84 European Associations Call for a Bold FP10 to Power Europe’s Competitiveness

Brussels, 7 July 2026, A coalition of 86 European associations representing the continent’s research, development and innovation (RD&I) ecosystem has issued a Joint Declaration calling on EU institutions to significantly strengthen the next Framework Programme for Research and Innovation (FP10). The signatories argue that a more ambitious, better-funded FP10 will be essential to restoring Europe’s productivity, competitiveness and technological leadership in an increasingly challenging global landscape.

The declaration comes at a pivotal moment for Europe. Building on the analysis presented in the Draghi Report on European Competitiveness and the European Commission’s Competitiveness Compass, the coalition warns that Europe faces a widening innovation gap with major global competitors, particularly the United States and China. Without decisive investment in research and innovation, they argue, Europe risks falling further behind in productivity, industrial leadership and economic resilience.

According to the declaration, research, development and innovation are not simply policy priorities but the foundation for Europe’s long-term prosperity. Innovation-driven productivity growth will be critical to financing the green and digital transitions, strengthening Europe’s strategic autonomy, and safeguarding its social model.

At the heart of the coalition’s appeal is FP10, the EU’s flagship research and innovation programme for the 2028–2034 Multiannual Financial Framework. The organisations describe the programme as Europe’s most effective instrument for bringing together researchers, industry, innovators and public authorities across borders to accelerate technological development and bring innovative solutions to market.

The signatories highlight the proven impact of previous framework programmes, noting that investments under Horizon 2020 generated significant leverage by attracting additional national and private-sector investment. They argue that reducing or maintaining the current level of investment would undermine Europe’s ability to build strategic technologies, foster public-private partnerships and develop the talent needed to remain globally competitive.

To address these challenges, the coalition calls on EU institutions to adopt a more ambitious vision for FP10. Their recommendations include a substantially increased budget that reflects the scale of Europe’s competitiveness challenge, reinforcing collaborative and industry-driven research through a stronger Pillar II, and ensuring that FP10 works alongside the European Competitiveness Fund (ECF) to support the entire research and innovation continuum, from fundamental research through to deployment, commercialisation and industrial scale-up.

The declaration also stresses the importance of preserving both the governance and the financial strength of FP10 and the ECF while ensuring strong synergies between the two instruments. According to the signatories, maintaining this balance will be essential to supporting Europe’s industrial base, accelerating innovation and delivering on the EU’s long-term competitiveness objectives.

With negotiations on the next EU budget approaching, the coalition warns that the coming months will be decisive. The choices made during the next Multiannual Financial Framework discussions, they argue, will determine whether Europe has the research and innovation capacity needed to compete globally over the coming decade.

The 86 organisations behind the declaration conclude by reaffirming their commitment to working closely with the European institutions to develop an FP10 that is ambitious, adequately resourced and capable of delivering the innovation-led productivity growth Europe urgently requires.

SHOs Joint Statement on FP10