We use cookies to improve your browsing experience. Necessary cookies are required to support essential features of the Council's website. Optional cookies help us produce anonymous and aggregated statistical reports to better serve your needs.
With your permission, we will use cookies to produce aggregated, anonymous data about our visitors' browsing and behaviour on our website. We will use this data to improve your experience on our website.
Competitiveness Council (Research and space), 9 December 2025
Main results
Research
Council regulation on the European high-performance computing joint undertaking (EuroHPC)
Ministers underlined the importance of European investment in key technology areas and unanimously agreed on an amendment to the regulation that sets the framework for the activities of the European high-performance computing joint undertaking (EuroHPC JU). The amendment establishes artificial intelligence (AI) gigafactories in Europe and creates a dedicated quantum pillar in the activities of the EuroHPC JU. AI gigafactories will benefit from public and private support through public-private partnerships, involving, among others, member states and industry stakeholders.
Today, we have taken very important steps towards establishing up to five new AI Gigafactories in Europe. AI is in my opinion one of the most important critical technologies of tomorrow and key for European resilience, competitiveness and security. We owe Europeans a strong response to American and Chinese strengths in this field.
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 proposal, focusing on research and innovation priorities, including future partnerships. All delegations also welcomed the progress report prepared by the Presidency and the advancements in negotiations for the Horizon Europe programme.
Many delegations called for simplification measures to make it easier for participants to access funding. A majority emphasised the importance of clarifying further and define the interlinkages between Horizon Europe and the European competitiveness fund (ECF). There was also a strong consensus on the need to leverage private investment, foster public-private partnerships, and improve the transfer of research results to innovation and deployment. Ministers highlighted the significance of partnerships with like-minded third countries while ensuring European technological leadership and sovereignty as well as research security. Most delegations also stressed the essential role of member states both in identifying and setting research priorities and in an efficient governance of the programme, in order to deliver on joint European ambitions and shared ownership.
Several ministers pointed to specific areas of research and technologies that should receive particular attention in the next Horizon Europe framework programme, including artificial intelligence, quantum technologies, semiconductors, advanced materials, biotechnology and life sciences, robotics, and clean energy, in particular fusion.
Under any other business, ministers were informed about the following topics:
Contribution of the European alliance of universities to the European research area
The French delegation reported on the impact of European university alliances on competitiveness, highlighting their role in fostering organizational, educational, and scientific transformation, while also addressing challenges like regulatory complexity, funding, and resources.
Commission presentation of information on the scale-up Europe fund
The Commission informed ministers about the scaleup Europe fund, a market-driven initiative to invest in fast-growing tech companies and address funding gaps in Europe's innovation cycle. The initiative was welcomed by many member states.
Creating a European cooperation space for research security
The Commission informed ministers about the last developments on research security
Priorities of the incoming Cyprus presidency in the field of research
The Cyprus delegation informed ministers about the priorities of the forthcoming presidency
Ministers welcomed the progress report on the EU space act, prepared by the presidency, and held a policy debate to identify the elements of the proposal aimed at addressing the challenges to overcome. They also highlighted the areas that require further clarification.
While most delegations supported the main objectives of the EU space act—safety, resilience, and sustainability—they considered that many parts of the proposed text need to be clarified and simplified. Some ministers raised concerns about the potential costs of compliance and the risk of administrative burdens, which could make European operators less competitive.
A key point of debate was the choice of legal instrument and its legal basis, and there was a need for legal clarity in order to move forward. Several delegations warned that the proposed text could lead to additional burdens and duplications. Some delegations consider that the proposed measures may complicate the cooperation with trusted partners in third countries. Member states welcomed the debate and manifested their wish to continue working on the EU space act in the forthcoming Cyprus presidency.
Under any other business, ministers were informed about the following topics:
Commission presentation on the space implementation dialogue
The Commission briefed ministers on the space implementation dialogue held by commissioner Andrius Kubilius on 5 November 2025 with 23 stakeholders from the EU Space sector.
Priorities of the incoming Cyprus presidency in the field of space
The Cyprus delegation informed ministers about the priorities of the forthcoming presidency
Presentation on the European space agency (ESA) ministerial meeting
Josef Aschbacher, Director General of the European space agency (ESA), briefed ministers about the ministerial meeting of the ESA that took place in Bremen on 26 and 27 November 2025
