At the 29 May 2026 Competitiveness Council (research part), chaired by Cyprus Deputy Minister Nicodemus Damiano, ministers debated the next Horizon Europe programme (FP10) and adopted a Council Recommendation on Science Diplomacy. Commissioner for Startups, Research and Innovation Ekaterina Zaharieva pushed back against adding bureaucratic layers to priority-setting, arguing the regulation must genuinely shorten time-to-grant. On European partnerships, she urged flexibility and warned against tightening rules with unnecessary complexity. On widening participation, she acknowledged divergent positions among widening states but stressed excellence remains the guiding principle, with support for catch-up tied to national reforms. On the French-Polish proposal for bottom-up collaborative research, she expressed strong support but said it might be achievable during implementation without a separate provision. All member states agreed on the political importance of Horizon Europe and the need for timely agreement to ensure a smooth 2028 launch. The Science Diplomacy Recommendation was adopted unanimously. Next steps: trilogue negotiations on the four remaining open items. Affected stakeholders: researchers, innovators, industry, widening countries, and international research partners.
EU Matrix analysis