About the workshop

Over the past years, the European Commission has invested substantially in the development and implementation of the SSbD framework through numerous Horizon Europe projects. Collectively, these projects have generated a broad portfolio of scientific knowledge, assessment methodologies, digital tools, FAIR data infrastructures, industrial demonstrators, policy recommendations and stakeholder networks. Many first-generation SSbD projects have reached / will reach their conclusion by the end of 2027. However, an important question, already addressed in the SSbD Networking Event in March 2026, remains:

How can these capabilities continue to generate value after the projects themselves have ended?

The Workshop on SSbD Project Legacy, run as a satellite event to a Feedback-to-Policy Workshop organised by DG RTD and HaDEA, addresses this transition. Rather than focusing on individual project achievements, the workshop aims to explore how the collective legacy of Horizon Europe SSbD projects can be preserved, connected and further developed within the broader European SSbD ecosystem.

Why now:

It is never too early to think about sustainability of project outcomes (and about environmental and social sustainability). However, as already mentioned above, the workshop, while having a very specific purpose, is a part of the follow-up activities and a preparation for events organised by the European Commission:

• The SSbD Stakeholder Conference and Networking Event in March 2026 marked an important step towards strengthening collaboration between projects. The discussions were subsequently complemented by an EU-wide survey and follow-up exchanges among project coordinators.
• The upcoming Feedback-to-Policy (F2P) Workshop aims to draw lessons from Horizon Europe Cluster 4 (Industry) projects on how EU funding can effectively support the innovation-to-investment journey. The knowledge and experiences shared during the event will contribute to discussions on the design of synergies between the next Horizon Europe Framework Programme (2028–2034) and the European Competitiveness Fund.

Please contact us if you want to get more information on the satellite and/or the F2P workshop.