This was the central message of Investing in What Makes Europe Strong: Research and innovation in the next EU budget, a high-level policy event convened in Brussels on 9 September by CESAER, Coimbra Group, EUA, EU-LIFE, The Guild, LERU and YERUN. The event brought together policymakers, university leaders and research stakeholders to discuss the future of the next Horizon Europe Framework Programme (FP10) and focused on the vital role that FP10 must play in securing Europe’s long-term future.
Speakers highlighted the strong track record of successive EU framework programmes in supporting scientific excellence, fostering international collaboration and generating knowledge and technologies that underpin Europe’s competitiveness. From advances in quantum technologies to breakthroughs emerging from frontier research, participants stressed that Europe’s innovation capacity is built on sustained investment in excellent research.
Against a backdrop of growing economic, societal and political challenges, participants emphasised that Europe must invest more, not less, in R&I. Stronger support for FP10, they argued, is essential to advance Europe’s economy, strengthen resilience, accelerate the green and digital transitions, and deliver solutions to current and future challenges.
The discussions also highlighted the need for the R&I sector to better communicate the value of R&I. Investment in research should not be seen only as an objective, participants argued, but as an enabling force behind progress in areas such as health, energy, security, agriculture and competitiveness. Building broader public and political support will therefore require demonstrating more clearly how R&I help achieve Europe’s wider policy objectives and improve citizen’s lives.
On 9 September, leading political, economic and academic figures delivered a clear message: Europe needs an ambitious budget for 2028-2034 and beyond. FP10 builds on the success of its predecessors to deliver research excellence and socio-economic impacts, notably through stronger collaborations. And FP10 is more relevant than ever, not only for Europe's competitiveness, but also for many other EU policy priorities, including social cohesion and food sovereignty. We urge the Irish presidency of the Council of the EU to hear this well-grounded message and put forward an ambitious budget for FP10 – at least €200 billion – in the forthcoming negotiation box.
Head of R&I Policy Julien Chicot