FI Group contributed to EAIC’s position paper on the future of EU R&I

The European Association of Innovation Consultants (EAIC) has issued a position paper with suggestions for enhancing the European Union’s Research and Innovation (R&I) Framework Programme (FP) for its next phase, FP10 (2028-2034). Representing a diverse network of consultants serving industry, academia, research organizations, and public bodies, the EAIC has significantly influenced R&I, supporting projects that secured €2.65 billion in pre-award and €1.33 billion in post-award contributions from Horizon Europe. Leveraging their extensive experience with successive Framework Programmes, the EAIC provides valuable insights into the practical challenges and opportunities these programs present.

The position paper highlights several critical areas for improvement to benefit FP10 applicants and beneficiaries. These include boosting the overall FP budget, clarifying participation rules, providing AI usage guidance, refining the evaluation process, recognizing professional project management, supporting early-stage start-ups, strengthening EU partnerships, and maximizing the impact of funded projects. These recommendations are based on consolidated feedback from EAIC members, reflecting their firsthand experiences and the evolving needs of the R&I community.

FI Group’s role

FI Group is a significant contributor to these recommendations, as a key EAIC member. FI Group has been pivotal in enhancing project management practices across R&I projects, demonstrating that effective project management significantly influences project performance and outcomes. We advocate for professional project management services within FP10, emphasizing a 100% funding rate for critical management activities.

Key Recommendations and Insights:

• Increasing the FP Budget: The EAIC calls for doubling the FP budget to €200 billion to support more high-quality proposals, crucial for addressing societal challenges like climate change and health crises.

• Clarifying Rules of Participation: Extend the Annotated Grant Agreement (AGA) with country-specific examples to aid understanding and improve the lump-sum funding approach with clear guidelines and streamlined financial evidence requirements.

• Guiding the Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI): Promote trustworthy and transparent AI use in all project phases, ensuring compliance with relevant regulations like GDPR.

• Improving the Evaluation Process: Enhance expert selection and evaluation criteria to ensure high-quality evaluations, and hold consensus meetings for all calls and instruments to ensure balanced decisions.

• Recognizing Professional Project Management: Allow delegation or outsourcing of project management to professional organizations and introduce a 100% funding rate for essential project management activities.

• Supporting Early-Stage Start-Ups: Increase funding for market-oriented deep tech start-ups through grants and equity-based instruments, and enhance transparency and fairness in the EIC Accelerator evaluation process.

• Strengthening EU Partnerships: Encourage wide participation in partnerships to keep Europe at the technological forefront, and define common Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for partnerships to ensure broad input and participation.

• Maximizing Projects’ Impact: Introduce new funding tools for post-project dissemination and knowledge transfer to ensure long-term impact, and propose bridging projects to facilitate knowledge transfer to various sectors, including policymakers and civil society.

The EAIC Position Paper for FP10 offers a comprehensive set of recommendations aimed at enhancing the efficiency, transparency, and impact of the EU R&I Framework Programme. By addressing the identified challenges and implementing the suggested improvements, the EU can better support high-quality proposals, foster innovation, and tackle pressing societal challenges. The call to double the FP budget to €200 billion underscores the need for substantial investment to maintain Europe’s competitiveness in the global R&I landscape.

Clarifying participation rules, particularly through detailed guidelines and consistent interpretation of the Annotated Grant Agreement, will help reduce administrative burdens and improve project implementation. The responsible use of AI can streamline various phases of the project lifecycle, while a refined evaluation process will ensure that the most impactful projects receive funding.

Acknowledging the importance of skilled project management, as advocated by FI Group, and ensuring proper backing for new start-ups is vital for the effective implementation and longevity of R&I projects.

Strengthening EU partnerships and maximizing the long-term impact of projects will require collaborative efforts and innovative funding mechanisms. By implementing these recommendations, the EU can create a more robust and inclusive R&I ecosystem, driving progress and addressing the critical issues facing society today. The EAIC remains committed to supporting these efforts and contributing to the continuous improvement of the Framework Programme, ensuring that Europe remains at the forefront of Research and Innovation.

The full report can be found here: EAIC Position paper