The HLD meeting held closed to the press at the Presidential Dolmabahçe Working Office was attended by Minister of Industry and Technology Mehmet Fatih Kacır, European Union (EU) Commission Member Responsible for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth Iliana Ivanova and TÜBİTAK President Prof. Dr. Hasan Mandal also participated.
During the dialogue, participants spoke in comprehensive sessions on policy frameworks, financing mechanisms and collaboration initiatives that promote sustainable innovation. The focus was on how technology can be used for green transitions and digital transformation processes; Joint commitments to combat climate change and promote environmentally friendly practices were emphasized.
243 Million Euro Grant Support
Press after the meeting Minister Kacır, who made a statement to the members, pointed out that the High Level Dialogue Meeting is a mechanism that aims to discuss bilateral relations in a more focused manner, from the highest authorities, and within the framework of the meeting, bilateral relations with the EU are discussed at the highest level and productively around an important and comprehensive agenda.
Kacır stated that they held important consultations on issues including science and technology policies, green and digital transformation of the industry, Türkiye's more effective use of EU funds, and increased participation in EU structures related to science and R&D, and said, "Our country's participation in the European Research Area We mutually shared our suggestions and good practice examples in order to increase integration. We have revealed our priorities in our science, technology and innovation policies. We shared the progress we have made recently in the field of green and digital transformation. As a partner in twin transition We discussed the need to increase the synergy between the 'Union' programs, especially 'Horizon Europe' and 'Digital Europe', and the 'Pre-Accession Assistance Instrument' in order to achieve our goals. Finally, we evaluated cooperation opportunities in the field of technology transfer and entrepreneurship in order to ensure the integration of our innovation eco-systems.” he said.
Stating that our country's success chart in Horizon Europe, the world's largest civilian R&D program, is among the examples of concrete cooperation with our European partners in the field of research and innovation, Minister Kacır said, “In the Horizon Europe Program, covering the years 2021-2027, 1107 projects have been implemented since 2021.” We brought 243 million euros of grant support to Türkiye through 486 projects in which Turkish executives were involved. In addition, we increased the number of organizations involved as coordinators in multi-partner projects to 40. Green and digital with a fund size exceeding 700 million euros " Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance (IPA), which supports R&D, technology transfer and commercialization projects, especially transformation, plays a key role in strengthening the science, technology and innovation cooperation between the EU and Türkiye." he said.
We prepared our road map
“We have prepared our road maps with the support of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and our relevant stakeholders to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions of the aluminum, steel, fertilizer and cement sectors, which correspond to 12.7 percent of our exports to the EU.” Kacır said, “With the 'Sectoral Green Growth Technology Roadmaps' designed by TÜBİTAK, the technological progress of our industrial enterprises in the iron and steel, aluminum, cement, fertilizer, plastic and chemical sectors, which are of vital importance for our economy, provide basic input to many sectors and stand out in terms of carbon emissions, “We identified their needs.” he said.
Minister Kacır, on the other hand, will enable them to successfully realize the green transformation. Emphasizing that they have created the financing infrastructure, he said, "With the ' Türkiye Organized Industrial Zones Project' and 'Türkiye Green Industry Project' that we implemented in cooperation with the World Bank, we have mobilized a financing of 750 million dollars for the investments and technology development studies that our industry will carry out with a focus on green transformation." he said.
EU Commission Member Responsible for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth Iliana Ivanova stated that they met today to underline the important role played by education, research and innovation, especially in supporting the green transformation. He touched upon their collaboration. Ivanova said, “Over the past 20 years, researchers, scientists and innovators from Türkiye have earned 743 million euros from our programs. “We will establish a European Innovation Council and Technology Community Center in Türkiye.” said.
Session 1 - STI Cooperation in Policies
The session chairmen of the first session were European Commission R&D and Innovation Deputy Director General Signe Ratso and TÜBİTAK President Prof. Dr. Hasan Mandal
In his speech TÜBİTAK President Prof. Dr. Mandal expressed his pleasure in attending the Türkiye -EU High Level Dialogue Meeting, held for the second time in the field of science, research, technology and innovation, and especially in co-chairing this first session focusing on the "Sustainable Innovation Axis".
“In today's rapidly evolving environment, the imperative for collaboration has never been clearer. “Our shared future depends on our ability to use the power of science, research, technology development and innovation to address urgent global challenges, from climate change to public health crises.” Saying Mandal, “Türkiye has a long-term commitment to benefit from R&D activities to overcome global challenges, as emphasized in our 12th Development Plan. has the vision. Our vision, aligned with the goals of the European Union, emphasizes achieving a sustainable future, resilience and creating high-value output through advanced technologies, in line with our net zero emissions target for 2053. Additionally, prioritizing collaborative knowledge production and facilitating human resources in research and innovation constitute integral components of our strategic framework. " he said.
Emphasizing that “The concept of co-creation and co-success lies at the core of our efforts,” Mandal said, “Co-creation in R&D activities is not just a popular term; It is a guiding principle that underlines the need to transform traditional practices and encourage interdisciplinary collaboration. By bringing together different expertise, perspectives and resources; “We can unlock new insights, accelerate discovery, and drive impactful change.” said.
Prof. Dr. Mandal, “The approach of developing together and achieving together is based not only on ideas and new cooperation models, but also on qualified human resources. Investing in education, training and talent development is crucial to nurturing the next generation of innovators and ensuring a robust STI ecosystem for the future. In Türkiye, we recognize the important role human capital plays in fostering innovation. We also benefit from the co-creation approach in our support programs that aim to evaluate knowledge across the ecosystem. In this context, we have patent-based technology transfer supports and university-industry joint R&D projects, as well as various mechanisms that bring together technology providers and end users to create a value-added product.” he said.
“But our efforts are not focused only on our national interests. The challenges we face are global and require global solutions. Therefore policy alignment and cooperation Joint EU-Türkiye efforts are essential for this. “By aligning policies, aligning priorities, and pooling resources, we can maximize the impact of our collective efforts and accelerate progress toward our common goals.” Emphasizing, Mandal said, “Partnership with the EU Framework Programs stands out as one of the most important reflections and tools of these joint efforts. Türkiye 's relationship with the European science and technology ecosystem has developed since its uninterrupted association with the Framework Programs that started in 2003. During these years, we have directed the efforts of our R&D and innovation ecosystem to address key challenges, aligned our priorities with tackling climate change, and increased our impact to promote sustainable development through green and digital transformation. Our close cooperation with the European Commission, especially since 2019, has significantly improved the coordination between ERA and TARAL, ensuring Türkiye 's access to the EU It has led to increased success in Framework Programmes. “Yesterday's highly successful and productive JCM meeting reflects the joint efforts of the European Commission and Türkiye on this issue.” made his evaluations.
In the presentation made by European Commission European Research Area and Innovation Director Anna Panagopoulou, information was given on the progress made towards the ERA Policy Agenda 2022-2024 and cooperation in the upcoming policy agenda, strengthening the European Research Area and increasing scientific/technological cooperation. It was stated that the achievements of the ERA Policy Agenda are seen as important steps to consolidate the European Union's leadership in the field of science and innovation and to achieve common goals.
In the presentation made by COST Director Roland de Bruin, strategic areas in COST Actions and especially the achievements of our country were shared. COST Actions make significant contributions to researcher careers and It was emphasized that a significant value was created within the scope of transforming into Horizon European projects.
In the presentation made by Hande Alpaslan, Head of TÜBİTAK Science, Technology and Innovation Department, information was given about Türkiye 's R&D and Innovation Priority issues. It was stated that the aim is to achieve structural transformation in the industry in Türkiye by focusing on priority sectors and development areas.
Session 2 - Collaboration in Green and Digital Transformation in Industries
The second session was chaired by Deputy Minister of Industry and Technology Ahmet Yozgatlıgil and Head of the European Union Delegation to Türkiye, Nikolaus Meyer-Landrut.
In the presentation made by Peter Droell, Director General of Prosperity of the European Commission, the issues of global eco-world, ecosystems, greening through crises and going through a green business boom were emphasized for a fair and sustainable Europe towards 2050. Stating that productivity and welfare are important elements for research and innovation, Droell said that this also He noted that it is important for his policies. The importance of Industry 5.0, human-robot collaboration and the integration of advanced technologies to create flexible, efficient and responsive production systems was conveyed.
In the presentation made by Manuel Palazuelos Martinez, Head of Department from the EU Joint Research Center, information was given about Türkiye 's Smart Specialization experiences and learning from best practices in the EU. The important role of the JRC in providing technical expertise, data analysis and policy guidance to Türkiye 's smart specialization strategies development process was mentioned.
In the speech made by TÜBİTAK Vice President İsmail Doğan, it was emphasized that the strengthened cooperation between the European Union and Türkiye in the ERA joint industrial technology road maps represents an important step, especially with a focus on green and digital transformation. Within the framework of this cooperation, he aims to achieve common technology goals and work together in the field of sustainable innovation. He noted that strategic steps were taken to encourage
In the speech made by İlker Murat Ar, General Director of Industry at the Ministry of Industry and Technology, it was stated that investments were made in new industry and business opportunities and that it was aimed to reduce carbon emissions by 2030 in line with the Green Deal Action Plan. In order to realize the green transformation in the industry, in the first stage, road maps were determined to reduce carbon emissions in sectors such as steel, aluminum, cement and plastic. In this context, it was noted that as the first component for businesses, KOSGEB will provide loans to SMEs focusing on renewable energy, resource efficiency and circular technologies, as the second component, TÜBİTAK will provide support to companies, and as the third component, coaching support will be provided to companies within the scope of the road map.
Session 3 - Creating a Thriving Innovation Ecosystem
Chairs of the third session European Commission Education, Youth, Sports and Culture Deputy General Manager Normunds Popens and Ministry of Industry and Technology General Director of EU and Foreign Relations Ahmet Halit Hatip were appointed
In the presentation made by Claire Morrel, Head of Department from the European Commission, the importance of EIT Jumpstarter for Turkish innovators and our country's success in this regard were emphasized. Information was given about the pilot project launched by EIT to support the innovation capacity of university higher education institutions. Updated information was given about the current situation of our country within the scope of Marie Curie Programs.
In her presentation, Deputy Director General of EU Research and Innovation, Signe Ratso, stated that a significant budget was allocated for innovation and technology development within the scope of the European Innovation Council (EIC), which is within the scope of Horizon Europe. Ratso touched on the role of the EIC in relation to deep Technology and Scaling initiatives.
Head of Department Damla Turan from the Ministry of Industry and Technology Technology entrepreneurship ecosystem in Türkiye and gave information about technology transfer mechanisms. Turan emphasized the priorities of the National Technology Initiative and the successes in Türkiye 's high technology exports.
In his presentation, TÜBİTAK Horizon Europe Coordinator Çağrı Yıldırım gave information about the latest developments in the application areas of Horizon Europe. In the presentation, the potential of Turkish participants to benefit from the program at EIC was emphasized.
Within the scope of the closing speeches made by Minister of Industry and Technology Mehmet Fatih Kacır and EU Commissioner Ivanova, he emphasized the importance and potential of cooperation between Türkiye and the European Union in the fields of science, research, technology and innovation. Focusing on the role of innovation in supporting economic growth and environmental sustainability, it has become a platform where best practices are shared, collaboration opportunities are evaluated and steps to be taken towards a more sustainable future are determined.
The results of this dialogue, Türkiye and the European Union It is expected to contribute to the development of innovation-oriented solutions and dissemination of sustainability principles by strengthening the strategic cooperation between the companies.
Following the sessions, the ceremony began to present Rana Sanyol with the EIT-EIC European Women Innovator Award. Afterwards, the EIC Plug-in Scheme Certificate was obtained. Within the scope of this certificate, the right to proceed directly from the EIC full project proposal stage will be provided by the European Commission for 20 Turkish companies selected every year.
