APRE and the “Towards FP10” group: an Italian contribution to the European dialogue on research and innovation
In the coming months, the European Union will define the tenth Framework Programme for research and innovation, known as FP10, which will fund the period 2028–2034 and will represent the natural evolution of Horizon Europe. As shown in the proposal published by the European Commission in July 2025, the design of the programme signals a strategic choice regarding the role that research and innovation will play in strengthening Europe’s competitiveness, sustainability, and strategic autonomy.
FP10 and the ECF: investing in Europe’s competitive future
The financial framework in which FP10 is situated is the new Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) 2028–2034, for which the European Commission has proposed an ambitious budget of almost €2,000 billion, equal to 1.26% of the Union’s gross national income. Within this budget, and with unprecedented emphasis, research and innovation are confirmed as a central priority, with Horizon Europe flanked by a new financing instrument, the European Competitiveness Fund (ECF).
The Commission’s proposal envisages an almost twofold increase in resources dedicated to research and innovation compared to the previous period, with €175 billion allocated to Horizon Europe (FP10), in addition to €409 billion for the Competitiveness Fund. The programme is presented as the largest ever in financial terms and as simpler and faster in terms of administrative procedures, thanks to the extended adoption of the lump-sum model, the reduction of time-to-grant (estimated at around seven months), and the introduction of a single rulebook shared with the Competitiveness Fund. Moreover, FP10 will be more impact-oriented thanks to strengthened instruments for breakthrough innovation and the possibility of developing “moonshot projects” that connect research, demonstration, and deployment, co-financed by European, national, and private resources.
From a regulatory perspective, the legislative proposal for FP10, published on 17 July 2025, defines the structure, objectives, and instruments of the programme, introducing a new configuration for the European Partnerships that abandon the co-funded model and simplify and confirm forms of cooperation based on memoranda of understanding between the EU, Member States, and private actors
Italy’s voice in the FP10 debate
In this context, APRE plays a key role as the agency for the promotion of European research, notably through the ‘Towards FP10’ expert group, coordinated and chaired by Andrea Ricci, Senior Partner and Lead Researcher at ISINNOVA. APRE carries out continuous analysis and advocacy, supporting Italy’s positioning through a critical and structured dialogue with European institutions, with the aim of ensuring that the new programme fully responds to the needs and expectations of the national research and innovation community.
The ‘Towards FP10’ group has produced a recommendations document highlighting that the proposed budget doubling and the confirmation of Horizon Europe’s autonomy are important steps, as are the confirmation of existing structures (ERC, MSCA, EIC) and the emphasis on breakthrough innovation and international cooperation. However, the document also underlines the need to keep the work programmes of FP10 and the Competitiveness Fund separate, to avoid overlaps that could weaken collaborative research; to better structure the internal budget to balance the different lines of action; and to strengthen the industrial dimension of research through a systematic strategic foresight approach.
The negotiations between the European Parliament and the Council in the coming months will define the core elements that will shape research and innovation policy in Europe for at least a decade, including the volume of resources, priority areas, and the modalities for accessing and managing funds. Thanks to the experience and active role of Andrea Ricci and the “Towards FP10” expert group, Italy aims to reaffirm its voice in shaping a programme that is up to global challenges, consistent with European ambitions, and capable of fully valorising the national research and innovation system.
