Driving European Competitiveness Through Innovation: Eureka Network’s Call for an Ambitious FP10

The views outlined in this paper are those of the Eureka member countries. Its content does not pre-empt individual country positions in the upcoming negotiations for the next framework programme (FP10) and the multiannual financial framework (MFF). The European Commission has neither been involved in the writing, nor consulted on the content of the paper. This paper therefore reflects solely the views of Eureka countries and not those of the European Commission.

Key messages

1. EU and national funding need to better align to generate the scale of investment in innovation that will restart Europe’s excellence-based competitiveness engine. Eureka, through the Innovative SME Partnership, is a very efficient vehicle for delivering on this objective, as it has a leverage effect of 1:7 for the funds provided by the EU, realised by mobilising national and regional funding and nearly one billion euro in private investment over the seven years of Horizon Europe. This model should be enhanced under FP10.
2. Young, dynamic businesses must maintain a high pace of development to be competitive in the generation of disruptive innovations. The EU needs to provide lean, agile programmes and reduce the administrative burden, both on end beneficiaries and on the partnerships providing support.
3. FP10 needs to enable simple pathways across programmes for dynamic businesses to seamlessly benefit from complementary support schemes on their way to technology and market leadership. Furthermore, it needs to clarify its position in global innovation pathways and value chains if it aims to reassure startups and scaleups ready to go global.