ERRIN responds to the public consultation on the future of European Partnerships under FP10

ERRIN responds to the public consultation on the future of European Partnerships under FP10

On 16 October, ERRIN submitted its contribution to the European Commission’s public consultation on the future of European Partnerships under the future Horizon Europe (FP10). ERRIN calls for a more inclusive, transparent and territorially grounded framework that strengthens Europe’s innovation ecosystems and maximises the impact of EU R&I investments.

This contribution builds on ERRIN’s earlier input to the call for evidence. On 13 July 2026, ERRIN submitted its input to the call for evidence on the future Single Basic Act for Joint Undertakings, welcoming the European Commission’s intention to review the governance, architecture, accessibility and strategic orientation of Joint Undertakings.

Recognising regions as strategic partners

ERRIN’s central message is that regional and local authorities, alongside the innovation ecosystems they connect, must be recognised as strategic partners rather than simply implementers of EU priorities. Regions and cities bring place-based knowledge, connect research and industry, mobilise investment and create the conditions for innovative solutions to be tested, deployed and scaled up.

ERRIN therefore calls for meaningful regional involvement in setting priorities, shaping work programmes, participating in governance and assessing impact. Future partnerships should also strengthen coordination across the portfolio without creating oversized structures that risk diluting strategic focus and weakening stakeholder engagement.

More inclusive governance and better access

The contribution highlights persistent barriers to participation for regional and local authorities, SMEs and smaller organisations. ERRIN calls for more transparent governance, reduced administrative burdens and better access to funding opportunities. 

Connecting research with investment and deployment

ERRIN stresses the need to strengthen links between Horizon Europe, the future European Competitiveness Fund and the National and Regional Partnership Plans (NRPPs), alongside national and regional investment programmes. Better alignment of priorities and funding mechanisms would help create more coherent pathways from research to deployment and ensure that European investments deliver tangible benefits across territories.

Recommendations for specific partnerships

Beyond these cross-cutting priorities, ERRIN’s contribution addresses several partnership areas, including climate, water resilience and territorial transition, the Clean Hydrogen Partnership, automotive and road mobility, batteries, the Circular Bio-based Europe Joint Undertaking and the Innovative Health. Across these areas, ERRIN emphasises the importance of meaningful regional involvement, strong territorial cooperation and better connections between research, demonstration and deployment. It also highlights the need to preserve dedicated partnership structures where these can support strategic focus and enable regional innovation ecosystems to participate effectively.

Read the full contribution attached.