Fuel Cells and Hydrogen 2 Joint Undertaking (FCH 2 Joint Undertaking)

The European Parliament adopted by 588 votes to 26, with 62 abstentions, a legislative resolution on the proposal for a Council regulation on the Fuel Cells and Hydrogen 2 Joint Undertaking.

Parliament approved the Commission proposal subject to the following amendments:

Joint Undertaking: for the implementation of the Joint Technology Initiative on Fuel Cells and Hydrogen, the FCH 2 Joint Undertaking should be established until 31 December 2024. In order to take into account the duration of the Horizon 2020 Framework Programme, calls for proposals under FCH 2 Joint Undertaking should be launched at the latest by 31 December 2020. In duly justified cases calls for proposals may be launched until 31 December 2021.

It should, in particular:

• increase the energy efficiency of production of hydrogen mainly from water electrolysis and renewable sources while reducing operating and capital costs, so that the combined system of the hydrogen production and the conversion using the fuel cell system is competitive with the alternatives available in the marketplace;
• reduce the use of the EU defined ‘Critical raw materials’, for instance via low or platinum free resources and through recycling or reducing or avoiding the use of rare earth elements.

The Fuel Cells and Hydrogen 2 Joint Undertaking should take into account the OECD definitions regarding Technological Readiness Level (TRL) in the classification of technological research, product development and demonstration activities

The Joint Undertaking should seek to develop close interactions with the European Structural and Investment Funds (ESIF).

Financial contribution: the maximum Union contribution, including EFTA appropriations, to the FCH 2 Joint Undertaking to cover administrative costs and operational costs should be EUR 665 million.

The Members of the FCH 2 Joint Undertaking other than the Union shall make or arrange for their constituent entities or their affiliated entities to make a total contribution of at least EUR 380 million. In-kind contributions should make up at least EUR 285 million of that amount.

Openness and transparency: in order to facilitate participation, the calls for proposals launched by the Joint Undertaking should also be published on the single portal for participants as well as through other Horizon 2020 electronic means of dissemination managed by the Commission.

Participation: any eligible institution may become a participant or a coordinator in selected projects. According to specific policy requirements or to the nature and objective of the action set out in the work plan, it can be required that the participants are constituent entities of a Member other than the Union.

Discharge: in view of the specific nature and the current status of the Joint Undertakings, and in order to ensure continuity with the 7th Framework Programme, the Joint Undertakings should continue to be subject to a separate discharge.

Simplification: for the purpose of simplification, administrative burdens should be reduced for all parties. Double audits and disproportionate documentation and reporting should be avoided.

Evaluation: by 30 June 2017, the Commission should carry out, with the assistance of independent experts, an interim evaluation of the FCH 2 Joint Undertaking, and send a report to the European Parliament and to the Council by 31 December 2017. The results of the interim evaluation of the Joint Undertaking shall be taken into account in the interim evaluation of Horizon 2020.