News

CurrENT signed a joint-letter for the next EU budget

As the EU enters a decisive phase of negotiations on the next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), with the Council and Permanent Representatives of Member States meeting Friday 05/12 to discuss the new European Competitiveness Fund (ECF), CurrENT, together with 28 think tanks, research institutions, civil society organisations and cleantech associations have sent a joint letter to the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union.

They put forward 9 recommendations to build a more integrated financial toolbox across the ECF and Horizon Europe to support clean innovation and make the lab-to-scale investment journey of clean technologies competitive in Europe.

Recommendations on the European Competitiveness Fund:

  • Offer a predictable lab-to-scale journey for cleantech innovators with a binding budget for the Clean Transition window that targets strategic investment gaps in Europe’s funding landscape.
  • Make ECF financial instruments fit for purpose: a €50 billion ECF InvestEU, a €10 billion Cleantech Guarantee Facility, and strong incentives for national contributions.
  • Support lead markets for European cleantech with clean public procurement and affordable retail EU financial instruments for end-consumers.
  • Maximise the impact of ECF funds with stronger “efficiency-first”, additionality, conditions for a just transition, and EU preference criteria across cleantech value chains.

Recommendations on Horizon Europe:

  • Set a binding budget for Horizon Europe of €200 billion, supported by a 45% climate and environment mainstreaming target.
  • Keep an independent and ring-fenced budget for collaborative research under Pillar II with at least 50% more for the Clean Transition and Industrial Decarbonisation envelope.
  • Tackle oversubscription with a programmed approach.

Recommendations on Governance:

  • Expert-led governance mechanisms in the ECF should guide Work Programmes based on evidence and science, in coordination with the forthcoming Competitiveness Coordination Tool (CCT).
  • Integrate ex-ante criteria to ensure that ECF Work Programmes prioritise strategic clean technologies and tackle the most prominent climate investment gaps.

These recommendations will ensure the next MFF supports Europe’s Independence Moment with an impactful, innovation-driven EU budget and to make 2028–2034 the moment when Europe re-enters the clean technology race.

Click here to read the full letter