COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS Choose Europe for life sciences A strategy to position the EU as the world’s most attractive place for life sciences by 2030
Date: 2025-07-02
Institutions: Directorate-General for Research and Innovation, European Commission
Subjects: EU strategy, Europe, biotechnology, competitiveness, environmental protection, health policy, innovation, pharmaceutical industry, research and development, sustainable development

EN 

  EN 

   EUROPEAN COMMISSION  Brussels, 2.7.2025  COM(2025) 525 final  COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS Choose Europe for life sciences     A strategy to position the EU as the world’s most attractive place for      life sciences by 2030                         
 
 
Choose Europe for life sciences 
A strategy to position the EU as the world’s most attractive place for  
life sciences by 2030 

1.  EUROPE’S LIFE SCIENCES OPPORTUNITY: A STRATEGIC VISION FOR GLOBAL LEADERSHIP 

Introduction 

The European Union has the ambition to become the global beacon for life sciences by 2030, 
offering  an  ecosystem  where  innovation  thrives  and  breakthroughs  in  health,  food,  and 
sustainability improve lives. 

Life sciences are at the heart of Europe’s ability to improve lives, grow a competitive economy, 
and protect  the planet.  From breakthrough medical  treatments  to  sustainable agriculture  and 
climate-smart solutions, they are driving the innovations that will shape a healthier, safer, and 
more  prosperous  future  for  all  Europeans.  This  strategy  puts  forward  a  bold  yet  practical 
ambition: to make the EU a global leader in life sciences, translating cutting-edge research into 
real-world  solutions  that  strengthen  public  health,  encourage  the  deployment  of  clean 
technologies, and support and scale new industries and high-quality jobs in Europe. 

Europe’s excellence in  health, biotech, agriculture,  food  and  environmental  science must be 
further supported by targeted investments and better coordination across sectors, regions, and 
scientific  disciplines.  The  tangible  advantages  can  be  multiple:  from  accelerating  medical 
innovations  to  preventing  and  treating  disease,  personalising  care,  and  strengthening  health 
systems;  from  supporting  competitive,  sustainable  and  resilient  food  systems  and  bio-based 
industries that protect nature and reduce environmental impact, to new biotechnologies that fuel 
growth in areas like biomanufacturing and advanced materials. All these will directly contribute 
to strategic resilience by securing access to critical knowledge, tools, and technologies made in 
Europe. 

For citizens, this means better health at all ages, wider choice of safe food, cleaner and more 
resilient environments, and strong, future-ready economies. For businesses, it offers dynamic 
innovation  ecosystems  and  predictable  paths  to  scaling  up  solutions.  In  addition  to  staying 
competitive, this is also a strategic investment in intergenerational fairness, as the aim is for 
Europe to lead with purpose, so that innovation serves people and the planet, both now, and for 
generations to come. 

1 

 
 
 
 
 
What are life sciences? 

Life  sciences  study  living  systems,  from  human  beings,  animals,  plants,  microorganisms  to 
ecosystems  and  their  interconnectedness,  via  a  number  of  often  interrelated  disciplines. 
Progress in understanding the mechanisms of life has opened new horizons and opportunities 
to  use  life  science  applications  in  several  sectors  (such  as  health,  food  or  agriculture  –  see 
below). The  innovative  power  of  life  sciences  lies  in  harnessing  breakthrough  technologies 
including  biotechnologies1,  digitisation  and  artificial  intelligence  (AI).  Biotechnology,  an 
essential tool to progress knowledge in life sciences, is also seen as a sector in itself, covering 
many application areas from food and health to industrial processes and cosmetics. 

Recent high-level reports (Letta2, Draghi3, Heitor4, Niinistö5) provided recommendations for 
the EU to strengthen its single market, competitiveness and crisis preparedness. Life sciences 
and their applications hold great potential to put these recommendations into practice and to 
shape the future of Europe. 

President Ursula von der Leyen’s Political Guidelines6 highlighted the strategy for European 
life sciences as a priority for the 2024-2029 Commission. The Commission has since published 
the  Competitiveness  Compass7,  underlining  the  potential  of  life  sciences  to  boost 
competitiveness across multiple sectors, and their role in driving innovation in biotechnology. 

for 

living  or  non-living  materials 

the  production  of  knowledge,  goods  and  services 

1 Biotechnology is the application of science and technology to living organisms, as well as parts, products and models thereof, 
to  alter 
(OECD; 
https://dx.doi.org/10.1787/085e0151-en). Biotechnology is a subset  of life sciences (see Haaf, A., Sale, V.,  ‘Measuring the 
Economic Footprint of the Biotechnology Industry in the European Union, prepared for EuropaBio’, WifOR Darmstadt, 2025 
https://www.europabio.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/WifOR_EuropaBio2025.pdf;  or  UK  Bioindustry  Association 
https://www.bioindustry.org/about/what-is-biotech.html). 
2 https://single-market-economy.ec.europa.eu/news/enrico-lettas-report-future-single-market-2024-04-10_en. 
3 https://commission.europa.eu/topics/eu-competitiveness/draghi-report_en. 
4 https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_24_5305. 
5 https://commission.europa.eu/topics/defence/safer-together-path-towards-fully-prepared-union_en. 
6 https://commission.europa.eu/document/e6cd4328-673c-4e7a-8683-f63ffb2cf648_en. 
7 COM(2025) 30 final (https://commission.europa.eu/document/download/10017eb1-4722-4333-add2-e0ed18105a34_en). 

2 

 
 
 
 
 
Context 

The European life science sectors8 employed around 29 million people in 2022 altogether. They 
generated EUR 1.5 trillion in value added, corresponding to 13.6% of overall employment in 
the EU and 9.4% of the EU’s GDP (see Figure 1)9. Over the past decade, the EU’s life science 
sectors generated steady annual growth of 4-7% of their value added. 

Figure 1: Value added generated by the life science sectors (in EUR million and as a percentage of the EU’s GDP; 
from Lasarte-López, J., González-Hermoso, H., M’barek, R., 2025) 

Key demographic indicators such as Europe’s ageing population, and rising health care costs 
call for smarter, more cost-effective ways to prevent, diagnose, and treat disease. As we look to 
the future, more attention can be devoted to the care of all generations, especially the elderly. 
The dynamics of the so-called ‘silver economy’ and the longevity economy can be harnessed 
to drive innovation, research and economic growth. Maintaining a healthy population, including 
via healthy and nutritious diets, is crucial for prosperity and societal well-being. Furthermore, 
in an era of great geopolitical challenges, health innovation is critical to ensure the EU’s health 
security and autonomy. The European agriculture and food sectors are a hub for innovation, 
with new products and value chains that combine safety, sustainability, and social responsibility. 
Vibrant  rural  areas  and  innovative  food  industries  rely  on  advancements  delivered  by  life 
sciences, while sustainable advanced biofuels  and  fuels  derived from  waste-based processes 
contribute to climate objectives and energy security. Life sciences technologies also play a vital 
role in protecting and restoring the environment, improve practices such as agro-ecology, agro-
forestry or organic farming in developing products to reduce greenhouse gas emission or new 

8 The life sciences sectors comprise the activities that rely on life sciences knowledge and innovation, including healthcare, 
pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, medical devices, and agrifood technologies (see Lasarte-López, J., González-Hermoso, H., 
M’barek, R., The Life Sciences sectors in the EU: drivers of economic growth and innovation. European Commission, Seville, 
2025, JRC142396, https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/JRC142396). 
9 Lasarte-López, J., González-Hermoso, H., M’barek, R., The Life Sciences sectors in the EU: drivers of economic growth and 
innovation. 
JRC142396,  
https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/JRC142396. 

Commission, 

European 

Seville, 

2025, 

3 

 
 
 
 
crop  varieties  resilient  to  climate  change,  and  in  reducing  the  environmental  footprint  of 
industry, helping to safeguard Europe’s natural resources for future generations. 

Europe’s strong points 

Europe has the potential to be a global leader in life sciences. It offers top-tier research and 
education  opportunities,  and  a  steadfast  commitment  to  academic  freedom,  diversity  and 
inclusion, as emphasised in the Choose Europe initiative10. Europe is home to a dynamic life 
science  landscape11,  with  world-class  research  institutions  and  infrastructures  producing 
pioneering work and biotech clusters12 that stimulate innovation. 

The EU consistently ranks among the top regions globally for life science publications13. It is 
also dynamic in terms of global high-value patenting in the sector of biotechnologies, ranking 
second  (with  a  18%  share),  behind  the  US  (with  39%).  However,  its  position  will  soon  be 
challenged by China, which is catching up quickly (with a 10% share)14, 15. 

In terms of industry dynamism, biotechnologies are strong drivers for innovation in the life 
science  sectors  and  are  critical  to  the  EU  economy  and  the  competitiveness  of  its  industry. 
Productivity in this sector is significantly higher than the EU average and  its employment is 
growing six times faster than the overall EU economy16. This underlines the enormous potential 
of European biotechnology for industrial applications. In 2024, the EU was home to 15% of the 
world’s top firms in terms of research and innovation (R&I) investment in the health-related 
life science sector (64 companies headquartered in the EU)17. Products developed in the EU are 
associated with quality, safety and efficacy. At the same time, business expenditure on R&D in 
the life science sectors almost doubled between 2012 and 2022 (see Figure 2)18. 

2025, 

Seville, 

European 

Commission, 

10 ‘Choose Europe’ positions Europe as the destination of choice for research, innovation, and entrepreneurship 
(https://commission.europa.eu/topics/research-and-innovation/choose-europe_en). 
11 Lasarte-López, J., González-Hermoso, H., M’barek, R., The Life Sciences sectors in the EU: drivers of economic growth and 
innovation. 
JRC142396, 
https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/JRC142396.   
12 A biocluster, is a geographic concentration of interconnected companies, research institutions and organisations focused on 
biotechnology and life sciences, fostering collaboration and innovation. 
13 Total number of publications in journals categorised as ‘Life Sciences’ and ‘Health Sciences’ under the ASJC Subject Areas, 
normalised on the countries’ respective populations; data retrieved in April 2025. 
14  Grassano,  N.  et  al.,  Exploring  the  global  landscape  of  biotech  Innovation:  preliminary  insights  from  patent  analysis, 
Publications Office of the European Union, Luxembourg, 2024, doi:10.2760/567451, JRC137266. 
15 Grassano, N., M’barek, R., Trends in Patents in Life Science: focus on Pharmaceuticals and Medical Technologies. European 
Commission, Seville, 2025, JRC142609, https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/JRC142609. 
16 Haaf, A., Sale, V., Measuring the Economic Footprint of the Biotechnology Industry in the European Union, prepared for 
EuropaBio, WifOR Darmstadt, 2025 (https://www.europabio.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/WifOR_EuropaBio2025.pdf).  
17 https://iri.jrc.ec.europa.eu/data. 
18 Lasarte-López, J., González-Hermoso, H., M’barek, R., The Life Sciences sectors in the EU: drivers of economic growth and 
innovation. 
JRC142396, 
https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/JRC142396.  

Commission, 

European 

Seville, 

2025, 

4 

 
 
 
 
 
Figure 2: Business expenditure on R&D in the life science sectors (from Lasarte-López, J., González-Hermoso, 
H., M’barek, R., 2025) 

Challenges ahead 

The EU faces  fierce competition at global level from other economies such as the US and 
China,  with  a  growing  innovation  gap  and  an  alarming  failure  to  translate  innovation  into 
products  or  services.  Innovative  companies  struggle  to  scale  up  in  Europe19.  The  gap  in 
venture capital investments is also widening. These negative trends signal structural barriers 
affecting Europe’s life science value chains. Fragmented R&I ecosystems, limited and often 
delayed  valorisation  of  technology  breakthroughs  and  underuse  of  data  and  artificial 
intelligence (AI) are limiting our potential. 

Moreover, some trends in the life sciences sector point to worrying developments: for example 
in terms of the number of clinical trials performed20 or the market share for high-value products 
such as advanced therapy medicinal products (ATMPs). 

Life  science  innovators  must  sometimes  also  navigate  complex  regulatory  frameworks. 
Innovators are often faced with the need to follow both EU legislation and national legislation, 
which  are  not  sufficiently  innovation-friendly,  future-proof  and  lack  clear  paths  to  access 
markets. The risks of losing competitiveness to other regions are especially high in areas such 
as medical devices and clinical research. This requires Member States and the Commission to 
join forces. 

It is essential to overcome these barriers to unlock the full potential of life sciences. Regarding 
biotechnologies, the Commission is already assessing how to streamline EU legislation and its 
implementation  to  reduce  fragmentation,  tap  the  potential  for  simplification  and  shorten  the 

19 https://commission.europa.eu/topics/eu-competitiveness/draghi-report_en. 
20  Key  performance  indicators  (KPIs)  to  monitor  the  European  clinical  trials  environment.  Documents  -  European  Union 
(https://accelerating-clinical-
trials.europa.eu/documents_en?f%5B0%5D=document_title%3AKPI&f%5B1%5D=priority_actions_priority_actions%3A2). 

5 

 
 
 
 
 
time to market for biotech innovations. The forthcoming Biotech Act will aim to accelerate the 
translation of biotech innovation into improved industrial processes and products that can be 
brought to market. 

Unlocking the potential of vibrant life sciences in the EU – a strategy for European life 
sciences 

The overall objective of this  strategy is to  position the EU  as the world’s most attractive 
place for life sciences by 203021. The strategy announces a series of actions to develop and 
implement over the coming years to foster a dynamic and competitive life sciences ecosystem. 
Realising this vision necessitates coordinated action across the entire life sciences value chain 
– from R&I to market deployment and user uptake of safe and sustainable products and services. 
It also requires working together with Member States and life science stakeholders to make the 
most effective use of investments, expertise and resources. 

To achieve these goals, the strategy proposes action in three interconnected phases, which all 
underpin the ‘life science innovation journey’: 

•  optimising  the  R&I  ecosystem  to  achieve  a  globally  competitive  life  science  sector: 
through strengthened cooperation and optimised use of resources, promoting a holistic 
approach, using the power of data and AI, ensuring adequate skills  and supporting a 
sustainable industry; 

•  ensuring  smooth  and  rapid  market  access  for  life  science  innovations:  through  more 
innovation  friendly  regulation,  use  of  the  innovation  principle  as  well  as  regulatory 
sandboxes, and better mobilisation of private and public investments; 

•  boosting the uptake and use of life science innovation: through better means to engage 
with citizens to beat disinformation and build trust, and to work closer with end-users 
to ensure adequate solutions for their specific needs. 

Several  EU  initiatives,  including  the  EU  startup  and  scaleup  strategy22,  the  savings  and 
investments union strategy23, the Union of Skills24, and the upcoming EU Biotech Act, medical 
countermeasures  strategy,  stockpiling  strategy  and  bioeconomy  strategy,  will  contribute  to 
reaching the aims set out in the strategy for European life sciences.  

The Commission proposes a reinforced coordination of its services to implement and monitor 
the actions in the strategy. 

Over  EUR  10  billion  from  EU  funding  programmes  (Horizon  Europe, EU4Health,  Digital 
Europe, LIFE, Innovation Fund, Erasmus+) annually support action to implement this strategy 
in the current multiannual financial framework. 

21  Progress  will  be  measured  against  indicators  tracking  growth  in  the  sector  such  as  employment,  value  added,  business 
expenditure in R&D and the number of multi-country clinical trials. 
22 COM(2025) 270 final (https://research-and-innovation.ec.europa.eu/document/download/2f76a0df-b09b-47c2-949c-
800c30e4c530_en). 
23 COM(2025) 124 final (https://finance.ec.europa.eu/document/download/13085856-09c8-4040-918e-
890a1ed7dbf2_en?filename=250319-communication-savings-investmlents-union_en.pdf). 
24 COM(2025) 90 final (https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX%3A52025DC0090). 

6 

 
 
 
2.  OPTIMISING  THE  R&I  ECOSYSTEM  TO  PROMOTE  A  GLOBALLY  COMPETITIVE  LIFE 

SCIENCE SECTOR 

Reinforcing European R&I 

The creation of new knowledge is an essential basis for a vibrant life sciences ecosystem and 
for  the  development  of  technologies  and  innovations.  Horizon  Europe,  the  EU  framework 
programme  for  R&I,  supports  fundamental  and  frontier  research25  and  works  to  translate 
emerging discoveries into practical applications and products26, including through collaborative 
interdisciplinary projects27. This is complemented by the EU cohesion policy which focuses on 
strengthening  regional  R&I  capacities. The  Commission  will  continue  to  support  robust  life 
science  research. The  Commission  will  also  support  pan-European  research  and  technology 
infrastructures28  and  optimise  production  processes,  e.g.  for  bioeconomy  technologies.  The 
forthcoming EU strategy on research and technology infrastructures will aim to strengthen 
their sustainability, coordination and accessibility.  

Although  the  EU  has  a  strong  R&I  foundation,  it  faces  barriers  in  turning  scientific 
breakthroughs into real-world applications. Despite a range of funding instruments, the EU has 
yet  to  excel  in  providing  support  for  technologies  across  development  stages  and  it  lacks 
sufficient follow-on funding for promising results.  

The challenge of fragmentation and silos can be overcome by bringing together life science 
disciplines,  stakeholders  and  funding  into  dynamic  and  connected  R&I  ecosystems  as 
cooperation  between  researchers,  innovators,  industry,  users  and  policymakers  are  better  at 
matching  specific  needs  for  solutions  with  promising  innovation.  They  also  improve  the 
efficiency of the process of translating knowledge into real-world applications. 

Successful  models  for  R&I  ecosystems  include  partnerships,  missions  and  bioclusters. 
European  Partnerships29  and  EU  Missions30  under  Horizon  Europe  foster  long-term 
collaboration, reduce fragmentation and bring critical scale. 

The co-funded  partnership  European Rare Diseases Research Alliance (ERDERA31) aims to 
make Europe the global leader in rare diseases research and innovation by bringing together 
EU  and  national  research  funders.  It  also  includes  the  European  life  sciences  research 
infrastructures, the JRC-managed European Platform on Rare Disease Registration32, patient 

25  See  for  example  European  Research  Council  (https://erc.europa.eu/projects-statistics/mapping-erc-frontier-research)  and 
EIC Pathfinder  (https://eic.ec.europa.eu/eic-funding-opportunities/eic-pathfinder_en). 
26  See  the  2024  biannual  monitoring  report  on  partnerships  in  Horizon  Europe  (https://op.europa.eu/en/web/eu-law-and-
publications/publication-detail/-/publication/8f71dfd0-76fe-11ef-bbbe-01aa75ed71a1) 
Accelerator 
(https://eic.ec.europa.eu/eic-funding-opportunities/eic-accelerator_en). 
27 Horizon Europe, pillar II - Global challenges and European industrial competitiveness. 
28 There are already three technology infrastructures for safety testing of medical technologies and four for nano-enabled bio-
based  materials:  Open 
European  Commission 
(https://op.europa.eu/en/publication-detail/-/publication/0aaf1e05-2082-11ee-94cb-01aa75ed71a1/language-en). 
29 https://research-and-innovation.ec.europa.eu/funding/funding-opportunities/funding-programmes-and-open-calls/horizon-
europe/european-partnerships-horizon-europe_en. 
30 https://research-and-innovation.ec.europa.eu/funding/funding-opportunities/funding-programmes-and-open-calls/horizon-
europe/eu-missions-horizon-europe_en. 
31 https://erdera.org/. 
32 https://eu-rd-platform.jrc.ec.europa.eu/_en. 

for  Advanced  Materials 

Innovation 

Testbeds 

EIC 

and 

– 

7 

 
 
 
organisations, the EU4Health-funded European Reference Networks33 and research-performing 
public  organisations,  foundations  and  industry.  Other  EU  co-funded  partnerships  include 
Biodiversa+ offers opportunities for the restoration and protection of ecosystems and to support 
One  Health  and  the  European  Partnership  on  Animal  Health  and  Welfare34  which  offers 
opportunities  to  foster  life  sciences  research  to  bolster  animal  health.  Within  the  Common 
Agricultural  Policy,  the  European  Innovation  Partnership  for Agricultural  Productivity  and 
Sustainability  supports  local  bottom-up  innovative  projects,  to  ensure  that  advances  in  life 
sciences become practical innovations that address the real needs of farmers, foresters, and rural 
communities.  

The goal of the EU Mission ‘A Soil Deal for Europe’ (Mission Soil)35 is to create 100 Living 
Labs and Lighthouses by 2030 to promote sustainable land and soil management in urban and 
rural areas. 

To further support the uptake of life sciences innovations across all R&I ecosystems, the EU 
will,  through  its  Cohesion  Policy,  foster  stronger  interconnectivity  and  territorial  cohesion 
among local, regional, and national actors. By capitalising on the new flexibilities introduced 
through  the  Cohesion  Policy  mid-term  review,  notably  the  option  to  reallocate  European 
Regional  Development  Fund  resources  to  the  Interregional  Innovation  Investment  (I3) 
instrument,  this  can  help  scale  life  sciences  solutions  and  better  integrate  R&I  value  chains 
across countries and regions.  

The European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) Community, in particular the EIT 
Health,  EIT  Food,  EIT  Climate  and  the  upcoming  EIT  Water  Knowledge  and  Innovation 
Communities  (KICs),  play  a  central  role  in  advancing  life  sciences  across  Europe.  It  spans 
education, entrepreneurship, investment, and cross-sector collaboration, all aimed at fostering 
innovation  and  addressing  major  healthcare,  agriculture,  food  systems  or  climate-related 
challenges. 

Bioclusters, also supported by the activities of the European Cluster Collaboration Platform, 
represent yet another type of ecosystem at local, regional or national level. They bring together 
different stakeholders in view to speed up innovation by concentrating knowledge in specific 
life  science  fields,  especially  in  biotechnology.  Such  models  should  be  leveraged  for  multi-
country clinical trials and ATMPs.  

Leveraging  the  capacities  of European bioclusters  will also  generate major benefits. Europe 
already hosts several bioclusters. There is scope to improve their global standing36 to attract 

33 https://health.ec.europa.eu/rare-diseases-and-european-reference-networks/european-reference-networks_en. 
34 https://www.eupahw.eu/. 
35 https://research-and-innovation.ec.europa.eu/funding/funding-opportunities/funding-programmes-and-open-calls/horizon-
europe/eu-missions-horizon-europe/soil-deal-europe_en. 
36  Van  Looy,  Bart,  et  al.  ‘Growth  of  biotech  clusters  over  several decades  through pioneering,  variety  and  entrepreneurial 
science.’ Nature biotechnology 42.1 (2024): 20-25. 

8 

 
 
 
private capital, spur entrepreneurship and ensure the EU remains competitive. By identifying 
more centres of excellence37, the EU can boost its capacity in life science innovation. 

Such  R&I  ecosystems  lend  themselves  well,  e.g.  for  ensuring  sustainable  management  of 
biomass, or the development of medical countermeasures or for critical medicines, which will 
respectively  be  covered 
strategy,  medical 
countermeasures strategy and Critical Medicines Act 38. The Draghi and Letta reports point 
to the need for actions particularly for multi-country clinical trials and ATMPs.  

the  upcoming  bioeconomy 

through 

Investing  in  ATMP  research  and  development  is  critical  not  only  to  improve  patient 
outcomes but also to strengthen Europe’s position as a global leader in biomedical innovation. 
ATMPs represent a cutting-edge category of treatments designed to treat a wide range of human 
diseases, including severe, chronic or rare diseases where standard treatments often fall short. 

For example, children with the rare genetic disease ADA-SCID (known as ‘bubble children’) 
had  to  live  in  sterile  and  isolated  conditions  due  to  their  compromised  immune  system. 
European  researchers  pioneered  the  first  ATMP  to  treat  ADA-SCID,  partly  funded  by  the 
framework  programmes  for  research  and  innovation39. The  therapy,  which  only  needs  to  be 
administered once, corrects the defective gene in the immune cells allowing these children to 
go back to school and lead fulfilling lives. Another example is the Arrest Blindness project40, 
which developed a bio-cornea restoring vision to patients who otherwise would have remained 
visually impaired or blind41.  

Clinical trials are a type of research that studies new tests and treatments and evaluates their 
effects  on  human  or  animal  health  outcome42.  These  research  studies  are  essential  to  turn 
scientific discoveries into real-world healthcare solutions43. Europe has unique advantages in 
human  clinical  research,  thanks  to  its  large  population  and  rich  genetic  diversity,  as  well  as 
scientific excellence, research infrastructures, and high ethics, quality and safety standards. An 
inclusive approach to clinical trials is essential to harness these advantages44. 

for 

the 

ImmunoDeficiency 

treatment  of  Primary 

https://health.ec.europa.eu/medicinal-products/legal-framework-governing-medicinal-products-human-use-eu/critical-

37  Centres  of  Excellence  are  specific  entities  within  bioclusters  focused  on  a  particular  area  of  expertise,  providing  key 
innovation infrastructures for the advancements of research in specific high value technologies, knowledge transfer and product 
development. 
38 
medicines-act_en. 
39  Advanced  Cell-based  Therapies 
(CELL-PID;  FP7) 
(https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/261387);  DevelopIng  Genetic  medicines  for  Severe  Combined  Immunodeficiency 
(SCIDNET; Horizon 2020) (https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/666908). 
40  Advanced  Regenerative  and  REStorative  Therapies  to  combat  corneal  BLINDNESS  (ARREST  BLINDNESS) 
(https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/667400). 
41 The Swedish company LinkoCare (https://www.linkocare.com/) further developed the bioengineered cornea: LinkCor® is 
a biocompatible corneal implant for managing corneal blindness and impairment. 
42  See  World  Health  Organization  definition  (https://www.who.int/health-topics/clinical-trials#tab=tab_1);  in  the  Clinical 
Trials Regulation 536/2014 clinical trials are defined more narrowly as testing investigational medicinal products on humans 
in specific conditions. 
43 This includes treatments based on nuclear medicine techniques, such as innovative targeted cancer therapy, promoting access 
to European patients. In this domain, thanks to the available nuclear infrastructure and assets, the Commission’s Joint Research 
Centre, developed the breakthrough Actinium-225-PSMA. This innovative compound has demonstrated the high potential of 
targeted  alpha  therapy  for  cancer  treatment  and  has  stimulated  significant  interest  worldwide  in  development  of  further 
radiopharmaceuticals labelled with Actinium-225. 
44 See WHO Guidance for best practices for clinical trials (2024). 

9 

 
 
 
To  improve  the  framework  for  clinical  research  in  Europe  we  need  to  address  regulatory 
challenges  (see  section  3)  and  improve  the  clinical  research  ecosystem  such  as  through 
supporting infrastructures and clinical trial centres and networks. In addition, more funding for 
multi-country  clinical  trials  in  Europe  needs  to  be  mobilised  and  the  model  of  regionally 
integrated clinical research centres promoted, especially to support SMEs and for public health-
promoting clinical research. 

The Commission  will  continue to  contribute facilitating multi-country clinical  trials  through 
European partnerships, including the Innovative Health Initiative Joint Undertaking (IHI JU)45, 
capitalising notably on existing European research infrastructures46, clinical trial networks or 
mechanisms for coordination of clinical trials related to preparedness47. The Commission will 
also pilot a new approach to funding multi-country clinical trials and propose further actions to 
improve the funding landscape. 

The  Commission  is  also  working  through  the Accelerating  Clinical  Trials  in  the  European 
Union  (ACT EU48)  initiative  to  support  clinical  trials  through  regulatory,  technological  and 
process innovation.  

The Commission will continue to work together with the Member States medical research ethics 
committees  in  the  MedEthicsEU49  initiative,  to  step  up  efforts  to  align  their  operational 
procedures.  In  this  context,  the  development  of  model  templates  that  can  contribute  to 
harmonising national requirements will continue and their use incentivised. 

As  regards  the  increasing  number  of  innovative  and  personalised  treatments  that  combine 
medicines and medical devices, the COMBINE programme50 supports sponsors when they 
apply both the regulatory framework for clinical trials of medicines and for medical devices. 
The programme aims to streamline the interface between these regulatory frameworks. An ‘all-
in-one’ coordinated assessment procedure, combining approval from  medicine and device 
authorities and ethics committees across several Member States in a single process, reducing 
administrative burden on sponsors is being piloted. 

Given the potential of partnerships and bioclusters, the Commission urges Member States and 
other partners to boost their support for European partnerships and to scale up targeted R&I 
investment at local, regional and national levels. 

45 https://www.ihi.europa.eu/projects-results/health-spotlights/impact-clinical-trials. 
46 Such as ECRIN, the European Clinical Research Infrastructure Network (https://ecrin.org/ecrin.org); BBMRI, the European 
Research  Infrastructure  for  biobanking  and biomolecular  resources  (https://www.bbmri-eric.eu);  or  EATRIS,  the  European 
infrastructure for translational medicine (https://eatris.eu). 
47 Sub-Group of the HERA Board to advise on the prioritisation of clinical trials and their funding for public health emergencies  
(E03860/1; https://ec.europa.eu/transparency/expert-groups-register/screen/expert-
groups/consult?lang=en&fromMainGroup=true&groupID=104872); Horizon Europe CoMECT project 
(https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/101136531). 
48 ACT EU is a joint initiative of the Commission, the European Medicines Agency and the Heads of national Medicines 
Agencies (https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/human-regulatory-overview/research-development/clinical-trials-human-
medicines/accelerating-clinical-trials-eu-act-eu). 
49 https://health.ec.europa.eu/medicinal-products/clinical-trials/medethicseu_en. 
50 https://health.ec.europa.eu/medical-devices-topics-interest/combined-studies_en. 

10 

 
 
 
Lastly, to  stay ahead globally, the EU must identify emerging  scientific  breakthroughs  at  an 
early  stage  through  ‘horizon  scanning’51  and  then  support  their  rapid  translation  into 
innovation.  This  will  help  to  inform  public  investments52  and  their  prioritisation.  The  Life 
Sciences Coordination Group (see Section 5) will play a central role in mapping opportunities, 
aligning funding priorities and integrating existing activities53. 

Proposed actions: 

• 

• 

(Flagship)  The Commission  will  propose  an investment  plan  for  clinical research  to 
facilitate funding for multi-country clinical trials, in compliance with competition rules, 
and to further develop and streamline European research infrastructures in the field of 
clinical research. 
(Flagship) The Commission will create a network of European Centres of Excellence in 
advanced therapy medicinal products (ATMPs) to coordinate their further development, 
together  with  the  Member  States,  taking  into  account  existing  centres,  with 
EUR 4 million  financial  support  from  the  Horizon  Europe  work  programme  2026-
202754. 

•  The Commission will continue to support, monitor and evaluate the implementation of 
the Clinical Trials Regulation with the overall aim to make Europe more competitive for 
clinical trials and medical research investments. 

•  The  Commission  will  launch  a  pilot  for  phased,  stepwise  funding  of  collaborative 
research under the Horizon Europe work programme 2026-202755, leveraging results 
from past EU projects, to accelerate the development of promising health technologies. 
•  The Commission will explore a pilot to identify and exploit collaboration opportunities 
between EU Biotech clusters across the EU, with a focus on supporting the scaling-up 
of their startups as well as on enhancing their global industrial innovation standing. 
The  action  should  build  upon  existing  actions,  such  as  the  European  Cluster 
Collaboration Platform. 

Promoting a holistic approach to the life sciences 

The EU currently lacks a coherent and integrated framework for the life sciences, which limits 
the  scope  for  policy  alignment,  cross-sector  collaboration  and  sustainable  solutions.  Areas 
which would greatly benefit from a more integrated framework are those requiring One Health 
approaches, as well as the area studying the links between climate change and health. 

The  One  Health56  approach  recognises  the  interconnectedness  of  human,  animal  and 
environmental health and seeks to tackle global challenges in a sustainable manner. The EU can 

51  Detecting  emerging  evidence  and  early  signals  of  change  in  the present  to  help  anticipate  their  potential  future  impacts 
(https://www.oecd.org/en/about/programmes/strategic-foresight.html), 
technological 
developments with potential for application. 
52 See for example EIC Tech Report 2024. 
53 For instance through the use of the Innovation Radar (https://innovation-radar.ec.europa.eu/); or studies like ‘Weak signals 
in Science and Technologies’ (2024; (https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/JRC140959). 
54 Within the existing envelopes of the programme. 
55 Within the existing envelopes of the programme. 
56 https://health.ec.europa.eu/one-health/overview_en. 

including  regarding  scientific  and 

11 

 
 
 
embrace  the  One  Health  approach  to  better  protect  people’s  health,  empower  the  green 
transition and boost competitiveness. Ensuring environmental health and halting the extinction 
of species are of outmost importance. The scientific opinion, ‘One Health Governance in the 
EU’57,  recommends  action  to  tackle  the  fragmentation  of  policies,  the  lack  of  trans-  and 
interdisciplinarity,  and  insufficient  coordination  among  related  sectors. A  prime  example  of 
added value by adopting a One Health approach is combatting antimicrobial resistance, which 
can  only  be  defeated  if  interlinkages  between  humans,  animals  and  the  environment  are 
considered. The EU can build its work in this area on the Council Recommendation on stepping 
up EU actions to combat antimicrobial resistance in a One Health approach58 and EU-Member 
State  collaborations59.  Another  example  is  better  preparedness  and  response  to  infectious 
diseases, where  collaborations such as  DURABLE60, a  network of public  and animal  health 
laboratories and academic research institutes, reinforce the EU's capacity to rapidly respond to 
emerging, serious cross-border threats to health. 

Adopting  a  One  Health  approach  would  also  create  significant  opportunities  in  the  field  of 
microbiomes,  which  are  communities  of  microorganisms  such  as  bacteria  or  fungi  living 
together in a specific environment, with deep interconnections. A thorough understanding of 
microbiomes and their interactions will create opportunities to improve and create new products 
for health, food, sustainable agriculture and forestry, aquaculture and ecological restoration. 

In parallel, we need to deepen understanding of the links between climate change and health, 
with attention to different age groups, including older persons and persons with disabilities61. 
The  new  strategic  research  and  innovation  agenda  on  health  and  climate  change62  will 
support  the  development  and  deployment  of  high-impact  solutions,  including  health-risk 
surveillance tools, prevention-enhancing interventions and low-carbon medical technologies. 
The upcoming European climate adaptation plan will assist Member States in strengthening 
resilience  planning,  updating  climate  risk  assessments  and  developing  more  robust  climate-
resilient  infrastructure  taking  into  account  the  experience  gathered  by  the  EU  Mission  on 
Adaptation to Climate Change63 as well as the concepts and principles of the New European 
Bauhaus. 

Proposed actions: 

• 

(Flagship)  The  Commission  will  promote  One  Health  approaches  in  research  and 
innovation  by  collaborating  with  Member  States  and  other  stakeholders  to: 

57 Scientific opinion by its Scientific Advice Mechanism ‘One Health Governance in the European Union’ 
(https://op.europa.eu/en/publication-detail/-/publication/56b65e58-a309-11ef-85f0-01aa75ed71a1/language-en). 
58 https://health.ec.europa.eu/publications/council-recommendation-stepping-eu-actions-combat-antimicrobial-resistance-one-
health-approach_en. 
59 E.g. the Joint Programming Initiative on Antimicrobial Resistance (https://www.jpiamr.eu/), the upcoming European 
partnership on One Health Antimicrobial Resistance (EUP OHAMR; https://www.jpiamr.eu/activities/one-health-amr/), or 
the European Joint Action on Antimicrobial Resistance and Healthcare-Associated Infections (EUJAMRAI2; https://eu-
jamrai.eu/). 
60 https://durableproject.org/. 
61 See for example https://www.ohchr.org/en/climate-change/impact-climate-change-rights-older-persons. 
62  https://op.europa.eu/en/publication-detail/-/publication/616cce9c-39e5-11f0-8a44-01aa75ed71a1. 
63 https://research-and-innovation.ec.europa.eu/funding/funding-opportunities/funding-programmes-and-open-calls/horizon-
europe/eu-missions-horizon-europe/adaptation-climate-change_en. 

12 

 
 
 
• 

• 

i)  identify  further  priority  areas  that  would  benefit  from  One  Health  approaches  for 
consideration for financial support, leveraging existing data and repositories, and 
ii) develop guidance to support inter- and transdisciplinary R&I in One Health.  
(Flagship) The Commission ambitions to make the EU a world-class innovator in One 
Health microbiome-based solutions, including by mobilising close to EUR 100 million 
under the Horizon Europe work programmes for 2026-2027 to support development and 
deployment of such solutions. 
(Flagship) The Commission will implement the new strategic research and innovation 
agenda on health and climate change, including through mobilising EUR 170 million 
Horizon  Europe  funding  and  invites  Member  States  and  industry  to  contribute.  The 
Commission  will  also  propose  a  global  research  collaboration  to  foster  alignment 
between  global  funders  and  to  support  the  development  of  solutions  to  increase  our 
resilience and to support climate adaptation and mitigation. 

•  The  Commission  will  develop  a  strategic  R&I  agenda  on  food  systems  to  foster 
development  of  competitive,  sustainable  and  resilient  food  systems  solutions, 
complementing the forthcoming strategic approach to R&I in agriculture, forestry and 
rural areas announced in the Vision for agriculture and food64. 

Unlocking the power of data and AI for breakthrough innovation 

Access  to  large-scale,  high-quality  datasets  and  the  ability  to  analyse  them  are  essential  to 
advance life science discoveries. The explosion of data generated worldwide65, combined with 
rapid advances in artificial intelligence (AI) offer significant opportunities for different areas 
such as environment or health. These include the analysis of complex biological systems, the 
development of personalised healthcare, including tailored solutions for specific populations 
such as women and older people and many more.  

Europe has been a frontrunner in adopting AI for scientific research and several EU initiatives 
have been launched to tap in the European AI and data capabilities66.  

The AI  Continent Action  Plan67,  the  forthcoming Apply AI  strategy,  along  with  a  dedicated 
strategy for AI in science and the AI Factories68, will further accelerate the uneven uptake of AI 
and facilitate life science AI powered breakthroughs69. At least 10 out of 13 AI Factories, which 
bring together the necessary resources and stakeholders to build cutting-edge AI models and 
applications, will cater for ecosystems relevant for life sciences, among others supporting drug 
discovery and genome analysis. Furthermore, EUR 20 billion will be invested to create up to 
five AI  Gigafactories  dedicated  to  development  and  training  of  next-generation AI  models 
containing trillions of parameters. 

64 COM(2025) 75 final (eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:52025DC0075). 
65 In less than a decade, the volume of global data has increased five-fold (European strategy for data, COM(2020) 66 final). 
According  to  Forbes, healthcare  data  is  expected to  comprise  around  36%  of  all  the data  in  the  world by  the  end of 2025 
(https://www.forbes.com/councils/forbestechcouncil/2023/12/12/what-to-do-about-healthcares-messy-desk-data-dilemma/). 
66 For example: the ‘GenAI4EU’, the European ‘1+ Million Genomes’ Initiative, European Initiative to UNderstand CANcer, 
European Reference Networks & their registries. 
67 https://commission.europa.eu/topics/eu-competitiveness/ai-continent_en. 
68 https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/policies/ai-factories. 
69 As exemplified in https://cordis.europa.eu/article/id/459569. 

13 

 
 
 
In the health sector, the European Health Data Space (EHDS) Regulation70 establishes a clear 
framework for accessing electronic health data in a secured and streamlined way.   

The  rules  and  principles  of  the  General  Data  Protection  Regulation  are  embedded  in  legal 
frameworks such as the EHDS, the Data Governance Act and the AI Act to enable research and 
innovation that relies on personal data. Moreover, the forthcoming Data Union Strategy will 
adopt a cross-sectoral approach for increasing data availability and use for AI and addressing 
legal fragmentation, ensuring a more cohesive and efficient data environment across the EU. 

However,  challenges  persist.  Fragmentation  in  national  application  of  EU  legislation  and 
diverging national interpretations create legal uncertainty and continue to limit the full use of 
personal data71. The coexistence of personal and non-personal data, the various data formats, 
combined with diverse data access regimes and the fact that data remains often siloed adds to 
the complexity. These challenges are exacerbated by ethical concerns around AI and data use 
and reuse.  

To address these challenges, a closer cooperation needs to be established between Member 
State  authorities,  responsible  for  life  science  R&I, AI  and  data  related  domains,  and  EU 
institutional  stakeholders  to  tackle  data-related  challenges  in  a  consistent  manner.  Such 
collaboration will enhance the mutual understanding on the increasingly complex, cross-cutting 
and  horizontal  challenges  in  data  sharing  for  life  sciences,  will  facilitate  exchange  of  good 
practices and harmonisation of approaches in areas that go beyond sector-specific regulatory 
domains. Building on this cross-regulatory cooperation, the Commission will consider the most 
appropriate  way  forward  to  address  the  unresolved  recurring  challenges  faced  by  R&I 
stakeholders. 

Research  and  innovation  in  life  sciences  also  relies  heavily  on  the  understanding  and 
exploration of both human and non-human genomic and biological data (biodata)72 including 
taxonomic data. The linkage of non-human and human data would be particularly important 
to advance the One Health approaches, as previously mentioned. The Commission is already 
supporting  the  establishment  of  a  comprehensive  European  genomic  reference  database  to 
support advancements in personalised medicine.  

The  acceleration  of  scientific  discoveries,  preservation  of  biodiversity,  and  contribution  to 
nature  restoration73  is  also  critically  dependent  on  improving  the  quality,  accessibility, 
interoperability  and  sustainability  of  biodata  resources.  Stronger  multilateral  international 
collaboration is needed with like-minded partners to secure long-term access to and stewardship 
of global biodata resources. 

Finally, to fast-track life science discoveries from idea to market, researchers and innovators 
should  be  equipped  with  an  AI-powered  interactive  tool  to  navigate  through  the  EU's 

70 https://health.ec.europa.eu/ehealth-digital-health-and-care/european-health-data-space-regulation-ehds_en.  
71 Second Report on the application of the General Data Protection Regulation, COM(2024) 357 final. 
72 Such as the ‘Catalogue of Life’, which provides an index of known species of animals, plants, fungi, and microorganisms, as 
the  basis  for  collaboration  with  like-minded partners  in  international  fora  such  as  the  G20  and  contribute  to  achieving  the 
objectives set in relevant international agreements such as the Kunming Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. 
73 Regulation (EU) 2024/1991 on nature restoration (https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2024/1991/oj/eng).  

14 

 
 
 
regulatory landscape and fully leverage the data repositories and available services. Such a tool 
will  address  the  cross-disciplinary  and  cross-sectorial  needs  of  modern  life  scientists, 
supporting researchers and innovators in i) embedding regulatory compliance at the very early 
design stage, ii) overcoming data findability barriers and iii) fully utilising the data services 
provided by EU-funded infrastructure and instruments (see Section 3). 

Proposed actions: 

• 

(Flagship) The Commission will establish a European Life Sciences R&I Data Assembly 
bringing  together  a  range  of  EU  and  Member  State  authorities  working  in  data-related 
domains and key EU R&I bodies to support consistent interpretation and harmonisation of 
relevant  legal  data  frameworks  and  to  strengthen  cross-regulatory  coordination  and 
collaboration. 

•  The Commission will support activities to develop and populate strategic biodata resources, 
including  non-human  biodata,  and  enable  access  for  European  and  global  users  in 
complement to the European Data Union strategy. 

•  The  Commission  will  invest  EUR 50  million  in  integration  of  multi-modal  generative AI 
technologies  into  multidisciplinary  biomedical  research  via  the  Horizon  Europe  Work 
Programme 2025. 

•  The Commission will invest EUR 25 million from the Digital Europe work programme 2026 

to boost the European genomic data infrastructure, in alignment with the EHDS. 

Life sciences as a driver for industrial sustainability 

Accelerating the development and adoption of innovative, circular, resource-efficient, and low-
emission biotechnologies is crucial to tackling climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution, 
reduce soil degradation and ensure the sustainable provision of ecosystem services. To unlock 
the  full  potential  of  biotechnology  to  improve  industrial  processes  and  to  green  European 
industry, targeted investments are needed across the entire innovation pipeline and across all 
Member  States  and  Regions,  particularly  in  territories  facing  innovation  challenges.  This 
includes reducing the use of resources, water and energy, in line with the Clean Industrial Deal. 

the  advancement  of  novel  methodological  approaches 

Life science innovation can help reduce Europe’s dependence on limited sustainable biomass74 
by  deploying  regenerative  and  nature-based  solutions  and  using  biomass  more  efficiently, 
turning waste into valuable products and supporting the use of carbon from carbon capture and 
utilisation.  Supporting 
in 
biomanufacturing  is  essential,  as  it  enhances  attractiveness  for  industrial  adoption  of 
biotechnology. New technologies for bioremediation also play an important role in restoring 
the  environment.  The  European  water  resilience  strategy  indicates  that  research  and 
innovation  can  have  the  potential  to  significantly  reduce  the  costs  of  remediation  of  highly 
persistent  pollutants,  such  as  per-  and  polyfluoroalkyl  substances  (PFAS),  through  novel, 
including  bio-based,  technologies.  Biorefineries  are  a  key  example  of  how  life  science 
technologies  can  support  and  enable  a  circular  bioeconomy75.  Several  EU  initiatives  have 

74 https://knowledge4policy.ec.europa.eu/visualisation/eu-bioeconomy-monitoring-system-dashboards_en. 
75 https://www.fao.org/food-safety/news/news-details/en/c/1735814/. 

15 

 
 
 
successfully  transformed  waste  and  residue  streams  from  agricultural,  fisheries  and 
aquaculture76 into higher-value products such as food, feed, fertilisers, textiles and plastics77. 

As an example, the project Circular Biocarbon, funded by the Circular Bio-based Europe Joint 
Undertaking, is working with local authorities to use municipal waste to produce bio-polymers 
that have a range of applications from agriculture to advanced materials. There is an expectation 
that the project’s results can be replicated by over 20 000 European waste recovery facilities, 
offering  a  pathway  to  valorise  close  to  50%  of  the  ~220  million  tons  of  municipal  waste 
generated annually in the EU78. 

Advanced  fermentation  technologies  such  as  precision  and  biomass  fermentation  offer 
significant  potential,  as  they  can  produce  a  wide  spectrum  of  high-end  products79,  80  from 
renewable raw materials with low environmental impact. Products include a wide variety of 
sustainable food ingredients (e.g. natural colorants, low caloric sweeteners), biopolymers (e.g. 
spider silk), cosmetics or biosurfactants, biopesticides, or chemicals. Startups and other SMEs 
are  playing  a  leading  role  in  driving  innovation  in  advanced  fermentation  technologies81. 
Upscaling is a capital-intensive and challenging process and requires for example development 
of biomass pre-treatment and downstream processing.  

The upcoming new bioeconomy strategy (2025) will drive the deployment and uptake of such 
innovations across value chains while ensuring sustainable supply of biomass. Complementary 
initiatives  (including  the  Circular  Economy  Act,  the  Communication  on  Advanced 
Materials  for  Industrial  Leadership82  and  the  revised  Commission  recommendation  on 
Safe and Sustainable by Design (SSbD) Chemicals and Advanced Materials83) pursue the 
EU’s sustainability  and competitiveness  objectives. The SSbD framework  aims  to become a 
global  benchmark  for  innovation  in  the  clean  industrial  transition,  encouraging  industry  to 
replace substances of concern with safer, more sustainable alternatives. In preparation for the 
Advanced Materials Act, the Commission will also explore with stakeholders how material 
sciences and life sciences can mutually reinforce the competitiveness of their related sectors. 

Novel tools such as new approach methodologies (NAMs) – innovative experimental methods 
that  do  not  involve  live  animals –  can  accelerate  innovation,  reduce  costs  and  increase 
efficiency in industrial R&I. These methodologies use a range of modern technologies such as 
advanced  computer  models  and  virtual  twins84  (digital  representation  of  for  example  cells, 

76  Strategic  guidelines  for  a  more  sustainable  and  competitive  EU  aquaculture  for  the  period  2021  to  2030  (https://eur-
lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=celex:52021DC0236). 
77  See  for  example  demonstration  and  flagship  biorefineries  under  the  Circular  Bio-based  Europe  Joint  Undertaking, 
https://www.cbe.europa.eu/. 
78 https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/index.php?title=Municipal_waste_statistics. 
79 The transition pathway for the agri-food industrial ecosystem identified precision fermentation as an innovative agri-food 
technology  that  should  be  explored  to  boost  EU  competitiveness:  https://single-market-economy.ec.europa.eu/sectors/agri-
food-industrial-ecosystem/transition-pathway-agri-food-industrial-ecosystem_en. 
80 https://www.fao.org/food-safety/news/news-details/en/c/1735814/. 
81 https://gfi.org/resource/fermentation-meat-seafood-eggs-dairy-and-ingredients-state-of-the-industry/. 
82 COM(2024) 98 final (https://research-and-innovation.ec.europa.eu/document/download/0fcf06ea-c242-44a6-b2cb-
daed39584996_en?filename=com_2024_98_1_en_act_part1.pdf).  
83 https://research-and-innovation.ec.europa.eu/research-area/industrial-research-and-innovation/chemicals-and-advanced-
materials/safe-and-sustainable-design_en. 
84 See for example the European Virtual Human Twins Initiative (https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/policies/virtual-
human-twins). 

16 

 
 
 
tissues, organs or living systems). NAMs can complement or replace certain animal studies, 
speeding up the development of safe and effective medicines and improving safety assessments 
of chemicals and other products. By adopting and investing in these new tools, industry can 
innovate faster, reduce costs and make research and development more sustainable. 

Proposed actions: 

•  The  Commission  will  support  research  and  innovation  in  cross-sectoral  life  science 
technologies  to  develop  new  products  that  can  drive  industrial  innovation  and 
sustainability  (including  novel  molecules  and  advanced  materials),  improve  the 
efficiency  of  biomanufacturing  and  other  industrial  biotechnology  processes,  and 
support bioremediation. This includes mobilising EUR 200 million under the Horizon 
Europe work programme 2026-2027. 

•  The  Commission  will  support  the  scale-up  and  uptake  of  sustainable  advanced 
fermentation  by  promoting  innovation  through  public-private  partnerships  and 
supporting  the  scaling-up  of  startups  and  other  SMEs  operating  in  this  area  and  by 
organising  an  annual  conference  on  advanced  fermentation  to  connect  stakeholders, 
foster collaboration and promote knowledge exchange. 

•  The  Commission  will  support  life  sciences  research  and  innovation  to  promote  the 
leadership position of the European Union for bioeconomy solutions and sustainable 
management of biomass. This includes mobilising more than EUR 150 million under the 
Horizon Europe work programme 2026-2027. 

•  The  Commission  will  collaborate  with  Member  States,  industry,  academia  and 
regulators  to  support  development,  validation  and  uptake  of  new  approach 
methodologies  to  de-risk  the  development  of  new  medicinal  products  and  medical 
devices through a new European Research Area (ERA) policy action85. In addition, the 
Horizon  Europe  programme  will  allocate  EUR 50 million  to  these  methodologies 
through its work programme 2026-2027. 

•  The  Commission  will  continue  to  support  the  emergence  and  adoption  of  the  next 
generation  of  virtual  human  twins  solutions  in  the  context  of  the  European  Virtual 
Human  Twins  Initiative.  The  Commission  will  dedicate  EUR  8  million  for  a  Virtual 
Human  Twins  Incubator  to  support  uptake  of  virtual  human  twin  solutions  in  the 
European  market  and  their  use  in  clinical  research  (e.g.  clinical  trials,  clinical 
investigations) through the Digital Europe Work Programme 2025-2027. 

Strengthening skills and careers for competitive European life sciences  

Life  sciences  are  evolving  rapidly.  Constantly  emerging  new  knowledge,  techniques  and 
technologies make it challenging for academics, researchers and practitioners to keep up with 
advances.  At  the  same  time,  researchers  face  career  challenges,  including  limited  career 

85 See ERA Policy Agenda 2025-2027 (https://european-research-area.ec.europa.eu/era-policy-agenda-2025-2027). 

17 

 
 
 
prospects,  restricted  mobility  and  persistent  gender  imbalances  in  science,  technology, 
engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields86. 

Given the current geopolitical context, the EU reiterates its commitment to academic freedom 
and  to  open  international  research  collaboration,  positioning  Europe  as  a  hub  for  global 
innovation and fostering progress in critical life science fields such as health and climate. The 
EU has a range of instruments to support the development of skills and foster links between 
academia and industry, including the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions, the EIT87, Erasmus+ 
supported programmes  and training schemes  provided by European research  infrastructures. 
The Commission encourages Member States to strengthen national programmes that promote 
innovation  and  entrepreneurship  in  key  life  science  sectors,  as  well  as  lifelong  learning, 
upskilling and reskilling for professionals in these sectors. 

The recently launched Union of Skills88 proposes targeted actions to promote future-oriented 
skills for Europe’s competitiveness. The accompanying STEM education strategic plan89 aims 
to enhance the quality of STEM education and training and foster talent in critical, fast-growing 
fields  such  as  life  sciences,  including  through  a  STEM  specialist  fellowships  to  attract  top 
scientists and experts to the EU, and by strengthening cooperation between education, research, 
and business to create synergies and facilitate knowledge transfer. Also, the strategic plan will 
promote  future-oriented  STEM  curricula  in  schools,  vocational  education  and  training  and 
tertiary education. In line with these efforts, the ecosystems around AI Factories will contribute 
to  developing  the  cutting-edge  skills  and  expertise  of  a  new  generation  of  scientists  and 
professionals across various fields, including life sciences. 

To  make  research  careers  more  attractive,  the  EU  will  implement  the  new  European 
framework for research careers, the Council Recommendation on attractive and sustainable 
careers in higher education90 and the European Charter for Researchers91, supported by tailored 
instruments92. Building on these, the Commission will work to attract global research talent and 
overcome any remaining legal barriers by action under the forthcoming European Research 
Area (ERA) Act (2026). 

Furthermore, an enhanced use of the European digital skills certificate and the digitalisation of 
academic qualifications and other certificates, including micro-credentials, as well as digitally 
accessible  individual  learning  accounts,  will  increase  transparency  on  available  training  and 
support opportunities, and facilitate automatic recognition of academic qualifications to unlock 
training and work opportunities for scientists across the EU. The EU Digital Identity Wallets 

86  E.g.  women  file  only  10%  of  patent  applications  (https://projects.research-and-innovation.ec.europa.eu/en/knowledge-
publications-tools-and-data/interactive-reports/she-figures-2024). 
87 The EIT Community, in particular through relevant KICs, leads efforts to attract new talent and upskill the existing workforce 
through reskilling initiatives, on-the-job training, personalized learning journeys that integrate entrepreneurship and industry 
trends, coordinating skills partnerships with industry and other learning opportunities. 
88 https://commission.europa.eu/topics/eu-competitiveness/union-skills_en. 
89  A  STEM  Education  Strategic  Plan:  skills 
https://education.ec.europa.eu/document/stem-education-strategic-plan-legal-document). 
90Council Recommendation of 25 November 2024 on attractive and sustainable careers in higher education  
91 Council Recommendation of 18 December 2023 on a European framework to attract and retain research, innovation and 
entrepreneurial talents in Europe. 
92 https://european-research-area.ec.europa.eu/horizon-europe-support-research-careers. 

for  competitiveness  and 

(COM(2025)  89 

innovation 

final; 

18 

 
 
 
that will be launched by end of 2026 by all Member States will offer an EU-wide platform for 
handling digital qualification certificates and putting them in the hands of scientists. 

Proposed actions: 

• 

(Flagship) The Commission will take action to support the career development of life 
science researchers and to help researchers from non-EU countries set up in the EU, 
including  through  the  'Choose  Europe’  initiative,  and  work  in  synergy  with  similar 
activities run by the Member States93. 

•  The Commission will launch a foresight study to identify  the competences, skills and 
training  needs  for  the  life  sciences,  including  for  optimising  the  uptake  of  artificial 
intelligence.  With  EUR  1  million  financial  support  from  the  Horizon  Europe  work 
programme  2026-2027,  the  study  will  complement  relevant  data  and  analysis  by  the 
European Skills Intelligence Observatory. 

3.  PROVIDING SMOOTH AND RAPID MARKET ACCESS FOR LIFE SCIENCE INNOVATIONS 

Promoting innovation-responsive regulation 

Europe’s high standards for quality, safety, and efficacy in life sciences underpin public trust 
and ensure that innovations deliver real value to people. However, regulatory and administrative 
hurdles  can  significantly  slow  down  the  journey  from  idea  to  market,  driving  up  costs  and 
creating  uncertainty  –  particularly  for  startups  and  innovators.  In  the  area  of  bioeconomy 
solutions, the upcoming new Bioeconomy Strategy (2025) will propose actions on accelerating 
the market uptake and scale-up of bioeconomy solutions, maximising resource efficiency and 
securing sustainably sourced biomass  supply, looking at  regulatory barriers and investments 
needs.  

Fragmentation  and  complexity  in  regulatory  pathways  are  a  challenge,  especially  for  novel 
products, or combined products that fall under multiple legal frameworks or need to progress 
through  different  regulatory  stages.  This  leads  to  slow  timelines  and  the  risk  of  conflicting 
decisions.  Even  with  centralised approaches, long authorisation  procedures under  regulatory 
frameworks  that  require  pre-market  authorisation  to  ensure  safety  for  human  health  and  the 
environment can delay market entry of innovative products. For multi-country clinical studies, 
the need for trials to go through parallel national ethics approval can result in delays. 

In order to fully unlock the potential of biotech innovation in Europe, it is important to assess 
current regulatory procedures, particularly for health, medical devices and food applications, in 
order to make them more agile and proportionate, without compromising safety or scientific 
rigour. Efforts should also be made to increase efficiency and to significantly reduce the length 

life 

93  Such  as 
for  Science 
regional 
(https://euraxess.ec.europa.eu/jobs#choose-europe-for-science-new),  including  e.g.  the  French  Safe  Place  for  Science 
initiative, or the Danish Science Hub Denmark. 

initiatives  under  Choose  Europe 

sciences-relevant  national  and 

19 

 
 
 
 
of authorisation procedures in the health, medical devices and food areas, to make the EU more 
attractive in comparison to other regions in the world. 

Regulatory  systems  need  to  be  responsive  to  emerging  technologies  and  keep  pace  with 
scientific progress. Future legislation should integrate experimentation clauses, derogations and 
the use of test environments such as regulatory sandboxes94 as was done for example in the 
proposed reform of the EU pharmaceutical legislation. This provides the flexibility to test new 
solutions,  gather  evidence  and  ensure  that  regulatory  frameworks  remain  responsive  and 
supportive of innovation. 

The EU is committed to advancing the innovation principle95, which is a policymaking tool 
designed  to  ensure  that  policy  and  regulation  actively  support  innovation  as  a  driver  for 
achieving  the  EU's  strategic  objectives,  including  health  security,  environmental  safety, 
sustainability and economic resilience. The EU is also obliged by its founding treaties to strive 
for  a  high  level  of  protection  of  human  health  and  the  environment.  This  means  shaping  a 
regulatory  environment  that  both  upholds  Europe’s  rigorous  standards  and  creates  the  best 
possible conditions for life science innovation to thrive and to meet societal needs. European 
Partnerships  under  Horizon  Europe,  especially  Joint  Undertakings  such  as  the  Innovative 
Health Initiative Joint Undertaking (IHI JU), are well placed to support regulatory changes in 
scientific  domains  and  to  strengthen  the  EU's  capacity  to  adapt  regulation  to  emerging 
technologies in full commitment with the precautionary principle. 

Standards have an important role in facilitating innovation and market access by influencing 
industry practices, guiding policies and ensuring that products and processes meet recognised 
benchmarks for quality, safety, and sustainability. The Commission will continue to encourage 
the elaboration and updating of European standards in the field of life sciences and in particular 
for  biotechnology  and  biomanufacturing,  with  support  of  the  European  standardisation 
organisations and in compliance with EU competition rules. 

For example, efforts are underway through the IHI JU96 to develop a comprehensive framework 
for robust regulatory sandboxes in the human health area, notably in relation to the reform of 
the EU pharmaceutical legislation. 

Cooperation  between  national  and  EU  Agencies  in  the  co-funded  Partnership  for  the 
Assessment  of  Risks  from  Chemicals97  facilitates  the  timely  uptake  of  innovation  into 
regulatory practice. 

Early regulatory guidance for researchers and innovators plays a critical role in the life science 
innovation journey. The Commission plans to create an AI-powered interactive tool to help 
researchers  and  innovators  navigate  the  EU  regulatory  landscape,  complementing  the 
information  available  to  companies  through  the  Biotech  and  Biomanufacturing  Hub, 

94 Commission Staff Working Document: Regulatory learning in the EU Guidance on regulatory sandboxes, testbeds, and 
living labs in the EU, with a focus section on energy (SWD(2023) 277/2 final). 
95 https://research-and-innovation.ec.europa.eu/law-and-regulations/ensuring-eu-legislation-supports-innovation_en. 
96 https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/opportunities/topic-details/horizon-ju-ihi-2024-08-03-
two-stage. 
97 https://www.eu-parc.eu/.  

20 

 
 
 
particularly for the early stages of research and development. This personalised assistance tool 
will help innovators navigate cross-sectoral and cross-technology regulatory frameworks from 
the early stage of innovation design. The tool will be interactive to help users identify and access 
key information, datasets and tools, tailored to their specific innovative needs. 

A  predictable  and  balanced  intellectual  property  (IP)  framework  is  crucial  for  a  vibrant  life 
science innovation ecosystem. IP is frequently a critical asset that startups leverage to secure 
financing for their R&I activities. The Commission promotes the Unitary Patent system and 
encourages  all  EU  Member  States  to  join  this  system.  To  enhance  the  EU  regime  for 
supplementary protection certificates (SPCs), the Commission actively supports the ongoing 
co-decision process for a reform of that regime and aims for the rapid creation of a unitary SPC, 
which  will  promote  the  uptake  of  the  unitary  patent.  The  Commission  also  monitors  the 
application of the Directive 98/44/EC on the legal protection of biotechnological inventions to 
ensure it remains fit for purpose. Finally, the Commission supports filing and management of 
IP rights, including action under the SME Fund.  

Further,  multiple  reforms  of  existing  regulations  and  already  adopted  regulations  as  well  as 
regulations yet to be proposed aim support the advancement of the ‘innovation principle’, whilst 
safeguarding a high level of protection of human health and the environment. 

The proposed reform of the EU pharmaceutical legislation98 includes measures to streamline 
the  regulatory  framework  for  the  development  and  timely  authorisation  of  innovative 
medicines.  This  reform  provides  for  early  interaction  between  regulators  and  companies, 
especially  start-ups  and  SMEs.  It  also  includes  future-proofing  measures  to  ensure  that  the 
regulatory  system  keeps  pace  with  scientific  and  technological  progress,  such  as  regulatory 
sandboxes and adapted frameworks to foster cutting-edge innovation. 

The  EU  Health  Technology  Assessment  Regulation  introduces  the  possibility  for  health 
technology developers of medical products to ask for advice on their clinical development plan 
in parallel to the scientific advice given in the context of the medicines’ regulatory process. This 
is  expected  to  facilitate  the  production  of  clinical  evidence  able  to  simultaneously  meet 
regulatory and HTA requirements and speed up market access to innovative products.  

The  Clinical Trials  Regulation99,  and  associated  actions  represent  efforts  to  ensure  Europe’s 
attractiveness  and  competitiveness  for  clinical  research  investments  and  provide  patients  in 
Europe  with  early  access  to  innovative  medicines.  The  Commission  will  continue,  in  close 
cooperation  with  Member  States  and  relevant  stakeholders, 
to  ensure  appropriate 
implementation of the Clinical Trials Regulation, in particular with regard to  multi-country 
clinical  trials.  Progress  is  monitored  by  collecting  key  performance  indicators  which  are 
regularly published100.  

98 https://health.ec.europa.eu/medicinal-products/legal-framework-governing-medicinal-products-human-use-eu/reform-eu-
pharmaceutical-legislation_en. 
99 https://health.ec.europa.eu/medicinal-products/clinical-trials/clinical-trials-regulation-eu-no-5362014_en. 
100 https://accelerating-clinical-
trials.europa.eu/documents_en?f%5B0%5D=document_title%3AKPI&f%5B1%5D=priority_actions_priority_actions%3A2. 

21 

 
 
 
Medical  devices  and  diagnostics  are  essential  to  healthcare  systems  because  they  enable 
accurate disease detection, effective treatment, and continuous patient monitoring, ultimately 
improving health outcomes and saving lives. They have a short innovation cycle and need to 
reach  the  market  efficiently.  The  Commission  is  working  to  address  challenges  identified 
regarding the regulatory framework for medical devices and in vitro diagnostic devices. 
It is conducting a targeted evaluation of the concerned regulations. Based on this evaluation, 
the Commission will be ready to propose a legislative intervention that strikes the balance 
between simplifying EU regulations related to medical devices and in vitro diagnostics, and 
effectively protecting patient safety and public health, also considering health emergencies. 

In addition, the upcoming European Business Wallet101, which will be a tool for simplification 
and  decreasing  administrative  barriers,  will  support  researchers  to  manage  regulatory 
requirements, such as securely managing and sharing their verified data and credentials with 
public administrations and/or investors. 

Finally, the Commission will propose the European Biotech Act to make the EU regulatory 
environment more conducive to innovation, attract innovators and investors, and make it easier 
for spin-offs, start-ups and scale-ups to bring biotechnologies from the laboratory to the factory 
and  onto  the  market. Furthermore,  the  Act  will  also  include  measures  complementary  to 
regulatory aspects. 

Proposed actions: 

• 

• 

(Flagship)  The  Commission  will  propose  an  EU  Biotech  Act  to  make  the  EU 
regulatory system more  conducive to  biotech innovation in  various  biotech  sectors, 
alongside supportive measures. 
(Flagship) The Commission will be ready to propose legislation that strikes a balance 
between simplifying EU regulations related to medical devices and in vitro diagnostics, 
with  a  view  to  facilitate  businesses’  operations  across  the  EU  single  market,  and 
effectively protecting patient safety and public health. 

•  The Commission will create an AI-powered interactive tool to help researchers and 
innovators navigate the EU regulatory landscape, particularly in the early stages of 
research and development.  

Unlocking public and private investment 

The life science industry in Europe still faces significant financing and investment challenges. 
The challenges include fragmented capital markets, an over-reliance on bank financing and a 
lack  of  coordination  in  public  funding.  Europe’s  relatively  underdeveloped  initial  public 
offering (IPO) market, limited venture capital (VC) availability, and low level of involvement 
with institutional and foreign investors further constrain the sector’s ability to grow and scale102. 

101 https://ec.europa.eu/info/law/better-regulation/have-your-say/initiatives/14663-European-Business-Wallet-digital-identity-
secure-data-exchange-and-legal-notifications-for-simple-digital-business_en.  
102  Attracting 
Europe,  Oct 
content/uploads/2024/09/Life_Science_Attractiveness_-_2023_November_22_Final_Final_LR2.pdf. 

https://www.biomedeurope.org/wp-

Investments 

Science 

2023; 

Life 

in 

22 

 
 
 
While VC investment in the EU has improved over the past decade, it remains below the levels 
seen in other global regions. 

In 2024, health, life sciences and deep tech attracted significantly more investment than other 
sectors. However, much more is needed to fully tap Europe’s potential and to build competitive 
leadership in these fields103. 

Long development and authorisation timelines, notably for health-related products, combined 
with the specialised expertise needed to evaluate investments in this area, make it more difficult 
for investors to identify and invest in promising opportunities. This limits innovators’ ability to 
scale up and bring life sciences solutions to market in the EU.  

Public support mechanisms play a key role in de-risking investments and in helping startups 
reach  critical  development  milestones  that  can  attract  follow-on  private  capital.  The 
Commission  has  already  taken  targeted  steps  to  improve  access  to  finance  for  life  science 
technologies  and  innovations.  These  include  the  European  Circular  Bioeconomy  Fund,  the 
HERA  Invest  scheme  and  dedicated  support  for  life  science  startups  and  scale-ups  through 
InvestEU  and  the  European  Innovation  Council  (EIC)104.  In  addition,  broader  EU  financing 
initiatives such as the Strategic Technologies for Europe Platform (STEP) and the InvestEU 
programme  are  improving  access  to  capital  by  supporting  innovation-driven  companies  and 
providing anchor investments in VC funds105. Shared management funds, notably the European 
Regional Development Fund, also play an important role in supporting innovative companies 
to access financing through grant and financial instruments, as well as by attracting additional 
private investments. 

To  address  key  challenges  in  the  functioning  of  EU  capital  markets,  the  Commission  is 
implementing the Savings and Investment Union (SIU) strategy106. The SIU will reduce market 
fragmentation, create better investment opportunities for citizens and help to expand funding 
options for businesses. In particular, it will seek to improve access to equity and debt financing 
for all companies, including startups and scaleups, strengthen the role of venture capital and 
institutional investors and better align EU public funding instruments with SIU objectives. 

In addition, the recently adopted EU startup and scaleup strategy (2025) proposes how to 
facilitate the growth of innovative companies in Europe and accelerate their access to financing 
and the market. It specifically acknowledges the critical strategic importance of life sciences 
and  biotech.  The  Scaleup  Europe  Fund,  announced  in  the  European  startups  and  scaleups 
strategy, will bridge the funding gap and unlock private investments for startups working in 
areas that are strategic for Europe’s technological sovereignty and economic security, including 
in the life sciences. The work of the Fund will be supplemented by measures for unlocking the 

103 The 2025 European Deep Tech Report. 
104 According to the EIC Impact report 2025, between 2020-2024 up to EUR 625 million worth of investments were made in 
life science startups (industrial biotechnology, agri-food biotech and healthcare biotech). 
105 The EIB is the largest venture debt provider to the life sciences sector in Europe with a portfolio of over EUR 2.7 billion at 
the end of 2023 supporting more than 100 innovative companies, almost half of which are in the biotechnology field (Draghi 
Report 2024). 
106  Savings  and  Investments  Union  A  Strategy  to  Foster  Citizens’  Wealth  and  Economic  Competitiveness  in  the  EU 
(COM(2025) 124, final). 

23 

 
 
 
participation  of  institutional  investors  and  pension  funds,  which  are  also  crucial  as  they  are 
underrepresented in the European life sciences funding landscape.  

The  upcoming  European  Innovation  Act  (2026)  will  further  promote  access  to  assets 
generated by publicly funded R&I. 

Joint investments by public funders, foundations and industry have also proven to be an 
efficient means to tackle high-risk research and novel application areas with potentially high 
benefits in the life sciences. European  partnerships – such as the IHI Joint Undertaking, the 
Global Health EDCTP3 Joint Undertaking or the Circular Bio-Based Europe Joint Undertaking 
– bring together private and/or public-sector partners. They have enabled long-term research 
collaboration and financing to tackle challenges in those for their respective sectors and they 
have demonstrated their usefulness in strengthening European competitiveness.  

Structured  interaction  is  needed  between  industrial  partners  and  investors  to  further 
accelerate the growth and scale-up of breakthrough life science startups. European partnerships 
under Horizon Europe and the Enterprise Europe Network will be leveraged, together with the 
EIC portfolio of cutting-edge life science companies, the EIC Trusted Investors Network (TIN) 
comprising experienced investors managing over EUR 300 billion in assets. These interactions 
will be demand-driven and flexible, geared around common interests, such as co-investment 
opportunities, acquisition pathways, and early engagement on unmet technological needs, and 
will be undertaken in compliance with competition rules.  

Proposed action: 

• 

(Flagship)  To  fast-track  life  science  startups  in  their  journey  to  the  market,  the 
Commission  will  launch  a  matchmaking  strategic  interface  connecting  life  science 
startups,  industry  and  investors,  leveraging  the  EIC’s  portfolios,  the  EIC’s  Trusted 
Investors Network (TIN) and other key European stakeholders. 

4.  BOOSTING THE UPTAKE AND USE OF LIFE SCIENCE INNOVATION 

Using public procurement to foster the uptake of innovation 

The public sector needs innovative, sustainable solutions and has the power to shape solutions 
and create markets. As suggested in the Letta’s report, EU and national budgets should prioritise 
investment  in  and  deployment  of  advanced health  technologies  through  public  procurement. 
Public institutions are also an important policy lever for incentivising green procurement, for 
example in promoting healthy and sustainable diets. In sectors with high public spending such 
as the healthcare sector, public procurement of innovative solutions is a strategic tool to foster 
the uptake of innovations and to create opportunities for European companies to access markets 
and grow. Anchoring calls for the procurement of innovation in previously supported research 
or in emerging areas not only reinforces support along the full R&D pipeline but also allows 
the public sector to respond rapidly to evolving needs. 

At present, public procurement rules are complex and the potential of innovation procurement 
is not fully exploited. There is also underinvestment in the procurement of innovative products 
and services. This makes it difficult for innovative companies in the life sciences to enter the 

24 

 
 
EU  public  procurement  market.  The  revision  of  EU  public  procurement  rules  and  the 
upcoming European Innovation Act will promote measures to help innovative companies find 
first  customers  and  apply  for  public  and  private-sector  procurement.  The  Commission  will 
launch actions to foster the broader use of innovation procurement across the EU. 

Proposed action: 

•  The  Commission  will,  through  Horizon  Europe  and  EU4Health,  stimulate  the 
procurement  of  life  science  innovation  through  dedicated  calls  in  areas  such  as 
adaptation  to  climate  change,  next-generation  vaccines  or  affordable  solutions  for 
cancer, backed by funding of approximately EUR 300 million107. 

Building public trust and outreach 

Life  science  innovations  significantly  contribute  to  peoples’  daily  life  and  to  individual  and 
social  well-being.  To  foster  public  trust  and  the  acceptance  of  technologies,  people  must 
understand how life sciences work and how technologies may improve people’s well-being108.  

This  trust  is  not  guaranteed.  It  is  increasingly  threatened  by  the  rapid  spread  of  mis-  and 
disinformation  and  by  insufficient  outreach  to  people  to  address  their  concerns  and 
expectations. To maintain and deepen trust, especially among young people, R&I policymakers 
and  industry  players  must  be  better  equipped  to  engage  with  the  public  and  to  pursue 
responsible research.  

Public understanding is particularly critical in areas like agriculture and food technology, where 
innovation intersects with health and sustainability considerations. These issues will be brought 
to the agenda of the annual Food Dialogue announced in the Vision for Agriculture and Food. 
A lack of clear information about the risks and benefits of the so-called ‘ultra-processed foods’ 
can create uncertainty for consumers. The Commission will seek scientific and ethical advice 
on so-called ‘ultra-processed foods’ from the Scientific Advice Mechanism and the European 
Group on Ethics in Science and New Technologies.  

Inclusive  dialogue  helps  improve  awareness,  build  acceptance,  support  the  responsible 
deployment of innovation and promote accurate information. EU-funded research projects have 
a key role in enabling dialogue with people, civil society, authorities and industrial players. The 
Commission calls on Member States to also strengthen science communication and outreach to 
members of the public. 

Proposed actions: 

•  The Commission will mobilise EUR 2 million financial support from the Horizon Europe 
work programme 2026-2027 to support life science stakeholders and policy makers in 

107 Within the existing envelopes of the programmes. 
108 See WHO 2021, Health Promotion Glossary of Terms 2021 
(https://iris.who.int/bitstream/handle/10665/350161/9789240038349-eng.pdf?sequence=1%209789240038349-eng.pdf). 

25 

 
 
 
public outreach by setting up a repository of tools and best practices in responsible R&I, 
risk and science communication, and pilot public outreach measures. 

5.  GOVERNANCE – A LIFE SCIENCE COORDINATION GROUP 

Life  science  policy  in  the  EU  needs  to  be  coordinated  to  help  overcome  the  barriers  and 
challenges that hinder the process of translating innovative ideas into products and services that 
respond  to  the  needs  of  the  end-users.  It  is  key  to  bring  together  European  and  global 
stakeholders including industry, academia and civil society to ensure that EU action is aligned 
with stakeholder priorities, resources and international developments, and to leverage support 
for the development and uptake of innovative life sciences. It will ensure that various initiatives 
relevant  to  life  sciences  and  their  sectors,  especially  the  EU  startup  and  scaleup  strategy, 
complement and synergise each other. 

Proposed action: 

• 

(Flagship) The Commission will reinforce the coordination of its services and set up a 
‘Life  Science  Coordination  Group’  within  the  Commission  to  ensure  innovation-
friendly coherent policies, funding and activities. The Coordination Group will also: 

o  organise high-level topical discussions between policy makers and stakeholders; 
o  monitor progress in implementing this strategy; 
o  manage the European Life Science R&I Data Assembly; 
o  support the development of an interactive tool to help European researchers and 
innovators  navigate  the  life  science  regulatory  landscape  and  provide 
information on data services and tools; 

o  organise and manage other activities, such as: 

▪  creating  a  stakeholder  forum  for  life  sciences  to  encourage  broad 

dialogue and engagement; 

▪  developing  and  coordinating  horizon-scanning  capabilities  to  identify 
promising emerging technologies with high potential for life sciences. 

6.  CONCLUSIONS 

The European life science sector is at a critical juncture. With its capacity to drive innovation, 
boost competitiveness, provide quality jobs and enhance societal well-being, life sciences are a 
strategic pillar that underpins Europe’s future prosperity.  

To unlock the sector's full potential, it is vital to strengthen the entire value chain, from R&I to 
the deployment and uptake of new applications. This requires a regulatory environment that not 
only keeps pace with innovation but also fosters responsible experimentation, so that emerging 
solutions can be tested, refined and brought to market both swiftly and responsibly. 

The strategy will not be implemented by the EU alone; it takes a multi-stakeholder approach. 
This  includes  active  involvement  from  Member  States,  researchers,  innovators,  companies, 
investors, legislators, members of the public and civil society. Success depends on achieving a 
shared  commitment  across  all  levels – European,  national  and  regional.  Lastly,  it  is  also 

26 

 
 
 
essential  to  cooperate  on  a  global  scale  to  overcome  complex  challenges,  drive  scientific 
progress and ensure that the benefits of life science innovation are equitably shared. 

With coordinated action, strategic investment and inclusive governance, Europe can lead the 
next  wave  of  life  science  innovations  –  improving  lives,  boosting  resilience  and  shaping  a 
healthier, more sustainable future for generations to come. The Commission will monitor the 
action taken to this end and will report by 2028 on implementation of the strategy. 

In sum, this strategy sets out how to generate the tangible and lasting benefits described above 
and the funding available. It is now time for action. Choose Europe for life sciences! 

27 

 
 
 
 
THE STRATEGY FOR EUROPEAN LIFE SCIENCES 

ACTIONS SUMMARY 

Reinforcing European R&I 

•  Clinical Research Investment Plan (2026)  
•  Establish a European Network of ATMP Centres of Excellence (2026)  
•  Monitor the implementation of the Clinical Trials Regulation (from 2025) 
•  Pilot on stepwise collaborative research funding for health innovations (2026) 
•  Pilot on exploiting collaboration among EU Biotech clusters (from 2026) 

Promoting a holistic approach to the life sciences 

•  One Health approach to R&I (from 2026) 
•  One Health Microbiome Initiative (2026) 
•  Implement the Climate Change and Health R&I Agenda and set up global 

collaboration (from 2026) 

•  Strategic R&I agenda on food systems (2026) 

Unlocking the power of data and AI for breakthrough innovation 

•  Establish a European Life Sciences R&I Data Assembly (2026) 
•  Support for strategic biodata resources (2025) 
•  Invest in multi-modal generative AI technologies in biomedical research (2025)  
•  Boost the European genomic data infrastructure (2026) 

Life sciences as a driver for industrial sustainability 

•  R&I to drive industrial innovation and sustainability (from 2026) 
•  Scale-up and uptake of sustainable advanced fermentation innovations (from 2026) 
•  R&I for the sustainable management of biomass (from 2025) 
•  Development and uptake of New Approach Methodologies (NAMs) (from 2025) 
•  Virtual Human Twins Incubator (2025-2027) 

Strengthening skills and careers for competitive European life sciences  

•  Life Sciences career development through Choose Europe (from 2025) 
•  Foresight study to identify the competences, skills and training needs for the life 

sciences (2025)  

Promoting innovation-responsive regulation 

•  EU Biotech Act (at the latest 2026) 
•  Regulatory simplification for medical devices and in vitro diagnostics (from 2025) 
•  AI-powered interactive tool on the EU regulatory landscape (2026) 

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Unlocking public and private investment 

•  Life Sciences Investors & Corporates Interface (2026) 

Using public procurement to foster the uptake of innovation 

•  Support for procurement of life science innovation (2025) 

Building public trust and outreach 

•  Repository of tools in responsible R&I, risk and science communication, and pilot 

community engagement actions (2026)  

Governance – A Life Science Coordination Group 

•  Life Science Coordination Group (2025) 

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