As part of NIA’s involvement in the Technology Council for Advanced Materials Subgroup on Uptake and Deployment, the Future of Advanced Materials in Europe (FAME) workshop took place on 26–27 November. Hosted by the University of Aveiro and supported by ANI, the Portuguese innovation agency, the event brought together stakeholders from industry, academia, policymaking, research organisations, and funding bodies.
The workshop came at a pivotal time, as the European Commission is currently consulting on its Advanced Materials Act, due for introduction in 2026. Cristina Russo, from the Commission’s Directorate-General for Research and Innovation (DG RTD), emphasised the importance of ensuring that advanced materials are both developed and manufactured in Europe. Fernando Alexandre, Portuguese Minister of Science and Technology, called for greater coordination to boost industrial uptake of advanced materials.
A report summarising the workshop outcomes is being prepared for submission to the Technology Council for Advanced Materials and the European Commission, where it will contribute to ongoing discussions around the forthcoming Act. NIA’s Director General (Interim), Sean Kelly, chaired the Subgroup on Uptake and Deployment, co-organised the workshop, and presented the group’s recommendations. NIA members, including INL, BNN, the University of Birmingham, and Zeon, also took part in the discussions.
Following this event, the FAME EcoSys Workshop was held, organised by IAM-I and the EU-funded project InnoMatSyn. It explored the advanced materials ecosystem, with a focus on lessons from the Iberian Peninsula. The outcomes will support the co-creation of national and regional initiatives under the InnoMatSyn project, coordinated by BNN.
