Since its inception in 1984, the European Union’s flagship Framework Programme has invested over €280 billion in research and innovation (R&I), driving pioneering breakthroughs from life-saving healthcare solutions like the BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine to projects that have earned over 30 Nobel Prizes.
As preparations for the 10th iteration, FP10 (2028-2034), gear up, Malta has articulated a vision for a more inclusive, accessible and streamlined programme that empowers every member state to contribute fully to the Union’s future R&I ambitions.
Malta’s recently published position paper urges FP10 to address persisting disparities in R&I participation across the EU.
Malta calls for a significant expansion of FP10’s ‘widening’ measures, aiming to bridge the participation gap between less established and more advanced R&I member states. By increasing the financial allocation to these measures, Malta envisions a R&I landscape that levels the playing field and harnesses the potential of all member states.
A key message in Malta’s position paper is the need for FP10 to simplify its application processes.
A consultation exercise by Xjenza Malta revealed that complex applications and administrative hurdles in the current programme, Horizon Europe, are significant barriers for Maltese researchers.
In response, Malta advocates for clearer, more transparent guidelines that will allow researchers to engage more easily with the programme.
Simplification would help ensure that the best ideas can emerge and that no knowledge generation opportunities are untapped.
Collaboration is at the heart of Malta’s vision for FP10.
The paper emphasises the importance of expanding funding for collaborative calls under Pillar II, which brings together diverse consortia to tackle complex societal challenges.
Malta’s growing successful participation in these efforts enable it to take part in and benefit from a Europe-wide exchange of knowledge and expertise.
Malta envisions a R&I landscape that levels the playing field and harnesses the potential of all member states- Matthew Lowell
Building on recent recommendations from the Expert Group report on the interim evaluation of Horizon Europe, Malta also subscribes to a modular and nuanced approach to international cooperation within FP10, balancing the EU’s safety, security and strategic autonomy with a pragmatic level of openness.
Malta is eager to see more support for individual researchers and their careers, particularly through the Programme’s Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA).
While local researchers continue to benefit significantly from these initiatives, Malta argues that they remain underfunded.
Furthermore, Malta stresses the need to make prestigious instruments like the European Research Council and European Innovation Council more accessible to researchers from less established R&I ecosystems, calling for tailored grant schemes to promote broader participation.
European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen’s political guidelines for the next College of Commissioners underscores the vital need to place R&I at the heart of the EU’s economy, echoing former Italian prime minister Mario Draghi’s recent call for a ‘Research and Innovation Union’ to drive EU competitiveness.
While the case for deeper investment in science and innovation is unmistakable, Malta’s desire to see a balanced and inclusive FP10 is equally crucial.
Such an approach will not only bolster the EU’s global R&I standing but also build a resilient, sustainable and productive economy – one where every country, large or small, can thrive.
Matthew Lowell is the deputy director of policy and strategy at Xjenza Malta.