Public Private Partnerships

PPPs can contribute to economic growth and sustainable development in the EU. In view of the current economic crisis it is urgently necessary to pool public and private capacities and capital. 50% of the funding for PPPs is provided by the public sector and the private sector contributes the remaining 50% of the funding amount.

The following initiatives have been launched to date:

Factories of the Future (FoF):
This initiative aims to strengthen the international competitiveness of the European manufacturing industry. Its main focus is on increasing the technological basis of small and medium-sized enterprises through the development and integration of innovative technologies.

Energy-efficient Buildings (EeB):
The initiative supports the European construction sector by exploring innovative methods and technologies aimed at drastically reducing the energy consumption and CO2 emissions of buildings. This will be achieved by the development of energy-efficient systems and materials for new buildings and the refurbishment and retrofitting of existing buildings.

Green Vehicle (formerly Green Cars):
The aim of the initiative is to promote research and development of key technologies for the use of renewable and sustainable energy sources, safety and transport planning.  

SPIRE - Sustainable Process Industry
The SPIRE initiative fosters a sustainable process industry to enhance resource and energy efficiency in manufacturing.

PPP Photonics
Photonics is one of the key technologiesthat will help secure our future prosperity and plays an essential part in many sectors, from energy to health, and in many everyday products such as DVD players or mobile phones.

PPP Robotics
Robotics is a key engine for industrial competiveness and of essential importance in meeting the great societal challenges of our time such as demographic change, health and well-being, food production, mobility, safety and security.

5G Infrastructure
Advanced 5G networks for the internet of the future (5G) will support the development of the internet infrastructure required to provide advanced ICT services for all sectors and users.

HPC - High Performance Computing
High Performance Computing (HPC) is indispensable for economic growth in Europe and the promotion of European science.

PPP Big Data
The focus is on the processing and storage of huge amounts of data.  The Big Data PPP combines research efforts from both the public and private sectors in order to develop pioneering concepts in the fields of energy, manufacturing and health. The PPP was launched on 1 January 2015, the first projects are scheduled to start in 2016.

Not continued:
Future Internet (FI):
The aim was to drive the development and implementation of internet-based services on the European market and to foster the creation of smart infrastructure with integrated communication functionalities.

Contrary to Joint Technology Initiatives, contractual PPPs do not organise their own calls for proposals, but funding is awarded by the European Commission through open calls under the Horizon 2020 Work Programme. Some 1.45 billion euros in funding have been earmarked for the eight contractual Public Private Partnerships in the first Horizon 2020 Work Programme 2014-2015, which was published on 11 December (source: EC - IP/13/1261).

Note: The above Public Private Partnerships (PPP)are so-called "contractual PPPs". These must be distinguished from the Joint Technology Initiatives, which are also referred to as "institutional  PPPs" (see download "EC: PPP in Horizon 2020").