On April 13, the Government presented in detail the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan, Spain can, understood as a country project that guides the modernization of the Spanish economy, the recovery of economic growth and job creation, the solid, inclusive and resilient reconstruction after the COVID crisis, responding to the challenges of the next decade.
The plan’s Component 15, “Digital Connectivity, Cybersecurity Boost and 5G Deployment”, includes among its objectives to lead the technological deployment of 5G and boost the development of 6G in Europe, both in relation to infrastructures and in terms of technological innovation in tractor sectors. With regard to investment, the aforementioned component includes measures to support R&D&I that are focused on the phases of application of new knowledge for the development and improvement of technologies that increase the medium- and long-term resilience and competitive capacity of Spanish companies.
On December 1, 2020, the Council of Ministers approved the 5G Technology Boost Strategy. Its measure 10 aims to promote innovation and entrepreneurship that allows linking human capital and talent to the development, implementation and marketing of products and services around 5G and the development of 6G technology; and, above all, to enable the establishment of an industrial base based in Spain energetically efficient and linked to 5G and future 6G.
The State Plan for Scientific, Technical and Innovation Research 2021-2023, approved on June 15, 2021 by the Council of Ministers, designates the Secretary of State for Telecommunications and Digital Infrastructure as the executing body for R+D+I projects in Telecommunications and Digital Infrastructures, with special emphasis on advanced 5G and 6G.
Furthermore, on 23 February 2021, the European Commission adopted the proposal for a Council regulation establishing the Joint Undertaking for Intelligent Networks and Services (Joint Undertaking on Smart Networks and Services, JU SNS) within the framework of Horizon Europe, the European Union's main funding programme for research and innovation. The ultimate aim of this initiative is to enable European actors to develop research and innovation (R&I) capabilities for 6G technologies as a basis for future digital services by 2030, promoting the harmonisation of networks and intelligent services of the future with the strategic and social needs of the EU, in particular energy efficiency, privacy, ethics and cybersecurity. One of the objectives of the JU SNS is to promote the digital autonomy of Europe in the field of advanced digital services and for the future generation of systems (6G), in a context of strong competition from Asia and the United States.
Object
In this context, in order to be effective and efficient in the deployment of measures to strengthen the public R&D&I system in advanced 5G and future 6G, the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Digital Transformation launches this manifestation of interest. It is aimed at Public Universities and Public Research Bodies of excellence demonstrated in research in the 5G PPP of Horizon 2020 (or other programs of highest international scientific level in 5G). The objective is to provide a channel of communication within the framework of the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan that serves to identify and locate solvent projects and aligned with the strategic research agenda of the JU SNS in Spain, as well as to know their impact on employment, the possible public-private collaboration, especially with SMEs, and talent promotion plans both nationally and internationally, in advanced 5G and 6G.
Manifestation of interest
The entities participating in this Manifestation of interest must take into consideration the following conditions:
- It is clearly oriented to Public Universities and Public Research Bodies of excellence demonstrated in research in the 5G PPP of Horizon 2020 (or other programs of highest international scientific level in 5G).
- The expressions of interest will be adjusted to the aspects described in the form.
This expression of interest is not made within the framework of any contracting procedure or subsidy and in no case generates preferential right to financing, nor any commitment on the part of the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Digital Transformation.
The confidentiality of the information sent and the recognition of industrial and intellectual property, where appropriate, will be guaranteed.