JRC Highlights Report 2024

Foreword by Ekaterina Zaharieva

Commissioner for Startups, Research and Innovation

Let me introduce you to the EU’s scientific powerhouse! The Joint Research Centre blends technical expertise, data-based insights and excellent research to drive effective policymaking and innovation. I am overseeing the JRC’s work as part of my portfolio and it is my great pleasure to share with you 11 of the most significant contributions made by the JRC in 2024.   

The 11 highlights illustrate how the JRC drives meaningful change across a wide range of policy areas. The variety of the quotes that accompany each highlight are an affirmation of the JRC’s positive impact on citizens, the economy and society at large.

The JRC works at the intersection of science and policy. Several of the achievements in this report demonstrate how vital the JRC is in supporting EU institutions throughout the full policy cycle. Be it in the nuclear or the non-nuclear domains, the JRC successfully anticipates the policy needs, integrates the various perspectives and supports policymakers on the technical implementation and monitoring of progress. 

I am sure that you will find the examples of JRC innovation in this report as fascinating as I do, from life-saving cancer treatments using nuclear-targeted alpha therapy to an early alert mechanism fuelling the clean industrial transformation. The JRC helps us innovate and test the performance and safety of new technologies that can drive progress across industries, economies and societies. It opens the door to new solutions and pushes the boundaries of scientific research and human endeavour. 

From tackling global challenges to supporting better policymaking, these highlights are proof that the JRC is powering the solutions of tomorrow. As we look ahead, I am confident that the JRC will continue to be a cornerstone of EU policymaking and innovation. In the face of unprecedented global challenges, science must drive the policies that will define our future. 