As the EU looks to shape its research and innovation policy to support the economy and strengthen the defence sector, Sylvie Retailleau calls for a ringfenced budget for FP10

At the Munich Security Conference, Bettina Stark-Watzinger made the case that research is now at the centre of geopolitical rivalry. But changing the German research system remains difficult

The defence sector has been slow to embrace sustainability, but that is beginning to change, as it becomes clear climate change will shape future conflicts

The STEP initiative to boost investment in strategic technologies has suffered a blow as member states refuse to hand over fresh funding, but the proposal lacked ambition from the beginning

If FP10 is opened up to defence and dual use research, the rest of the budget must be ringfenced, the annual Science|Business conference heard on Tuesday

With the Ariane 6 rocket four years late and Russia’s Soyuz off-limits, Europe has no guaranteed access to space. Competition commissioner Thierry Breton pledges to change that in the next EU space programme

The Commission has set out proposals to fund more research with military as well as civil applications in Framework Programme 10, but universities want to see safeguards put in place

As the first private mission to deliver instruments to the moon for NASA crashes back to earth, ESA gives further details of its plan to work with industry to develop an independent cargo return vehicle

The fund is intended to stimulate investment in SMEs that are working to develop novel defence technologies

The first 44 companies have been selected for NATO’s acceleration scheme for start-ups with dual-use technologies. In parallel, the programme is promoting the development of ecosystems around the host accelerators in Tallin, Copenhagen and Turin