EPB issues New Statement on the MFF and FP10: A Call for Strategic Investment in European Polar Research

The European Polar Board (EPB) has released a new statement on the ongoing negotiations for the 2028–2034 Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) and Framework Programme 10 (FP10). Representing 31 member organizations from 22 countries, the EPB highlights the strategic importance and EU-wide benefits of sustained investment in European polar research.

Building on actions earlier this year, including the open call for targeted polar research investments in FP10, supported by over 900 professionals, and a letter sent to EU leaders in June,  the new statement outlines how investments in polar research support EU policies and priorities such as the Arctic Policy, the Ocean Pact, Copernicus, Destination Earth, and the Digital Twins of Earth and Ocean.

The EPB stresses that climate and environmental change in the polar regions is accelerating, with major implications for Europe’s climate, coasts, and long-term resilience. Sustained EU investment in polar research is therefore not a luxury, but a strategic necessity essential for informed policy, regional stability, and Europe’s preparedness in a rapidly changing world.

A dedicated funding instrument for Polar Research in FP10 could sustain the essential connection between science, policy, and society keeping Europe at the forefront of discovery, innovation and action.

In late September 2025, the EPB distributed its latest letter and statement to Members of the European Parliament, the President of the European Commission, the President of the European Union Council, Commissioners and Directors-General of the European Commission’s Directorates-General for Budget, Regional and Urban Policy, Research and Innovation, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, Agriculture and Rural Development, Environment, Defence Industry and Space, as well as Prime Ministers and governmental representatives of EU Member States and non-EU European countries associated with the EU’s Horizon programmes. Through this communication, the EPB urges EU leaders and policymakers to secure dedicated funding for polar research within FP10, recognising its strategic value for Europe’s long-term resilience and leadership in discovery and innovation.

You can sign the open call for dedicated EU polar research funding in FP10 here.