Although Horizon Europe (= the ninth European Framework Programme for Research and Innovation) is only halfway through, preparations for its successor have already begun.
Within the ERAC (European Research Area and Innovation Committee), a special working group has been established to prepare recommendations for the tenth European Framework Programme for Research and Innovation (FP10).
Therefore, in Flanders, the Working Group 12 of the Flemish Stakeholder Platform for European Programmes (VEP), has drafted a reflection paper on the future FP10. A similar exercise was done in the past for the current Horizon Europe programme.
This 'reflection paper' can be downloaded at the bottom of this page. Below, we outline the main points.
Key Message
As a key message for FP10, Flanders proposes that the Strategic Plan, along with the budget, must remain stable. Regarding the latte, Flanders requests that a share of 10% of the next European multiannual financial framework is reserved for FP10. Such an effort is necessary to keep Europe competitive and support its pursuit of open strategic autonomy.
However, sufficient flexibility is still reeded to effectively address unexpected challenges, such as COVID-19.
Furthermore, member states must continue to invest sufficiently in Research and Innovation (with the goal of achieving a 1% public R&I intensity as part of the 3% norm and a 1.25% public R&I effort, as stated in the European Pact for R&I). A continued pursuit of simplification for the benefit of applicants, in particular newcomers from all of Europe, should increase the participation rate.
Revaluing Social and Human Sciences
FP10 should achieve a greater impact, which is possible by revaluing the role of Social and Human Sciences, both as disciplines in their own right and as a complementary component of interdisciplinary research, especially if societally oriented. Technology does not exist in a vacuum but is applied in society.
Innovation Pipeline
Furthermore, it is desirable for FP10 to pay sufficient attention to all stages of the innovation pipeline, making the program as coherent as possible with all components blending in well. This way, FP10 can also better connect with other European programmes, enabling a dual-level innovation pipeline.
Not only does this require bridges between the components of FP10, but also to other European programmes. In other words, a pathway can be defined through which an idea can evolve into the desired outcome.
To provide a clear overview and define a pathway, an adequate abstract description (maturity model) of the various blocks is needed.
The European missions can be considered as particular examples of such a pathway, with the pathway to the desired outcome defined on beforehand.
Regional Hotspots
Finally, Flanders proposes a positive but cautious internationalisation strategy (with sufficient emphasis on knowledge security) and suggests to give a more refined interpretation to the widening concept, namely with a more regional focus.
Regional hotspots can catalyse a broader local ecosystem, with funding allocated to those regions of a country that need it most (rather than to the strong regions within that widening country).
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