Leaders of 28 large multinational companies in Europe published a statement yesterday showing their full support to scale up ambition for the next flagship EU research and innovation funding program (FP9), according to a press release sent to Budapest Business Journal.
BusinessEurope Director General Markus J. Beyrer commented that the statement “is a strong signal that EU research and innovation funding programs are decisive in financing projects with clear EU-added value. At the same time, it shows that commitment from companies is indispensable to make these programs a success. The ongoing discussion on the next EU budget and structure of the FP9 is a window of opportunity to scale up the budget for research and innovation, to strengthen the collaborative approach and to overcome the innovation deficit in Europe.”
R&I funding programs, the statement says, “are world-unique instruments. They are decisive in financing projects with a clear and strong EU-added value. They have an extensive track record in the promotion and facilitation of a collaborative approach with all stakeholders linked to the R&I value chain (public, industry, research and academia).”
The FP9 European program “offers a unique opportunity to scale up the EU budget on R&I, reinforce the collaborative approach and give the much needed impetus to innovation. We stand behind a strong and far reaching ʼFP9ʼ and look forward to a constructive and fruitful debate with EU policy-makers”, the business leaders concluded.
The signatories are the CEOs and leaders of: Alcoa Corporation, BASF SE, BAYER AG, Robert BOSCH GmbH, EDF, ENGIE, Eni, GE Europe, Henkel AG & Co. KGaA, IBM Europe, INEOS Group AG, Infineon Technologies AG, Lhoist Group, Marcegaglia Steel S.p.A., Metsä Group, MYTILINEOS S.A., Norsk Hydro ASA, Philips, Salzgitter AG, Siemens AG, Solvay SA, Statoil ASA, Tata Consultancy Services Ltd, Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc., Veolia Environnement, voestalpine AG, Volvo Group, Wienerberger AG. Many are also large scale investors in Hungary.
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