Joint undertakings

Article 187 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU) specifies that the EU may set up joint undertakings (JUs) or any other structure necessary for the efficient execution of EU research, technological development and demonstration programmes.

Article 187 TFEU has been used under the EU’s research framework programmes to set up, in particular, public-private partnership bodies in order to integrate industrial research in specific areas.

The members of these JUs are typically the European Union (represented by the European Commission) and industry-led associations, as well as other partners. JUs adopt their own research agenda and award funding mainly on the basis of open calls for proposals.

Joint technology initiatives (JTIs) are a type of JU set up to implement part of a strategic research agenda of a broader industrial initiative arising primarily from the work of European technology platforms.

JUs have also been set up under the Euratom Treaty (Articles 45-51).

SEE ALSO

• European Commission
• European research area (ERA)
• Horizon Europe
• Research and development
• Boosting the EU’s competitiveness in nanoelectronics and embedded computer systems (summary)
• European high-performance computing joint undertaking (summary)
• New generation European air traffic management system (SESAR) (summary)
• Public-private partnerships: delivering innovation and growth in Europe (summary)
• Public-private partnership for bio-based industries (summary)
• Public-private partnership for hydrogen and fuel cells (summary)
• Public-private partnership to boost research and innovation in rail (summary)
• Public-private partnership to develop cleaner aircraft (summary)
• Public-private partnership in innovative medicines (summary)
• The EU’s joint undertaking fusion for energy (F4E) (summary)
• Summary on the Legal framework for a European Research Infrastructure Consortium (ERIC) (summary)
• European Partnerships in Horizon Europe (European Commission).