Europe will have FP10, confirmed MEP Ehler at the Science|Business conference

At the annual Science|Business conference, a key announcement was made: the European Union will have a 10th Framework Programme (FP10). Christian Ehler, a prominent member of the European Parliament's Committee on Industry, Research and Energy, confirmed that FP10 will be established despite concerns that it might be absorbed into a broader fund aimed at enhancing EU competitiveness. However, Marc Lemaître, Director-General for Research and Innovation at the European Commission, declined to confirm whether FP10 will be a standalone program, indicating that discussions about its specific structure are still ongoing.

The conference also addressed funding for research and innovation in the upcoming programming period. According to Ehler, the main issue is not the overall budget but the manner in which funds are allocated and managed. He cited the European Innovation Council (EIC) as an example where there is a need to improve financial mechanisms and resource utilization efficiency. Nevertheless, research and innovation will retain a separate budgetary chapter.

Pavel Doleček, Deputy Minister for Higher Education, Science and Research of the Czech Republic, emphasized the importance of predictable funding and support structures for research. Participants agreed that a key challenge remains increasing technological adoption in Europe, especially in the field of artificial intelligence (AI). Experts noted that the current adoption rate of AI in European companies is only 7–11%, while the EU's target is 75% by 2030.

In a subsequent panel, Ladislav Krištoufek, Vice-Rector for Research at Charles University, discussed strategies for ensuring sustainable science funding in the European context. He spoke about the need for long-term stability of research programs and better coordination among various funding sources at both national and European levels.

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