On 24 March 2026, Commissioner Piotr Serafin held the Implementation Dialogue on the Strategic Technologies for Europe Platform (STEP) in Brussels (in person meeting).
The Dialogue brought together a diverse and balanced group of stakeholders based in various Member States, including representatives from EU companies (start-ups and scale-ups, among others - many of which had received a STEP Seal), EU industry associations, financial intermediaries and Member States' administrations.
The dialogue gave participants an opportunity to directly share with the Commissioner their constructive views and insights on STEP. Participants also suggested solutions for a better implementation of EU funding instruments to support EU competitiveness.
The Implementation Dialogue was organised in the context of the 2nd anniversary of STEP with €29 billion in EU funding mobilised across 11 EU programmes in support of critical technologies in the EU.
- EU budget | competitiveness | digital technology | clean technology | biotechnology | defence technology
- Tuesday 24 March 2026, 13:00 - 15:00 (CET)
- Brussels, Belgium
Practical information
- When
- Tuesday 24 March 2026, 13:00 - 15:00 (CET)
- Where
- BrusselsBerlaymont, 1000 Brussels, Belgium
- Languages
- English
- Organisers
- Directorate-General for Budget
Report
Participants expressed broad support for the Strategic Technologies for Europe Platform (STEP), welcomed its efforts to simplify access to funding, and discussed obstacles experienced in implementation.
Overall, the STEP initiative holds strong potential to facilitate access to EU funding for innovative companies. However, its ability to deliver greater impact is constrained as it operates across previously established EU funding programmes and associated constraints.
Companies notably regretted the excessively long time to get EU funding, which does not match companies’ investment cycles, and the funding size falling short of supporting massive developments. They noted the overall complexity of selection processes. They called for increased support from Member States and regions, including via EU-funded national envelopes in particular to support projects awarded a STEP Seal by the European Commission.
With a view to maximise impact, participants requested that financial and non-financial support be structured across all development stages along the innovation journey, and that EU funding focus on output/policy benefit rather than prescriptive solutions. The Commission could reinforce matchmaking efforts towards public authorities, strengthen links with private investment, and involve National Promotional Banks more.
Participants also expressed the urgent need for strong and predictable EU demand (including procurement) to support innovations and scaling up in the EU.
Turning to STEP best practices, the STEP Seal was praised as a useful label to identify at EU level promising projects in terms of innovation potential and of reduction of strategic dependencies. The STEP Portal as a one-stop-shop to track funding opportunities, guidelines and technical assistance provided by the Commission STEP team proved to be highly useful to stakeholders.
Challenges for STEP Seal projects to access funding were also raised by several participants, calling for increased support from Member States (including via their EU-funded envelopes) and facilitation in matchmaking and reach-out to private investors.
In his closing remarks, Commissioner Piotr Serafin thanked participants for their constructive and insightful contributions and encouraged continued exchange with the STEP team and Commission services. The Commissioner confirmed that the participants’ input would inform the implementation of the next EU long-term budget, with particular focus on the European Competitiveness Fund.
List of participating entities
- ACEA
- Alice & Bob
- AeroSpace and Defence Industries Association of Europe (ASD)
- Cassa Depositi e Prestiti (CDP)
- DIGITALEUROPE
- Association of European Long-Term Investors (ELTI)
- Eurochambres
- European Digital SME Alliance
- ecop
- Fibenol
- Heidelberg Materials
- ICEYE
- Leniobio
- Leo Space Photonics
- LIXEA
- Department of Innovation and Space Policy Ministry of Development and Technology, Poland (MRiT)
- Metlen
- Milrem Robotics
- Multiverse Computing
- PASQAL
- Polpharma
- Semi Zabala
- Startup Europe Regions Network
Background
President von der Leyen tasked all Commissioners to organise two Implementation Dialogues per year to align implementation with realities on the ground. The implementation dialogues aim to strengthen European competitiveness by seeking feedback from stakeholders to facilitate the implementation of EU policies and the simplification of EU rules and spending programmes.
Active under the current EU long-term budget, STEP is designed to strengthen the EU’s ability to create and ramp up strategic technologies, making it more competitive globally. It seeks to boost innovation and economic growth and reduce EU’s reliance on other countries by:
- Supporting the development and manufacturing of critical technologies in the EU.
- Safeguarding and strengthening their respective value chains.
- Addressing shortages of workforce and skills.
STEP boosts EU leaders in 4 sectors: digital and deep innovation technologies, clean and resource-efficient technologies, biotechnologies, and – as from December 2025 – in defence technologies (e.g., artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and renewable energy technologies).
Implementation dialogues are part of the Commission's commitment to seek feedback from stakeholders for the implementation and simplification of EU policies. This is Commissioner Serafin’s first stand-alone implementation dialogue in 2026, complementing the on-going Tour d’Europe.
Related events
- Brussels, Belgium
- The Hague, Netherlands
- Schaerbeek, Belgium