In-person event
As the European Commission’s proposals for the 2028–34 Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) are being shaped and negotiated, standardisation across the EU’s Research & Innovation (R&I) and competitiveness frameworks deserves a closer look.
Standards are sometimes ignored, or seen as restrictions that leave limited space for the creativity and novelty required for innovation needs. Evidence suggests the relationship is far more nuanced: standards frequently play a crucial role in supporting innovation, whether by supplying information that fuels new ideas or by creating incentives for innovative activity.
As things stand, standards appear to be insufficiently mainstreamed into the ‘innovation-to-investment journey’ that the Commission is trying to strengthen across the new post-2028 MFF, from the EU’s 10th Framework Programme for research and innovation (FP10) to the European Competitiveness Fund (ECF). To ensure standardisation effectively enables innovation and competitiveness under the EU’s next multiannual programming period, this event will explore three key questions:
- How can standardisation be effectively embedded across the EU’s R&I and competitiveness frameworks for 2028–34? What is needed for effective recognition and mainstreaming of standards, and to ensure effective complementarity between ECF and FP10?
- What are the priorities to ensure standards enable European innovation rather than constraining it? How can R&I catalyse the development of new standards?
- What are the priorities to ensure standards drive impact? How can they be made interoperable, market-relevant and sustainable to promote a resilient, green and digital Single Market and competitive solutions for global leadership?
