Improved coordination of national and EUROPEAN BIOECONOMY RESEARCH and INNOVATION programmes in the European Research Area (ERA) through strengthened SCAR Working Groups
PROJECT INFORMATION
Name: RefreSCAR - Improved coordination of national and European bioeconomy research and innovation programmes in the ERA through strengthened SCAR Working Groups
Grant agreement ID: 101060553
DOI: 10.3030/101060553
Start date: September 2023
End date: August 2027
Funded under: HORIZON-CL6-2021-GOVERNANCE-01-05
EU contribution: € 3 999 952,50
Coordinated by:
TEAGASC - AGRICULTURE AND FOOD DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY (Ireland)
Context
The European Research Area (ERA) aims to build a common scientific and technological area for the EU. It supports the alignment of research policies and programmes across Europe, and facilitates cross-border cooperation, allowing countries to work more effectively together. SCAR has made a significant contribution to establishing an ERA built on cooperation, coordination and information exchange and has provided the foundational basis for many of the ERA-NETs, and more recently the Partnerships, in the area of AGRICULTURE, FOOD, FISHERIES, FORESTRY and the wider BIOECONOMY.
Vision & Objectives
The vision of the RefreSCAR project is for a strengthened SCAR within the ERA. To support this vision, the project aims to facilitate improved coordination of national and European bioeconomy research programmes through strengthened SCAR Working Groups (WGs). Its strategic objectives are to:
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Provide scientific & administrative support to the work of the SCAR WGs, enhancing their capacity to formulate research policy advice and collaborate on matters of common interest;
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Enhance inclusiveness within SCAR WGs and support active engagement of members;
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Connect actors across R&I, policy & practice with the aim of enabling SCAR to become a key bridging initiative across these domains;
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Help SCAR WGs to reach a broader audience of stakeholders and strengthen linkages with key EU and international initiatives;
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Support the development of a strong SCAR Foresight process, including the effective dissemination of its outcomes
WORKPACKAGES
WP1 - COORDINATION & MANAGEMENT
Objectives:
O1.1 - Establish appropriate management structures, plans and systems to coordinate efforts across WPs and project partners, in line with the project plan and the requirements of the EC.
O1.2 - Provide project administration & financial management, including monitoring, evaluation & risk management.
O1.3 - Ensure timely communication & reporting to the EC.
Lead: TEAGASC – AGRICULTURE AND FOOD DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY (Ireland)
WP2 - COMMUNICATION & DISSEMINATION
Objectives:
O2.1 - Design a Dissemination, Exploitation & Communication (DEC) Plan governing internal and external communication.
O2.2 - Build a strong visual identity and online presence (website, social media and e-newsletters) to ensure SCAR WG activities and outputs are communicated to key stakeholders.
O2.3 - Provide the DEC support for SCAR WGs within the RefreSCAR Toolkit, incorporating both classical and innovative communication tools.
O2.4 - Support (co-)organisation of various events to increase outreach and engagement of SCAR WG stakeholders.
Lead: INIAV - INSTITUTO NACIONAL DE INVESTIGAÇAO AGRARIA E VETERINARIA (Portugal)
WP3 - SCAR-ENGAGE
Objectives:
O3.1 Understand the motivations, perceptions and barriers to engagement in SCAR WG activities.
O3.2 Empower new SCAR WG members with knowledge and connections to enable their active participation and smooth integration into WG activities.
O3.3 Develop and implement the SCAR-Engage Programme, providing tailored support to under-represented MS/AC, boosting participation in SCAR WGs and the profile of SCAR in that country.
Lead: FSH – Foodscale Hub (Serbia)
WP4 - SCAR-Align
Objectives:
O4.1 - Assemble the required pool of relevant scientific expertise and establish the scope and timing of Portfolio Analysis (PA) activities.
O4.2 - Implement a clear procedure for the engagement of topic experts, identification of relevant project databases, selection of projects for analysis and reporting of results.
O4.3 - Provide thematic support to existing and upcoming SCAR WGs by identifying and synthesising developments, gaps, overlaps and trends in state-of-the-art knowledge and innovations, analysing also the impact of R&I on policy.
O4.4 - Ensure valorisation of the PA results through regular reporting and targeted communication and dissemination in collaboration with WP2.
Lead: EV ILVO - EIGEN VERMOGEN VAN HET INSTITUUT VOOR LANDBOUW- EN VISSERIJONDERZOEK (Belgium)
WP5 - SCAR FORESIGHT & STUDIES
Objectives:
O5.1 - Map experiences from the 5th Foresight Exercise to provide a strong framework for the 6th Foresight Exercise.
O5.2 - Support the Foresight Group in scoping, implementing and disseminating the new Foresight Exercise.
O5.3 - Support the SCAR WGs with studies on priority topics.
Lead: BLE - Bundesanstalt für Landwirtschaft und Ernährung (Germany)
WP6 - SCAR-CONNECT
Objectives:
O6.1 - Map the European R&I - Policy - Practice landscape in the bioeconomy, key players and major gaps and provide insight into the root causes of the gaps in order to empower SCAR WGs to bridge them.
O6.2 - Foster exchange between (young generation) actors from R&I, policy and practice by organising events and linking with relevant EU and international partnerships and processes.
O6.3 - Maximise the contribution of SCAR WGs to R&I for policy impact.
O6.4 - Support SCAR WGs in bridging the gap between innovation and application, through activities focused on the AKIS and innovative practices across the wider bioeconomy
Lead: MINEZK-RVO - MINISTERIE VAN ECONOMISCHE ZAKEN EN KLIMAAT - RIJKSDIENST VOOR ONDERNEMEND NEDERLAND (Netherlands)
WP7 - ETHICS REQUIREMENTS
Objectives:
O7.1 - Compliance with best practice in terms of ethical principles and relevant legislation.
Lead: TEAGASC – AGRICULTURE AND FOOD DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY (Ireland)
RefreSCAR NEWS
Third annual Training webinar for new SCAR Groups members
The 3rd annual Training webinar for new SCAR Working Groups and Task Forces members has been held on 8 June 2026, following the two previous similar events, held on 8 July 2025 and on 18 September 2024.
The webinar was followed by nearly 40 people from a wide range of countries, with participation of experts who recently joined the SCAR groups, together with more experienced members and experts who also joined the event. SCAR’s objectives and structure were explained to the participants, with a short description of each group. The updated 2026 version of the 'Induction Package', a user-friendly guide to familiarize with the SCAR environment first issued in 2024 and downloadable from the SCAR website was also introduced. The webinar also provided an opportunity for new Groups’ members to connect with other newcomers and more experienced SCAR members...
3rd Policy Workshop: "Enhancing the impact of SCAR Working Groups/Task Forces on EU policymaking and addressing evolving challenges"
On 2nd June, the RefreSCAR team was delighted to organise our 3rd Policy Workshop, kindly hosted by Giulia Bizzo at the European Commission’s CDMA building in Brussels, and chaired by Prof. Vladislav Popov and Órlaith Ní Choncubhair.
The workshop focused on strengthening the adaptability, resilience and collaboration of SCAR Groups in response to ongoing political, economic, environmental and social developments impacting the agri-food and bioeconomy sectors. A sincere thank you to all contributors for their valuable insights, particularly: • Wim Haentjens for updates from the European Commission’s RTD • Orsolya Frizon-Somogyi for updates from the European Commission’s DG AGRI • Martin Behrens for summarising the insights from the recent SCAR Bioeconomy, Forest & ARCH WG Poly-crisis Workshop • Emmanuel Albina for highlighting the international dimension of the SCAR ARCH WG It was an engaging and productive discussion, reinforcing the importance of adaptability and collaboration among SCAR Working Groups and Task Forces.
7thRefreSCAR "Spotlight On…” Webinar Series- Recording is available on RefreSCAR’s YouTube channel
On 29 May 2026, experts from research, policy and practice gathered for the 7th RefreSCAR “Spotlight On” webinar titled “Healthy Soils for Europe: Research, Policy and Living Lab Innovations for Sustainable Land Management”.
The webinar addressed the growing challenges of soil degradation, biodiversity loss, and climate pressures, highlighting the critical role of healthy soils in supporting resilient ecosystems, sustainable food systems, and climate action across Europe. Discussants explored the intersection of research, policy development and agricultural practice, with particular attention to regenerative agriculture, Mission Soil initiatives and innovative approaches to sustainable land management...
SCAR-ENGAGE PROGRAMME
Call for Applications
About the SCAR-Engage Programme
The SCAR-Engage Programme is an initiative designed to support new members of SCAR Working Groups (WGs) and to increase country-level visibility. It aims to empower new SCAR WG members, especially those from countries that are under-represented or less visible in SCAR, with knowledge, supports and connections to enable their active participation and smooth integration into WG activities.
The SCAR-Engage Programme will run four times from 2024 to 2027.