State Secretary Hirayama attends Informal EU Ministerial Meeting on Competition in Research and Innovation
Bern, 17.07.2025 — On 16 and 17 July, Martina Hirayama, State Secretary for Education, Research and Innovation, attended the informal meeting of EU research ministers in Copenhagen (Denmark). The policy discussions focused on promoting key technologies in Europe and the design of the next EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation from 2028. State Secretary Hirayama also took the opportunity to hold bilateral talks with counterparts from various countries.
The first debate addressed the key question of how Europe can better pool its resources to promote key technologies in a targeted matter. During the discussion, State Secretary Hirayama emphasised that Switzerland can help strengthen Europe's technological independence and resilience through its efficient research and innovation system – a particularly important goal in view of the changing geopolitical environment. For Europe's competitiveness, it is crucial to maintain a balanced funding system that promotes both basic research and innovation.
The second debate examined the future direction of the EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation, looking in particular at how European cooperation in these fields can be focused to effectively tackle Europe's most pressing challenges together.
State Secretary Hirayama emphasised the importance of a well-structured, independent EU framework programme in research and innovation to promote key technologies and ensure excellence and flexibility. It is crucial to work together in strategic areas and make the best possible use of synergies with other EU programmes. For Switzerland it is important that new funding instruments such as the European Competitiveness Fund take the needs of associated countries into account.
On the fringes of the meeting, State Secretary Hirayama held bilateral talks with Fernando Alexandre, the Portuguese Minister of Education, Science and Innovation, and Nicodemos Damianou, the Cypriot Deputy Minister of Research, Innovation and Digital Policy.