On 15 October 2024, the 15-member expert group headed by Manuel Heitor, Professor at Instituto Superior Técnico, University of Lisbon and former Secretary of State for Science, technology and higher education of Portugal, published its long-anticipated report “Align, Act, Accelerate: Research, Technology and Innovation to boost European Competitiveness”. The group commenced its work on 5 December 2023, convened monthly since, and was tasked with highlighting the European added value of the EU framework programme for research and innovation (R&I) – Horizon Europe, as well as with outlining recommendations on how to further strengthen the programme in the remaining part of the current Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF). It was also to make suggestions for an impactful design of its successor programme, FP10 (2028-2035).  

The group puts forward 12 key recommendations, framed by an overarching proposal to increase the EU investment in R&I to EUR 220 billion, in a more focused and ring-fenced budget, to ensure that all excellent proposals are funded, and that Europe can invest in key strategic priorities: 

1. Adopt a whole-of-government approach to align research and innovation with the EU strategy for competitiveness and a clean, digital economy. 
2. Boost Europe's global competitiveness by fostering impactful research, innovation and scale-ups through a stronger framework programme. 
3. Deliver European added value via a portfolio of actions focused on competitive excellence, industrial competitiveness, societal challenges and a strong research and innovation ecosystem. 
4. Establish an experimental unit to launch disruptive innovation programmes with fast funding options, such as “ARPA-style” initiatives. 
5. Strengthen competitive excellence by expanding funding for European Research Council, European Innovation Council and the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions to attract top talent. 
6. Create an Industrial Competitiveness and Technology Council to enhance industrial research and innovation investment and ensure relevance to strategic autonomy. 
7. Form a Societal Challenges Council to address key societal issues, align with EU strategic priorities and engage with philanthropy and civil society. 
8. Build an inclusive and attractive EU R&I ecosystem by securing long-term investments, fostering university alliances and encouraging Member States' co-investment. 
9. Simplify the programme by reducing administrative burdens, embracing agile funding and streamlining application processes. 
10. Develop an innovation procurement programme to stimulate industrial scaling through demand-driven solutions. 
11. Approach international cooperation with a nuanced strategy, tailoring partnerships to specific domains and global geopolitical considerations. 
12. Optimise dual-use technology innovation by managing civilian and military R&I programmes separately, leveraging benefits for national security and civilian needs. 

Structurally, the experts propose a future programme comprised of four “spheres”:  

• competitive excellence in science and innovation 
• industrial competitiveness through strategic R&I initiatives to provide state-of-the-art products, services and technology-based solutions 
• societal transformations through addressing grand challenges, and 
• strengthening the European R&D ecosystem of institutions, funders, infrastructure, innovators and entrepreneurs to scale breakthrough R&I to global markets,  

stressing the interconnectedness across these spheres of action, and the need to avoid a silo approach between them. They also insist on an R&I ecosystem composed of instruments at both the national and European levels that relate to, and support, each other. 

The report was largely welcome by the European research and education community, with formal reactions by stakeholder organisations such as EUA, The Guild, LERU, YERUN, or CESAER multiplying.