Letter from SPIE to European Commission Officials in Support of Framework Programme 10

1 May 2024

Dear Commissioner Ivanova and Deputy Director-General Ratso,

As Framework Programme 10 begins to take shape, the EU is at a critical juncture in safeguarding its competitiveness and growth while demonstrating global leadership on climate change and achieving the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. To rise to this momentous occasion, SPIE, the international society for optics and photonics, writes on behalf of our nearly 8,000 members in Europe in support of maintaining the EU’s next-generation research and innovation programme at a funding level consistent with Horizon Europe.

While fully acknowledging tight budgets due to economic uncertainty and armed conflicts at the EU’s doorstep, we find it essential as a matter of both multilateral security and technological sovereignty to provide as much funding as possible to the EU research and innovation agenda. In concrete terms, this entails the 95.5 billion EUR budget of Horizon Europe, plus provisions to account for the effects of inflation.

Public investment through Framework Programme 10 will continue to drive the basic research needed to develop, support, and implement EU policies while tackling global challenges. The importance of funding basic R&D cannot be overstated, given its impact on energy efficiency and net zero emissions. From improving renewable energy sources to advancing smart grid technologies, key enabling technologies like optics and photonics offer innovative solutions that can significantly reduce energy consumption. They play a crucial role in fulfilling the European Green Deal and the EU's commitment to the Paris Agreement goal of achieving net zero emissions by 2050.

Framework Programme 10 will also be instrumental in the promotion of advanced manufacturing industries by creating jobs, engaging the EU’s talent pool, and boosting economic growth and industrial competitiveness. In this respect, the photonics technologies supported by basic R&D funding crucially enable advanced manufacturing processes, providing precision, speed, and flexibility. Integrating photonics technologies in manufacturing enhances the competitiveness of European industries by enabling high-quality components and end products with reduced waste and energy consumption.

Our healthcare system remains a top concern as the EU population over the age of 65 is projected to double by 2045. Faced with the associated challenges of this demographic trend, we must urgently work to improve disease prevention, early risk assessment, and improved well-being. Concerted efforts to further research and develop biophotonics in the context of Framework Programme 10 will enhance methods of instant disease detection and treatment at the point of care. Europe's robust innovation ecosystem, including traditional firms, startups, and research institutions, positions it uniquely to lead in this large and expanding market, valued at around €50 billion worldwide as of 2021.

Now more than ever, a robust public R&D program is a matter of European defence and security. The wars raging near the EU underscore the urgency of ensuring Europe’s technological sovereignty and operational superiority against potential adversaries. Europe must develop its own defence capabilities on a united front, rather than through twenty-seven national markets, by pooling research, innovation, and resources. With the rise of technologies such as artificial intelligence and quantum, FP10 must engage the full knowledge value chain to address dual-use science and technology, instead of limiting its scope to civil research.

The European Commission cannot afford to curtail its technological leadership at a time when innovation is determining with unprecedented speed the winners and losers of the new technology-driven economy. SPIE encourages you to enhance the role of key technologies for European Union competitiveness and to preserve Photonics as an area of intervention in the digital, industry, and space cluster. Funding Framework Programme 10 at levels consistent with Horizon Europe, while accounting for inflation, is not just an investment in a specific field, but a strategic commitment to achieving the broader goals of the European Union—above all, the continued peace and security of its people.

About SPIE:

SPIE is the international society for optics and photonics, an educational not-for-profit organization founded in 1955 to advance light-based science, engineering, and technology. The Society serves 257,000 constituents from 173 countries, offering conferences and their published proceedings, continuing education, books, journals, and the SPIE Digital Library. Over the past five years, SPIE provided more than $24 million in community support including scholarships and awards, outreach and advocacy programs, travel grants, public policy, and educational resources. We stand ready to be a reliable partner in your efforts to secure Europe’s strategic autonomy through photonics. www.spie.org

Sincerely,

Kent Rochford

SPIE, CEO