The Insider

Welcome to The Insider, the podcast where we dissect the most pressing debates shaping Europe’s research and innovation future. And today, we go straight to the heart of one of the most defining battles in EU policymaking: Will we still have an independent, standalone Framework Programme 10? Will European research and innovation remain a driving force for competitiveness and discovery—or will it become just another budget line item in the competitiveness fund and broader priorities?

The European Commission’s latest strategic documents—the Competitiveness Compass and The Road to the Next Multiannual Financial Framework have sent shockwaves through the R&I community. A European Competitiveness Fund is emerging, but with no explicit commitment to FP10. Meanwhile, the European Parliament continues to advocate for a robust, ring-fenced R&I budget. The battle lines are drawn.

In this episode, your host, Ricardo Migueis, Head of INESC Brussels HUB, is joined by one of the most outspoken figures in European R&I policy—Kurt Deketelaere. As Secretary-General of the League of European Research Universities, he has spent decades leading the fight for R&I independence. A lawyer, professor, and policy strategist, he has advised governments, universities, and industry leaders, shaping the trajectory of EU R&I funding like few others.

Today, we ask the hard questions: What happens if FP10 is absorbed into a broader industrial strategy? Can Europe afford to shift towards a more politically driven funding model? And should we—finally—rethink the balance between EU-level R&I investment and national R&I spending?

Kurt has been vocal: He supports a €200 billion FP10, fully ring-fenced, protected from short-term budgetary shifts. But he also argues that Europe needs direct EU revenue streams, stable funding that isn’t subject to the political will of national governments. Meanwhile, the Commission is already laying the groundwork for conditionalities—if Member States want EU R&I money, they must step up their own investment, pushing towards 3% GDP in R&I. A revolution? Or just a necessary correction?

Fundamental research. The independence of the European Research Council. The need to streamline the EU funding architecture. The role of R&I as a weapon of mass diplomacy. The fierce battle over efficiency, effectiveness, and political control over R&I priorities. And the existential question—who should pay for European R&I, the EU or its Member States? The answers will define the next decade.

This is a conversation about R&I, about power, economics, and Europe’s place in the world. And with Kurt, we’re not here to tiptoe around the issues. We’re here to challenge, to debate, and to push for the future of European R&I.

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The INESC Brussels HUB Winter Meeting 2025

📅 Date: March 6, 2025

📍 Location: Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto (Faculdade de Engenharia da Universidade do Porto)

The organisation welcomes the participation and partnership of the national research and innovation funding agencies (FCT – Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia & ANI – Agência Nacional de Inovação).

The event will bring together key European and national policymakers, research and technology infrastructure managers, and funding agencies to discuss the evolving policy landscape and identify strategic investment models for RTIs.

Read more and register here: https://hub.inesc.pt/inesc-brussels-hub-winter-meeting-2025/