Our messages to decision-makers
Investing in research, development and innovation (RDI) is the road to prosperity for Finland and Europe. The solutions that result from RDI activities create growth, increase productivity and provide tools to tackle the world's biggest challenges.
As part of our expert role, we actively contribute to setting direction for national and European RDI policy.
Building on our research and technology expertise, we provide knowledge to support decision-making on carbon neutrality, sustainable materials and digital technologies, and we contribute to shaping national and European positions on these topics.
Our messages for an effective RDI policy in Finland
- Finland's economy will make a positive turn with scientific breakthroughs and innovations based on them. RDI investments are the engine of sustainable growth in Finland.
- Finland has set a national target to increase our R&D investment to 4% of GDP by 2030. Of this target, 2/3 should be covered by private investments and 1/3 by the public sector. The best way for the public sector to spur on the private sector is to target funding wisely.
- The best value from increased R&D investments is achieved by:
- making strategic choices based on Finland's expertise and competitive advantage
- encouraging more cooperation between research and business
- continuing the development of EU matching funding
- ensuring adequate resources for research institutes to build strategic expertise and future capabilities
- promoting concrete opportunities for cooperation (including funding) with Finland's trusted partners such as the United States
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Our messages for a more competitive EU
- Research, development and innovation play an important role in delivering the EU's priorities: addressing global challenges, responding to the new security and defence situation, managing interdependencies and ensuring the competitiveness of industry.
- The EU is falling behind China and the US in research and development (R&D) funding. The EU needs to substantially increase funding for the future Framework Programme for Research and Innovation (FP10). To be effective, special attention should be paid to:
- supporting the scaling up and commercialisation of research results
- ensuring how public funding can effectively encourage private R&D investment in Europe
- developing capabilities in critical technologies as part of risk management
- building technology infrastructures
- In addition to R&D investment, we also need to attract talent, regulate in an innovation-friendly way and deepen European capital market
- The EU also needs closer cooperation between different policy areas. Synergies between industrial, regional, energy, environment, defence, RDI and other policies must be strengthened.
VTTers influence in various networks of experts
VTT is represented in dozens of different national and international expert groups, networks and organisations. In Finland, VTTers are members of various expert groups related to different national strategies. Antti Vasara, President & CEO of VTT, is a member of the Research and Innovation Council for the 2023–2027 term.
At EU level, we belong to high-level expert groups and are, for instance, actively involved in the work of European public-private partnership technology communities and in the innovation clusters of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT). As an active member of EARTO (European Association of Research and Technology Organisations), we are well-placed to influence European research and innovation policy.
Good lobbying practice
VTT is registered in the Finnish Transparency Register (TEK-24-1081-R) and is committed to complying with the good lobbying practice of the Transparency Register. VTT is part of the EU Transparency Register (register number 549986317203-11).