On 3 December 2025, ERRIN took part in the European Partnership Stakeholder Forum in Brussels, jointly organised by ERA-LEARN and the European Commission. The event brought together the European Partnerships community to discuss the future of Partnerships under the next Framework Programme, Horizon Europe FP10 (2028–2034).

Discussions focused on how European Partnerships can evolve in the next programming period, with the European Commission highlighting proposals such as a more strategic portfolio approach, simplification of the partnership landscape and greater harmonisation of rules for partner contributions. These proposals are guided by the overarching objectives of achieving greater impact and improving coordination across policies and actors.

ERRIN’s messages from a regional perspective

ERRIN Director Pirita Lindholm contributed to the panel discussion 'Shaping Collaboration: European Partnerships under FP10', where she highlighted key messages from a local and regional perspective. In her intervention, she stressed the importance of:

• Strengthening regional representation in the governance structures of European Partnerships to ensure transparent and balanced decision-making.
• Improving coordination across EU, national and regional levels to reinforce policy coherence and effective implementation.
• Better tapping into territorial research and innovation ecosystems and actively engaging regional stakeholders in European Partnerships.
• Using a mission-oriented approach to maximise impact on the ground and better connect European objectives with local and regional needs. 

Find the recordings and slides from the event here.

Visibility of ERRIN’s FP10 policy work

ERRIN’s contribution to the Forum builds on its broader advocacy work on the future of EU research and innovation funding. In particular, ERRIN’s input paper on European Partnerships, published in March 2025 as part of the network’s FP10 paper series, was highlighted during the event. Presenting ERRIN’s policy messages at a high-level forum such as this provided important visibility for the network’s recommendations and reinforced the role of regions in discussions on the future design and governance of European Partnerships.

The input paper on European Partnerships also provides an outline of how regions – and their various R&I stakeholders – are participating in the European Partnerships:

• The Co-Funded Partnerships offer a best-case example from the perspective of regional governments. Some regions are investing, side-by-side with their national governments in Partnerships such as the Clean Energy Transition Partnership, and can take a strategic perspective by influencing the Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda (SRIA) of the Partnership.
• Most Co-Programmed Partnerships are difficult to enter and do not allow direct participation of cities and regions even if the focus of the partnership and solutions developed are essential for them, such as in the case of 2Zero. CCAM Partnership is an exception with an innovative governance model that have allowed all relevant stakeholders to have an equal footing in the partnership.
• The Institutionalised Partnerships have started creating – as part of their associations – regional pillars or sections as they have seen an interest to better mobilise the regional stakeholders. At the same time, the role of such structures is limited to exploring funding synergies and do not allow a strategic role in the partnerships. With increased collaboration with Clean Hydrogen and Circular Bio-based Europe Partnerships, there is interest in tackling the structural issues hindering participation.    

At the same time, economic development is often a regional competence, and the regional innovation strategies are in place to target investments (S3). Regions also have an important role in mobilising stakeholders around strategic sectors and value chains. Embedding regions, and their stakeholders, in the European Partnerships is therefore essential to tackle competitiveness.

The FP10 paper series aims to feed evidence-based, place-based perspectives into EU-level debates on the next Framework Programme and has been strategically promoted in connection with high-level events to maximise policy impact.

Looking ahead

ERRIN will continue to actively contribute to discussions on the future of European Partnerships and Horizon Europe FP10, advocating for a strong regional dimension and for the meaningful involvement of territorial innovation ecosystems in shaping and implementing EU research and innovation policy.