Commission unveils €50 billion Strategic Technologies Platform
The European Commission on Wednesday unveiled the Strategic Technologies for Europe Platform (STEP 2.0), a €50 billion funding mechanism consolidating support across the Horizon Europe, InvestEU and European Defence Fund instruments.
The platform targets three priority domains: deep tech and digital technologies, clean and resource-efficient technologies, and biotechnologies. Member states will be able to fast-track applications under a ‘Sovereignty Seal’ co-funding scheme.
The Commission acknowledged that the headline figure includes reprogrammed funds rather than entirely new appropriations. A senior official told reporters the next Multiannual Financial Framework, due in 2027, would need to consolidate the architecture.
Industry reaction has been broadly positive, though several member states have expressed concerns about competition with national aid regimes.
