The European Research Ministers will be meeting in Brussels on Tuesday 30 September to discuss the next Horizon Europe framework programme, in particular dual-use research and innovation (R&I) - civil and military.
In its proposal for the next Horizon Europe programme, presented last July (see EUROPE 13683/7), the European Commission provides for the possibility of funding dual-use projects focusing on defence applications under the European Innovation Council’s (EIC) start-up accelerator programme. In its note prepared for the orientation debate, the Danish Presidency of the Council of the EU stressed that “allowing the implementation of dual-use projects potentially focused on defence applications under the Framework Programme is a sensitive matter”.
The Presidency also points out that this provision “appears to be in line with the recommendation of the report by the High Level Group chaired by Manuel Heitor, ‘Align, Act, Accelerate. Research, Technology and Innovation to boost European Competitiveness’, published in September 2024” (see EUROPE 13507/14). The final recommendation of the report calls for “embracing dual use as inevitable, by exploiting dual use both ways”. Denmark will invite the ministers to share their views on three issues: - what opportunities this new approach presents for further strengthening and improving competitiveness and resilience; - what specific sensitivities need to be considered when considering opening up the framework programme; - how dual-use projects and those focused on defence applications should be supported.
Read the note: https://aeur.eu/f/in2
Before the debate, the ministers will discuss and adopt two sets of conclusions. The first series will focus on the importance of R&I in the EU’s Startup and Scaleup strategy (see EUROPE 13695/12). “This is of course a key element, not only in transforming European knowledge and innovation into business, but also in helping them to grow”, stressed a diplomatic source on Thursday 25 September. According to the draft conclusions, the ministers should in particular “ask the Commission to provide further guidance to Member States on the implementation of State aid rules relating to higher education institutions and research organisations”.
Read the draft conclusions: https://aeur.eu/f/in3
The second set of conclusions will be a call for action in the life sciences. It will be based on the communication adopted by the Commission in July (see EUROPE 13672/3). The draft conclusions call for the Commission to be “encouraged to overcome the fragmentation of legislation and strategies at EU level and to create an innovation and user-friendly environment for all R&I stakeholders”.
Read the draft conclusions: https://aeur.eu/f/in5
The ministers will conclude this EU Council meeting with a lunch devoted to a policy debate on future ambitions in the field of research and technology infrastructures. The Commission will begin with a presentation of its strategy, published in mid-September (see EUROPE 13709/7). (Original version in French by Anne Damiani)