When discussing knowledge valorisation, attention often centres on intellectual assets, licensing, spin-offs or policy uptake. Yet one important pathway remains underused in many EU-funded research and innovation (R&I) projects: standardisation.
Standards translate research and innovation results into shared technical specifications, methods and practices that enable new technologies to be adopted across industries and borders. Far from being solely an industrial activity, standardisation is increasingly recognised as a strategic enabler of innovation, competitiveness and knowledge valorisation within the European R&I ecosystem.
Why standardisation matters
Excellent research creates new knowledge, but widespread impact depends on that knowledge being adopted and used. Standards provide a common language that enables interoperability, reduces market fragmentation and builds confidence in emerging technologies.
For researchers and innovators, engaging in standardisation can:
- increase the visibility and long-term impact of project results;
- support market uptake and industrial adoption;
- facilitate interoperability across technologies and sectors;
- strengthen European competitiveness; and
- contribute to policy objectives such as the green and digital transitions.
These benefits closely align with the European Commission's ambition to maximise the value of knowledge generated through research and innovation for the benefit of society, the economy and public policy.
Standardisation as a knowledge valorisation pathway
Knowledge valorisation is about turning knowledge into value. Alongside intellectual asset management, licensing, entrepreneurship and policy uptake, standardisation offers a practical route for translating project results into solutions that can be implemented at scale.
Standards and intellectual property (IP) are often seen as alternatives, but in reality they are complementary. While patents protect inventions, standards provide the framework for their widespread adoption. This interplay is particularly important in sectors such as telecommunications, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, smart manufacturing, health technologies and clean energy, where interoperability is essential. For a broader overview of this topic, the European IP Helpdesk's Intellectual Property and Standardisation fact sheet explains how intellectual property and standardisation work together to support innovation and knowledge valorisation.
Balancing standards and IP
One of the key mechanisms linking standards and intellectual property is the licensing of standard essential patents (SEPs). Because technologies included in standards must remain accessible to all market participants, SEP holders commit to licensing their patents on fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory (FRAND) terms. This balance between protecting innovation and enabling widespread adoption is examined in the European Patent Office's recent Observatory study, Methodologies for FRAND Determination: Evidence from Global Case Law. The study reviews 65 judicial decisions from seven jurisdictions, providing the most comprehensive analysis to date of how courts determine FRAND licensing terms for SEPs.
One of its key findings is the growing convergence in judicial approaches to determining FRAND licensing rates, with comparable licence agreements emerging as the preferred methodology. This increased predictability contributes to a more stable environment for organisations participating in standards development while reinforcing the complementary role of standards and intellectual property in innovation ecosystems.
What this means for EU-funded projects
Standardisation is most effective when considered from the outset of a project rather than as a final dissemination activity. Integrating it into project planning helps maximise the long-term uptake and sustainability of research and innovation results.
Projects can strengthen their impact by:
- identifying relevant European and international standardisation committees early;
- engaging with standards development organisations and industry stakeholders;
- assessing whether project outputs could contribute to existing or emerging standards;
- incorporating standardisation into dissemination, exploitation and communication activities; and
- aligning standardisation with intellectual asset management and licensing strategies.
Recognising the importance of this agenda, the European Commission has launched dedicated support mechanisms for researchers and innovators. Initiatives such as HSBooster.eu provide expert guidance on standardisation strategies and engagement with standards development organisations, while projects such as IAM4RE (Intellectual Asset Management for Research and Entrepreneurship) promote a broader approach to intellectual asset management in which standardisation is recognised as an important pathway for knowledge valorisation.
The way forward
As Europe seeks to strengthen its technological sovereignty and competitiveness, standardisation is becoming an increasingly important instrument for ensuring that research and innovation results deliver lasting societal and economic benefits.
For Horizon Europe and other EU-funded projects, engaging with standardisation should not be viewed as an optional technical exercise but as a strategic element of knowledge valorisation. By considering standards alongside intellectual assets, exploitation and dissemination from the earliest stages of a project, consortia can increase the uptake, visibility and long-term impact of the knowledge they create.