EU-15 Statement on Widening in FP10

Fifteen EU Member States including Czechia belonging to the group of Widening countries, issued a joint statement (attached) in which they support the continuation of the Widening instruments in the next EU framework programme for research and innovation for the years 2028-2034 (working title FP10). The aim is to continue to promote research excellence across the EU and to address persistent inequalities between Member States, which is why the continuation of Widening is crucial for the future development and competitiveness of European research. The statement was sent to Iliana Ivanova, Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth, as well as Ekaterina Zaharieva, Designated Commissioner for Startups, Research and Innovation.