European steel research

The European Research Fund for Coal and Steel

The European Research Fund for Coal and Steel (RFCS) was established in 2003 and is administered by the Commission. Annually, about SEK 350 million is allocated for steel research at companies, institutes and universities in Sweden. The fund’s capital comprises outstanding funds in the former ECSC fund (European Coal and Steel Community, 1952–2002) that was based on annual payments from the European steel industry. 

Normally, the RFCS grant comprises 60 per cent of a project’s total budget. The projects have participants from several European nations and a condition for granting the application is a strong industrial interest.

Project applications are valued by independent evaluators from the member countries. The projects are reviewed and evaluated on an ongoing basis through five technical committees, Technical Groups Steel (TGA). 

Successful participation since 1995

Since Sweden became a member of the EU, project applications with Swedish participation have been very successful.

During the period 1995–2002 Swedish participants obtained about SEK 240 million in grants from the ECSC.

During the period 2003–2025, Swedish participants within 270 projects were granted a total of about SEK 850 million from the RFCS.

Horizon Europe

The ongoing framework program Horizon Europe runs during the period 2021–2027. 

For the steel industry, the focus is the Clean Steel Partnership, which carries out calls for proposals that promote the transition of the European steel industry to climate neutrality while maintaining competitiveness. During the period 2021–2025 Swedish participants were granted a total of SEK 330 million within 14 projects.