Today’s Europe Day celebrates the 1950 Schuman Plan – to use industry collaboration as a means of building a community spirit across the continent.

Fast forward to 2019, and those seeds have grown into a strong European identity characterised by a culture of citizens and governments working together to overcome societal challenges.

https://twitter.com/EU_Commission/status/1126394900478668800

The vast majority of Europeans are now focussed on tackling problems like the climate crisis; so the success of current plans for supporting innovation will undoubtedly be a big part of how future generations come to remember this similarly pivotal moment in history. One of these is Horizon Europe – from the European Commission – a €100 billion research and innovation programme. This mission-oriented approach of establishing clear goals and ‘specific targets’ will hopefully set Europe on a new path to securing its future in the face of immense pressures, in an era where collaboration – not competition – must be the big idea.

On the European Parliament’s vote last month to endorse these plans, Carlos Moedas, European Commissioner for Research, Science and Innovation, said: “Investing in research and innovation is investing in Europe’s future, in knowledge and new solutions. That is why we set a new level of ambition to deepen Europe’s innovation capability, provide lasting prosperity and preserve our global competitiveness. Horizon Europe is the most ambitious research and innovation programme ever.”

Happy #EuropeDay everyone.

https://twitter.com/EU_H2020/status/1126381286380244994