09 Oct 2025
The Guild publishes its input to Call for Evidence on European Innovation Act
The Guild of European Research-Intensive Universities has submitted its response to the European Commission’s Call for Evidence on the future European Innovation Act, urging policymakers to fully recognise universities as central drivers of innovation across Europe. The association stresses that the Act must place R&I at the heart of Europe’s economy and deliver on the realisation of the “fifth freedom” to improve the Single Market.
While expressing concern over the separation of research and innovation into two distinct legislative acts, The Guild calls for the Innovation Act to address the barriers universities face in delivering sustainable socioeconomic impact.
The Guild recommends harmonising regulations across countries to reduce administrative burdens caused by inconsistent national rules, thus reinforcing the Single Market. The input paper highlights the need for special recognition of university spin-offs. Clearer exemptions for research activities in state aid rules and increased flexibility in supporting spin-offs would enable universities to better exploit research outcomes without compromising the level playing field within and between local innovation ecosystems, the Guild claims. Furthermore, access of innovative companies to research and technology infrastructures needs to be enhanced to strengthen academia-industry collaboration.
The Guild also stresses that universities need tailored strategies and services to translate research into tangible impact. Institutional policies should fully embrace knowledge valorisation’s broad scope. The association cautions against a “one-size-fits-all” regulatory framework approach and reiterates its call for flexible, non-financial and financial support for knowledge valorisation activities.
For more information:
The Guild’s input to the Call for Evidence of the European Innovation Act