Shaping the Future of European Research: Alliance4Life’s Commitment to FP10
A key moment of the Alliance4Life Community Meeting 2025 was a joint session bringing together Board members and representatives from key focus groups, including grants, science communication, technology transfer, and core facilities. The session aimed to update members on the preparation of Framework Programme 10 (FP10) and foster discussion on the future of the European Research Area (ERA). The lively and forward-thinking exchange of ideas revealed several critical priorities that Alliance4Life will advocate for in shaping the next European funding framework.
One of the key outcomes of the discussion was the decision to draft a position paper addressing major challenges and opportunities in FP10. The alliance identified the future budget of FP10, the effectiveness of widening instruments, and the innovation gap among widening countries as critical topics requiring a coordinated response. While the innovation divide between Eastern and Western Europe has certainly narrowed over time, members agreed that some widening countries are now significantly outperforming others, with Estonia and Slovenia cited as examples of strong performers. This disparity highlights the need for a more tailored approach to widening measures, ensuring that all participating countries can benefit and grow at a sustainable pace.
A major concern raised was the long-term funding of health research, emphasizing that consistent and adequate investment in this area is essential to safeguarding public health and fostering medical innovation. The group stressed that health is the one commodity that cannot simply be bought—if we fail to invest in health research today, we will pay a much higher price in the future. To maintain Europe's leadership in biomedical sciences, long-term financial support for fundamental health research must remain a priority in FP10.
Another significant topic of discussion was the planned phasing out of widening instruments and the potential risks associated with premature discontinuation. The group highlighted the need for careful timing when adjusting or removing widening measures to ensure their long-term impact and sustainability. Without a well-planned transition, there is a risk that previously invested resources and progress made in strengthening widening countries’ research ecosystems could be lost.
A strong call for brain and talent circulation was also voiced, with members advocating for mechanisms to attract and support returning scientists in widening countries. The discussion focused on the need to reduce salary disparities between widening and non-widening countries to ensure that research careers in Central and Eastern Europe remain attractive. Rather than full salary harmonization across Europe, the emphasis was placed on making salaries in widening countries more competitive to allow scientists to choose their research destinations based on scientific freedom, infrastructure, and research environment, rather than financial constraints alone.
To transform these discussions into concrete actions, Alliance4Life has established a dedicated working group consisting of Board members actively engaged in science policy at the national level. This group will lead the preparation of the Alliance4Life Policy Paper on FP10, outlining the alliance’s key recommendations and priorities for the future European research landscape. The position paper will be published in April 2025, ensuring that the voice of the CEE scientific community is heard in shaping the next framework programme.
