S+T+ARTS is driven by the idea that science and technology combined with an artistic viewpoint delivers valuable perspectives for research and business. Recent STARTS projects address the use of AI-systems and Hyper-Performance computing for use cases such as media, disinformation, XR environments, climate change, food security, urban development, factory automation etc. through a number of dedicated sub-projects. In light of the continuing digitalisation of society, STARTS provides a holistic and human-centred approach.

Through its different pillars, S+T+ARTS offers:

The Social Investment and Skills window facilitates: development of skills and key competences; the matching, deployment and higher skills utilisation through education, training, including on-the-job training and related activities. The window also supports projects involving social innovation, health services, ageing and long-term care, access to prevention, innovative treatments and e-health options, inclusion and accessibility, and cultural and creative activities with a social goal.

The Invest EU SME window facilitates access to and availability of finance primarily for SMEs and small mid-cap companies, including innovative ones and those operating in the cultural and creative sectors, as well as for small mid-cap companies. In addition, it offers capital support to SMEs that were not in difficulty in State aid terms already at the end of 2019, but since then face significant risks due to the crisis caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Projects promote mobility activities for:

• Learners: pupils, students, trainees, apprentices, young people, adult learners;
• Staff: professors, teachers, trainers, youth workers, and people working in organisations active in the education, training and youth fields;

Projects mainly aim to support learners in the acquisition of knowledge, skills and attitudes, including language competences.

Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs is a cross-border exchange programme, allowing aspiring young entrepreneurs to work with and learn from more experienced entrepreneurs running small businesses in other countries.

This funding opportunity supports projects within the cultural and creative sectors. A broad range of activities and initiatives, and a wide range of applicants can be supported. Support is for projects involving transnational cultural cooperation, and which contribute to strengthening the creation and circulation of European artworks and artists transnationally. There is also a focus on funding projects which support the European cultural and creative sectors to nurture talent to innovate, to prosper and to generate jobs and growth.

The objective of the MEDIA 360° support is to exploit synergies among existing ecosystems, to develop further cooperation potential, to reach economies of scale across different supported activities, create impact across the value-chain. The action shall support a package of activities related to facilitating the creation and promotion of European content, and/or the uptake of new technologies or business models for the audiovisual sector.

Grants will fund European festivals and festivals' networks screening a significant proportion of non-national European works, while preserving their identity and unique profile. The Networks of European festivals shall provide support to coordinated/collaborative activities among European audiovisual festivals aiming at increasing audiences' interest in non-national European audiovisual content and promoting its circulation and visibility.

The objective of the Markets & networking support is to enhance the promotion of European content in the global market and to foster cooperation among all parts of the audiovisual value chain for the co-creation and promotion of European audiovisual works. Cooperation of audiovisual professionals and promotion of European works are pursued by supporting two types of projects and activities:
• Markets focusing on a specific type of films and innovative content, or networking of markets that present similar genre/topics or are located in the same region;

Directive (EU) 2019/790 on Copyright in the Digital Single Market has introduced an EU-wide exception that allows libraries to digitise their collections for preservation purposes only, and as such does not permit further distribution or uses of the content like its making available online. Whereas Member States had to transpose this Directive by June 2021, an updated mapping of the national measures having a bearing on the libraries’ services in relation to their collections would help in Union broadening the knowledge base of the problems reported for further policy considerations.