Chiara Aprea, Desk Officer for the DG RTD, and Carlos Morais Pires, from the European Commission's Permanent Representation in Lisbon, together with representatives from the Ministry of Science, Technology and Higher Education, had the opportunity to experience first-hand the practical results of AlmaScience’s research work in the fields of green printed electronics, functional sustainable materials, specialty papers and inks, and chipless RFID technology, among others, for which there are nascent business applications in Smart Packaging, Smart Retail, IoT, Biomedical, etc.
For this fact-finding mission, the DG RTD’s objective is to enhance the Commission’s knowledge of the country’s research and innovation system by engaging directly with the relevant ministries and other public and private stakeholders. Among the topics of interest for the Commission are:
- The R&D intensity scenarios after the execution of the Recovery and Resilience Plan, given that Portugal set ambitious targets for R&D intensity in 2025 (2,4% of GDP) and 2030 (3% of GDP);
- How to support and foster private investment in R&D;
- Ways to improve training, attraction, and retention of Portuguese and foreign talent;
- Public-private cooperation, knowledge valorization, and the role of CTI - Technology and Innovation Centers - and CoLABs - Collaborative Laboratories, such as AlmaScience.
The DG RTD is responsible for EU policy on research, science, and innovation, aiming to help create growth and jobs and tackle some of the biggest societal challenges facing European citizens.
