Topic Description

Specific challenge: Effective use and market exploitation of water research results is often limited by the lack of adequate knowledge exchange practices and mechanisms. The same applies for research that gives answers to policy implementation, like achieving good status under the Water Framework Directive (WFD) or good environmental status under the Marine Strategy Framework Directive and achieving the objectives of other EU water legislation. This is exacerbated by the fact that water research and innovation faces several multidisciplinary challenges and involves a wide variety of policy sectors, decision makers, public and private users and stakeholders at various levels.

Critical mass is needed for knowledge exchange, to ensure wide applicability of research results, facilitate the translation of knowledge into use by various stakeholders, reduce unnecessary duplication of efforts, raise public awareness of water-related issues and promote innovation and business development.

Scope: Proposals should aim to address only one of the following issues:

         promote the dissemination and exploitation of EU funded activities, including  relevant ICT-based tools and platforms and their integration for market leadership in many fragmented areas, develop appropriate policy briefs, and foster knowledge sharing and continuous benchmarking across the EU and Associated Countries to ensure wider application of innovative solutions and further demonstrate their potential to solve water-related challenges, including through river basin networks and River Basin Districts; or

         take stock of existing practical and scientific knowledge in the various sectors and identify research gaps with a view to avoiding overlaps between key regional, national, European and international activities, taking into account the implementation of the WFD; or

         promote water-related innovation and business development, help cluster eco-innovative companies and develop innovative financial instruments; or

         develop a coordinated approach to the integration of the water and waste sectors in the 'Smart Cities and Communities' EIP[1], identifying research and innovation needs which could lead to future actions, promoting exchange of best practice between public authorities and stakeholders involved, and increasing preparedness and planning capacities of all the relevant actors.

The Commission considers that proposals requesting a contribution from the EU in the range of EUR 1 million for sub-topic a) would allow this specific challenge to be addressed appropriately. Nonetheless, this does not preclude submission and selection of proposals requesting other amounts.

Expected impact:

Enhanced science- and evidence-based decision making in the field of water. Application of best management practices and new developments to address needs and opportunities in the water field. Enhanced interface between water and innovation policies. Rapid market uptake of research results in line with the priority areas of the EIP 'Water'[2]. A more integrated community of researchers and users extending across disciplines, countries, organisations and sectors. Improved public engagement in research and improved public understanding of the dynamic nature of water systems and the role of innovation in the water sector. Integration of the water and waste sectors into the Smart Cities EIP, reinforcing its ultimate goal of contributing to achieving the 3 bottom line objectives (20-20-20).

Type of action:Coordination and support actions

[1]     http://ec.europa.eu/environment/water/innovationpartnership/

[2]     http://ec.europa.eu/eip/smartcities/