The European Commission has announced dedicated funding for 6G research, as part of a new R&D strategy to focus on promising technology in strategic sectors. The proposed 'Smart Networks and Services' project would receive EUR 900 million in public investment in the EU's 2021-2027 budget. It would work on coordinating 6G research under the 'Horizon Europe' R&D subsidies and supporting 5G deployment initiatives.
Taking the lead in 6G development is part of the EU's efforts to regain 'technological sovereignty' as well as prepare the market for early adoption. The first 6G standards are expected to be in place around 2025, and the Commission wants to make sure EU companies and consumers are well-placed to take advantage of the next generation of mobile technology.
The funding will also go to furthering the many 5G research projects underway in the EU, including cross-border corridors working on ensuring network and service interoperability throughout the EU's 27 members. In addition to funds from the Connecting Europe facility, the project will direct financing from the EU's recovery fund, Digital Europe programme and InvestEU into 5G and 6G research and development.
The 'Smart Networks' programme serves as the successor to the 5G-PPP set up in 2014 under the previous EU budget. The Commission said there will be a new governance model giving industry and the member states a greater role alongside the Commission in decision making, in an effort to maximise synergies. Industry is expected to at least match the public funding, leading to a total EUR 1.8 billion in investment.
The Smart Networks partnership is one of ten public-private partnerships propsoed by the European Commission to channel EU funding to promising and strategic industries. Other projects target health, energy, transport, and semiconductors and electronic components.
