Sharpening the Horizon: Integrating Data, Computing, and Innovation
CSC welcomes the European Commission’s proposal for Horizon 2028–2034 and the planned increase in EU funding for research, development, and innovation. The Horizon programme must continue to support state‑of‑the‑art digital infrastructure. In our statement to the Parliament of Finland’s Education Committee, we highlight the need for stronger co‑development of data and computing and closer cooperation on digital topics to ensure that key sectors in Finland and Europe can fully benefit.
In line with Finland’s position, CSC considers it essential that EU RDI funding continues to be based on excellence, high quality, and competition. High‑quality RDI is a key driver of competitiveness, and investing in top‑tier initiatives through programmes such as Horizon provides the greatest added value for strengthening Europe’s global position.
We underline the central role of research infrastructures as enablers of cutting‑edge science and innovation, as well as their importance for building Europe’s knowledge base. The role of digital research infrastructures will continue to grow as research becomes increasingly data‑intensive and as Europe seeks a productivity leap through technologies such as high‑performance computing, artificial intelligence, and quantum computing. We therefore welcome Horizon’s ambition for digital leadership and the Government’s recognition of the strategic importance of HPC and quantum technologies, including Finland’s strong capabilities in these fields.
The next Horizon programme should further advance the development of data and computing technologies, related infrastructures, and expertise. This work should be pursued more coherently as an integrated whole—for example, by more decisively strengthening the data management capabilities and infrastructure of EuroHPC centres.
A determined reinforcement of Europe’s digital infrastructure also calls for greater clarity in the proposed regulation on coordination between Horizon components and vis-à-vis the future Competitiveness Fund. Digitalisation should be treated both as its own priority and as a cross‑cutting objective, as sectors such as clean transition, health, biotechnology, bioeconomy, resilience, security, defence industry, and space can all significantly benefit from digital technologies to advance Europe’s science, competitiveness, and well‑being.
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Irina Kupiainen
Irina Kupiainen is responsible for CSC’s Public Affairs.