Missions will help deliver key EU policy priorities such as the European Green Deal, Europe's Beating Cancer Plan, NextGenerationEU, the EU Industrial Strategy and A Europe Fit for the Digital Age, amongst others.

Five mission areas have been included in the Horizon Europe Regulation:

• Adaptation to Climate Change
• Cancer
• Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities
• Ocean, Seas and Waters
• Soil Health and Food

Mission: Cancer

The intended goal of the mission on cancer is to save more than three million lives by 2030, with cancer patients living longer and better. The intervention areas include: Understand; Prevent what is preventable; Optimise diagnostics and treatment; Support quality of life; Ensure equitable access in all aforementioned areas.

The identified Mission Cancer will address all poorly understood cancers  in men and women, cancers in children, adolescents/young adults and the elderly, cancers in socio-economically vulnerable people, living in either cities, rural or remote areas, across all Member States and Associated countries.

The identified Mission Cancer is coherent with and will be an essential and integral component of the Europe's Beating Cancer Plan. It will provide directions and objectives for research and innovation and effective Commission policy to alleviate the burden of cancer.

During 2021 the only topic open is on preparatory activities (please see below). Topics on Research and Innovation activities on cancer are expected to be published under the Mission Cancer for 2022.

For other relevant call topics specifically on cancer or where a cancer-related project could fit, please refer to other open EC funded schemes (e.g., Horizon Europe- Cluster Health, Horizon Europe Excellent Science; EU4Health, among others).

HORIZON-MISS-2021-UNCAN-01-01: Preparing UNCAN.eu, a European initiative to understand cancer

Type of Action: Coordination and Support Actions (CSA)

Expected EU contribution per Project: 3 EUR million

Number of projects expected to be funded: 1

Scope:

Overall and despite important progress, understanding of cancer remains incomplete, for both common and rare cancers. This requires a new level of investment in innovative research, including high-potential/high-risk projects. Therefore, a Mission on Cancer proposes a Europe-wide platform, UNCAN.eu, utilising existing, relevant research infrastructures and investing in the development of models and technologies interrogating the interactions of poorly understood cancers26 and their host. A fully-fledged UNCAN.eu initiative will:

· Underpin all future Mission on Cancer priorities that require a better understanding of poorly understood cancers;

· Agree on a strategic research and innovation agenda between afore-mentioned relevant stakeholders

· Integrate innovative models and technologies with longitudinal patient data (e.g. medical images), samples and biomarkers to deliver concrete benefits for people at risk of cancer, living with and after cancer;

· Allow for data interoperability and re-utilisation, while guaranteeing full protection for the data subjects and applying FAIR data principles.

A comprehensive understanding of the organizational, logistic, cultural and financial feasibility, utility and sustainability would be necessary before embarking on such an endeavour.

This coordination and support action aims to develop the operational concept for such an initiative. 

Eligibility:

Any legal entity may participate in an action provided that the conditions laid down in the Rules of Participation have been met as well as any conditions laid down in the relevant work programme or work plan.

Applicants must be established in:

• A Member State of the European Union, including their outermost regions
• Overseas Countries and Territories (OCTs) linked to the Member States
• Non-EU countries associated to Horizon Europe

Applications to Horizon Europe calls and topics must be submitted via the European Commission Funding and Tenders Portal.

More info at: https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/docs/2021-2027/horizon/wp-call/2021-2022/wp-12-missions_horizon-2021-2022_en.pdf

In case of interest, please contact internacional(ELIMINAR)@fsjd.org