Post by CESAER

An ambitious and credible starting point from the European Parliament for FP10 -- CESAER welcomes the reports from Christian Ehler and René Repasi on Horizon Europe 2028-2034. Orla Feely, President of CESAER and President of University College Dublin, said: “These reports start from the right premise: Europe needs an FP10 that is strong, autonomous and firmly anchored in excellence. That is essential if the framework programme is to continue setting the global benchmark for research and innovation funding at continental scale. FP10 must work in complementarity with the European Competitiveness Fund while maintaining the autonomy needed to fulfil its mission effectively. Parliament is right to push for clearer safeguards, stronger autonomy and a more credible governance model.” Tim Bedford, Vice President of CESAER and Associate Principal for Research and Innovation at the University of Strathclyde, said: “Europe needs greater speed and stronger delivery, but speed only matters if the system is designed well. It is therefore very welcome that the European Parliament has engaged deeply with key stakeholders on how FP10 and the European Competitiveness Fund should relate to one another in practice. Frontier research and technological innovation do not sit downstream of industrial policy; they are among the conditions that make a strong industrial policy possible. Two autonomous programmes with distinct mandates and well-designed interfaces are the right direction for Europe.” Katharina Füglister, Vice President of CESAER and Director of International Affairs at EPFL, said: “It is especially encouraging to see Parliament move to strengthen the autonomy of both the ERC and the EIC. These instruments are globally respected because they are excellence-driven, expert-led and trusted by outstanding researchers and innovators. Europe should build on those strengths, not weaken them. It is equally positive to see openness reaffirmed as the starting point for participation, because openness towards all of Europe and beyond, combined with appropriate safeguards, remains a major source of Europe’s scientific and technological strength.” Ena Voûte, Vice President of CESAER and Pro Vice Rector of International Affairs at Delft University of Technology, said: “Public authorities have the democratic legitimacy to set strategic priorities and budgets. But if Europe wants implementation at the cutting edge of science and advanced technologies, the day-to-day execution of research and innovation must be driven by experts. That is why Parliament’s push for more expert-led implementation, including in Pillar II, matters so much. The same logic should guide simplification: meaningful simplification is what reduces friction for beneficiaries and increases predictability, thereby enabling excellent performers to deliver at the highest quality and speed.” https://lnkd.in/e6csbx8E