First Advisory and Programming Group Meeting of 2026

Post date: 
30/01/2026 - 17:30

This years started en force for the .ASPIRE/P4Planet community. 

On Tuesday, 20 January 2026, the first in-person meeting of the Processes4Planet Partnership Advisory and Programming Group (APG) of 2026 took place in Brussels.  

 

In a rapidly changing geoeconomic environment, Process Industries are facing critical challenges. Focus was placed on identifying R&I areas for a competitive and greener industry that invests in Europe’s future jobs, autonomy and prosperity. Representatives from our sectors and research members alike engaged in a vibrant dialogue about the future R&I of our industries and the conditions for their innovation.  

 

Discussions centred on the first draft of the new Vision (fit for the current context) and the development of the new Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda (SRIA), as the basis of the future European Partnership led by the Process industry (2028-2034). The SRIA will be developed during 2026–2027, building on the experience and legacy of SPIRE and Processes4Planet Partnerships.  

 

The exchanges were very fruitful, animated by the APG members’ active participation, constructive input, insightful contributions, and collaborative spirit.  The APG also discussed a new setup of A.SPIRE Working Groups fit for purpose to develop the new SRIA and set the basis of the future Partnership.  

 

Key conclusions from the discussions included: 

 

  • Our vision should be a call for action to mobilise the private and the public sector and support our process industries. 

  • There is broad agreement on advancing a well-defined and lean SRIA, with a combined focus on competitiveness and Europe’s autonomy (strategic pillars), key technological innovations, routes towards deployment, and value-chain impact.  

  • Alongside areas such as net-zero emissions, energy efficiency, CCU or industrial symbiosis, new areas for the future SRIA include: reduction of substances of concern, technologies and business models over multiple loops, high-performance materials and products, AI deployment in the process industries and the delivery of positive impact in the biosphere. 

  • The new Vision and R&I agenda of the process industries should carefully consider the global competition context, especially with the USA and China. 

 

The meeting reviewed an exciting plan to finalise the new Vision of the Process Industry and the new Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda. The APG also explored a proposal for new working groups fit for the development of our SRIA. The proposal will be discussed in February with A.SPIRE’s Board of Directors, with the new working groups set to launch soon after. These groups will offer a hands-on opportunity for A.SPIRE members to actively contribute to Europe’s industrial transformation and innovation agenda. 

 

A.SPIRE will then invite all our members to join our new working groups and be part of building the future, together. Once the vision is finalised, the new Working Groups will have the objective to work towards a new SRIA. 

 

The current economic scenario requires fast, decisive action; we stand with the process industries to keep building the framework and conditions for their R&I. 

2026 will be a year characterised by dynamic and forward-looking dialogue across and with our members. Stay tuned: we’ll be sharing a monthly news update on our website!

Do you want to know more and be part of the discussion reshaping the future?  

Contact the A.SPIRE team!