The Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the EU presented its priorities on Research and Innovation (R&I), at an IGLO and UNILiON Open event in Brussels on 9 January 2026, organised by the European Office of Cyprus with the collaboration of the Permanent Representation of Cyprus to the EU.
Mr Loizos Solomou and Dr Pantelis Savvas Ioannou, Research Attachés, gave and overview of the general priorities of the Cyprus Presidency, framed under the motto “An Autonomous Union, Open to the World.”, and presented the R&I priorities, engaging in a dynamic and constructive discussion with stakeholders of universities, research institutions and EU Networks.
The Presidency emphasised strategic autonomy as a guiding principle for European integration, understood not as isolation but as the Union’s capacity to act independently when necessary while remaining open to cooperation with trusted global partners. Autonomy was presented as the foundation for strength, resilience, and effective international engagement.
Five overarching Presidency pillars were outlined:
- Autonomy through security, defence, readiness and resilience
- Autonomy through competitiveness and growth
- An autonomous Union that remains open to the world
- An autonomous Union of values
- A long-term budget to support Europe’s strategic objectives
Within this framework, R&I priorities for the Presidency will focus on competitiveness, innovation, international cooperation, and science diplomacy, with particular attention to implementation and practical impact.
A central legislative priority will be FP10, with the Presidency aiming to reach a partial general approach by the May 2026 Competitiveness Council. Discussions will build on progress achieved under the Danish Presidency, with further work expected on outstanding issues, including:
- The links between FP10 and the European Competitiveness Fund (ECF) across different pillars.
- The role of missions, partnerships, and scale-up pathways.
- Ensuring coherence along the full innovation journey, from research to deployment.
The Presidency also intends to advance work on:
- The Research Fund for Coal and Steel, with the ambition of reaching a general approach early in the term.
- The Euratom file, where negotiations are expected to begin.
- The European Innovation Act, with political guidance anticipated due to its late publication.
International cooperation and science diplomacy will remain high on the agenda, particularly with trusted partners such as the UK, Switzerland, and associated countries. The Presidency highlighted the need to balance openness with security, stressing that science diplomacy can be a positive and proactive tool to address shared global challenges, notably climate change.
Several high-level events were announced, including:
- Ministerial meetings on research and innovation.
- A science diplomacy conference, focusing on climate-related challenges in the Mediterranean and Middle East regions.
- Major thematic events on AI, oceans, rare diseases, and research infrastructures.
The discussion with stakeholders underscored strong interest in:
- Faster and clearer association processes for trusted international partners.
- Improved implementation modalities, particularly for dual-use and international cooperation instruments.
- Reducing administrative complexity and time-to-grant, especially for fast-moving innovation sectors.
The event concluded with a strong signal of openness from the Cyprus Presidency to continued stakeholder engagement and dialogue throughout its term.
More information: eoc.brussels@ucy.ac.cy