In its FP10 proposal, the European Commission plans to launch ambitious moonshots aimed at positioning Europe as a global leader across strategic domains. Yet the current draft places disproportionate emphasis on technological advancement while overlooking societal progress. For Europe to truly achieve global leadership, its R&I agenda must extend beyond technological breakthroughs, embedding innovation within broader socio-cultural contexts.
The Guild proposes four moonshots; each aligned with a policy window proposed for the European Competitiveness Fund (ECF) and FP10.
1. Ethical global leadership for climate resilience and competitive economies
Europe must lead the clean transition through socio-technical strategies that build public trust and manage disruptive change. We advocate for stronger collaboration among policymakers, researchers, industry, civil society and LMIC partners to design systemic, socially informed strategies for managing disruptive green transitions.
2. Building equitable healthcare for all
Europe must ensure its citizens benefit from sustainable, high-quality healthcare systems. This will demand building innovate healthcare governance by redesigning interfaces between care delivery, research, regulation and markets, with patient-led priorities, ethical AI, global collaboration and strong interdisciplinary partnerships.
3. Digital literacy for all
A competitive and democratic Europe calls for inclusive digital and AI skills frameworks that leave no community behind. We propose to mobilise multidisciplinary research and education strategies to build scalable pathways for digital skills across all ages and social groups.
4. Responsible management of change
Europe must strengthen its leadership in providing sustainable welfare systems, cultural cohesion and economic resilience. This moonshot will mobilise interdisciplinary research to strengthen trust, solidarity and social cohesion, and to design effective strategies for managing demographic change, migration and labour market transformation across Europe.
Our moonshots show that Social Sciences, Arts and Humanities are essential in driving technological and economic change in our societies. The moonshots we propose are ambitious challenges connecting academic disciplines, private partners and public authorities. But in addressing the four proposed policy windows of the ECF and FP10, they will also provide indispensable support to emerging new technologies and solutions, ensuring that these remain deeply rooted in the aspirations of Europe’s citizens.
Secretary-General, Jan Palmowski