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27/5/2026

Universities and research institutes call on Council to build on Parliament’s momentum on FP10 and the ECF

Ahead of the Competitiveness Council meetings on 28 and 29 May, EU-LIFE, together with other leading European research and innovation stakeholders, calls for the Council to build on the momentum created by the European Parliament’s work on FP10 and the European Competitiveness Fund (ECF).

The joint statement urges the Council to move towards coherent, ambitious and operational positions that strengthen Europe’s research, innovation and competitiveness agenda, while ensuring timely convergence between EU institutions.

“FP10 and the European Competitiveness Fund will shape Europe’s capacity to support excellent research, develop talent and turn knowledge into impact. To succeed, they must be designed as separate but connected programmes, working together through a strong interface while preserving their distinct roles. Research and innovation must remain central to Europe’s competitiveness agenda, because Europe’s ability to compete depends on its capacity to attract, develop and retain talent and skills,” said Marta Agostinho, Executive Director of EU-LIFE. “Europe needs ambitious, coherent and high-quality proposals for FP10 and the European Competitiveness Fund, but it also needs timely progress. The Council now has a key opportunity to build on the momentum created by the European Parliament and work towards consensus while preserving the excellence of the future framework.”

The statement calls for: 

  • FP10 and the ECF to work together through a strong interface, while remaining autonomous programmes with distinct purposes and governance.
  • Simpler and more predictable pathways from research to uptake and impact, avoiding duplication, fragmentation and unnecessary complexity for beneficiaries.
  • Talent and skills to remain central to Europe’s competitiveness agenda, recognising the role of people, institutions and ecosystems in generating and using new knowledge.
  • Expert-driven implementation across FP10 and the ECF, ensuring that work programmes, calls and evaluation processes are informed by independent expertise, excellence, evidence and ethics.
  • Swift association of close research partners such as Switzerland and the United Kingdom to FP10, avoiding unnecessary disruption to Europe’s scientific ties and collaborative capacity.

The joint statement is signed by CESAER, Coimbra Group, European University Association, EU-LIFE, The Guild, LERU and YERUN.

EU-LIFE has long advocated for a strong FP10 rooted in scientific excellence, ambitious investment, reduced complexity and effective pathways from knowledge creation to innovation and societal impact.[1] The coming months will be decisive to turn political ambition into effective implementation. EU-LIFE stands ready to continue engaging with EU institutions and partners to help ensure that FP10 and the ECF deliver for Europe’s research community, innovation ecosystems and society.

Read the full joint statement at this link: https://eu-life.eu/newsroom/publications/20260527-joint-statement

 

[1] For detailed information on EU-LIFE’s proposals about the future Framework Programme FP10, consult: 

 

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