Summary of recommendations

The following recommendations are aimed at maximising the impact of future EU research and innovation programmes. Each of them is exemplified by a key action.

1. Prioritise research and innovation in EU and national budgets Action: double the budget of the post-2020 EU research and innovation programme.

2. Build a true EU innovation policy that creates future markets Action: Foster ecosystems for researchers, innovators, industries and governments; promote and invest in innovative ideas with rapid scale-up potential through a European Innovation Council.

3. Educate for the future and invest in people who will make the change Action: modernise, reward and resource the education and training of people for a creative and innovative Europe.

4. Design the EU R&I programme for greater impact Action: make the future programme’s pillars driven by purpose and impact, fine-tune the proposal evaluation system and increase flexibility.

5. Adopt a mission-oriented, impact-focused approach to address global challenges Action: set research and innovation missions that address global challenges and mobilise researchers, innovators and other stakeholders to realise them.

6. Rationalise the EU funding landscape and achieve synergy with structural funds Action: cut the number of R&I funding schemes and instruments, make those remaining reinforce each other and make synergy with other programmes work.

7. Simplify further Action: become the most attractive R&I funder in the world, privileging impact over process.

8. Mobilise and involve citizens Action: stimulate co-design and co-creation through citizen involvement.

9. Better align EU and national R&I investment Action: ensure EU and national alignment where it adds value to the EU’s R&I ambitions and missions.

10. Make international R&I cooperation a trademark of EU research and innovation Action: open up the R&I programme to association by the best and participation by all, based on reciprocal co-funding or access to co-funding in the partner country.

11. Capture and better communicate impact Action: brand EU research and innovation and ensure wide communication of its results and impacts.