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EARLALL supports joint European networks’ open letter on the future EU budget and Smart Specialisation

16/03/2026

Brussels, March 2026 – EARLALL has joined 12 European networks in endorsing a joint open letter addressed to the European Commission, the European Parliament and the European Council on the future EU Multiannual Financial Framework (2028–2034).

The letter calls for safeguarding the role of Smart Specialisation Strategies (S3) and strengthening multi-level governance in the design and implementation of future EU investment programmes. It highlights the importance of ensuring that Europe’s competitiveness and innovation agenda continues to be rooted in its territories and regional ecosystems.

The signatories stress that Smart Specialisation has become a cornerstone of Europe’s place-based innovation policy, enabling regions to prioritise investments, mobilise stakeholders through entrepreneurial discovery processes and contribute to European value chains. However, the current architecture proposed for the future EU budget raises concerns about the potential marginalisation of territorial actors and regional strategies.

EARLALL perspective: Smart Specialisation as a skills and human capital framework

EARLALL supports the call to maintain “Smart Specialisation as a central element of the future EU policy framework”. At the same time, the network highlights the need to recognise “Smart Specialisation not only as an innovation policy instrument, but also as a framework for skills and human capital development“.

From EARLALL’s perspective, the effectiveness of regional innovation ecosystems depends fundamentally on education, training and lifelong learning systems that equip people with the skills needed for regional transformation.

EARLALL’s strategic priorities connect several key dimensions that are essential for Europe’s competitiveness and resilience:

  • Skills development and lifelong learning as foundations for regional transformation
  • Strong regional innovation ecosystems linking education, research, business and society
  • Support for the green and digital transitions, ensuring that people and territories can adapt and benefit from these changes

For EARLALL, Europe’s competitiveness must also remain closely linked to “inclusive access to learning opportunities, strong regional education ecosystems and social cohesion“. Ensuring that skills and human capital development are embedded within Smart Specialisation strategies will be essential to enable regions to fully contribute to Europe’s innovation and industrial transformation.

A joint call for a balanced and place-based EU budget

Through this initiative, the signatory networks call on EU institutions to ensure that the next EU budget maintains a balanced approach between competitiveness and cohesion, while safeguarding the role of regional actors in shaping and implementing European priorities.

In particular, the letter urges EU co-legislators to:

  • Safeguard and reinforce Smart Specialisation Strategies as a key strategic framework
  • Maintain clear pathways for interregional innovation cooperation and investment
  • Protect multi-level governance and meaningful regional participation in EU investment planning

EARLALL is proud to join this joint initiative alongside other European networks, such as EURADA and ERRIN, reinforcing the message that Europe’s innovation capacity and competitiveness depend on mobilising the strengths, talents and skills of all its regions.

Read the Open Letter on the Future of the EU Budget