On Friday 27 February, the European research ministers discussed the Horizon Europe framework programme for research and innovation (R&I) for the period 2028–2034 (FP10) (see EUROPE 13809/7). They expressed their wish to extend the framework programme and clarify its link with the European Competitiveness Fund (ECF).
The aim of this debate was to provide the political guidance needed to move towards a partial general approach in May. Widening participation in funded projects and spreading excellence are elements of the fourth pillar of the proposal, relating to the European Research Area (ERA). This relates to countries that benefit from the widening of participation in the programme, i.e. Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania and Slovakia, as well as the ‘transition countries’, i.e. Cyprus, Estonia, Greece, Malta, Portugal and Slovenia.
“We call for the opening of strategic discussion on the widening package. Widening measures are crucial for reducing the research and innovation performances gap across the EU, and they are strengthening competitiveness and fostering a truly inclusive European research area” defended Croatian Minister Radovan Fuchs.
The Estonian minister, Kristina Kallas, pointed out that these widening measures were supposed to be temporary in order to increase the participation of less successful countries. “All widening countries must have a clear incentive to move beyond the widening measures and strengthen their own research and innovation capacities. We should focus on exit strategy instead of further strengthening the widening part”, she pleaded.
Governance and dual use. Many Member States have called for clarification of the link between Horizon Europe and the ECF and, in particular, the definition of priorities. “It’s important to set priorities together with the member states, and they need to be fully involved right through the whole process. And the only way of doing that is through the so-called examination procedure. At the same time, the process needs to remain lightweight, workable, without administrative or burdens, and we need clarity on the competitiveness coordination tool and the steering mechanism”, emphasised the Belgian representative, Bert Versmessen.
Ekaterina Zaharieva, European Commissioner for Start-ups, Research and Innovation, reassured ministers (see EUROPE 13769/9) and stakeholders (see EUROPE 13816/19) that “the goal of the Commission was never for the money for research innovation to be somehow transferred to the industry”. “It’s the opposite, actually. It was to continue and to provide the necessary instruments that our scientists in our businesses need to develop their results from research and bring them to the market”, she emphasised at a press conference. For her, it is also a question of structuring the innovation process towards an investment journey.
Finally, the ministers addressed the issue of research in the defence sector. “A clearer differentiation between dual-use research and defence-only research would improve transparency and governance”, said Austrian Minister Eva-Maria Holzleitner. (Original version in French by Anne Damiani)