EU Framework Programmes have ‘little impact’ on growing companies

15 Jul 2025 | News

As Brussels sets out plans to revamp its R&D programme, a highly critical report suggests most support to businesses is being wasted

Photo credits: Brilt / BigStock

EU research Framework Programmes are largely failing to help companies grow, a highly critical report argues, as the European Commission sets out its plans for the next programme, due to start in 2028.

The report says that the programmes fail to support high-tech, radical innovation, and instead distribute funding to big incumbent companies through overly proscriptive calls for proposals that lead only to incremental technological improvements. 

“Our analysis suggests that less than 8% of the budget is allocated effectively,” says Funding Ideas, Not Companies – Rethinking EU Innovation Policy from the Bottom Up, which analyses the revenue performance of companies that…