Shaping the future of European research & innovation: key insights from FP10 and competitiveness event

On 28 January, the European Parliament hosted a high-level event on the future of the European Framework Programme 10 (FP10), bringing together key stakeholders from academia, industry, and policy-making. The session, organised by Member of European Parliament (MEP) Lina Gálvez Muñoz (Committee on Industry, Research and Energy), underscored the vital role of research and innovation (R&I) in securing Europe's competitiveness, social cohesion, and democratic values.

• You can find the full recording of the event here.

Opening remarks: the need for stronger investment in R&I

MEP Lina Gálvez Muñoz opened the event by discussing recent developments in the European Commission’s approach to competitiveness and their potential implications for the R&I landscape. She stressed the necessity of maintaining funding for fundamental research while increasing private investment in R&I. Citing the Letta report, she highlighted that freedom of movement is crucial, and addressing brain drain is imperative. She emphasised the need for science and technology to be at the core of Europe's prosperity, calling for a collective effort to bridge science and policy and counter anti-science narratives.

Teresa Riesgo, Secretary General for Innovation (Ministry of Science and Innovation of Spain), echoed these sentiments, advocating for a strategic approach to R&I. She underscored the importance of knowledge transfer, strategic autonomy, and preserving European values while enhancing collaboration between universities, industry, and government.

Round table 1: the future of FP10 and European competitiveness

Manuel Heitor, chair of the expert group on the interim evaluation of Horizon Europe and CESAER Envoy on Research Careers, outlined three key priorities for FP10:

1. Defence and space as major drivers of European competitiveness, with science and technology at the heart of these efforts.
2. Transforming brain drain into brain gain through initiatives such as the "Choose Europe" programme, ensuring that young researchers are engaged in Europe’s R&I ecosystem.
3. Encouraging risk-taking by reducing transaction costs and time-to-funding and creating a more start-up-friendly environment.

Heitor also highlighted the CESAER research careers survey report and called for leveraging existing instruments such as Seals of Excellence and co-funding mechanisms to strengthen coordination between FP10 and national research programmes.

Lidia Borrell-Damián, Secretary General of Science Europe, reinforced the need for substantial investment in FP10, advocating for a budget of at least €200 billion. She highlighted key challenges in industry collaboration, open science, and talent attraction, stressing the importance of preserving successful initiatives like the European Research Council (ERC) and Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA). Additionally, she called for administrative simplification to make research funding more accessible and effective.

Eduardo Beltrán de Nanclares (Mondragón Corporation) and Emilie-Marie Mercier (EDF, a French multinational electric utility company) also contributed perspectives from industry, advocating for enhanced collaboration across the value chain, greater investment in decarbonisation technologies, and a stronger ecosystem for innovation. They stressed the need for FP10 to support exploratory, high-risk innovation and a more bottom-up approach.

Round table 2: strengthening research valorisation and industrial innovation

The second round table addressed the valorisation of research and its role in industrial transformation. Ioannis Sagias (European Commission, DG RTD) called for a stronger strategy to improve technology transfer and incentivise researchers to engage in innovation. He highlighted the importance of regional innovation hubs and better coordination between research and industry.

Mikel Landabaso (Joint Research Centre) advocated for greater investment, alignment, and risk-taking in European innovation, arguing that fundamental research and collaboration are crucial for Europe to compete globally. He emphasised the "Choose Europe" initiative, as CESAER called for in its research career report, as a crucial means to attract and retain R&I talent while fostering innovation ecosystems. And, he noted that creating an innovative ecosystem requires a culture shift amongst researchers, moving from a system that rewards based on publishing, to a more comprehensive effort of incentivising researchers to innovate and scale-up their fundamental research discoveries. This particularly echoes our position paper ‘Boosting disruptive innovation by fostering new mindsets and co-creating innovation' where we encourage fostering a new mindset where innovators are empowered to transfer tacit knowledge into innovations, participate in the co-creation process with partners in industry and society, followed by the opportunity to successfully upscale their concepts towards commercialisation.

Our CESAER President, Orla Feely, addressed the critical issue of brain drain and the necessity for FP10 to act decisively in attracting and retaining talent. She emphasised the need for bold actions, including more targeted support for early-career and senior researchers, increased funding for MSCA and ERC, and stronger industry-university collaboration. Orla also called for radical simplification of FP processes, allowing researchers to focus on scientific excellence rather than administrative burdens.

Orla highlighted recent discussions reflecting this decline, citing the Commissioner’s statement labelling a €220 billion budget for FP10 as “unrealistic.” She contrasted this with the US’s ambitious $500 billion ‘Stargate Project’ for AI, arguing that Europe cannot afford to lower its ambitions. According to Orla, a €220 billion budget should be viewed as a minimum to position Europe as a global leader, and discussions should focus on how this amount may still be insufficient to match global competitors. Without bold commitments, she warned, Europe risks falling further behind.

In response to a question on the competitiveness compass, Orla stressed that if the compass is light on research, it needs an add-on—an opportunity to strengthen its impact on research and higher education.

She also emphasised that the "Choose Europe" initiative will be crucial for attracting and retaining talent, ensuring that the European R&I ecosystem evolves into a more innovation-driven environment through leadership and excellence in science and technology.

MEP Oihane Aguirregoitia underscored the need to create a symbiotic relationship and to balance industrial growth with academic research, ensuring that FP10 fosters collaboration between academia, industry, and regional authorities. She highlighted differing views within the European Parliament on whether FP10 should prioritise industry-driven innovation or fundamental research, stressing that success depends on achieving a balance between the two.

Finally, discussions on the transition from FP9 to FP10 explored continuity and change. Key takeaways included the success of the ERC Proof of Concept scheme and the European Innovation Council (EIC), both of which should be reinforced in FP10. Additionally, there was broad consensus on the need for more streamlined processes and improved coordination with national programmes.

Conclusion: a vision for FP10

The FP10 event at the European Parliament reinforced the urgency of increasing investment in R&I, simplifying funding mechanisms, and fostering stronger collaboration between academia and industry. The discussions highlighted the need for FP10 to:

• Strengthen the European research talent pool and combat brain drain.

• Enhance strategic autonomy in science and technology.

• Balance fundamental research with industry-driven innovation.

• Provide clear incentives for researchers to engage in innovation.

• Streamline administrative processes to maximise impact.

With the discussions for the next EU long-term budget and the framework for FP10 still in development, these insights will be instrumental in shaping a more effective and competitive European research and innovation landscape. 

For more information, please contact our Advisor for Innovation & Sustainability Louise Drogoul.