At a decisive moment for European research and innovation policy, Mattias Björnmalm underlined that the current debate on the next Framework Programme (FP10), its interface with emerging competitiveness instruments, and the wider 2028–2034 EU budget architecture is not a technical adjustment. It is a system design choice that will shape how Europe organises research, innovation, and talent for the next decade.
He stressed that Europe’s strength in excellent science remains clear. However, the differentiating factor today is speed: the ability to convert excellence into deployment and impact at scale. Achieving this requires an architecture in which speed is delivered through excellence in science and technology, not at its expense.
A central point of his intervention was the relationship between the European Research Area (ERA) and FP10. FP10 must serve as the primary implementing instrument to turn the ERA into operational reality. While the ERA defines the broader political ambition—a Europe where knowledge circulates freely, talent thrives, participation broadens, and excellence connects across borders—its success depends on whether FP10 and related instruments enable the system to perform at a high level.
Mattias highlighted a clear institutional divergence in the ongoing policy discussions. On the one hand, the European Commission has prioritised simplification, stronger central steering, and tighter coupling between research and competitiveness instruments. On the other hand, the European Parliament has emphasised programme autonomy, robust expert-driven governance, clearer separation of intervention logics, and strong safeguards for excellence.
He cautioned against framing this as a binary choice between speed and excellence.
The real challenge is organisational: designing a system that can deliver both. In this context, he pointed to the role of the Council of the European Union as critical in shaping a credible “landing zone” between institutional positions—one that preserves programme integrity while materially improving system performance.
This places particular responsibility on the incoming Irish EU Presidency. Its role is not merely to arbitrate between institutional preferences, but to engineer convergence around a funding and governance architecture that is both politically acceptable and operationally effective. This includes safeguarding the core strengths of European research—excellence, openness, and autonomy—while enabling a step change in Europe’s capacity to act with speed and scale.
The intervention concluded with a clear message: Europe’s ability to operate at the technological frontier under increasing geopolitical and economic pressure will depend on whether it can agree on a system that delivers speed through excellence in science and technology.
CESAER stands ready to provide its full support to the Irish EU Presidency in shaping such a landing zone and ensuring that Europe’s research and innovation system remains globally competitive, resilient, and future-oriented.
Mattias delivered these messages during a symposium in Dublin, Ireland, convened by University College Dublin, bringing together policymakers, institutional leaders, and experts ahead of the Irish EU Presidency.
For further insights into CESAER’s positions on FP10, the European Competitiveness Fund, and the future European research and innovation landscape, please consult our recent publications.
For more information, please contact the Secretariat.
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