On 20 April 2026, YERUN together with CESAER, Coimbra Group, The Guild, LERU co-organised a high-level event at the European Parliament, bringing together policymakers, industry leaders, and academic representatives to explore why research and innovation must be a central priority in the upcoming Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) 2028–2034.
Held under the auspices of MEP Carla Tavares, Co-Rapporteur on the next MFF, the event gathered 50 participants on site and around 180 online, reflecting the wide interest and urgency surrounding the ongoing MFF negotiations.
The event, moderated by YERUN Secretary General Silvia Gómez Recio, conveyed one clear and shared message: the next Framework Programme for Research and Innovation (FP10) needs a high and ambitious budget. The €200 billion proposal put forward by MEP Tavares was welcomed as the minimum level of ambition needed to meet Europe’s strategic objectives — from competitiveness and resilience to health and the green and digital transitions.
Professor Manuel Heitor, former Chair of the Commission Expert Group on the Interim Evaluation of Horizon Europe, delivered a keynote speech placing R&I firmly at the centre of European competitiveness. A panel discussion followed, with representatives from industry (Magnus Madfors, Ericsson), research and technology organisations (Bertrand Bouchet, CEA), the university sector (Professor Luc Sels, Leiden University), and the European Parliament (MEP Lina Gálvez). Closing remarks were delivered by MEP René Repasi and MEP Hélder Sousa Silva, who warned against any Council-driven reductions to Parliament’s proposed budget.
Discussions across the event converged around several important principles:
- FP10 must remain a standalone programme, linked to the European Competitiveness Fund and backed by a strong budget.
- The EU faces an “impossible equation“: while Member States’ contributions to EU budget are decreasing, their expectations, priorities and ambitions continue to grow, making transparency, flexibility and predictability crucial for a stronger R&I ecosystem.
- Stronger cooperation between industry and universities is essential to maximise Europe’s R&I capacity.
- Long-term investment in talent, mobility and cross-border collaboration is essential to keep Europe globally competitive.
- EU funding must complement, not replace, national and regional R&I investments.
As participants made clear: the question is not whether Europe can afford to invest in research and innovation — it is whether it can afford not to.
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The event was co-organised by CESAER, Coimbra Group, The Guild, LERU and YERUN, in collaboration with AURORA, ECIU, EUA, EURASHE, EuroTech, UAS4Europe and UNICA, and contributed to the Research Matters Campaign.
