After the adoption this summer of the Research-Innovation-Economy Strategy 2027-2034, the Walloon Government is taking a further step. On a proposal from Research Minister Pierre-Yves Jeholet, it has adopted on second reading the new framework decree on research, which thoroughly modernises regional support for research, development and innovation.
The aim is clear: to better turn public investment into concrete innovations, economic activity and jobs across Wallonia. This reform is part of a broader drive to modernise Walloon innovation policy under way since the start of the legislature, including the reform of the innovation landscape, the new Clustering decree and the Research-Innovation-Economy Strategy 2027-2034, structured around five Strategic Innovation Domains (DIS). A shared ambition drives these reforms: to concentrate public resources more on Wallonia's strengths and to strengthen their impact on the economy and employment.
Making better use of Wallonia's strengths
Wallonia has solid assets: recognised universities, high-performing research centres and innovative companies active in strategic sectors. Amid growing global technological competition, the challenge today is to better convert these strengths into economic growth, investment and jobs.
The Walloon Government therefore intends to simplify existing schemes, strengthen their evaluation and concentrate resources more on projects with strong potential to create value for Wallonia.
Doing more with existing resources
The reform in no way calls into question the very nature of research, which by definition involves a degree of uncertainty and risk-taking.
The aim is not to demand success for every supported project, but to ensure rigorous and efficient use of public funds in order to maximise the economic, scientific and technological impact of regional investment.
With nearly €250 million invested each year in research and innovation, Wallonia is choosing a policy more focused on results and the valorisation of knowledge.
Five concrete changes
The new decree provides for a simpler, more flexible and more selective support mechanism, focused on projects with the greatest potential economic impact:
• More flexible procedures with continuous assessment of applications to reduce processing times;
• “Project portfolios” allowing several experiments or developments linked to the same innovation to be grouped into a single application;
• Better consideration of market potential and prospects for economic valorisation of projects;
• Earlier support for innovative start-up companies;
• Strengthened evaluation mechanisms through objective criteria, suitable performance indicators and the use of independent expert panels.
The text also allows support for a wide range of actors, including companies, research and knowledge-dissemination bodies, and scientific and technological culture initiatives. The targeted opening to certain hospitals active in research is also among the new features of the mechanism.
A reform aligned with European rules
The new framework is fully compatible with European State aid rules and should allow Walloon players better access to European research and innovation funding. The support will continue in particular to back research and development projects, research infrastructure, innovative SMEs and international projects.
A lever for economic recovery
This reform is one of the pillars of the new Research-Innovation-Economy Strategy 2027-2034 and will support the rollout of the five Strategic Innovation Domains designed to further structure Wallonia's innovation ecosystem.
“Wallonia invests almost €250 million a year in research. Our responsibility is to ensure that this collective effort delivers the maximum benefit for our economy, our businesses and employment. This reform is not about funding less research, but about making better use of the results achieved. We want a Wallonia that turns its discoveries, technologies and talents into economic activity more quickly. Every euro invested must help generate more innovation, more investment and more jobs in our region. This decree must enable us to turn research into more economic activity and jobs in Wallonia.” Pierre-Yves Jeholet, Minister for Research.