Coordination of complementary actions for missions

This action aims to foster cooperation and coordination between EU-level actions and complementary national, regional and local actions in support of the implementation of missions.

The mission concept aims to deliver societal impact. The missions will require commitment and a sense of ownership across the European Union. The support of Member States and Associated Countries, regional and local actors and actions that are complementary to EU level action is needed to deliver on the envisaged societal impacts of missions.

This action should also leverage opportunities raised by the digital transition. It should enhance the missions’ potential for rapid testing, piloting, demonstrating, scaling up and de-risking of large place-based R&I projects/initiatives, after the conclusions of their preparatory phase[[The European Commission is assessing the implementation plans of the 5 Mission areas and a decision will be made on the basis of assessment criteria set by the HE Regulation.]].

The above described expected outcome and scope should be achieved by establishing a Missions Core Network that will:

• Support alignment and where possible coordination between national, regional and local initiatives for the implementation of missions;
• Exchange best practice on how complementary national, regional and local efforts and related funding can contribute to missions objectives;
• Facilitate engagement of regional and local actors in support of EU-level activities or complementary national activities in support of the implementation of missions;
• Map the relevant national, regional and local, stakeholders, civil society organisations and institutions, which are key actors to support the implementation of missions and can support delivery of their objectives.
• Map different existing funding streams – both at EU and national or global level (including private sector investments) and explore their mobilisation and possible combining in support of mission implementation;
• Prepare for potential hubs at national level. The core network will have the role of advising the specific mission hubs, as missions will need new implementation modalities. Each mission specific hub will be linked to this cross-cutting network.
• Develop the basis for a governance model supporting the coordination of complementary actions to implement the missions.

The consortium should include organisations capable of coordinating national level representatives (e.g. representative from relevant Ministries or national agencies, academia) and relevant regional and local actors (e.g. representatives from city councils).

The network should also deliver specific events, in consultation with the European Commission:

• ‘Meet & Monitor, Missions’ event as part of citizen engagement and supported through the coordination network;
• ‘Annual missions innovation fair’ – gathering relevant stakeholders such as ERC, EIC grantees, industry, charities, EIB, among others to meet around mission-specific thematic areas.

​These actions should be developed in close coordination with the European Commission. The European Commission will identify targets for the specific missions, after assessment, and will communicate the specific missions to the Missions Core Network. The European Commission should be an active member of the Missions Core Network.

The European Committee of the Regions and the European Economic and Social Committee should be closely associated to these activities as sources of reflection.