2024 marks 40 years since the launch of the EU’s first funding programme dedicated to science, research, and innovation. Over these four decades, the EU has allocated more than €280 billion to support scientific research and innovation through successive framework programmes. To date, it has awarded over 120,000 grants to around 75,000 beneficiaries. Notably, more than 30 researchers funded by the EU have gone on to win Nobel Prizes, including seven laureates in the last four years alone.
Scientists, researchers, and innovators have been instrumental in helping the EU maintain its competitive edge in the global economy. Their work has provided new knowledge and solutions to critical challenges in areas that matter to Europeans and citizens worldwide. EU R&I funding has created quality jobs, supported innovative companies of all sizes, and strengthened the EU’s sustainable competitiveness and technological sovereignty. It has also made remarkable progress toward integrating gender considerations in projects and advancing gender balance among researchers and research organisations.
Research and innovation mean caring for our planet and its resources, fostering healthy and inclusive societies, and protecting democracy and European values.
This booklet highlights 40 symbolic stories to showcase the breadth of achievements made possible through EU R&I funding over the past 40 years. The stories span industrial innovation, health, transport, energy, society, environment, food, digitalisation, international cooperation, security, and space.
Of course, these 40 stories represent only a small sample of the many projects supported by the EU’s R&I framework programmes. If you have a story about how EU-funded research has made a difference, we’d love to hear from you! Share your experiences using the hashtag #ResearchImpactEU or #EU40YearsRI on social media.
To read the document, please click here.