EU must double its science budget to remain competitive, warns report

The European Union should more than double its budget for research and innovation in its next spending round, dubbed Framework Programme 10 (FP10). That’s the view of a report by an expert group, which says a dramatic increase to €220bn is needed for European science to be globally competitive once again. Its recommendations are expected to have a big influence over the European Commission’s proposals for FP10, due in mid-2025.

The EU’s current Horizon Europe programme, which runs from 2021 to 2027, has a budget of €95.5bn. In December 2023, the Commission picked 15 experts from research and industry – led by former Portuguese science minister Manuel Heitor – to advise on FP10, which is set to run from 2028 to 2034. According to their report, Europe is lagging behind in investment and impact in science, technology and innovation.

It says Europe’s share of global scientific publications, most-cited publications and patent applications have dropped over the last 20 years. Europe’s technology base, it claims, is more diverse than other major economies, but also more focused on less complex technologies. China and the US, in contrast, lead in areas expected to drive future growth, such as semiconductors, optics, digital communications and audio-visual technologies.

The experts also say the “disruptive, paradigm shifting research and innovation” that Europe needs to boast it economies is “unlikely to be fostered by conventional procedures and programmes in the EU today”. They want the EU to set up an experimental unit to test and launch disruptive innovation programmes with “fast funding” options. It should develop programmes like those of the US advanced research projects agencies and explore how generative AI could be used in science.

Based on analysis of previous unfunded proposals, the report claims that FP10’s budget should be doubled to €220bn to “guarantee funding of all high-quality proposals”. It also says that funding applications need to be simplified and streamlined, with funding handed out more quickly. It also calls for better international collaborations, including with China, and disruptive innovation programmes, such as on military-civilian “dual-use” innovation.

Launching the report, Heitor said there was a need “to put research technology and innovation in the centre of European economies”, adding that the expert group was calling for “radical simplification and innovation” for the next programme. Europe needs to pursue a “transformative agenda” in FP10 around four interlinked areas: competitive excellence in science and innovation; industrial competitiveness; societal challenges; and a strong European research and innovation ecosystem.