Our messages to decision-makers

Investing in research, development and innovation (RDI) is the road to prosperity for Finland and Europe. The solutions that result from RDI activities create growth, increase productivity and provide tools to tackle the world's biggest challenges.

As part of our expert role, we actively contribute to  setting direction for national and European RDI policy. 

Building on our research and technology expertise, we provide knowledge to support decision-making on carbon neutrality, sustainable materials and digital technologies, and we contribute to shaping national and European positions on these topics. 

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Our messages for an effective RDI policy in Finland

  • The national target to raise R&D investments to 4 percent of GDP by 2030 is extremely important. Funding should be allocated to the measures that have the greatest impact on productivity and growth.
  • Directing investments into strategic technology areas, such as microelectronics, quantum, technologies for minerals, biomaterials and energy technologies.
  • Creating and accelerating growth of deep-tech companies.
  • Harnessing Finnish technological capabilities to support defence and comprehensive security
  • Creating a clear national mechanism for co-funding in order to be able to benefit from EU’s major joint R&D initiatives
     

Our messages for a more competitive EU

  • Research, development and innovation play an important role in delivering the EU's priorities: addressing global challenges, responding to the new security and defence situation, managing interdependencies and ensuring the competitiveness of industry.
  • The EU is falling behind China and the US in research and development (R&D) funding. The EU needs to substantially increase funding for the future Framework Programme for Research and Innovation (FP10). To be effective, special attention should be paid to:
    • supporting the scaling up and commercialisation of research results
    • ensuring how public funding can effectively encourage private R&D investment in Europe
    • developing capabilities in critical technologies as part of risk management
    • building technology infrastructures
  • In addition to R&D investment, we also need to attract talent, regulate in an innovation-friendly way and deepen European capital market
  • The EU also needs closer cooperation between different policy areas. Synergies between industrial, regional, energy, environment, defence, RDI and other policies must be strengthened. 

Keep reading

Blog post
Finland's EU key priorities for coming years put RDI and technology at the centre

VTTers influence in various networks of experts

VTT is represented in dozens of different national and international expert groups, networks and organisations. In Finland, VTTers are members of various expert groups related to different national strategies.

At EU level, we belong to high-level expert groups and are, for instance, actively involved in the work of European public-private partnership technology communities and in the innovation clusters of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT). As an active member of EARTO (European Association of Research and Technology Organisations), we are well-placed to influence European research and innovation policy. 

Good lobbying practice

VTT is registered in the Finnish Transparency Register (TEK-24-1081-R) and is committed to complying with the good lobbying practice of the Transparency Register. VTT is part of the EU Transparency Register (register number 549986317203-11).