When: 11 November, 2013   Where: Brussels

The Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Joint Undertaking (FCHJU) is organising the third edition of  the”Programme Review Days”.

The Programme Review Days will take place on Monday the 11 November and Tuesday 12 November 2013 at the Autoworld Museum in Brussels, Parc du Cinquantenaire 11.

The objective is to assess the progress of the programme funded by the FCH JU, notably in relation to the targets of its Multi-annual Implementation Plan (MAIP), annual implementation plans as well as in relation to international developments in the field.

Besides the opportunity to assess the progress of the portfolio of projects dedicated to fuel cells and hydrogen, the “Programme Review Days” also offer an excellent visibility platform for projects and technological developments in the sector in addition to networking opportunities for project participants.

This exercise managed by the FCH JU with the help of independent experts was initiated in 2011 and is planned to be conducted every year. This year’s session will be closely linked to the Stakeholders General Assembly on the 13 November 2013 at the Autoworld Museum.

First organised in 2008 to mark the launch of the Joint Undertaking, the Stakeholders General Assembly is an annual event aimed at informing all interested parties about the activities of the FCH JU and acquiring feedback for future planning of the programme. It is also a key platform for European and global stakeholders across sectors including research, industry and financial communities, policy makers and international partners, to come together to examine and assess the current position of this emerging industry, exchange ideas on next steps and make contacts.

On this occasion, a broad range of European and international stakeholders as well as leading speakers from the fuel cell and hydrogen community will gather to mark the 10th anniversary of a European fuel cells and hydrogen strategy and set out the vision for the next decade. Innovative, low-carbon and cost-effective technologies are urgently needed to address major challenges in energy security, climate change and economic growth. Fuel cells and hydrogen belong to core solutions.

The FCH sector succeeded in turning its initial vision into concrete ambition. It has developed a joint public-private strategy implemented through the Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Joint Undertaking. The main results of this effort and plans for its future will be presented during this year’s SGA.

Looking ahead, the SGA will also discuss the proposed European FCH JU programme under Horizon 2020 and the Innovation Investment Package recently adopted by the European Commission. Industry, research and the public sector are strongly committed to making fuel cells and hydrogen key enablers in achieving EU 2020 targets and optimize the leverage effect of the EU budget for growth and jobs.