Call for Expressions of Interest - Important Projects of Common European Interest (IPCEI) on Health

The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment invites project proposals for expressions of interest for the Important Project of Common European Interest (IPCEI) on Health. This call is intended to identify businesses active in the fields of biopharmaceutical, MedTech and other areas along the health value chain that may wish to put forward projects that could fit within the scope of the upcoming Important Project of Common European Interest on Health (Health IPCEI) and, accordingly, be considered for possible funding.

IPCEI are large-scale, multi-country projects for global state-of-the-art innovation to address market or systemic failures in particular sectors. Favourable State aid rules apply to IPCEI, and this framework allows for the possibility of public-sector funding to be granted at national level for certain projects that make an important contribution to the growth and competitiveness of the European industrial sector and to the strategic objectives of the European Union. 

These projects will enable industry within the EU to strengthen its competitiveness globally while contributing to some of Europe’s key societal goals of strategic autonomy and health resilience. These projects will enable industry within the EU to strengthen its competitiveness globally, while contributing to some of Europe’s key societal goals of strategic autonomy and health resilience. Thus, four main themes / axes to support European industry and to ensure competitiveness of the EU industry on the global market are expected for this IPCEI. These are:

  • The modernisation of production processes
  • Innovative products in new therapeutical areas
  • Personalised medicine and MedTech
  • Health crisis preparedness 

The Health IPCEI is expected to cover the following: R&D in key therapeutic areas; process innovation, especially in the area of biologics; innovative and essential manufacturing activities in the field of bioproduction capacities, building spare, flexible capacity for pandemic situations; securing/increasing production capacity (that is, active pharmaceutical ingredients, medicines of key therapeutic interest); and strengthen digitalisation capabilities (for example, data management) across the health value chain. 

Further details on the scope and criteria are set out in the document below. 

Companies, in particular SMEs (as defined by the European Commission as “the category of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) is made up of enterprises which employ fewer than 250 persons and which have an annual turnover not exceeding €50 million, and/or an annual balance sheet total not exceeding €43 million”), and / or consortia from the fields of biopharmaceutical, MedTech and other areas along the health value chain with research and production in Ireland that are willing to participate in an integrated European project can submit their project proposals, expressing their interest in participation and funding, by noon on 8 October 2021. 

These should be sent, based on the proposal template below, to industrialpolicy@enterprise.gov.ie with Health IPCEI Proposal as the subject line. 

Please note, the submission of a project concept within the framework of the expression of interest neither establishes a claim to, nor is it a prerequisite for, public funding in the intended IPCEI or any other form of public funding.  

For anything further, please contact industrialpolicy@enterprise.gov.ie

Published by Enterprise Strategy, Competitiveness and Evaluation

Topics: The Business Environment