24 Oct 2024
Committee of the Regions calls for increased funding and stronger local dimension for FP10
The European Committee of the Regions (CoR) has adopted an opinion on the next Framework Programme for Research and Innovation (FP10). The opinion was adopted at the CoR's 162nd plenary session on 7-9 October 2024. According to its summarised recommendations, the CoR calls for the following:
- A place-based approach to innovation should guide the strategic programming of the next FP, allowing for better synergies between the future FP and the future cohesion policy;
- Smart Specialisation Strategies (S3-S4) could be a powerful driver of excellence for regional and local innovation ecosystems, therefore the strategic programming of the next FP should link up more effectively with such strategies;
- The European Committee of the Regions should be effectively involved in the strategic programming of the FP;
- The next FP should adopt multi-fund programming to deploy and scale-up RIVs, through closer involvement with the I3 programme as well as other funding;
- The CoR states that it regards as the main objective of the FP: support for the EU’s RDI excellence by reinforcing a European Research Area, improving its global competitiveness, supporting acceleration of RDI investments for industrial transformation to meet climate neutral objectives, and boosting its impact in terms of job creation, while ensuring inclusivity and sustainability;
- FP10 activities at EU level should strengthen and leverage universities’ regional links. Universities should extend the role of science beyond academic achievements, through their active participation in regional innovation ecosystems;
- The same benchmark (RIS) should be used to implement measures for Widening Participation at local and regional level while better reflecting the specific needs and innovation capacities of different regions;
- Given that Member States have agreed to the Barcelona objective of spending a total of 3% of GDP on research and development, the CoR calls on the EU to insist on the importance of this objective, and for the FP budget to be ringfenced and better articulated with the funds of the future cohesion policy.
For more information:
CoR opinion: Recommendations for the next Framework Programme (FP10) for Research and Innovation