From Policy Priorities to Funding Perspectives

As underlined in the Draghi report on EU competitiveness and the Letta report on the Single Market, research and technology infrastructures (RTIs) are a critical component of the European Union’s strategic autonomy, competitiveness, and innovation capacity. They are key enabling factors for scientific excellence, the diffusion of innovation, industrial scale-up, and the translation of research results into market uptake.

European Commission has progressively strengthened the role of research and technology infrastructures within its research and innovation policy framework. In September 2025, it launched the new European strategy on research and technology infrastructures, which sets out a coordinated approach to reinforcing the European RTI ecosystem, with a strong emphasis on improved access, long-term sustainability, and talent attraction. In parallel, the Commission’s proposal for the next Horizon Europe 2028–2034, introduces significant changes: the former “Infrastructures” component has been expanded and renamed “research and technology infrastructures”, reflecting a stronger integration of technological development, innovation, and industrial deployment.

In this context, the event will explore future perspectives for RTIs in upcoming EU programmes and in the next Multiannual financial framework (MFF). It will provide a platform for policymakers, researchers, innovators, industrial actors and other stakeholders to discuss emerging opportunities for the sector, the role of infrastructures in strengthening EU competitiveness, and the contribution of recent RTIs developments to the overall European R&I ecosystem. 

PROGRAMME

15:30 Arrival of participants

16:00 Welcome
Simona Costa, Head of Office, Tour4EU

16:05 Introduction
Mattia Ceracchi, Head of APRE Brussels Unit and GIURI Chair

16:10 Keynote speech – A Renewed Approach to Research & Technology Infrastructures
Michael Arentoft, Head of Unit ‘Open Science & Research Infrastructures’,  DG RTD, European Commission

16:30 Roundtable discussion: Shaping the Future of RTIs
moderated by Lorenzo Tombaresi, Liaison Office Bruxelles, National Research Council of Italy

Michael Arentoft, Head of Unit ‘Open Science & Research Infrastructures’, DG RTD, European Commission
Lucia Banci, Italian Delegate Council Instruct-ERIC, University of Florence
Valerio Grossi, Researcher CNR, Infrastructure manager SoBigData.eu
Alberto Guadagnini, Professor and Vice Rector for Research, Politecnico di Milano
Luca Moretti, Scientific Counsellor, Permanent Representation of Italy to the EU
Q&A opportunities

17:45 End of the event

HOW TO REGISTER - Link

CONTACTS - APRE Brussels team at bruxelles@apre.it