The EU institution is providing 3,081.3 million euros and is demanding the same from the Member States

EU boosts European High Performance Computing Joint Undertaking

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Its mission is to develop, deploy, extend and maintain a world-class federated, secure and hyper-connected supercomputing, quantum computing and data and services infrastructure ecosystem in the European Union.

The OJEU of 19 July publishes Council Regulation (EU) 2021/1173 of 13 July 2021 updating the European High Performance Computing Joint Undertaking and repealing Regulation (EU) 2018/1488. It enters into force 20 days after its publication.

In order to implement the European High Performance Computing initiative, a Joint Undertaking is established for a period expiring on 31 December 2033. The undertaking had already been set up by regulation 2018/1488, which is now repealed.

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In order to take into account the duration of the MFF (Multiannual Financial Framework) 2021-2027 and Horizon Europe, the Digital Europe Programme and the Connecting Europe Facility, calls for proposals and calls for tenders under the Regulation shall be published no later than 31 December 2027. In duly justified cases, calls for proposals or calls for tenders may be published until 31 December 2028.

The Joint Undertaking shall have legal personality. In each Member State, it shall enjoy the most extensive legal capacity accorded to legal persons under the law of that Member State. In particular, it may acquire or sell movable and immovable property and be a party to legal proceedings.

The seat of the Joint Undertaking will be in Luxembourg and the statutes of the Joint Undertaking are annexed to the Regulation.

Mission

The tasks of the Joint Undertaking shall be to support the development and adoption of innovative and competitive demand- and user-driven supercomputing systems based on a supply chain capable of securing components, technologies and knowledge that limit the risk of disruption and the development of a wide range of optimised applications for such systems; and to extend the use of such supercomputing infrastructure to a large number of public and private users, and to support the double transition and the development of key competences for European science and industry.

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Overall objectives

The Joint Undertaking will have the following overall objectives:

  • Contribute to the implementation of Regulation 2021/695 establishing the Framework Programme for Research and Innovation "Horizon Europe", to ensure that EU investments in research and innovation have a scientific, economic, environmental, technological and societal impact, so as to strengthen the Union's scientific and technological bases, achieve the EU's strategic priorities and contribute to the achievement of EU objectives and policies, and contribute to tackling global challenges, including the UN Sustainable Development Goals, in line with the principles of the 2030 Agenda and the Paris Agreement adopted under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.
  • Develop close cooperation and ensure coordination with other European partnerships, including through joint calls, and seek synergies with relevant activities and programmes at EU, national and regional level, especially those supporting the implementation of innovative solutions, education and regional development, where relevant.
  • Develop, deploy, extend and maintain a world-class integrated, demand-driven, user-driven and hyper-connected supercomputing and data infrastructure in the EU.
  • Federate hyper-connected supercomputing and data infrastructure and interconnect it with European data spaces and the cloud ecosystem to deliver computing and data services to a wide range of public and private users in Europe.
  • Promote scientific excellence and support the systematic uptake and use of research and innovation results generated in the EU.
  • Further develop and support a highly competitive and innovative supercomputing and data ecosystem widely distributed in Europe contributing to the EU's scientific and digital leadership, capable of autonomously producing technologies and computing architectures and integrating them into leading edge computing systems, and advanced applications optimised for these systems.
  • Expand the use of supercomputing services and the development of key competences required by European science and industry.
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By procuring supercomputers and supporting the development and adoption of high performance computing technologies, systems and applications, the Joint Undertaking will contribute to safeguarding EU interests. It will facilitate a joint design approach to the procurement of world-class supercomputers, while preserving the security of the supply chain of the technologies and systems procured. It will contribute to the strategic autonomy of the Union, support the development of technologies and applications that strengthen the European high performance computing supply chain and promote their integration into supercomputing systems addressing a wide range of scientific, societal, environmental and industrial needs.

Members

The members of the Joint Undertaking shall be :

  • The EU, represented by the Commission.
  • Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Spain.
  • Montenegro, North Macedonia, Switzerland and Turkey, provided that they are associated to at least one of the relevant programmes.
  • Upon acceptance of these Statutes by letter of acceptance, the association European Technology Platform for High Performance Computing (ETP4HPC), an association under Dutch law with its registered office in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, and Data, AI and Robotics (DAIRO), an association under Belgian law with its registered office in Brussels, Belgium.

Each participating State will appoint its representative on the Management Board and designate the national entity or entities responsible for fulfilling its obligations under the Regulation.

Financial contribution of the Union

The EU financial contribution to the Joint Undertaking will be up to EUR 3 081.3 million, provided that this amount is at least matched by the contribution of the participating States.

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