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Competitiveness Council (Research), 30 September 2025
Main results
Conclusions on the importance of research and innovation for the EU Startup and Scaleup Strategy
The Council approved conclusions on the importance of research and innovation for the EU Startup and Scaleup Strategy. These conclusions provide guidance for the establishment of a strong and dynamic ecosystem where higher education and research institutions can support the creation and growth of new companies, valorise the results of their research, and attract and retain talent. To this end, the conclusions call for a supportive regulatory and financial environment to boost innovative companies.
Research and entrepreneurship are not separate realities, but two sides of the same coin. While research institutions can help startups and scaleups take off and grow, the private sector can also help research institutions secure investment and valorise their findings. It is a win-win-win strategy: research institutions win, companies win, and European competitiveness wins.
Christina Egelund, Danish Minister for Higher Education and Science
Conclusions on a call for action on life sciences for the Union’s competitiveness
The Council approved conclusions on life sciences for the Union’s competitiveness. The text welcomes the ambition of making the EU the world’s most attractive hub for life sciences by 2030, as outlined in the Commission’s recent strategy, and provides guidance to unlock their full potential for European competitiveness. The conclusions encourage stronger research in advanced therapy medicinal products (ATMPs), a leading role in clinical trials and a broad approach to biotechnology to release its full potential. They also call for the use of advanced technologies — such as artificial intelligence and quantum computing — in life sciences, while stressing the importance of developing skills, and attracting and retaining talent. Finally, the conclusions highlight the need for a coordinated governance framework on life sciences and for swift implementation of the proposed actions.
Today’s Council conclusions send a clear message: the EU should lead the global race for life sciences. To get there, we must act with urgency and determination with a coordinated strategy that turns ambition into action.
Christina Egelund, Danish Minister for Higher Education and Science
Horizon Europe Package: Framework Programme for Research and Innovation 2028-2034
Ministers held a policy debate on the Horizon Europe MFF Package, focusing on the topic of EU research and innovation for dual use and defence applications. Ministers reflected on the opportunities for strengthening competitiveness and resilience in this new approach to dual use and defence applications while also highlighting the sensitivities this could raise. Many of the delegations welcomed the inclusion of dual use projects in Horizon Europe, since most research projects already have a dual use dimension, in particular within technology areas. Several delegations, however, underlined the importance of maintaining a focus on the civil nature of the research and innovation programme and called for defence-only projects not to be financed by the research budget (but by the European Competitiveness Fund, instead). Many delegations also called for a clear definition of ‘dual use’ and requested that dual use projects do not have additional administrative burdens. Many delegations recalled the need to maintain research freedom and international cooperation, but taking the necessary measures to protect the confidentiality of sensitive data, in the spirit of the “as open as possible and as closed as necessary” principle.
Europe’s competitiveness, economic security and strategic autonomy rely on our ability to harvest the full potential of our funded research and innovation. We should be open towards the possibilities that dual use projects offer.
Christina Egelund, Danish Minister for Higher Education and Science
The future EU-level ambitions on research and technology infrastructures
During lunch, ministers exchanged views on research and technology infrastructures.
Any Other Business
Under any other business, ministers were informed of 2025 Annual Progress Report on Simplification, Implementation and Enforcement, and the Commission made a presentation of the Strategy on Research and Technology infrastructures.
