06/04/2025 | News release | Distributed by Public on 06/04/2025 06:48
The European Commission urges Member States to step up R&I investment and reform efforts.
The European Commission has unveiled its 2025 European Semester Spring Package . The annual package offers country-specific guidance on economic and social policies.
This year's edition highlights research and innovation as pivotal drivers of competitiveness and sustainable growth across Member States. The recommendations build on the framework set by the Competitiveness Compass and the strategic insights of the Draghi report .
The Spring Package details persistent challenges in research and innovation that impede national growth and sustainability. It also provides recommendations on how research can overcome economic challenges.
The reports reveal that all Member States are grappling with widespread research-related challenges, which include:
These comprehensive analyses form the basis of targeted recommendations for each Member State, providing specific guidance to address these challenges within their unique contexts.
The 2025 Spring Package delivers an unprecedented collection of 26 country-specific recommendations focusing on critical areas to bolster R&I capabilities across Europe:
These recommendations aim to keep R&I at the forefront of the EU's growth strategy, ensuring Europe remains competitive on the global stage. They work towards building an environment where innovation thrives, leading to the attraction and retention of top global talent, the proliferation of dynamic start-ups, and the acceleration of tech advancements across Member States.
The European Semester provides the policy coordination framework to address key economic and social challenges at EU and Member State level. The European Semester is a key mechanism for delivering on the priorities set out in the Competitiveness Compass, supporting Member States in aligning national reforms and investments with the EU's common objectives, ensuring consistent implementation across all levels of governance.
The European Semester's monitoring and guiding of national economic and social policies includes research and innovation. By identifying structural challenges and investment needs in research and innovation - covering areas such as investment levels, start-ups, and researchers' careers - it also supports the implementation of EU initiatives, such as the recently launched Choose Europe initiative and the EU Startup and Scaleup Strategy .
2025 European Semester: Spring package
Press contact:
EC Spokesperson for Research, Science and Innovation