Celebrating 40 years of the European Framework Programme
2024 marks the year of celebrating 40 years of the EU's Framework Programme (FP). Petra Smits, Head of Unit Research & Innovation, Space and Atomic Questions from the Permanent Representation of the Netherlands to the EU opened the event. Jurgen Rienks, Director of Neth-ER, introduced the programme, also on behalf of organising members UNL, TNO and KNAW. The goal of this event was to look forward to the model of the new framework programme FP10, presenting Neth-ER's position paper on FP10 and the Dutch vision paper on FP10.
Investing in a European Research and Innovation Union
If we continue investing in Research and innovation (R&I) as we do currently, Europe is unlikely to make progress for its future. That was the clear message of Marc Lemaître, Director-General for R&I at the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Research and Innovation (DG RTD). Lemaître's called for the audience to think about a European Research and Innovation Union. While FP10 is part of the European funding landscape, the Research & Innovation Union goes beyond funding and also includes policy and regulation. Europe must urgently address several issues. Firstly, Europe needs to raise investments in R&I immediately to reach the goal of investing 3% of GDP in R&I before 2030. Reaching this goal of the Budapest Declaration requires not only public and private sector investments but also investment at regional, national and European levels of government. Only by investing, Europe is likely to make progress for the future. Collective monitoring mechanisms and incentives are vital to track progress towards this goal.
Better coordination and collaboration through FP10 for maximal impact
There is a strong case to raise means for the next framework programme, Lemaître said while considering the interim evaluation of Horizon Europe that is due early next year. The programme is unique in bringing together international and European excellence by triggering collaboration on a critical mass of topics beyond national systems. The dropping success rates in parts of the programme are worrying, such as 10% for the European Research Council (ERC) and 5% at the European Innovation Council (EIC). And to maximise impact, Europe needs to collaborate and coordinate its collective R&I efforts better, including through the ERA. Our collaboration and coordination can be improved through the framework programme, as well as the next ERA policy agenda 2025-2027, due in April, the upcoming ERA Act, due in autumn 2025, and the European Research and Innovation Area Committee (ERAC). Moreover, Europe can maximise its impact by creating better framework conditions for researchers. This means organising our R&I infrastructures, attracting and keeping research talent, facilitating better connections through Europe and optimising conditions for startups and scaleups, as written in Commissioner Zaharieva's mission letter.
Intersectoral collaboration for integrated solutions
Today's challenges are too big for member states to solve individually. That was the message of the second keynote speaker Feite Hofman, incoming co-chair of ERAC and Director-General at the Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture and Science (OCW). As co-chair of the ERAC FP10 opinion, Hofman highlighted that there is a shared view on R&I's key role in ensuring Europe's future. Our Union's successes strongly build on investments into a strong R&I landscape and outstanding collaborations, as demonstrated in the Letta and Draghi reports. To continue successful cross-border collaborations, an ambitious and forward-thinking framework programme is essential in pursuing groundbreaking innovative solutions to global common challenges. Intersectoral collaborations are indispensable to achieving integrated solutions. FP10 must invest in the projects with the most progress and impact across the full spectrum of knowledge development. Europe needs to focus on key strategic priorities together with a wide range of stakeholders to increase competitiveness, Hofman said, referring to the Dutch national sector plans as an example. This means that FP10 must empower R&I ecosystems and research and technology infrastructures to enable valorisation. Europe needs to take action now.
Urgent action to invest in competitiveness
Europe needs to invest in R&I urgently to keep up with global competitors, stakeholders said. Muriel Attané, Secretary General of the European Association of Research and Technology Organisations (EARTO), highlighted the lack of urgency in Europe to invest in experimental development. Attané referred to a graph with OECD data, advocating for increased industry involvement in FP10, the need for simplification, and more investments in Pillar 2. The negotiations on the next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) currently centre on balancing funding for industrial competitiveness with funding for FP10. However, Attané stresses the discourse should be more strategic and focus on the gap in experimental development funding to see a return on investments. Europe must increase support for start-ups to scale up scientific efforts to remain globally competitive.
Integrated policymaking means trust
Robert-Jan Smits, President of Technical University Eindhoven, stressed that the core of the framework programme is collaborative research in Pillar 2. He said Europe needs to put knowledge into funding instead of putting funding into knowledge, to fill the current research valorisation gap. Integrated policymaking is the key to competing on the global market, by engaging all states and stakeholders. He also emphasized that the ERA Act should get rid of barriers instead of imposing the ERA on institutions and member states. This also means considering new developments around dual-use and a task for universities to reflect on their contributions. Smits called on member states and the European Parliament to trust the Commission's FP10 proposal.
Avoid internal competition
Eveline Crone, Full Professor of Developmental Neuroscience in Society, Erasmus University of Rotterdam, urged that the pillars of Horizon do not compete with each other. As a former ERC vice-president, she emphasized that there must be a balance between all types of science and research. Currently, many talented scientists lack funding, which is why Europe urgently needs to shift its focus on competing internally, to challenge its global competitors. Crone called for more funding and greater collaboration across all three pillars, to increase societal impact, citizen science and trust for the next framework programme.
Impactful EU-funded projects
The framework programme can have significant impacts on Europe's future and competitiveness. This was demonstrated by three pitches from Horizon Europe beneficiaries.
- Collaborative research: Gjalt Loots, Senior Project Manager at TNO, presented the InterConnect consortium and spoke about the vitality of a common language for smart homes. Loots noted that collaboration starts at the Commission, as both DG Connect and DG ENER fund the Innovation action in Pillar two. The focus is to bring project results to the market for daily use, connecting smart homes with energy grids to increase renewable energy usage. A key aspect is creating a shared language for better collaboration to bring about innovation. InterConnect involved various stakeholders across Europe, which resulted in the adoption of the project's recommendations by the JRC, implementation into national legislation, and integration into industry practices. The significant impact of the project was made possible by EU-funded international collaboration.
- Deep-tech research: Daniel Schobben, Chief Operating Officer at Salvia BioElectronics, explained the company's deep-tech project to help people with migraines and cluster headaches. The company received funding from three Horizon instruments, including Eurostars and the EIC Accelerator for their collaboration in the first steps of technology development by repurposing devices. Securing venture capital in Europe is challenging due to national market differences and high entry costs. Schobben hopes that the next FP10 can support companies with groundbreaking innovations, to align market access regulations, scale up in the European market and compete globally.
- Frontier research: Eveline Crone highlighted the importance of frontier research in driving societal change. Crone stressed that focusing on short-term results prevents long-term thinking. Thus, investing in long-term scientific progress ensures future growth and societal benefits. The ERC funds participatory action research, to combine youth-driven ideas with developmental science. This way, EU-funded frontier research contributes to addressing societal challenges, health improvements, and digital and green transitions. It is the answer to unasked questions and unanticipated opportunities.
Thou shalt collaborate
“Thou shalt collaborate”. This slogan stood out from the policymakers panel on FP10, the upcoming ERA Act and the realization of the fifth freedom in Europe's internal market. Tjerk Opmeer, Deputy Director-General at the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs, said that Europe urgently needs to make strategic choices. Opmeer emphasized that policymakers need to broaden their perspectives on Europe's challenges, including competitiveness challenges beyond societal, health, and climate issues. The EU needs to prioritize funding that creates closer collaboration between fundamental research and business. To achieve this goal, the next framework programme must be organized to expand and connect ecosystems across Europe. Marc Lemaître reflected on an integrated policymaking, or in other words, a whole-of-government approach. While Europe is a top-notch competitor in fundamental research and health technologies, Europe is failing to realize a single market in solving health problems. He explained this can be seriously problematic, for example for clinical trial research. Therefore, it is important to build bridges within the framework programme.
An ERA Act for the Fifth Freedom
Next to this, the Commission will work on the ERA Act and a strategy for startups and scale-ups. The ERA Act should focus on consulting the Member States, not imposing rigid rules, but instead fostering joint priorities with a codified mechanism for coordination and monitoring of progress. Feite Hofman concurred, arguing that the ERA Act should encourage collaboration between ecosystems, countries, companies and all stakeholders in the EU. A startup and scale-up strategy will identify where breakthrough innovations take place and where the single market fails to implement these innovations. The goal is to open up the market to support growth and progress, added Lemaître.
Build consensus now
We need to build consensus as fast as we can, to foster our R&I landscape. Europe should stay confident in its strengths and capacities, the policymakers stated. Opmeer urged for increased trust in member state governments and the Commission to ensure speedy financing. This political issue is highly complex and timely as part of the MFF negotiations. Still, now is the time to think of opportunities and build on existing cooperation. Harmonizing the capital markets union must be discussed now to realize the free movement of knowledge. Hofman added that now is the time for ERAC to start advising and recommendations.
Context
Neth-ER's event titled “Horizon Europe – an Exploration of the Future Framework Programme” took place at the Permanent Representation of the Netherlands to the EU on 18 December 2024. Neth-ER together with member organizations Universities of the Netherlands (UNL), Nederlandse Organisatie voor Toegepast Natuurwetenschappelijk Onderzoek (TNO) and Koninklijke Nederlandse Akademie van Wetenschappen (KNAW) presented the Neth-ER's position paper on FP10 and the Dutch government presented its Dutch vision paper on FP10. The audience consisted of European stakeholder organisations, Commission officials, Permanent Representations to the EU, and board members of Dutch research organisations.
