R&I in the next EU budget: investing in Europe’s prosperity and competitiveness

Organisers 

Informal Group of Universities’ Networks. Under the auspices of MEP Carla Tavares, co-rapporteur on the next MFF.

Date, time & location

Monday 20 April 2026 from 11:00 to 12:30 at the European Parliament, Room Spinelli A3H1

In-person participation is by invitation only. The event will be livestreamed and open to online participants.

Join from the meeting link

https://europarl.webex.com/europarl/j.php?MTID=ma4...

Join by meeting number

Meeting number (access code): 2790 526 6706

Meeting password: T245rWp9hJy (82457979 when dialing from a phone)

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+32-2-894-8317 Belgium Toll 2
+352-2088-1750 Luxembourg Toll 2
Global call-in numbers

Join from a video system or application

Dial 27905266706@europarl.webex.com
You can also dial 62.109.219.4 and enter your meeting number.

Purpose of the event

This event will place research and innovation at the centre of the discussion on Europe’s future priorities and investments. It will move beyond a narrow budgetary debate about what can be preserved, and instead address a more strategic question: what must Europe invest if it is serious about delivering on its ambitions?

In this context, the event will make the case that €220 billion for FP10 is a credible and politically coherent baseline for a Union seeking to strengthen its competitiveness, prosperity and resilience.

The discussion will underline that research and innovation are not a policy silo, but a foundational capability that supports progress across Europe’s key priorities. A strong FP10 is therefore about far more than research policy alone. It is about Europe’s ability to drive economic strength, industrial renewal, security, preparedness, sustainability, public health, digital leadership and societal well-being.

Format

The event is envisaged as a high-level, invitation-only policy discussion of around 50 participants, aimed primarily at Members of the European Parliament and their advisers, representatives of the European Commission, Member State representatives, selected stakeholders from research and innovation, industry representatives and specialised media.

The format will be political and strategic rather than technical. It is intended to engage broader political and budgetary audiences and to show that investment in research and innovation is central to Europe’s wider agenda.

To reflect this objective, the programme will feature a mixed panel bringing together political leaders, institutional voices and stakeholder representatives. This will help create a more dynamic and persuasive discussion, while reflecting the central message that research and innovation cut across policy domains and stakeholder communities.

Indicative programme

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11:00 – 11:15 

Welcome and opening Carla Tavares, Member of the European Parliament, co-rapporteur on the next MFF

11:15 – 11:30 

Keynote address: why Europe’s future depends on stronger investment in research and innovation 

Manuel Heitor, Professor at the Instituto Superior Técnico, Lisbon

11:30 – 12:15 

High-level mixed panel: why FP10 matters for Europe’s competitiveness, prosperity and resilience

Moderator: Silvia Gómez Recio (Secretary General, YERUN)

Panelists will include:
• Carla Tavares, Member of the European Parliament, co-rapporteur on the next MFF
• Luc Sels, President of the Executive Board of Leiden University
• Bertrand Bouchet, CEA Representative in Brussels

12:15 – 12:30 

Closing Lina Galvez, Member of the European Parliament [tbc]