Shaping the future of EU R&I: Why FP10 must prioritize impact
As Europe prepares for its next research and innovation (R&I) framework, FP10, and with the deadline for the programme draft approaching (July 2025), discussions among policymakers, researchers, and industry leaders are intensifying. Amidst some differences in opinions, all of them agree on one thing: FP10 must be ambitious, well-funded, and inclusive.
With global security and economic stability shaken, Europe must now, more than ever, strengthen its knowledge economy, keep pace (and catch up) with technological advancements, and at the same time preserve what has always set it apart – its commitment to social and environmental responsibility.
The most effective way to achieve this is through a strong and well-structured R&I framework, but how exactly FP10 should be designed remains a key point of debate. Discussions revolve on three main aspects: structure, priorities, and budget. One of the most disputable proposals is to integrate R&I funding within the future Competitiveness Fund, aligning research investments more closely with Europe’s industrial and technological priorities. Such move is strongly opposed by many research societies and networks, arguing that it would undermine the autonomy, and with it, the creativity and curiosity that drive fundamental research. Therefore, to maintain scientific excellence, the new framework programme will need to find a balance between strategic priorities and research freedom.
When it comes to budget, significant funding increase is expected to match the rising demands and ambitions of FP10. The research community is calling for doubling the current Horizon Europe budget to €200 billion. Achieving this will likely require creative measures, such as leveraging NextGeneration EU+ funds or introducing new funding instruments. On the positive side, a larger budget would allow Europe to invest in strategic research priorities while also preserving the independence of the new Programme ensuring the balance between innovation strategy and research freedom that the scientific community advocates.
While the budget and structure are naturally central in these discussions, there is one aspect that should not be overlooked – impact. Europe has long recognized the value of impact-driven research embedding it in Horizon Europe and earlier frameworks, but FP10 must go further, setting clearer guidelines and practical mechanisms for planning and assessing impact. Because, in our view, it is not just about how much funding is allocated, but how effectively that funding translates into tangible, lasting benefits for Europe and the world.
So how can FP10 maximize the real-world impact of publicly funded research? Further in text, we will reflect on some licensing practices that would enhance impact on societal level if integrated to the FP10.
The path forward on impact
From its earliest framework programmes to Horizon Europe, EU has long recognised that publicly funded research must achieve societal impact. As such, all beneficiaries seeking EU R&I funding must demonstrate how they plan to achieve such impact through dedicated communication, dissemination and exploitation measures. At the same time, around the globe, some major research funders are going further with that aspect. For example, the U.S. National Institute of Health now includes special clauses in the contract requiring that beneficiaries explore how innovations might be applied in low- and middle-income countries or to vulnerable groups. Philanthropic organizations, such as the Gates Foundation, went even further by making “access planning” a baseline requirement in their grants. These examples show that good ideas, and the funds to bring them to life, can (and should) be leveraged early to ensure broad societal reach.
In Europe, Socially Responsible Licensing (SRL) has emerged over last decade as one way to link technology ownership with social and environmental obligations. Many universities and public research organisations have incorporated SRL in its strategies, obliging them to consider economic societal and environmental impact in their research activities. More recently, Impact Licensing has been gaining recognition as a complementary approach, involving not only universities and public research organisations, but any technology owners, licensees, end-users, and local communities interested in licensing agreements that deliver real-world benefits (while preserving commercial value). Both frameworks underscore that “successful exploitation” does not end with a commercial deal; it also includes exploring humanitarian applications, regional deployment for underserved populations, or greener industrial practices.
As Europe is preparing next R&I framework, there is an opportunity to bring these ideas into the mainstream. Where relevant, applicants could be required, or at least strongly encouraged, to outline how they will license their technology in ways that maximize social or environmental value. This should not be seen as a burden on researchers or companies, but rather as a chance to design exploitation strategies from the start that broaden impact beyond immediate commercial targets. By intertwining Impact Licensing and SRL considerations into evaluation criteria, reporting templates, and existing exploitation obligations, the EU can establish a culture of forward planning for broader societal benefit. This would also be in line with the recent EU policy documents, such as Guiding principles for knowledge valorisation and related Codes of practice.
Naturally, creating clear and practical guidelines will be central to this effort. These guidelines could build on experiences of mentioned funders, while reflecting Europe’s unique research landscape and strong tradition of public engagement. They would help Horizon Europe’s successors, universities, startups, non-profits, and large firms alike, understand how to incorporate clauses for equitable access, re-use of project data, or environmental responsibility. Ultimately, it is about offering tools and incentives that make it easier to integrate impact-driven licensing into the European research and innovation. This aligns with the ongoing efforts of the two Horizon Europe projects, Impact Licensing Initiative (ILI) and IMPAC3T-IP, which are developing tools to enhance IP licensing for market uptake and societal value creation. In particular, the Impact Licensing Initiative (ILI) will develop guiding recommendations to embed Impact Licensing and SRL practices more effectively into future EU R&I calls.
By placing impact measures such as Impact Licensing and SRL in the next R&I framework, the EU can reaffirm its commitment to R&I ecosystem where breakthrough ideas lead to tangible, inclusive, and lasting benefits. In doing so, Europe will not only preserve its long-standing values of responsibility and inclusivity but also strengthen its position on the global stage, demonstrating how forward-thinking research policies can respond to today’s most urgent societal challenges. And we are certain that this is only the beginning of a much-needed, in-depth discussion.
