High-level expert group on the next EU Research Framework Programme starts work

The European Commission has set up an independent advisory group for the EU's next research framework programme, officially kicking off the design process for the 10th Framework Programme. Chaired by former Portuguese Science Minister Manuel Heitor, the 15-member expert group has now started its work to inform the ongoing discussions on FP10 (from 2028). The new expert group is modelled on the 12-member expert group chaired by Pascal Lamy, former EU Trade Commissioner and Head of the World Trade Organisation, which advised the EU Commission on the development of "Horizon Europe" with its LAB-FAB-APP report in 2017. The German expert in the group is Georg Schütte, Secretary General of the Volkswagen Foundation and former State Secretary at the BMBF. The expert group's proposals are due to be published at the end of 2024. A battle is already brewing over the size of the FP10 budget: The European Parliament, together with the R&I community, has launched a campaign for a dedicated research budget of €200 billion, while member states are actively considering cuts to the existing €95.5 billion programme.