Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1450614
maltatoday | SUNDAY • 13 FEBRUARY 2022 16 COMMERCIAL Horizon Europe Missions: opportunities for Maltese entities to tackle major challenges MALTESE entities interested in implementing their innova- tive ideas to contribute to the five EU missions, may partici- pate in the current and forth- coming open calls to receive funding of up to 100%. The five missions are Cancer, Adaptation to Climate Change, Restore our Ocean and Waters, Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities and Soil Deal for Eu- rope. The Missions concept is a new way of finding solutions to some of the greatest challeng- es we are facing today, within the EU and beyond. The Eu- ropean Commission officially launched the five EU missions, last September 2021, with an initial funding of €1.9 billion until 2023. The Malta Council for Science and Technology (MCST) as the National Con- tact Point (NCP) for Horizon Europe and the five Missions, is actively promoting these initia- tives. The Executive Chairman of the Malta Council for Sci- ence and Technology (MCST), Dr Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando, stated, "Missions are a new way of finding tangible solutions to some of the greatest challenges we face today. The objectives are clear and we hope that Mal- ta, together with other Member States, will contribute to these goals so that significant pro- gress can be made and appreci- ated by all." The Missions cover important aspects within Health, Climate Change, Smart Cities, Oceans and Soil and are there to deliv- er impact for a societal benefit and support the EU priorities under the Green Deal, Climate Adaptation Strategy, European Bauhaus, Europe fit for the Dig- ital Age, Europe's Beating Can- cer Plan and EU's Long-term Visions for Rural Areas. The Missions are a unique set of actions that entail Research and Innovation projects, policy measures and legislative initi- atives, all working together to provide solutions with an im- pactful societal understanding. Furthermore, each Mission has very bold objectives and targets: 1. Adaptation to Climate Change: to support at least 150 European re- gions and communities to become climate resilient by 2030, 2. Cancer: working with Europe's Beating Cancer Plan to improve the lives of more than 3M people by 2030 through preven- tion, cure and solutions to live longer and better, 3. Restore our Ocean and Waters by 2030 by cre- ating a network of light- houses at sea and river basins, 4. To achieve 100 Cli- mate-Neutral and Smart Cities by 2030 through the Climate City Con- tracts, 5. A Soil Deal for Europe: to create 100 living labs and lighthouses to lead the transition towards healthy soils by 2030 through citizen science. The Framework Programme Unit within the Malta Coun- cil for Science and Technology (MCST) can provide the neces- sary guidance to navigate with- in the Horizon Europe actions and more specifically the five Missions. For more informa- tion, contact horizon.malta@ gov.mt or visit https://mcst.gov. mt/horizon-europe/ New website provides common online presence for MAPFRE Middlesea and MAPFRE MSV Life MAPFRE Middlesea and MAP- FRE MSV Life, both members of the MAPFRE Group, recently launched a new website which will house both companies under one virtual roof. The website aims to provide an aesthetically pleas- ing and fresh looking portal, with a faster and more user-friendly in- terface that makes it easier for vis- itors to access its main functions. The fact that both MAPFRE Mid- dlesea and MAPFRE MSV Life now have a common online pres- ence also makes it more conven- ient for the consumer to access both companies' online services. "The launch of this new website falls within our digitalisation strat- egy and is a major step forward for both companies to be recog- nised as forming part the MAP- FRE Group in Malta", said Javier Moreno, CEO of MAPFRE Mid- dlesea. He added that "MAPFRE Middlesea and MAPFRE MSV Life have been the protagonists of Malta's insurance business sec- tor for more than 40 years. Both companies have seen and been through many changes, all the while adapting to new trends and developments in the insurance needs of the Maltese consumer". The new website marks an im- portant development in the way the Group approaches the mar- keting of its services. Etienne Sci- berras, CEO of MAPFRE MSV Live stated that "Thanks to this new website, clients and prospec- tive customers will now find it easier to service their insurance requirements – be they related to life, home, motor, or any other policy - in a one-stop-shop envi- ronment which provides infor- mation and the possibilility to buy insurance online". One can access the new portal on www.mapfre.com.mt.