Universities and research institutes call on Council to build on Parliament’s momentum on FP10 and the ECF
27 May 2026
The Coimbra Group and its partners from leading university and research networks invite the Council to consider the European’s Parliaments proposals on Horizon Europe 2028-2034 (FP10) and the European Competitiveness Fund (ECF), so to converge towards a coherent and ambitious framework.
Coimbra Group and the partner organisations decided to publish a joint statement ahead of the Competitiveness Council meeting dedicated to research and space, which is taking place on 29 May 2026. Following the publication of the draft reports by the European Parliament in April and May, and the consequent start of discussions within the ITRE committee for a common position of the Parliament, it is now time for the Council to work towards a partial general approach.
In our joint statement, we highlighted the importance of the convergence of positions between the EU institutions. As the European Parliament has suggested ambitious elements in its proposal, it is key that the debate on the FP10 and ECF is constructive and open. Also the Commission plays an important role in this convergence, supporting constructing compromises and taking into account the suggestions made by the Parliament, which cover many of the concerning points raised by the research and innovation community.
In line with the joint amendments the joint amendments to the FP10 regulation proposal, published in December 2025, and the joint statement on the design of the ECF published in February 2026, the signatories of the statements support:
- A serious consideration by the Council of the European Parliament’s approach and proposals,
- Concrete actions to facilitate the swift association of close partners, including Switzerland and United Kingdom, to FP10,
- A strong and well-balanced interface between FP10 and ECF, as for example proposed by the European Parliament through the Horizon Europe Pathway Actions, that we welcome,
- A strong involvement of independent experts operating at the forefront of research and innovation in the implementation of FP10 and ECF,
- A timely convergence between the positions of the European Parliament and the Council, based on the Commission’s proposal, ensuring a timely adoption of the legislative acts, but keeping high their quality.
Download the full statement here.
