EU research framework: Austria's strategy for innovation and future!

EU research framework: Austria's strategy for innovation and future!

On September 12, 2025, the industrial association (IV) emphasized the decisive role of long-term planning security, excellent research funding and targeted future investments before the upcoming negotiations on the EU research framework program (FP10) and the National FTI Pact. According to [ots.at] (https://www.ots.at/presseaus-sung/ots_20250912_ots0117/IV-Europaeische- and-ininovation policy, the European research framework program is seen as a central success factor for research and innovation in Europe.

In the current program period, Austria has received 1.44 billion euros from the program so far, whereby the pillar 2, which promotes cooperation between universities, research institutions, industry and start-ups, was particularly successful. For FP10, which is to run from 2028 to 2034, the IV is calling for an independent program with a budget of at least 200 billion euros, with a stronger endowing for cooperative projects being sought.

Priority topics and investments

Important subject areas for IV include digital leadership, health, biotechnology, clean transformation and industrial decarbonization. Flexible bottom-up elements are to be created in order to support innovative developments quickly. Planned restrictions for large companies are assessed critically because they are of great importance for innovation, jobs and added value.

IV President Georg Knill also claims to protect the target of 4 percent F&E quota in the FTI pact by 2030. Future investments should concentrate on microelectronics, production technologies, life sciences and mobility, whereby digital technologies, in particular artificial intelligence, should also play a central role. The long-term protection of the Future Future Austria (FZÖ) and the implementation of the Scale-up fund are necessary to mobilize private capital for disruptive technologies.

EU research framework programs at an overview

The EU research framework programs have existed since 1984 and are defined in the contract for the working method of the European Union (TFEU) in Article 179 to 190. The aim is to create a common European research area. The focus is on promoting the cooperation between companies, research institutions and universities. In addition, access to capital is facilitated for small companies, and social challenges such as climate change is to be met. The EU pursues an improvement in the social model and strengthening the Union's competitiveness through research and innovation.

The current program * Horizont Europa * (2021 to 2027) represents the world's largest individual support program for research and innovation with a budget of around 95 billion euros. It not only promotes scientific excellence, but also industrial competitiveness and innovative approaches. eubuero.de reports that this program follows the political guidelines of the European Commission, whereby a special focus is on digital and green transformation.

The * European Innovation Council * (EIC), which was institutionalized as part of Horizont Europe, serves the targeted promotion of innovations. A strategic planning process increases the predictability of tender issues and the access to resources is improved.

Overall, it shows that investments in research and innovation are decisive for the future of Europe. They not only contribute to solving important social challenges, but also ensure the EU's position at the international level. European-union.eu emphasizes that the implementation of these political goals and the promotion of cooperation between international research teams are essential in order to transform technological breakthroughs into marketable products.