OpenLobby.EU
Explore

Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research TNO

TNO

TNO is a Dutch independent research organization that develops innovations for industrial competitiveness and societal wellbeing.

Lobbying Activity

TNO demands tax incentives to boost European advanced materials

13 Jan 2026
Topic — The European Commission is seeking feedback on enhancing strategic autonomy in advanced materials.
Message — TNO recommends bridging the gap between research and industry by providing SMEs access to testing facilities. They propose adding semiconductors to the scope and introducing direct tax incentives to attract private investment.123
Why — The research organization would benefit from increased funding and stronger links with industry.4
Impact — Global suppliers may face reduced demand as Europe prioritizes reducing its external dependencies.5
Read full response

TNO calls for taskforce to protect EU quantum supply

10 Dec 2025
Topic — This consultation concerns the development and industrial deployment of quantum technologies in Europe.
Message — TNO recommends establishing an Economic Security Intelligence Taskforce for quantum technologies to monitor supply chains. This group should leverage existing data sources to provide actionable intelligence for policy-making.12
Why — Better monitoring would reduce strategic dependencies on foreign suppliers for critical quantum components.34
Impact — Non-EU manufacturers could face reduced market access as Europe prioritizes internal supply chains.5
Read full response

Meeting with Robert Nuij (Head of Unit Energy)

10 Dec 2025 · Exchange on consumer propositions for heat pump deployment in the context of a project by the TNO and TDI

Response to Revision of the Rescue and Restructuring Guidelines

6 Nov 2025

TNO welcomes the Commissions initiative to revise the definition of undertaking in difficulty (UID), as currently formulated in Article 2(18) of the GBER, and the Rescue and Restructuring Guidelines. The current definition unintentionally excludes innovative deeptech startups and scale-ups from access to EU state aid under the GBER safe harbour. This is counterproductive, as these companies often require substantial time, funding, and patience for research, development, and first-of-a-kind demonstrations before becoming cash-flow positive. TNO proposes the following changes: 1. Extend the exemption period for SMEs from 3 to 10 years. Deeptech startups typically need much longer than three years to reach positive cash flow. During this period, they rely on a mix of financing instruments, including equity, convertible loans, grants, and guarantees. Extending the exemption period aligns the UID definition with the actual innovation and commercialisation cycles of research-intensive startups. 2. Include convertible loans when calculating solvency. Convertible loans are standard instruments for startups and intended to convert into equity in later funding rounds. Excluding them distorts the assessment of a companys financial health. Recognising convertible loans as quasi-equity better reflects real-world financing practices and supports companies with credible long-term investment potential. 3. Broaden the assessment beyond equity ratios. The current UID definition relies heavily on balance sheet indicators, which do not always reflect a companys viability. A more comprehensive assessment could consider liquidity, business model viability, execution capacity, and shareholder backing, allowing authorities to distinguish between genuinely distressed firms and innovative enterprises temporarily showing negative equity due to R&D investment. 4. Clarify that temporary balance sheet effects should not trigger UID classification. Negative equity arising from strategic spin-offs, large upfront R&D spending, or goodwill amortisation should not automatically result in classification as an undertaking in difficulty. Innovative firms often face such temporary effects during normal growth and investment cycles. Alignment of UID definitions across all relevant European frameworks is crucial to avoid excluding viable deeptech companies from state aid.
Read full response

TNO urges EU to include carbon circularity in Act

5 Nov 2025
Topic — This legislative proposal aims to enhance economic security by promoting circular business models.
Message — TNO calls for the Act to explicitly address carbon circularity and the recycling of carbon-based molecules. They also suggest aligning regulations with existing sectoral roadmaps in industries such as energy and maritime.12
Why — This would ensure that legislative frameworks are consistent with TNO’s ongoing applied research programs.3
Impact — Industrial value chains lose critical support for decarbonisation if carbon circularity is ignored.4
Read full response

TNO Urges Fully Harmonized EU Building Emissions Framework

31 Oct 2025
Topic — Establishing a common EU framework for calculating the life-cycle warming potential of buildings.
Message — TNO recommends a fully harmonized approach that minimizes specific national rules to allow borderless trade. They suggest setting the carbon footprint of reused materials to zero to promote circularity. The organization also proposes extending these assessment requirements to include large renovation projects.123
Why — This would reduce administrative burdens and the need for expensive re-certification in different countries.45
Impact — National regulators would lose the power to maintain their own country-specific certification rules.6
Read full response

Meeting with Christian Ehler (Member of the European Parliament)

14 Oct 2025 · General exchange

TNO urges EU to prioritize application-driven AI in science

5 Jun 2025
Topic — The European Commission is consulting on a coordinated strategy for AI adoption within scientific research.
Message — TNO recommends prioritizing funding for domain-specific AI projects and incentivizing public-private partnerships. They propose aligning Member State regulations under a unified framework to ensure transparency.123
Why — Prioritizing research organisations in funded partnerships secures their central role within the innovation ecosystem.45
Impact — Human reviewers might lose influence if AI tools are adopted for assessing scientific research proposals.6
Read full response

Response to European strategy on research and technology infrastructures

22 May 2025

TNO, the Dutch Research Technology Organisation, welcomes the development of the future European strategy for Research and Technology Infrastructures (TIs). We especially support the recommendations made by the Expert Group on TIs, particularly those regarding improved access to TIs for industry, especially SMEs. For many innovative industries, finding and accessing highly specific research infrastructure services is a major hurdle. It is therefore essential that the unique characteristics of TIs are acknowledged in innovation policy and translated into an actionable strategy. A coordinated strategy for technology infrastructures will optimize national and EU investments in applied research facilities that accelerate technology maturation and industrial adoption. Industry, including SMEs, requires access to state-of-the-art research and technology facilities, equipment, and expertise to test, upscale, and validate new products and technologies. This access shortens time-to-market and increases the chances of successful commercialisation. By avoiding duplication and ensuring uniform access, the TI strategy will increase the visibility of infrastructures critical to industry, including SMEs, facilitate access to TIs, thereby speeding up technology transfer, and strengthen Europes position in key technologies, supporting long-term European competitiveness. In this context, the Horizon Europe project RITIFI (GA 101095267) is developing policy advice on Technology Infrastructures and RI-TI collaboration based on five concrete thematic case studies in the areas of Circular Materials, Microelectronics and Semiconductors, Clean Hydrogen, Biomedical technologies, and Particle Accelerators and Superconducting Magnets. https://ritifi.eu
Read full response

Meeting with Jeannette Baljeu (Member of the European Parliament)

1 May 2025 · EU duurzaamheids- en innovatiebeleid

Response to Interim evaluation of the Strategic Technologies for Europe Platform (2024-2025)

10 Apr 2025

TNO welcomes the Strategic Technologies for Europe Platform (STEP) and the inclusion of digital, clean, and biotechnologies as focus areas. We emphasize the importance of using STEP and the STEP Seal to pursue key strategic EU objectives and to enhance the alignment between policy goals and funding in line with the European Commissions ambition for a more policy-driven and focused EU budget. Please find our full response in the attached document.
Read full response

Meeting with Auke Zijlstra (Member of the European Parliament)

5 Feb 2025 · Nuclear fusion and fission

Meeting with Auke Zijlstra (Member of the European Parliament)

31 Jan 2025 · Industrial innovation, time-to-market

Response to Interim Evaluation of Digital Europe

20 Sept 2024

TNO welcomes the opportunity offered by the European Commission to submit feedbacks for the interim evaluation of Digital Europe Programme (DIGITAL). TNO, as one of the largest Research and Technology Organisation in the Netherlands, has been a keen supporter of the DIGITAL and of it strategic positioning in the funding landscape for research and innovation in digital technologies and in the policy implementation for digital. TNO strongly endorses DIGITAL's mission to propel the European Union's digital transformation for industry, citizens, and public administration. These technologies are fundamental for current and future economic and societal value creation in all sectors. We support the establishment of a dedicated EU program that fosters the development and integration of key enabling digital technologies in collaboration with industry, facilitating knowledge transfer, skill development, and infrastructure enhancement through pan-European projects. To drive its impacts, DIGITAL funds close collaboration in key digital technologies between public and industry partners of all sizes and Research and Technology Organizations (RTOs), which deliver the required research and development activities. TNO has been a pro-active participant in the 4 first years of DIGITAL, both in terms of participation to proposals and running of projects. Its based on the accumulated experiences of the last 4 years that we wish to express that the impact of the programme can be further increased. TNO raises different points in the attached document to engage discussions with the European Commission and the DIGITAL communities to aim for a greater impact and greater successes of DIGITAL. These points, further detailed in the attached document, are: 1. Funding Rates and Participation 2. Overhead Funding Discrepancy 3. Misalignment of Programmes Deadlines 4. Diversity & Complex Topic Implementation 5. Limited Access to Information 6. Economic Activities and State Aid Issues 7. Call Openness (Article 12.5) 8. Ownership Control Process 9. National Co-Funding Synchronization 10. Low Submission Numbers and Competition 11. Stability in setting priorities and funding TNO's document contain humble recommendations for each of these points to trigger a conversation. TNO and its experts remain of course ready to further discuss these recommendations with the European Institutions representatives.
Read full response

Meeting with Kim Van Sparrentak (Member of the European Parliament)

25 Jul 2024 · open strategische autonomie

Meeting with Christian Ehler (Member of the European Parliament)

20 Jun 2024 · European research policy

Meeting with Christian Ehler (Member of the European Parliament) and Interuniversitair Micro-Electronica Centrum vzw and Universite de Liege

15 Mar 2024 · Export control/Academic freedom

Meeting with Tom Berendsen (Member of the European Parliament) and Interuniversitair Micro-Electronica Centrum vzw

19 Feb 2024 · RANTZEE - innovation for Port Security.

Meeting with Isidro Laso Ballesteros (Cabinet of Commissioner Adina Vălean)

5 Feb 2024 · Research, transport

Response to Measures to reduce microplastic pollution

15 Jan 2024

TNO endorses the initiative of the European Commission to tackle microplastics that are unintentionally released in the environment. TNO also concurs with the European Commission Regulatory Scrutiny Board that there is still room for improvement on the report Impact assessment/ Measures to reduce the release of microplastics in the environment. TNO is the largest independent applied research organization in the Netherlands and Microplastics is one of our priority research topics. Last year we published the whitepaper: Microplastics are everywhere: 70% reduction achievable (see attachment) that shows the scope of the microplastic problem in the Netherlands as well as quantified, tailored solutions. The peer-reviewed scientific article supporting this whitepaper is published in the Journal: Science of the Total Environment (1). Microplastics can be found everywhere and are present in increasing quantities in the environment. They can have negative effects on soil-, water- and/or air-quality and have been proven to end up in the human system. To achieve the most impact in reducing microplastic release, it is important to identify the various microplastic sources and adopt the most suitable mitigation strategies to eliminate these sources. To do this effectively, a systemic understanding of the entire life cycle of plastics, i.e. production, use and end-of-life phase, is needed. We have designed a simulation model for rubber and the 7 most produced polymers that can identify microplastic sources and assess mitigation strategies on an international level. As suggested by the Regulatory scrutiny board, the Impact assessment and Measures to reduce the release of microplastics in the environment should include all microplastics sources and available policy choices for mitigation. We concur with this suggestion, while emphasizing the need for efficient mitigation strategies. For example, our whitepaper shows that the biggest sources for microplastics in the Netherlands are car tires, plastic packaging, agricultural foils and synthetic textiles. To gain maximum impact, the focus should be on these sources first. To reduce microplastic release in an effective and efficient way, a systemic approach is needed. This would enable the prioritization of most effective and efficient measures, as indicated by the European Commissions report: EU action against microplastics (2). We advise to take a range of mitigation strategies into account. As an example, our microplastic modelling work shows that in the Netherlands, microplastic release from packaging can be reduced effectively by eliminating (unnecessary) single use plastics by implementation of the European rules on Single-Use Plastics and further extending the packaging deposit principle. Determining (by simulation) the mitigation impact of potential measures allows for prioritization of the most effective measures. To summarize, we greatly appreciate the European Commissions effort in developing mitigation strategies to reduce the release of pellets. More effort is needed to battle other sources (tires, plastic packaging, agricultural foils and synthetic textiles) of microplastics and other policy efforts for mitigation should be considered as well. The presence of microplastics in the environment is a societal issue that cannot be solved at the level of individual member states. In our view, the European Commission can have a great role in taking a systemic approach to reduce microplastic release effectively and efficiently in the European Union. We are keen to help build a roadmap for the reduction of microplastics in the EU, by taking reachable and effective measures. We are happy to elaborate on our findings and continue the conversation with you and other stakeholders. TNO firmly supports efficient acting on microplastics in the European Union. 1. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.162644 2. https://data.europa.eu/doi/10.2779/917472
Read full response

Meeting with Martina Dlabajová (Member of the European Parliament) and BUSINESSEUROPE and Bruegel

20 Nov 2023 · Investing in Research and Innovation: Towards FP10

Meeting with Bart Groothuis (Member of the European Parliament, Shadow rapporteur)

8 Jun 2023 · Cyber Solidarity Act

Meeting with Mohammed Chahim (Member of the European Parliament, Shadow rapporteur)

26 May 2023 · Conference on CRMA

Meeting with Mohammed Chahim (Member of the European Parliament, Shadow rapporteur)

22 May 2023 · CRMA

Meeting with Véronique Trillet-Lenoir (Member of the European Parliament, Rapporteur) and European Trade Union Institute and Agence nationale de sécurité sanitaire de l'alimentation, de l'environnement et du travail

21 Mar 2023 · Shadow meeting with experts on asbestos

Response to Revision of EU Ambient Air Quality legislation

17 Feb 2023

TNO fully supports the initiative of the European Commission to revise the air quality rules, as announced in the European Green Deal and its zero-pollution ambition for a toxic-free environment. We have aligned our suggestions with the document DIRECTIVE OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL on ambient air quality and cleaner air for Europe (26.10.2022 COM (2022) 542 final 2022/0347 (COD)); $ 2.4 preferred policy package. We also attach our white paper on this topic. 1. On air quality standards: We support the initiative to review and align the EU Air Quality standards with the WHO Air Quality Guidelines towards 2030 and beyond. A further reduction of Particulate Matter (PM) exposure will benefit the entire European population, healthwise. However, to lower the concentrations of PM further, the required extra investment will have to be significant, considering the achieved improvements in the last decades. Furthermore, not all PM is equally health relevant. Therefore, we ask for novel robust health indicators and comparable measurement techniques that could function next to the current, traditional PM standards, which do not satisfactory cover some of the health relevant fractions of PM like ultrafine particles. The inclusion of an assay like Oxidative Potential (OP) and/or ultrafine particles (UFP) is an important step towards the definition of additional health relevant indicator(s) (and threshold). 2. On governance and enforcement The continuity of PM2.5 and PM10 monitoring with a high enough granularity to understand exposure gradients in cities is imperative. At the same time, we feel that PM alone does not capture the true health-relevant AQ gradients. The introduction of additional integrative health relevant indicators could support more effective policies. On the short term we would encourage investigating a limit value for UFP as we expect that the health burden of UFP is substantial. In the end we believe that we need to focus on health impact instead of on a concentration threshold. We believe that the determination of an integrative health indicator (such as OP) could prove an important first step. In our whitepaper, we share more insight in the development to determine such a health relevant indicator. 3. On air quality assessments Air quality modelling is an important aspect. It is important to include further specifications for the use of models including the assessment of health indicators and UFP in air quality modelling. Such new metrics require development and definition of standard measurement methods. Source apportionment, not only of PM10 or PM2.5 but also for UFP or other health relevant components, is critical for effective policy measures to reduce emissions and exposure and decrease the health impact of AQ. To help local governments implement effective policies, modelling on a hyper local scale is essential. The use of the local scale modelling results requires further specifications of model quality objectives which should be specified in the directive. 4. On public information about air quality To include and engage the public, local information is also needed. For example, when air quality models can provide hourly information on a local scale we can truly interact with citizens and local governments. To summarize: we support the ambition to align with the WHO guidelines but feel metrics like an integrative health indicator and UFP are important to optimize the health gains of new AQ policies. We foresee a great potential in reduction of the health burden by including such new parameters in air quality modelling and eventually in policy measures. Should you require any more information: we are happy to engage in further discussion. In our whitepaper, which you find enclosed, we share our view of the development of a more effective air quality approach. Sincerely, Fred Hartendorf - TNO
Read full response

Response to European Critical Raw Materials Act

24 Nov 2022

TNO welcomes the initiative of the European Commission to create a legislative package on the Critical Raw Materials (CRM). TNO is a research and technology organization in the Netherlands with the Material Transition as an important area of activities. With our multidisciplinary expertise and our contribution to society, we take this opportunity to participate in the discussion and call upon the European Commission to take the following points into consideration. 1. Defining priorities and objectives for EU actions Scope: the contents of the CRM Act should not be limited to the materials only. Compounds and alloys become critical as well. Therefore, the whole value chain should be taken into account: intermediates, products and production lines should be included. Lowering demand of CRM: the focus should not only be on the supply side of CRM. It is just as important to change the mindset in order to lower the demand and dependency of (third countries) CRM at the same time. Energy: rising energy costs will impact the production of many materials (iron, steel, composites, plastics, glass etc.). Thus, the energy and material transition should be considered in unison. 2. Improving the EUs monitoring, risk management and governance in the field of CRM Risk assessment: it is key that CRM are placed in a broader context of sustainable subsurface management: risk assessment, impact assessment, identification of possible competing subsurface potentials all require an integrated, subsurface-based approach rather than an isolated CRM approach. Exploration of CRM: the EU has been systematically underexploring CRM in the past decades. Especially at depths below 300m, the CRM potential of the EU is largely unknown. Therefore, Geological Surveys and Observatories can jointly play an important role in supporting national/regional scale exploration programs. Health impact: the potential human health impact should not be forgotten. 3. Strengthening the EUs CRM value chain Circularity: we argue that circularity is essential; it is much more than enhanced recycling in Europe which will have a large impact on the geopolitical balance and enhance strategic autonomy. But also better/longer performance of products containing CRM will offer clear and direct opportunities for action to public and private decision makers. Waste streams: exploiting waste streams can lead to increased harvesting of CRM to be used in other value chains. For example, vanadium in smart window coatings can be retrieved from rubber production waste streams. Regulations and technology investments should promote this. 4. Ensuring a sustainable level playing field across the Single Market Investments: the EU should be leading the way to align national agendas and to organize the direction of investments towards CRM circularity, i.e. in trade and extractive industries, Digital Product Passports and end-of-life criteria of waste streams. Work together with industry and stakeholders: for instance, stockpiling is mentioned as a mitigation strategy, but it should be carried out together with all stakeholders such as procurement and wholesale experts. Regulatory impact: we support an EU-wide legislative package that underlines the urgency to swiftly start the materials transition. Moreover, linkages should be created with e.g. the EU Chemicals Strategy. 5. Additional objectives Accelerating research and innovation: CRM can shape the direction of technology development and RD&I can pave the way by simultaneous technological and non-technological development of the value chain. Enabling the development of skills needed for the CRM value chain: we support educating the next generations to develop the skills necessary and to build a workforce for the materials transition. In short, we greatly appreciate the initiative and we will gladly continue the conversation with you and other stakeholders. We support European action to tackle societal challenges.
Read full response

Meeting with Christian Ehler (Member of the European Parliament)

12 Oct 2022 · Horizon Europe, Union Budget, European Research Area

Meeting with Tom Berendsen (Member of the European Parliament)

14 Jul 2022 · Chips Act

Meeting with Diederik Samsom (Cabinet of Executive Vice-President Frans Timmermans)

14 Mar 2022 · RePowerEU

Meeting with Kadri Simson (Commissioner) and

8 Nov 2021 · Gas market and security of supply framework.

Meeting with Diederik Samsom (Cabinet of Executive Vice-President Frans Timmermans)

20 Sept 2021 · Speech on the European Green Deal and Fit for 55 at TNO Conference "ERA JP Wind & SETWind Annual Event 2021"

Meeting with Diederik Samsom (Cabinet of Executive Vice-President Frans Timmermans)

28 Jan 2021 · Online keynote speech at event 10 years Solliance Solar Research (on renewables and key role for the energy transition)

Meeting with Diederik Samsom (Cabinet of Executive Vice-President Frans Timmermans)

18 Nov 2020 · Speech at RTO Innovation Summit - Round Table on Carbon-neutral European Industry

Meeting with Diederik Samsom (Cabinet of Executive Vice-President Frans Timmermans) and Shell Companies and Siemens AG

8 Oct 2020 · Keynote speech on the European Green Deal at Energy Reinvented Community Online Event

Meeting with Diederik Samsom (Cabinet of Executive Vice-President Frans Timmermans)

16 Sept 2020 · High-Level online discussion Research and Innovation for the European Green Deal : "Decarbonisation challenges for the Green Deal and how to solve them "

Response to Pharmaceutical Strategy - Timely patient access to affordable medicines

6 Jul 2020

CALL FOR AN OPEN DIALOGUE The world of drug development is one of conflicting interests, emotions and market forces. The patient should be central, but this is not always the case. It is both a public and private challenge to ensure the long-term development of innovative, accessible and affordable medicines. The development and application of new technology plays a crucial role in this. Both public and private parties invest in innovative technology. However, these investments and developments are not sufficiently coordinated. To identify the knowledge and technology gaps where investments and innovations are needed, dialogue is needed between public and private parties. If manufacturers indicate the main bottlenecks in the drug development process, which lead to higher costs, governments can co-invest in relevant process innovations. Process innovations financed from public funds can greatly reduce the high risk of manufacturers, as demonstrated by the use of technology developed and applied by TNO, AMS (see uploaded file). The government, which finances the public investment, could choose to include this investment in discussions about the price of medicines in discussions with pharmaceutical companies. This will lower development costs for shareholders, and in dialogue it needs to be translated into lower costs for patients. Now that the arrival of EMA to the Netherlands has given a huge boost to the Dutch Life Sciences & Health (LSH) ecosystem, it is a good time to pull out all the stops. Several organizations and initiatives from the different interested parties are already starting a dialogue. The Fair Medicine organization has devised a new form of collaboration to enable access to safe, effective and affordable medicines for everyone. The FAST (Future Affordable and Sustainable Therapy) program has been set up by the Dutch government to serve as a national platform. HollandBIO, the trade association for pharmaceutical and biotech companies in the Netherlands, has set up and proposed the BRIDGE program. With their program, they aim to bridge sectors and promising developments in order to improve the development of medicines and vaccines. These programs and initiatives give interested parties the opportunity to join forces. Expectations are that through the dialogue there will be a better focus and prioritization of the wishes for innovation in order to remove the bottlenecks in drug development. TNO supports these programs and offers to develop and implement applicable process innovations as an independent knowledge and innovation partner. In addition to the Dutch initiatives described above, TNO calls for a coordinated approach on an European level. A structure in which all interested parties are represented is needed, because governments and large and small companies will have to jointly invest in the development process of tomorrow's medicines. The development of AMS technology at TNO has proven that it is possible to bridge the gap and that process investments can be accelerated by companies through government investments. The acceleration of the process can result in shorter time to introduction of the new drug, next result should be an effect on the pricze of the new drugs. Note: TNO has developed a unique process acceleration technology; microtracing in combination with the Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (AMS), including fully automated sample preparation and analysis. Microtracers are forms of the drug with an extremely low dose of the radioactive material. Due to the very low radioactive load, there are no ethical concerns and it is possible to carry out microtracer research in the first clinical phase instead of conventional radiotracers in the last and most expensive phase of clinical research. Microtracer research can actually prevent a delay of upto two years in the development process of new medicines (early derisking) by detecting all human drug metabolites already
Read full response

Meeting with Diederik Samsom (Cabinet of Executive Vice-President Frans Timmermans) and EUREC - The association of European Renewable Energy Research Centres and Univerza v Ljubljani

22 Jan 2020 · European Green Deal

Response to MFF: 9th Framework Programme for Research and Innovation and Rules for Participation and Dissemination

22 Aug 2018

TNO, as one of the larger RTO’s in the EU, strongly believes in the collaborative approach of the European Framework Programmes, including in the Commission proposal for Horizon Europe, to strengthening our global competitiveness and tackling our societal challenges. This could be strengthened further if the following points are implemented. The budget of Horizon Europe should be increased to at least €120bn. A future-oriented European Union needs to invest in its future competitiveness, which lies in its ability to innovate. The economic importance of public R&I investments is undisputed and the EU added value of the R&I collaboration is clear. European leaders acknowledged this by formulating clear R&I investment ambitions in the Europe 2020 strategy. Horizon Europe should make good on this promise. Furthermore, the allocation of the budget should shift more towards the programmes with most EU added value. The main EU added value lies in cross-border, collaborative and pre-competitive research. This is mainly supported through Pillar II in the proposal. The programmes covered by this pillar in the proposal have (on average) the lowest success rates in Horizon 2020. This illustrates the high demand for the programmes. Considering this, at least 60% of the overall budget should be allocated to Pillar II. Particularly Cluster III ‘Digital and Industry’, covering the Key Enabling Technologies, should receive more funding. With an extended list of KETs and a lower share of the budget (compared to Horizon 2020), the real budgetary appropriation for the KETs is declining. The KETs are fundamental to successfully tackling our global challenges and to our competitiveness. This makes a budgetary decline counter-productive and thus we call for 20% of the overall budget to be allocated to KETs-based programmes. Secondly, we need more clarity on the mission-oriented policy proposed. This policy should be introduced carefully, since the consequences are unclear. Furthermore, for the implementation of the missions, we should rely on existing experiences with implementing pan-European research agendas (i.e. available in the EIT KICs and JTIs). For TNO it is important that missions do not deplete the budget of clusters and that missions are firmly grounded in the clusters. Therefore we plead for a limited budget from each cluster for the missions. Furthermore, we insist that the calls for proposals through which the missions are implemented should be an integral part of the work programme of the clusters involved. Thirdly, the role of Public-Private Partnerships as instrument for effective implementation of the programme should continue to be utilised. As RTO public-private collaboration is at the heart of our work. We strongly believe that developing an effective ecosystem with public and private partners is a key step to ensuring sustainable competitiveness. European Partnerships fulfill a similar role. The collective effort of developing a research agenda and implementing it, develops sustainable relationships across our continent which lead to an effective European ecosystem. Even though some reform of the partnerships might be useful, we believe we should maintain the partnerships as instrument to not lose what has been built so far. Fourthly, there should be a dedicated programme for applied research infrastructures. These nfrastructures, preferably as part of an innovation hub at the center of an ecosystem, would often be much more (cost) effective when they would function at European level rather than at a national level. Finally, we appreciate all the steps taken by the European Commission towards further simplification and to reduce the administrative burden of the programme. The 2-stage proposals, the pilot with lump sum financing, the proposed possibility to more extensive internal invoicing and the movement towards wider acceptance of usual accounting practices and to more cross-reliance for audits are appreciated.
Read full response

Meeting with Marika Lautso-Mousnier (Cabinet of Vice-President Jyrki Katainen)

26 Jan 2018 · Industrial policy, research & innovation

Meeting with Ann Mettler (Director-General Inspire, Debate, Engage and Accelerate Action)

1 Mar 2017 · Autonomous Driving

Meeting with Günther Oettinger (Commissioner) and Orgalim – Europe's Technology Industries and

15 Sept 2016 · digitising european industry

Meeting with Elżbieta Bieńkowska (Commissioner) and

23 Feb 2016 · Group of Personalities exchange on defence related issues