Key research actors call for strategic move towards greater R&I investment for Europe's future prosperity
19 January 2024
The European University Association, Science Europe and the European Association of Research and Technology Organisations (EARTO) have jointly addressed an open letter to Iliana Ivanova, European Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth, emphasising the importance of EU investments in research and innovation.
With both the design of the next EU R&I Framework Programme (FP10) and this year’s European elections on the horizon, the three associations, representing key R&I actors, stress the crucial role of EU research and innovation investments in addressing global challenges, boosting the EU's global competitiveness, and reinforcing its strategic autonomy. They argue that a strong and sustainable budget for FP10 is essential for achieving these ambitious goals. Thus, the letter advocates for a doubling of the FP10 budget to €200 billion, viewing it as a critical step in enabling Europe to address pressing societal challenges.
The letter also highlights several other issues, including the need to ensure budget stability and protect funding from being shifted to non-R&I purposes. It points out the necessity of rebalancing the programme’s support across various stages of the R&I continuum, which encompasses bottom-up basic research, applied research, development, and innovation. Additionally, it emphasises the need for greater synergies with other EU programmes, as well as with national and regional R&I investments.
Finally, the letter underscores that, while increasing the FP10 budget is a priority, ensuring sufficient national investments in R&I is also crucial, notably by meeting the agreed target of investing 3% of GDP in these areas.
This open letter precedes EUA’s forthcoming comprehensive vision for FP10, which will be the Association’s key contribution to the design of the next Framework Programme.
