ERRIN paper highlights the strategic role of EU Missions and mission-oriented approach in the next EU long-term budget

ERRIN paper highlights the strategic role of EU Missions and mission-oriented approach in the next EU long-term budget

To complement ERRIN’s proposal of amendments to the future European Competitiveness Fund and the future Horizon Europe (FP10), ERRIN has developed a paper on the future of the EU Missions and the mission-oriented approach in the next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF).

The document highlights tangible impacts of the EU Missions across European territories, providing concrete evidence of their role in addressing major societal challenges while strengthening Europe’s competitiveness. Drawing on examples from regions and cities across Europe, it demonstrates how Missions are already contributing to systemic change by mobilising innovation ecosystems, aligning stakeholders and accelerating the deployment of solutions on the ground.

As large-scale policy experiments currently at mid-implementation, EU Missions are not yet in a position where their full results can be comprehensively assessed. However, the evidence gathered so far clearly shows their strong potential to deliver long-term impact. In this context, ERRIN calls for the continuation of the EU Missions at least until 2030, allowing sufficient time to fully capture lessons from both successes and challenges and to maximise their impact.

The paper also emphasises the importance of embedding the mission-oriented approach within a coherent EU policy and funding framework. In particular, ERRIN highlights the need to ensure a seamless investment pathway from R&I to deployment and scale-up, linking FP10, the European Competitiveness Fund and National and Regional Partnership Plans. Such alignment is essential to translate EU priorities into concrete economic opportunities, strengthen industrial capacity and support resilient, place-based innovation ecosystems.

In addition, the paper identifies key areas where synergies across EU initiatives should be strengthened. This includes closer integration between mitigation and adaptation actions, as well as better alignment between the Cities Mission and the New European Bauhaus (NEB), where important complementarities remain underexploited.

Looking ahead, ERRIN underlines that EU Missions, Moonshots and European Partnerships should be seen as complementary instruments within the future EU R&I architecture. In particular, Moonshots should build on and integrate the lessons emerging from the EU Missions, while the EU Missions themselves should be maintained and strengthened to deliver their full potential.

Overall, the paper makes a clear case for reinforcing the mission-oriented approach as a key tool to support Europe’s pathway to climate neutrality and strengthen competitiveness, drive systemic change and deliver tangible results for citizens and territories across Europe.