Fernando Utrilla, Chair of the CEN-CENELEC Advisory Committee on Research and Innovation and Head of Innovation at UNE, presented the CEN-CENELEC Standards+Innovation Awards 2025, on 13th November in Brussels, during the European Commission event “From knowledge to impact: Shaping Europe's next innovation wave", focused on knowledge valorisation and the promotion of innovation in Europe.
These awards recognise the most outstanding contributions in integrating standardisation into research and innovation projects, as well as the role of researchers in creating standards that strengthen competitiveness and knowledge transfer.
The event, presented by Claire Dalier, Account Manager of RTD Collaboration, Policy & External Affairs at CEN-CENELEC, brought together representatives of European institutions, research centres, universities and business organisations to highlight the strategic importance of standardisation as a driver of impact, collaboration and technological advancement within the European Union.
In this edition, NANOBLOC's Horizon Europe project was awarded Best R&D&I Project, coordinated by the Politecnico di Torino and with Spanish participation from Tekniker, IRIS Technology Solutions and UNE. The project led to three new European standards (CWA) on antimicrobial and antiviral coatings applicable to high-touch surfaces, textiles and porous filters, contributing to reducing the transmission of diseases and strengthening safety in public and private environments.
Likewise, the European project SURPASS, coordinated by CEA (France) and with the participation of the Spanish partners CIDETEC, LEITAT and UNE, was nominated in the same category for its contribution to the development of advanced solutions for more sustainable energy storage. The project, also funded by the Horizon Europe programme, aims to boost the transition to safer, more sustainable and recyclable polymer materials, applying the Safe, Sustainable and Recyclable by Design (SSRbD) approach.
Also nominated in the individual researcher category was Dr. Esteban Abad Holgado (IDAEA-CSIC) for his outstanding work in the CEN/TC 264 committee on Air Quality.
With this participation and recognition, UNE reinforces its commitment to the European research and innovation ecosystem, promoting the strategic value of standardisation as a tool to transform knowledge into real impact for the economy, industry and society.
