The European Smart Networks and Services Joint Undertaking (SNS JU) is a Public-Private Partnership that aims to facilitate and develop industrial leadership in Europe in 5G and 6G networks and services. The SNS JU funds projects that shape a solid research and innovation (R&I) roadmap and deployment agenda by engaging a critical mass of European stakeholders and facilitating international cooperation on various 6G initiatives.
SNS JU Missions
The SNS JU has two main missions:
1 – Fostering Europe’s technology sovereignty in 6G by implementing the related research and innovation (R&I) programme leading to the conception and standardisation around 2025. It encourages preparation for early market adoption of 6G technologies by the end of the decade. Mobilising a broad set of stakeholders is key to address strategic areas of the networks and services value chain. This ranges from edge- and cloud-based service provisioning to market opportunities in new components and devices beyond smartphones.
2 – Boosting 5G deployment in Europe in view of developing digital lead markets and enabling the digital and green transition of the economy and society. For this objective, the SNS JU coordinates strategic guidance for the relevant programmes under the Connecting Europe Facility, in particular 5G Corridors. It also contributes to the coordination of national programmes, including under the Recovery and Resilience Facility and other European programmes and facilities such as Digital Europe Programme (DEP) and InvestEU.
SNS JU Objectives
- Foster Europe’s technological leadership in future smart networks and services by reinforcing current industrial strengths and by extending the scope from 5G connectivity to the broader strategic value chain including cloud-based service provisioning as well as components and devices;
- Align strategic roadmaps of a wider range of industrial players, including not only the telecommunication industry, but also actors from the Internet of Things, cloud, and components and devices;
- Advance European technological and scientific excellence to support European leadership to shape and master 6G systems by 2030;
- Strengthen the deployment of digital infrastructures and uptake of digital solutions in the European markets, in particular by ensuring a strategic coordination mechanism for the CEF2 Digital programme as well as synergies within CEF2, and with DEP and InvestEU as part of the scope and governance of the Smart Networks and Services Joint Undertaking;
- Prepare the European smart networks and services supply industry for the longer-term opportunities emerging from the development of vertical markets for 5G and later 6G infrastructures and services in Europe;
- Facilitate digital innovation, by 2030, meeting European market needs and public policy requirements, including the most demanding requirements of vertical industries, as well as societal requirements in fields including security, energy efficiency and electromagnetic fields;
- Support the alignment of future smart networks and services with Union policy objectives including European Green Deal, network and information security, ethics and privacy, as well as a human-centric and sustainable internet.
- Facilitate the development of technologies able to meet advanced communication requirements while supporting European excellence in smart networks and services technologies and architectures and their evolution towards 6G, including strong European positions on standards, essential patents, and key requirements such as requirements for spectrum bands needed for future advanced smart network technologies;
- Accelerate the development of energy-efficient network technologies with the aim of significantly reducing the energy and resource consumption of the whole digital infrastructure by 2030 and decreasing the energy consumption of key verticals industries supported by smart networks and services technologies;
- Accelerate the development and widespread deployment of 5G by 2025 and later 6G infrastructure in Europe by, in particular, promoting the coordination and strategic support of 5G deployment for Connected and Automated Mobility along cross-border corridors, by using the CEF2 Digital programme and by promoting deployment under CEF2, DEP and InvestEU;
- Foster a sustainable and diverse supply and value chain in line with the 5G Cybersecurity toolbox;
- Strengthen the positioning of the Union’s industry in the global smart network and services value chain by creating a critical mass of public and private actors, in particular by increasing the contribution from software and Internet of Things actors, leveraging national initiatives and supporting the emergence of new actors;
- Support alignment with ethical and security requirements, including them in the Strategic Research and Innovation Agendas and providing input to the Union’s legislative process as appropriate.
