The Spanish Secretary of State for Research and Development (Secretaría de Estado de I+D+i) depending on the Ministry of Economics, Industry and Competitiveness (Ministerio de Economía, Industria y Competitividad: MINECO) has organized a meeting to report on Spanish organizations’ results under the Horizon 2020 Eighth Framework Program. This stocktaking was then followed by presentation of the European Union’s new Research and Innovation Framework Program, FP9, to run from 2021 to 2027.

The meeting was held in MINECO’s headquarters on 22 January to deal with Europe’s R&D policies and the participation of Spanish organizations in these programs, as well as the estimated facts and figures of the new regulatory framework.

Present at the meeting were agents of Spain’s science, technology and innovation system, pride of place going to Carmen Vela, Secretary of State for Research, Development and Innovation, who opened the meeting, and Francisco Marín, Director General of Spain’s Industrial Technology Development Center (Centro para el Desarrollo Tecnológico Industrial: CDTI) who took the questions from the floor.

A special space at the event was reserved for organizations that have played a standout role in European H2020 projects, GMV representing Spanish companies.

Over the decades the EU has been working towards sustainable and integrating growth of the European Political Community, as set up back in the fifties with 6 countries and then building up to the 28 members states of today. The EU’s 9th Framework Program will kick off in three years' time, following along the same lines of support for knowledge and research as a driving force of progress. Various working groups have been set up to begin assessing the strategy of the ongoing H2020 program and draw conclusions ahead of this new regulatory framework.

GMV, like Spain’s other leading hi-tech firms, has been investing heavily in innovation and development across all its business areas since its very foundation 33 years ago. Its innovation drive is the bedrock of its business strategy. The company investment into R&D, enabling it to boost its earnings year by year. GMV is also participating in close to twenty H2020 projects, covering areas as diverse as space, robotics, aeronautics, defense & security, cybersecurity, healthcare and transport.