Next Framework Programme (FP10)

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The next Framework Programme for Research and Innovation is currently referred to as "FP10". Although FP10 is not due to start until January 2028, discussions have already begun on how it should shape European funding for research, technology and innovation.

Numerous Member States, Associated Countries and stakeholder organisations already published position & discussion papers on FP10.

Timetable

Time	Action
May 2024	Single Market Report by Enrico Letta
June 2024	ERAC Opinion on Guidance for the next Framework Programme for Research & Innovation
September 2024	Publication of the so-called Draghi Report: The future of European competitiveness – A competitiveness strategy for Europe
October 2024	Advice on the future Framework Programme by the High Level Expert Group, chaired by former Portuguese Minister for Research Manuel Heitor
End of 2024 / early 2025	Opinion of the Partnership Knowledge Hub (PKH) on Partnerships in FP10
April 2025	Publication of the Interim Evaluation of Horizon Europe
Mid 2025	Legislative Proposal for the 10th Framework Programme by the European Commission
Before the end of 2027	Negotiations in Council and at the European Parliament and Adoption of the FP10 Package
2028	Start of FP10

Partnerships in FP10

Partnerships in the ERAC Opinion

The ERAC opinion on FP10 suggests that the process of selecting Partnerships should be more open and transparent, in a true co-creation process with Member States, Associated Countries and relevant stakeholders. Member States should be involved at an earlier stage in the design of implementation models, including options for exit or follow-up. Partnerships should have a clear and demonstrable European added value from the outset. While the current partnership system is designed to be more efficient than other FP instruments (e.g. regular calls), there is room for improvement for some Partnerships. Partnerships should be targeted and designed to invite and stimulate Member States (and other partners) to redirect their investments towards European cooperation in order to achieve critical mass and increased impact. They should therefore improve their openness, transparency and accessibility, as intended when they were set up.

Partnerships in the Draghi Report

The Draghi report, together with Enrico Letta's Single Market Report, which was published in April 2024, point the way for the new Commission's policy. The two reports complement each other in that Draghi directly includes the instruments recommended by Letta in his canon of around 170 recommended measures. At the press conference presenting the Draghi report, Ursula von der Leyen explicitly stated that she would include recommendations from the report in the mandate letters of the commissioners-designate.

The report proposes a new industrial strategy for Europe to address three key transformation challenges:

Closing the innovation gap: Accelerating innovation and building new engines of growth
A common plan for decarbonisation and competitiveness: reducing energy prices, driving decarbonisation and expanding the circular economy
A real external trade policy: geopolitical positioning, reducing dependencies, ensuring European security.

Here are some excerpts from the report regarding Partnerships:

Innovation

Public-private Partnerships need to be simpler in structure and governance and more focused on key priorities. Emphasis and increased funding for ground-breaking basic research, in line with the proposed new Joint Undertakings for Competitiveness.

Invest in world-leading research and technology infrastructure

Research infrastructures are crucial for breakthrough research and innovation. CERN and the EuroHPC Joint Undertaking are positive examples.

Creating a Research and Innovation Union

Given the excessive fragmentation of the European research and innovation ecosystem, better coordination of public research and innovation funding between Member States is crucial. The Research and Innovation Union should lead to a common European R&I strategy and policy. (Existing structures are criticised for being too soft and inefficient).
The basis could be a "European Research and Innovation Action Plan" developed by Member States together with the Commission and stakeholders. The plan should implement the common R&I strategy and policy, of which the Framework Programme is one component. The various EU funding instruments for the implementation of the plan are to be managed by a central contact point in the Commission according to a "standardised protocol". In parallel to the EU-level plan, Member States are to develop "National Research and Innovation Plans" together with national stakeholders. They should set ambitious national investment targets that will contribute to achieving the 3% target at EU level. EU support for the "National Research and Innovation Plans" should be conditional on meeting these targets.

Weaknesses

The potential of public-private Partnerships is not fully used. The structure and governance of the Partnerships are inefficient.

Education

Promote strategic partnerships with policy/industry, e.g. to address skills gaps in critical value chains (e.g. energy, clean technology, advanced technology, defence).

New Instruments

The Competitiveness IPCEI would replace the current IPCEI (Important Projects of Common European Interest) framework and extend its scope to cover first-of-its-kind and industrial infrastructure.
For applied and breakthrough industrial research, a Competitiveness Joint Undertaking would attract adequate resources for the deployment of new technologies, particularly for large-scale projects and related infrastructure. Member States should be encouraged to pool national resources and private risk capital be attracted under simplified rules.The new Competitiveness Joint Undertaking would continue to be partly financed through the Research and Innovation Framework Programme as Joint Undertakings are today.

Partnerships in the Heitor Report 'Align, act, accelerate'

An independent group of 15 leading experts, chaired by Manuel Heitor, former Portuguese Secretary of State for Science, Technology and Higher Education, has published its recommendations for strengthening Horizon Europe and its successor FP10 in a report entitled 'Align, act, accelerate'. Among the report's recommendations, the expert group urges the creation of an independent Industrial Competitiveness and Technology Council and a European Societal Challenges Council to steer collaborative research. This would mean that the vast majority of the next programme would be managed outside the Commission, including the management of European Partnerships in these areas.

Here are some excerpts from the report regarding partnerships:

Double down on what works: the framework programme as an instrument is well proven to be an effective programme for strengthening research, innovation and competitiveness by using European public-private Partnerships (international, interdisciplinary, intersectoral, covering complete industrial value chains)
The highest degree of financial leverage was achieved in European Partnerships: in joint undertakings, private partners’ contributions with resources (in cash or in kind) more than doubled or even tripled the volume of EU funding.
Although Pillar 2 of Horizon Europe covers industry-led activities with the EU Partnerships, due to inflexibility, fragmentation, the lack of focus on future technologies and the administrative burden placed on the partners, there is a risk of ”industry walking away from the framework programme” at a time when both industry and the framework programme need each other more than ever
There is a need to improve the strategic orientation of the Framework Programme to prioritize industrial competitiveness in what is currently pillar 2 of Horizon Europe, emphasizing technology development, resilience and the green transition. For this reason, we propose establishing a “European Technology and Industrial Competitiveness Council (ETIC2)” governed by an independent board, following lessons learned from the ERC and the EIC Boards. Among other things, it should oversee current and future partnerships and ensure their relevance to industrial renewal and technological development, (including phasing out ineffective partnerships). The council should also play an important role in a new programme for Technology Infrastructures to develop, test and upscale technology. In addition, it should collaborate with the Experimental Unit and the EIC to introduce “ARPA type” instruments.
Co-programmed and Institutionalised Partnerships should have a stronger focus on EU industrial competitiveness, for a more focused and stronger impact of joint public & private RD&I investments. The goal should be to leverage private investments by industry.
Increase flexibility in implementation, transnational (and international) cooperation and reinforce the instrument’s strategic role for policy implementation, capitalising on their critical mass. Partnerships should have a better portfolio approach and strategic coordination process aiming at decreasing duplication and fostering synergies between the different Partnerships for more impact.
Better align EU and national funding to allow EU-wide transnational collaboration within the co-funded Partnerships.
The European Societal Challenges Council (ESC2) would be responsible for RD&I targeting societal challenges without significant industrial potential, including the research component of Partnerships, and Missions, as well as collaborative research under the existing related Clusters.
Decrease administrative burden to account for the “in-kind”/cash contributions would allow partnerships and missions to focus on the implementation, on building synergies and on the acceleration of results and impact. Consider “In-kind” as a financial contribution (e.g., the cost of people’s working time, the use of equipment, and the own funding), as industry is not funded at full costs.
Eliminating non-core, redundant and underperforming programmes: One instrument in this category is the European Institute for Innovation and Technology (EIT). In view of the widespread criticism the European Commission needs to urgently develop a clear plan for the radical reform of the EIT including significant reductions (or elimination) of FP funding

PKH Opinion on Partnerships in FP10

While the draft PKH opinion is still confidential, we can say that it will summarise the main lessons learned from European Partnerships under Horizon Europe, develop a vision for Partnerships under FP10 and identify possible ways to achieve this vision. The PKH Opinion on Partnerships in FP10 is expected to be published by the end of 2024 / early 2025.