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 Parliament and EU member states have reached a provisional agreement the association of Ukraine to the European Defence Fund (EDF).
This decision comes as part of EU efforts to reinforce the integration of Ukraine into the European defence industrial base and strengthen its security resilience.
MEPs and member states have also agreed on measures to incentivise defence-related investments in the current EU budget as part of the ReArm Europe plan.
More details here.
The European Parliament and EU member states have reached a provisional agreement on allowing Horizon Europe and four other EU programmes to fund dual use projects. These include the Strategic Technologies for Europe Platform, the Digital Europe programme and the Connecting Europe Facility.
“By opening key EU-programmes to defence-related investments, we are enhancing our efforts in strengthening Europe’s Defence Industrial and Technological Base,” said Marie Bjerre, minister for European Affairs of Denmark. “It is a necessary step towards a stronger, more resilient, and more capable Europe that is able to defend itself by 2030.”
More details here.
The European Commission has adopted the European Innovation Council (EIC) work programme for 2026, with €1.4 billion dedicated to supporting deep tech entrepreneurs and researchers.
The programme includes a simpler, faster application process for the EIC Accelerator.
“From 2026, the application process will be simpler, with full proposals forms cut from 50 to 20 pages; faster, with evaluations every two months instead of every six months) and more robust, with deeper technology assessment anticipating the due diligence needed for investments,” the Commission says.
A pilot Advanced Innovation Challenged, which aims to back high-risk projects in areas where Europe is ahead in research but lags the scaling capacities, will also be launched next year.
More details here.
The European Innovation Council (EIC) has received 667 proposals under its latest EIC Pathfinder Challenge, a large share of which focused on the circular production of materials and generative AI-based agents in the medical field.
The total indicative budget for this call is €120 million, which will be split in equal shares across the four Pathfinder Challenges.
More details here.
The European Research Council (ERC) will allocate €684 million to 66 research teams selected under its Synergy Grants to address topics ranging from new treatments for inherited diseases to the first microseconds of the Universe.
According to EU research Commissioner Ekaterina Zaharieva, 28 of the 66 teams include a researcher based outside Europe, mainly in the United States, but also Canada, Australia, Brazil, Ghana, South Africa and Singapore. “Europe’s frontier research has never been so international,” she said.
More details here.
The Copernicus Sentinel 1-D satellite, which aims to provide radar-based Earth observations to both public and private users, has launched aboard an Ariane 6 rocket from Kourou, French Guiana.
The satellite, which is developed under the EU Space Programme in close cooperation with the European Space Agency, will support environmental monitoring efforts by detecting oil spills, illegal maritime activities, floods and seismic activities, for instance.
More details here.
The European Open Science Cloud (EOSC) Association is advancing efforts to establish a federated, open, and trusted environment for research data which would be accessible across borders and scientific domains in Europe.
A total of 13 EOSC “nodes,” which are open research data platforms, have signed a memorandum of understanding to enter the “EOSC Federation,” a digital infrastructure that would enable researchers to access high-quality data and tools across disciplines and national borders.
“What matters most is to keep the momentum, the ambition and the shared purpose that have brought us this far,” said Marc Lemaître, director-general for research and innovation at the European Commission. “Let’s seize this moment, let’s act together to complete [the EOSC Federation] fast and make it the backbone of Europe’s digital research and innovation ecosystem,” he added.
More details here.
The European Court of Auditors (ECA) has found that the EU Joint Undertakings (JU) were facing “huge difficulties” in reaching their goal for private contributions, in part due to the slow start of EU programmes like Horizon Europe and Digital Europe.
This comes in addition to persistent errors in grant payments, the lack of a risk-based control framework, and weaknesses in the planning and implementation of administrative expenditure.
“This year, our audit has identified significant financial risks, in particular in relation to F4E,” said Hans Lindblad, the ECA member responsible for the annual audit. “We also recommend improvements in the JUs’ financial management so they can enhance their value for money.”
With regards to F4E, the JU responsible for Europe’s contribution to the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) project, the ECA said that the risks resulted from the changes that ITER is currently undergoing in its technical scope and milestones setting, which may have an impact on innovation.
More details here.
The European Innovation Council (EIC) board has welcomed the European Commission’s proposal to expand the EIC in the future Horizon Europe programme from 2028, but called for revenues from exits to reflow back to its equity investment arm.
“Revenues or amounts resulting from exits should be reusable by the EIC Fund to ensure that it can provide essential follow-on funding,” the board said in a statement published on October 31.
It also highlighted the need for clarification on several aspects of the Commission’s proposal, including the implementation of challenge calls, increased synergies with other parts of Horizon Europe and the role of defence and dual use technologies.
However, the board is pleased that the EIC will continue to have an independent work programme and that programme managers are in line for a greater role.
The European Commission has opened a call for evidence for stakeholders to help shape the future EU Quantum Act, scheduled for adoption in 2026.
The Act, which builds on the Quantum Europe Strategy, aims to stimulate research and innovation in the field, help scale up industrial capacity and strengthen supply chain resilience and governance.
The call will be open until November 26.
More details here.
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