Horizon Europe is well underway, but the world of European R&D policy goes well beyond the confines of the €95.5 billion R&D programme. EU climate, digital, agriculture and regional policies all have significant research and innovation components. 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 new government coalition in Austria between social democrats (SPÖ), liberals (NEOS) and conservatives (ÖVP) is pushing for an independent European Framework Programme for research and innovation.
In a joint policy paper, the coalition said research will be crucial to European competitiveness, energy independence and industrial transformation. They also call for a new national R&D expenditure goal of 4% of GDP.
Read the coalition paper here (in German).
The European Commission has announced on Monday the winners of the EU Award for Gender Equality Champions in research and innovation.
University of Gdansk won in the category Newcomer, the Spanish National Research council won in the Sustainability category and the Royal College of Surgeons of Ireland in the Inclusion category.
The winners received a cash prize of €100,000.
More information here.
The UK government has announced the Westminster Higher Education Forum is to hold a national conference to discuss the next steps for UK research and innovation policy and to assess the UK's role in global science.
Delegates will discuss regulation on research-focused industries, economic growth and measuring of the impact of research.
More information here.
While it might be beneficial for some European Innovation Council (EIC) applicants to consult external entities, signing contracts with consulting firms specialised in EU research and innovation funding is not entirely necessary, as many applicants are successful without them, according to a new paper published by the EIC Board.
“While for some companies good consultants can provide added value and support to applicants, we have also seen cases of bad practice,” said Michiel Scheffer, President of the EIC Board. “We are particularly concerned that some consultants may claim that it is ‘a must’ to have a consultant to be successful in EIC calls,” he added.
To help applicants decide whether they need consultants, the EIC board published a code of conduct in 2023.
More details here.
The European Commission has announced €600 million in research and innovation funding for clean tech, clean energy and decarbonised manufacturing in the EU. The funding is set to be allocated through Horizon Europe in 2026 and 2027 and is part of the Clean Industrial deal announced on Wednesday.
In addition to the research funding, the Commission has also announced €90 million through Erasmus+ which would help reinforce sectoral skills for strategic industries linked to the Clean Industrial Deal.
“Europe is not only a continent of industrial innovation, but also a continent of industrial production,” as Commission president President Ursula von der Leyen said in a statement after the launch of the legislative package.
Read more here.
Ian Chapman has been appointed as new CEO of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), Britain’s main R&I agency.
According to the government, Chapman’s mission is to put economic growth at the heart of public investment in R&I. He will center research in the UK around benefits for the public and fast growth of the country's economy.
“Research and innovation must be central to the prosperity of our society and our economy, so UKRI can shape the future of the country,” said Chapman.
Read more about the appointment here.
The Coimbra group of universities says the current technology centered political discourse does not take into account the role of social sciences and humanities in addressing global societal problems.
“Education, research and innovation are indeed strategic tools, not only to increase competitiveness in areas such as climate change, digital transformation, health or defence, but also to address societal and global challenges,” Coimbra said in a statement.
The group also calls for a bigger EU budget for university exchanges and research and innovation programmes.
“As the negotiations on the EU budget 2028-2034 are in full swing, [the Coimbra Group] calls for a stand-alone Erasmus+ programme and a stand-alone research and innovation framework programme (FP10) after 2027, with ring-fenced budgets for both programmes for the whole MFF duration,” the board members request in the statement.
More information here.
India is an important research partner for the EU, but there is room for more strategic partnerships, improved alignment with the EU-India Trade and Technology Council and clearer budgeting, according to a new Commission evaluation report.
India has so far collected over 600 Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions grants and is participating in 88 Horizon projects, the report says.
This week, EU Commissioner for startups, research and innovation Ekaterina Zaharieva is visiting India together with the College of commissioners.
The India-EU science partnership has been in place since 2002 and the Commission is planning to announce a continuation of the program this year.
Read the full report here.
The EU should change tactics and boost investments in innovation to be able to reach its net-zero emissions goal by 2050, says a new report by the European Scientific Advisory Board on Climate Change.
“With the right incentives, a dynamic policy mix can speed up innovation and strengthen the EU’s position in the global race for cleantech leadership,” said Ottmar Edenhofer, Chair of the Advisory Board.
The report calls for more investment in technologies that remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
The report says technologies such as Carbon Capture Storage are still not fully developed and have been criticised in the past for not being fully economically viable.
Read the full report here.
Trump's orders to freeze billions in funding and censor research on topics such as climate change and gender will impact global research collaboration and scientific freedom beyond the US, warns the European Federation of Academies of Sciences and Humanities (ALLEA).
“ALLEA is deeply concerned that the actions of the U.S. administration could have far-reaching and devastating consequences for essential (global) research programmes, particularly in fields such as health, climate, gender, and the social sciences,” the federation said in a statement.
The alliance of academies encourages research organisations and governments to be increasingly cautious and protect the freedom of academia.
Read the statement here.
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