40 Amendments of Mariateresa VIVALDINI related to 2024/2109(INI)
Amendment 8 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 20 a (new)
Citation 20 a (new)
– having regard to the Report of the CERIS Expert Group of November 2024 entitled ‘Building resilience in the civil security domain based on research and technology’,
Amendment 30 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Recalls that the Draghi and the Heitor reports are a wake-up call for Europe to face global competition and the significant rise of Chinese science in recent years; welcomes the higher success rate of HEU compared to Horizon 2020 (H2020); appreciates HEU’s responsiveness in crises, such as COVID-19 and geopolitical challenges, but regrets the lack of additional funding, which compromises original priorities; underlines as well the important role of private investments in research and innovation in order to balance the public funding;
Amendment 33 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Regrets that there have been negative experiences with the implementation of HEU because the shift from H2020 to HEU has mostly been experienced as an increase in complexity and bureaucracy; underlines that the success rates in some parts of the programme are still so low as to discourage potentially excellent applications; considers that the high cost of strategic planning (due to increased complexity, time and resources invested, as well as slowed-down implementation of the framework programme (FP)) is not compensated by any substantial benefits; believes that the next FP10 should be based on already well-established instruments under Horizon Europe that have proven to be functional and furthermore to stabilise them under the next FP10;
Amendment 41 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Highlights the importance of an agile FP; notes that the Heitor report outlines the importance of responding to the fast-changing field of science and innovation and recommends more self- governance in the FP through the establishment of councils as well as less prescriptive calls; recalls that the Draghi report notes that the current governance of the FP is slow and bureaucratic, that its organisation should be redesigned to be more outcome-based and evaluated by top experts and that the future FP should be governed by people with a proven track record at the frontier of research or innovation;
Amendment 67 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Is deeply convinced that EU spending on science, research and innovation is the best investment in our common European future and for increasing competitiveness and successfully closing the innovation gap; agrees with Mr Draghi that all public R&D spending in the EU should be better coordinated at EU level, taking into consideration, at the same time, specificities at regional and national level, in order to avoid creating disparities in access to funding opportunities among researchers from different Member States, and that a reformed and strengthened FP is crucial in achieving this;
Amendment 72 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4a. Underlines the significant role of research and innovation across different industrial fields that contributes to creating jobs and increasing the European competitiveness compared to third countries; highlights in this regard the importance of respecting the principle of technological neutrality;
Amendment 90 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Notes that a large number of beneficiaries do not consider the introduction of lump-sum funding to be a simplification and therefore meets the expected positive outcome since its introduction under HEU;
Amendment 95 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Considers that the Commission has not succeeded in creating agile but strong management of HEU, which has led to complex implementation; expects that the interim evaluation report should address shortages and possible solutions;
Amendment 101 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 a (new)
Paragraph 7 a (new)
7a. Considers establishing regular consultation forums with researchers, innovators, and industry leaders to align program objectives with real-world needs and emerging trends;
Amendment 102 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 b (new)
Paragraph 7 b (new)
7b. Welcomes the Draghi Report proposal for a “ERC for Institutions”, with the aim to make European research institutions even stronger and more competitive; proposes, to this end, to establish this program in Horizon Europe as a pilot project;
Amendment 103 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 c (new)
Paragraph 7 c (new)
7c. Highlights that although EIC was created with the goal of combining support for research on emerging technologies with acceleration tools for start-ups, SMEs, and scale-ups, it is evident that this instrument has marked a clear shift in investment orientation towards a purely “deep-tech” and disruptive type of innovation; therefore, this shift, combined with the high complexity in project design, the use of blended finance funding mechanisms, and the requirement for high TRLs, has made the instrument entirely inadequate and inaccessible for micro enterprises and SMEs;
Amendment 123 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Concludes that Pillar 2 remains too complex; believes that the implementation of this pillar should be improved, simplified and streamlined in light of addressing targeted results rather than solely on the expenditure; notes that the number of instruments involved, the unsuccessful implementation of missions, and the many budgetary shifts have resulted in unnecessary complexity which discourages applicants, and especially newcomers, from participating;
Amendment 131 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 a (new)
Paragraph 8 a (new)
8a. Calls for expanding initiatives like the European fellowship program for researchers at risk and prioritize integrating talent from diverse regions to enrich the European Research Area (ERA);
Amendment 148 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Welcomes the fact that there has been an increase in the number of participants, from widening countries, in HEU; encourages the continuous support of widening countries in order to improve their performances compared to frontrunner Member States across different instruments under the next FP10;
Amendment 159 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Recalls that the Commission communication entitled ‘EU Missions two years on: assessment of progress and way forward’ did not positively evaluate missions and concluded that missions had failed on coreve not achieved the expected objectives such as crowding in external funding;
Amendment 163 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 a (new)
Paragraph 10 a (new)
10a. Recalls the fundamental role of partnerships in regard of bringing together the European Commission and private and/or public partners that must receive a continuous support with a defined target and scope;
Amendment 174 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Notes that no significant changes have taken place in the implementation of the missions since the publication of the communication; concludes, therefore, that further funding of missions under the 2025, 2026 and 2027 work programmes would not be an effective use of the limited resources available to HEU and should therefore be stopped; encourages the Commission to find funding for the continuation of missions in other parts of the EU budget and at national level;
Amendment 182 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. InsistRecommends that the Commission should reducecarefully assess the use of lump-sum funding under HEU until thereand its substantial evidence that lump-sum funding provides aimpact in terms of simplification for the beneficiaries over the full life cycle of the project, including the audit, as well as for the programme as a whole, reflected by lower administrative and transaction costs for beneficiaries with lump-sum projects;
Amendment 184 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Supports the Heitor report’s urgent call to introduce a ‘Choose Europe’ co- funding line and to turn the current ‘European brain drain’ into a ‘brain gain’ by 2035, noting that this should be considered a major and unique opportunity for Europe following the recent US election and should therefore be implemented urgently from 2025; recognizes that there are still significant obstacles to 'brain circulation' among Member States, including the recognition of qualifications and the diversity of tax, social security, and pension systems;
Amendment 206 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Calls for FP10 to be a stand-alone EU programme dedicated to EU research excellence, innovation and competitiveness with a substantially higher budget that is sufficient for achieving the 3 % GDP spending target and for funding at least 75 % of the excellent proposals submitted; recommends that FP10 focus on three core objectives: (i) advancing the European Research Area (ERA) with specific measures that address regional disparie general key objective of strengthening the scientific and technological bases of the Union, fostering the competitiveness of the Union in all Member States including in its industry and filling Europe’s innovation gap with key competitors and on four core objectives and support under-represented Member States in their innovation capacities, (ii) creating a European competition of ideas, and (iii) supporting strategic, large-scale collaborative research initiatives; recommends that FP10 be structured : (i) advancing scientific excellence, supporting the creation and diffusion of fundamental and applied knowledge, of skills, technologies and solutions, supporting training and mobility of researchers, to attracting talent at all levels; (ii) creating a European competition of ideas fostering all forms of innovation and strengthening the deployment and exploitation of innovative solutions; (iii) supporting strategic, large-scale collaborative research and innovation initiatives, enhancing the impact of R&I and supporting the development of priority innovative advanced technologies and their translation into concrete applications of innovative products, processes and services; (iv) advancing three parts, each addressing one of the three core objece European Research Area (ERA) with specific measures that address regional disparities and support underrepresented Member States in their innovation capacitives;
Amendment 245 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 – point a – point ii
Paragraph 15 – point a – point ii
Amendment 254 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 – point a – point iii
Paragraph 15 – point a – point iii
iii. contribute to EU priorities, but on the terms of and try to align science and innovation rather than on the terms ofs objectives with priorities set by policymakers;
Amendment 261 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 – point a – point iv
Paragraph 15 – point a – point iv
iv. be based on the principle of self- governance, through whichcooperation among policymakers and top experts from the relevant field, who can determine how research and innovation can best contribute to the achievement of the policy priorities set by policymakers;
Amendment 262 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 – point a – point iv a (new)
Paragraph 15 – point a – point iv a (new)
iva. be ambitious, focused on competitiveness needs, much more application-oriented and based on simpler and more efficient financial instruments;
Amendment 272 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 – point b
Paragraph 15 – point b
(b) setting up the fourthree councils proposed by the Heitor expert group, composed of eminent experts from the field, to decide on the strategic direction of the different parts of FP10, and in particular a European technology and industrial competitiveness council and a European societal challenges council;
Amendment 300 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18
18. Believes that an expanded European Research Council (ERC) and European Innovation Council (EIC) should be at the heart of the part of FP10 dealing with a European competition of ideas and that this part should receive halfan adequate amount of the FP10 budget; recommends that these programmes be designed so that they create a European, bottom-up funnel for innovation to develop quickly from fundamental science to innovation scale- up; considers that the EIC can only succeed if it can both offer blended finance as a single project and act with the same speed and agility as private actors on the venture capitalist market through a tailor-made legal entity for implementation; underlines that the strengthened autonomy and self- governance of both the ERC and the EIC are crucial to achieving this;
Amendment 314 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
19. Urges the Commission to design the part of FP10 on strategic deployment such that it focuses on a limited number of pan-European research initiatives with 2040 set as the time horizon and which require cross-border collaboration due to the scale and complexity of the issue in question; believes that this part should consider that these initiatives could take the form of societal missions which address socio-economic and/or ecological challenges, technology missions to accelerate the development of strategic technologies in Europe, or joint undertakings to secure joint investments by industry, Member States and the EU to support research-based competitiveness and the resilience of key sectors in the European economy; believes that all of these initiatives should receive a budget of between EUR 2.5 and 5 billion;
Amendment 321 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19 a (new)
Paragraph 19 a (new)
19a. Recommends that not only fundamental research and disruptive innovations in targeted sectors matter, but ‘incremental’ steps across all industrial strategic sectors and all types of company should be adequately supported; highlights that SMEs, Mid-Caps and microenterprises must be considered, alongside large companies, as key players in the R&I activities; believes in this regard that manufacturing SMEs and Mid-Caps should be able to rely on mechanisms that are easier to access and simpler to manage;
Amendment 329 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19 b (new)
Paragraph 19 b (new)
19b. Calls the European Commission to continue the simplification of access procedures and rules for participation must continue: regulatory barriers must be removed, administrative burdens for applicants reduced, processes streamlined; highlights that a simplification of procedures should concern both the EU level and the national level, when applicable;
Amendment 337 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19 c (new)
Paragraph 19 c (new)
19c. Believes that more emphasis should be given on impact and transfer of research results to the market; considers therefore essential to evaluate project proposals by adopting a result-oriented approach, ensure a greater role for industry in defining R&I priorities and topics and focuse on calls for proposals based on business needs;
Amendment 340 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19 d (new)
Paragraph 19 d (new)
19d. Recommends to preserve the Public-Private Partnerships approach, possibly expanding the scope and funding of the existing Public-Private Partnerships as they play a central role in the implementation of long-term RD&I agendas, and thus for the EU’s long-term competitiveness;
Amendment 347 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19 e (new)
Paragraph 19 e (new)
19e. Believes that the European Innovation Council (EIC) should aim to identify, develop, and deploy high-risk innovations of all kinds, guaranteeing access to all Start-ups and innovative SMEs; underlines that the action of the EIC should be oriented towards supporting start-ups projects with spill- over effects on the manufacturing industrial system; calls on the European Commission to align the EIC’s objectives and priorities much more with European industrial needs than with investors’ interests;
Amendment 349 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19 f (new)
Paragraph 19 f (new)
19f. Underlines that financing instruments must be adapted to companies’ needs: to this end, an industry-driven instrument, building on the experience of the Fast Track to Innovation from Horizon 2020, should be introduced; believes that such instrument should become the main implementation mechanism of the pillar dedicated to industrial innovation as it also should strengthen industrial participation in PPPs within which it should equally be promoted;
Amendment 351 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19 g (new)
Paragraph 19 g (new)
19g. Recognizes that, as mentioned in the Draghi Report, strengthening EU’s competitiveness in relation to its competitors cannot be separated from the preservation of its fundamental values such as prosperity, social inclusion, freedom, peace, democracy, and sustainability; enhances the funding for research in the humanities, since it is about promoting social and cultural development alongside technological advancement;
Amendment 353 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19 h (new)
Paragraph 19 h (new)
19h. Recommends that the forthcoming FP10 prioritizes the allocation of dedicated funding and strategic support for research and innovation in dual-use technologies; enhances that by fostering dual-use research, FP10 can unlock significant synergies between civilian advancements and security needs, ensuring that Europe remains at the forefront of technological innovation while strengthening its strategic autonomy and resilience; to this end, recommends better coordination and cooperation with other funds dedicated to dual-use technologies, such as the European Defence Fund;
Amendment 354 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19 i (new)
Paragraph 19 i (new)
19i. Emphasizes, in the context of the next FP10, the fundamental role of space and space-related research; recognizes the numerous civilian applications of space research and the need of implementing ambitious research programme in the field of space in line with the European Space Programme;
Amendment 355 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19 j (new)
Paragraph 19 j (new)
19j. Recommends that the next FP10 to be aligned with the work of the Community for European Research and Innovation for Security (CERIS); underlines how research and innovation can support EU policy response to different security challenges;
Amendment 356 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19 k (new)
Paragraph 19 k (new)
19k. Underlines the importance of nuclear research to be strengthen in the next FP10; underlines the fundamental role of nuclear start-ups but acknowledges, at the same time, a shortage of skills in this sector; calls for the next FP10 to focus on research oriented towards new solution in nuclear energy, including small modular reactors (SMRs) and nuclear fusion;
Amendment 357 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19 l (new)
Paragraph 19 l (new)
19l. Recommends that the upcoming FP10 explicitly embed the principle of technological neutrality as a cornerstone of its research and innovation strategy; recalls that this principle should guide the selection, development, and implementation of projects, ensuring that FP10 supports a diverse range of solutions without favouring specific technologies, thereby fostering innovation, competitiveness, and adaptability across sectors;
Amendment 358 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19 m (new)
Paragraph 19 m (new)
19m. Acknowledges the role of research in the field of agriculture, in particular to enhance our food sovereignty; highlights that research in agriculture is fundamental to enhance crops resilience and to develop technologies directly linked to benefit European citizens’ everyday life;