Public consultation on EU funds in the area of
investment, research & innovation, SMEs and
single market
Fields marked with * are mandatory.

Public consultation on EU funds in the area of of investment, research &
innovation, SMEs and single market

Introduction
‘A stronger Union needs to be equipped with appropriate financial means to continue to deliver its
policies. The Union has changed fundamentally in recent years, as have the challenges it faces. Our
Union needs a budget that can help us achieve our ambitions. The Multiannual Financial Framework for
the period after 2020 must reflect this.’ (Commission Work Programme 2018)
The EU budget currently amounts to less than 1 euro per citizen per day. Although a modest budget, at
around 1 % of the EU’s gross national income or 2 % of all EU public spending, it supports the EU’s
shared goals by delivering essential public goods and tangible results for EU citizens. These include:
investing in skills, innovation and infrastructure; ensuring sustainable food systems and developing rural
areas; ensuring a clean and healthy environment and the protection of natural resources; promoting joint
research and industrial projects; funding shared activities in the field of migration and security; and
supporting development and humanitarian aid.
The current Multiannual Financial Framework — the EU’s long-term budget — runs until the end of 2020.
In 2018, the Commission will put forth comprehensive proposals for the post-2020 Multiannual Financial
Framework and for the next generation of financial programmes that will receive funding. These
programmes/funds provide financial support to hundreds of thousands of beneficiaries such as regions,
towns, NGOs, businesses, farmers, students, scientists, and many others.
The Commission’s proposals will be designed to make it possible for the EU to deliver on the things that
matter most, in areas where it can achieve more than Member States acting alone. This requires a careful
assessment both of what has worked well in the past and what could be improved in the future. What
should the priorities be for future policies and programmes/funds? And how can they be designed to best
deliver results on the ground?
As an integral part of this process and following on from the Reflection Paper on the Future of EU Finances,
the Commission is launching a series of public consultations covering all the major spending areas to
gather views from all interested parties on how to make the very most of every euro of the EU budget.

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The EU has developed a variety of instruments to stimulate investment and entrepreneurship to create
jobs and growth. The Investment Plan for Europe, the so-called Juncker Plan, aims to unlock investment
throughout Europe through to the European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI), which provides a EU
guarantee to mobilise investment. The EFSI also complements other existing instruments like COSME
that make it easier for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to access finance in all phases of their
lifecycle – creation, expansion, or business transfer. Through EU support, businesses have easier access
to guarantees, loans and equity capital.
Research and innovation are instrumental for addressing the EU’s productivity gap and play a crucial role
in providing solutions to many global challenges the EU and its citizens are facing today. In that context,
the EU has made a major contribution with the Horizon 2020 programme.
The European Single Market is one of the EU’s greatest achievements. It has fuelled economic growth and
made the everyday life of European businesses and consumers easier. A well-functioning Single Market,
including in its digital dimension, stimulates competition and trade, improves efficiency, raises quality, and
helps cut prices. In that context, the EU has set up several programmes in a wide range of areas (health,
food safety, customs…) to facilitate the free circulation of goods, services, capital and persons across the
European continent.
Recent consultations already covered several policy areas, including on current performance and future
challenges. The views already expressed by stakeholders in these consultations will be taken into
account as part of the current process for the future MFF.
Link to portal for recent consultations:
https://ec.europa.eu/info/consultations_en
Interim evaluation of the programme for the competitiveness of enterprises and small and medium-sized
enterprises (COSME) (2014-2020)
https://ec.europa.eu/info/consultations/interim-evaluation-programme-competitiveness-enterprises-andsmall-and-medium-sized-enterprises-cosme-2014-2020_en
Consultation on modernising and simplifying the common agricultural policy (CAP)
https://ec.europa.eu/agriculture/consultations/cap-modernising/2017_en
Public stakeholder consultation – interim evaluation of Horizon 2020
https://ec.europa.eu/research/consultations/interim_h2020_2016/consultation_en.htm
Open Public Consultation of the mid-term evaluation of the 3rd Health Programme 2014-2020
https://ec.europa.eu/health/programme/consultations/midterm_evaluation_fr
Public stakeholder consultation – Interim evaluation of Joint Undertakings operating under Horizon 2020.
http://ec.europa.eu/research/consultations/interim_joint-undertakings_h2020/consultation_en.htm
Public Consultation – Evaluation of Public-Public Partnerships (Art.185 initiatives) in the context of the
Horizon 2020 Interim Evaluation.
http://ec.europa.eu/research/consultations/pp_partnerships_art185/consultation_en.htm
Public consultation on Transformation of Health and Care in the Digital Single Market

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https://ec.europa.eu/info/consultations/public-consultation-transformation-health-and-care-digital-singlemarket_en

About you
* 1 You are replying
as an individual in your personal capacity
in your professional capacity or on behalf of an organisation

* 2 First name

* 3 Last name

* 4 Email address
If you do not have an email address, please write "Not available".

* 5 Country of residence
Austria
Belgium
Bulgaria
Croatia
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Denmark
Estonia
Finland
France
Germany
Greece
Hungary
Ireland
Italy
Latvia
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Malta
Netherlands
Poland
Portugal
Romania

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Slovakia
Slovenia
Spain
Sweden
United Kingdom
Other

* 6 If "other", please specify:

* 7 Your contribution,
Note that, whatever option chosen, your answers may be subject to a request for public access to documents under Regulation (EC)
N°1049/2001

can be published with your personal information (I consent the publication of all information in my contribution in
whole or in part including my name or my organisation's name, and I declare that nothing within my response is unlawful or would
infringe the rights of any third party in a manner that would prevent publication)

can be published provided that you remain anonymous (I consent to the publication of any information in my
contribution in whole or in part (which may include quotes or opinions I express) provided that it is done anonymously. I declare
that nothing within my response is unlawful or would infringe the rights of any third party in a manner that would prevent the
publication.

* 8 Respondent's first name

* 9 Respondent's last name

* 10 Respondent's professional email address

* 11 Name of the organisation

* 12 Postal address of the organisation

* 13 Type of organisation
Please select the answer option that fits best.

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Private enterprise
Professional consultancy, law firm, self-employed consultant
Trade, business or professional association
Non-governmental organisation, platform or network
Research and academia
Churches and religious communities
Regional or local authority (public or mixed)
International or national public authority
Other

* 14 If "other", please specify:

* 15 How many employees does the company have?
More than 250 employees (Large enterprise)
Between 50 and 250 employees (Medium-sized enterprise)
Between 10 and 49 employees (Small enterprise)
Less than 10 employees (Micro enterprise)
Self-employed (Micro enterprise)

* 16 Please specify the type of organisation.
Chamber of commerce
Business organisation
Trade Union
Represenative of professions or crafts
Other

* 17 If "other", please specify:

* 18 Please specify the type of organisation.
Think tank
Research institution
Academic institution

* 19 Please specify the type of organisation.
Regional public authority
Local public authority
Public-private sub-national organisation
Network of public sub-national authorities
Other

* 20 If "other", please specify:

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* 21 Please specify the type of organisation.
Intergovernmental organisation
EU institution, body or agency
National parliament
National government
National public authority or agency

* 22 Is your organisation included in the Transparency Register?
If your organisation is not registered, we invite you to register here, although it is not compulsory to be registered to reply to this
consultation. Why a transparency register?

Yes
No
Not applicable

* 23 If so, please indicate your Register ID number.

* 24 Country of organisation's headquarters
Austria
Belgium
Bulgaria
Croatia
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Denmark
Estonia
Finland
France
Germany
Greece
Hungary
Ireland
Italy
Latvia
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Malta
Netherlands
Poland
Portugal
Romania

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Slovak Republic
Slovenia
Spain
Sweden
United Kingdom
Other

* 25 If "other", please specify:

* 26 Your contribution,
Note that, whatever option chosen, your answers may be subject to a request for public access to documents under Regulation (EC)
N°1049/2001

can be published with your organisation's information (I consent the publication of all information in my
contribution in whole or in part including the name of my organisation, and I declare that nothing within my response is unlawful or
would infringe the rights of any third party in a manner that would prevent publication)

can be published provided that your organisation remains anonymous (I consent to the publication of any
information in my contribution in whole or in part (which may include quotes or opinions I express) provided that it is done
anonymously. I declare that nothing within my response is unlawful or would infringe the rights of any third party in a manner that
would prevent the publication.

* 27 Please let us know whether you have experience with one or more of the following funds and
programmes.
at least 1 choice(s)
European Fund for Strategic Investments (Investment Plan for Europe)
Horizon 2020
European Structural and Investment funds
COSME
EU Health Programme
EU Food and Feed Programme
Customs 2020
Fiscalis
Anti-Fraud Information System
EURES
Employment and Social Innovation Programme
Standards in the field of financial reporting Programme
Implementation of single market for financial services
Enhancing consumers involvement in EU policy-making in the field of financial services
Consumer Programme
European statistical programme
Interoperability solutions and common frameworks for European public administrations, businesses and
citizens (ISA2 programme) as a means for modernising the public sector
Support for the functioning of various aspects of the single market (including goods, services, taxation,
company law) – standardisation, assistance to citizens and businesses, enforcement
Digital Single Market support programme
EEEF (European energy efficiency fund)

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PF4EE (private finance for energy efficiency)
None of the above

* 28 Please let us know to which of the following topics your replies to this questionnaire will refer.
EU support for Investment
EU support for research and innovation
EU support for SME and entrepreneurship
EU support for the Single Market

EU funds in the area of investment, research & innovation, SMEs and
single market

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29 The Commission has preliminarily identified a number of policy challenges which programmes/funds in
this area of investment, research & innovation, SMEs and single market could address. How important are
these policy challenges in your view?
Neither
Very

Rather

important

important

important

nor
unimportant

Rather

Not

not

important

important

at all

No
opinion

Facilitate transition to
low carbon and circular
economy and
resilience to climate
change, support
security of supply
Foster research and
innovation across the
EU
Support industrial
development
Support education,
skills and training
Ensure a clean and
healthy environment
and the protection of
natural resources
Facilitate digital
transition of the
economy, industry,
services and society

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Ensure that existing
rules are applied and
enforced consistently
across the EU
Ensure smooth
circulation of goods
both within EU and at
EU borders
Ensure fair conditions
of competition in the
EU
Promote security of
citizens
Support labour
mobility
Support capital flows
and investment
Facilitate access to
finance, in particular to
SMEs
Promote financial
stability
Improve quality of
public institutions
(including digitalisation)
Reduce
unemployment and
social disparities

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Ensure safe,
sustainable transport
and mobility
Promote and protect
public health
Promote a safe and
sustainable food chain
Support social
investment and social
innovation
Ensure a high level of
consumer protection
and effective redress
Provide reliable and
comparable statistics
Other (Please specify
below)

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* 30 If you identified another policy challenge, please specify it here:
200 character(s) maximum

Open science: research financed with public money should optimally benefit society.
The Framework Programme should therefore enforce open science.
31 To what extent do the current policies successfully address these challenges?

Fully
addressed

Fairly
well
addressed

Addressed
to some
extent only

Not
addressed
at all

No
opinion

Facilitate transition to low carbon
and circular economy and
resilience to climate change;
support security of supply
Foster research and innovation
across the EU
Support industrial development
Support education, skills and
training
Ensure a clean and healthy
environment and the protection of
natural resources
Facilitate digital transition of the
economy, industry, services and
society
Ensure that existing rules are
applied and enforced consistently
across the EU
Ensure smooth circulation of
goods both within EU and at EU
borders
Ensure fair conditions of
competition in the EU
Promote security of citizens
Support labour mobility
Support capital flows and
investment
Facilitate access to finance, in
particular to SMEs

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Promote financial stability
Improve quality of public
institutions (including digitalisation)
Reduce unemployment and
social disparities
Ensure safe, sustainable
transport and mobility
Promote and protect public
health
Promote a safe and sustainable
food chain
Support social investment and
social innovation
Ensure a high level of consumer
protection and effective redress
Provide reliable and comparable
statistics
Other (please specify below)

* 32 If you identified another policy challenge in Question 1, please let us know how well the current
policies address it:
200 character(s) maximum

The Framework Programme should enforce open science. Additional steps on this
point in FP9 are important.

* 33 To what extent do the current programmes/funds add value, compared to what Member States could
achieve at national, regional and/or local levels?
To a large extent
To a fairly good extent
To some extent only
Not at all
Don’t know

34 Please specify how the current programmes/funds add value compared to what Member States could
achieve at national, regional and/or local levels. Please clearly indicate to which policies, programmes and
funds your answer refer.
1500 character(s) maximum

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Investments in R&I for future European economic growth and investments addressing
societal challenges (e.g. climate, energy, migration, health) are crucial for a strong and
competitive Europe – these investments have a clear European Added Value through competition and
cooperation (economies of scale). Europe’s competitors are
increasing their investments in R&D. There is a serious risk that Europe’s relatively
good position as a R&I location may deteriorate in the medium and longer term, if we
do not take steps to ensure investments in R&I.

35 Is there a need to modify or add to the objectives of the programmes/funds in this policy area? If yes,
which changes would be necessary or desirable? Please clearly indicate to which policies, programmes
and funds your answer refer.
1500 character(s) maximum

•
•
•
•
•

Secure Europe’s competitive position: keep investing in Research and
Innovation (comprising fundamental, applied and innovation)
Scientific excellence and impact as the only drivers
Keep, balance & connect the current three-pillar structure,
Ensure that structural funds stimulate the building of R&I capacity
New technology developments (e.g. materials / nanotechnology) should
always be accompanied by research on human safety and regulatory issues
(e.g. `safe by design') and technology assessment.

36 The Commission has preliminarily identified a number of possible obstacles, which could prevent the
current programmes/funds from achieving their objectives. To what extent do possible obstacles prevent
the current programme/funds from achieving their objectives?
To a

To a

large

fairly large

extent

extent

To
some

Not

Don’

extent

at

t

only

all

know

Too complex procedures leading to high
administrative burden and delays
Insufficient administrative capacity to
manage programmes
Lack of flexibility to react to unforeseen
circumstances
Insufficient synergies between the EU
programmes/funds
Difficulty of combining EU action with other
public interventions and private finance

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Insufficient critical mass
Insufficient use of financial instruments
Lack of information/communication
Insufficient scope
Lack of EU standards and EU rules
Inadequate facilities to support enhanced
cooperation
Out of date and inadequate IT capabilities
Insufficient involvement of citizens
Other (Please specify below)

* 37 If you have identified another obstacle, please specify it here:
1000 character(s) maximum

Oversubscription

38 The Commission has preliminarily identified a number of steps that could help to further simplify and
reduce administrative burdens for beneficiaries under current programmes/funds. To what extent would
these steps be helpful in your view?
To a
large
extent

To a fairly

To some

Not

large extent

extent only

at
all

Don’
t
know

Alignment of rules between EU funds
Fewer, clearer, shorter rules
More reliance on national rules
A stable but flexible framework
between programming periods
Extension of the single audit principle
Better feedback to applicants
More structured reporting
User-friendly IT tools
E-governance

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Adequate administrative capacity
Other (Please specify below)

* 39 If you have identified another way to simplify and reduce burdens, please specify it here:
1000 character(s) maximum

Regarding financial reporting on projects receiving EU grants: more acceptance of the
usual accounting practices of the participants. This means less-one-size-fits-all
solutions, as these only provide simplification for the European Commission themselves.
If applicable, better aligning of the scientific questions that arise from European agencies with
the R&I agenda of the FP. Align administrative rules and financial rules to organise a simpler
system of bookkeeping.
40 How could synergies among programmes/funds in this area be further strengthened to avoid possible
overlaps/duplication? For example, would you consider grouping/merging some programmes? Please
clearly indicate to which policies, programmes and funds your answer refer.
1500 character(s) maximum

- more focus on concretely formulated priorities and greater coherence and synergy
between various EU-programmes (like EU Health Programme) at strategic,
programmatic and project level.
- societal challenges should be the leitmotiv in all EU-instruments
- better participation in R&I cooperation within the ESI-funds: a sharper focus in
spending options aimed at societal challenges, innovation and interregional
cooperation, together with the utilization of ESI-funds for capacity building, should be
able to provide scope to remedy the lagging performance in the area of R&I of some
member states

Document upload and final comments

41 Please feel free to upload a concise document, such as a position paper. The maximum file size is
1MB.

Please note that the uploaded document will be published alongside your response to the questionnaire
which is the essential input to this public consultation. The document is optional and serves as additional
background reading to better understand your position.

42 If you wish to add further information — within the scope of this questionnaire — please feel free to do
so here.
1500 character(s) maximum

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