- EPO and IP Australia to launch patent cooperation pilot programme
- EIC Pathfinder awards over €140M to 44 new projects
- EIT launches a community hub in Greece
- EIT sets list of demands for upcoming EU Innovation Act
- African Academy of Sciences researchers can now temporarily join ERC teams
- Universities need safeguards to protect research, CESAER says
This live blog is tracking the latest developments in European research and innovation programmes, including the broader debate on the future of R&D policy and funding in the next multiannual budget due to start in 2028. Beyond that, we look at other EU policies with significant research and innovation components in climate, digital, agriculture and regional development. In addition, national governments often come up with new R&D policies, decide to fund new research avenues, and set up international cooperation deals. This blog aims to keep you informed on all of that and more.
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The European Patent Office (EPO) and IP Australia, a government agency responsible for administering intellectual property law in Australia, have announced plans to launch a pilot programme under the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) in March 2026.
Australian applicants will be able to designate EPO as their international searching authority and international preliminary examining authority for PCT applications.
“Australian applicants will gain a strategic advantage through fast, high-quality search reports and detailed written opinions that help accelerate the path towards European patent protection,” EPO said in a statement.
More details here.
The European Innovation Council (EIC) has awarded more than €140 million to 44 projects that participated in its Pathfinder Open call, which this year drew a record interest.
Of the selected consortia, 48% include universities, 27% private companies, and 25% research organisations. These will work in fields ranging from quantum technologies to advanced materials to artificial intelligence.
More details here.
The European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) has launched a community hub for Greek innovators to access the EIT’s opportunities, networks and support.
“By strengthening local connections and opening doors for innovators across Greece, this new hub makes European support more tangible,” said Vicky D. Kefalas, EIT governing board member. “It’s a step towards a more inclusive and dynamic innovation ecosystem.”
More details here.
The upcoming EU Innovation Act is an opportunity to simplify cross-border scaling, unlock finance for intangible assets like intellectual property (IP) and data, and use procurement to drive innovation, according to the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT).
“Regulations should be designed to enable innovation, not restrict it,” the EIT said, calling on simpler rules such as regulatory sandboxes and a possible single market passport for validated innovations. “Strengthening coordination between EU instruments and expanding access to patient investment can help ambitious ventures scale within Europe and compete globally.”
The EIT also advises the EU to develop standardised valuation methods for IP and data, increase the use of public procurement to boost innovation, and strengthen inclusiveness to prevent innovation from remaining concentrated in a few regions.
More details here.
The European Commission has signed a new initiative to stimulate collaboration between African researchers and European Research Council (ERC) grantees.
Under this agreement, researchers supported by the African Academy of Sciences will be able to temporarily join teams led by ERC grantees in Europe.
More details here.
Universities must be provided with stable conditions for research if Europe is to safeguard academic freedom and foster responsible collaboration, according to CESAER university group.
Ahead of European Commission-hosted conference on research security this week, the university group advises embedding research security into existing governance structures and open-science frameworks, incentivising researchers in protecting knowledge, and co-creating a European level playing field.
“By empowering universities with sufficient guidance, support, and legal certainty to implement proportionate safeguards, Europe can ensure open, responsible, and innovative research that drives societal prosperity and competitiveness,” said Simone Rehm, vice-rector of the University of Stuttgart.
More details here.
The European Commission has published its work programme for 2026, which includes plans for a European Research Area Act in the third quarter of the year aiming to cement knowledge and innovation as the fifth freedom of the single market.
It is one of three major research files set to be presented next year, alongside a European Biotech Act and a Quantum Act, which are both intended to strengthen Europe’s position in strategic technologies.
The Commission is also planning a revision to the EU Chips Act and a new Cloud and AI Development Act for the first quarter of 2026.
Also in the first quarter, there should be proposals for an Innovation Act and a 28th company regime, although start-up associations are worried that the legal bases cited in the work programme mean the latter will take the form of a directive rather than a regulation.
Europe should focus its support for quantum technologies on the most promising national champions to bundle investments and attract private capital, according to a new paper from Berlin-based think tank the Innovate Europe Foundation.
“The current fragmented system, with its emphasis on geographical proportionality rather than excellence, lacks the focus on funding required to scale,” the report warns.
It also urges European governments to act as anchor customers and to embed quantum computing in defence budgets.
The European Commission has launched a call for evidence and a public consultation on the upcoming Advanced Materials Act.
“The Act will support the research and innovation process, from design and development to manufacturing and deployment, while at the same time addressing key issues, such as the lengthy time from the design until deployment and commercialisation, and the expansion of production capacities of advanced materials in the EU,” the Commission said in a statement.
The call for evidence and public consultation will be open until 13 January 2026, and the Advanced Materials Act is expected to be proposed later that year.
More details here.
The European Commission has launched COMPASS-AI, an initiative that aims to boost the use of artificial intelligence in the healthcare sector under its Apply AI strategy, particularly in cancer care and healthcare in remote areas.
“AI has the potential to transform healthcare by advancing precision medicine through enhancing prevention, speeding up clinical trials, improving diagnostic accuracy, optimising treatment decision-making and by streamlining workflows,” said Olivér Várhelyi, EU commissioner for health and animal welfare.
More details here.
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