4) Create impact through communication, dissemination and exploitation, including national impact plans and an EU impact plan, policy briefs and position papers based on the policy advice developed. The impact of GENDERACTIONplus will be: 1) Advanced policy coordination among MS and AC and through stakeholder and citizen engagement; 2) Improved research careers and working conditions in European R&I, by developing policy dialogue and solutions on inclusion and intersectionality, combating gender-based violence and promoting institutional changes through GEPs; 3) Increased research quality and social responsibility of knowledge through the integration of gender dimension in R&I; and 4) Reduced geographic inequality by targeting less experienced/engaged countries and regions.

FUTURE4PRIMA will reinforce and enlarge collaborations between R&I national funding institutions in the fields of sustainable agri-food systems and water management in the Mediterranean, as has been done within the Horizon 2020 (H2020) Partnership for Research and Innovation in the Mediterranean Area (PRIMA), establishing a new PRIMA (“PRIMA2”). The project extends PRIMA activities across widening countries and beyond, especially towards third countries bordering the Mediterranean. It will ensure the leveraging of resources, pooled towards shared priorities addressing emerging challenges in the region and seeking complementarity with activities and policies with those of the Framework Programme and relevant European Partnerships and EU Missions. The proposal paves the way for extending the thematic focus of PRIMA to complementary fields only partially targeted in H2020 and Horizon Europe’s (HE) current and planned EU Partnerships and Missions and will add an integrated management approach of resources, including ecosystems, energy and health, to PRIMA’s original goal of sustainable water management and agri-food systems, accelerating the European Green Deal’s (EGD) objectives and globally, to the UN Agenda 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It will also build capacities to stimulate the uptake of R&I results aligning this process with real market and social needs. The consortium will promote relations among governments, enterprises, researchers and citizens for ensuring a sound sustainability and longevity well beyond the span of the project.