MEPs Unveil Blueprint to Strengthen Europe’s Research and Innovation

The Committee on Industry, Research, and Energy put forward recommendations to strengthen the EU's research and innovation policy and lay the groundwork for the forthcoming 10th Research Framework Programme (FP10) in a report adopted on the implementation of the flagship Horizon Europe programme.

MEPs advocate for FP10 to be established as an independent Union Programme with a significantly increased budget, aiming to achieve the target of allocating 3% of GDP to research and development (R&D) and guaranteeing funding for at least 75% of high-quality proposals submitted. 

Based on extensive stakeholder feedback, FP10 should focus on three core objectives:

• Creating a European competition of ideas by accelerating the development from fundamental science to innovation scale-up;
• Supporting strategic research initiatives which require large-scale and European collaboration;
• Advancing the European Research Area.

Moreover, MEPs emphasise the pivotal role of the European Innovation Council (EIC) and the European Research Council (ERC) in driving innovation. They propose increasing their budgets and safeguarding their autonomy, recognizing their importance in fostering breakthrough technologies and supporting high-risk, high-reward research—both of which are essential for effectively tackling societal challenges.