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The Fruit Sector is an important part of the European Agroindustry, which is themajor economical sector in Europe. The relevance of fruit extends beyond the sheereconomic size of the industry, as fruit can play a pivotal role in promoting EUconsumers’ health, thus reducing costs associated to the socalled “social diseases”(cardio-vascular disease, some forms of cancer, obesity). This sector is therefore one ofstrategic importance for Europe, and warrants that attention be paid at all levels to itsneeds. Also, its labor-intensive approach at managing the rural environment puts fruitgrowing in an excellent position to provide EU Society with essential land preservationand stewardship.

In a global market, Europe would be at a loss competing with countries that canreadily adopt novel techniques and couple them with low labor and production costs, ifit did not maintain a continuous supply of innovation into its Fruit Chain. Yet,maintaining a European fruit production is of strategic importance also in terms of foodsecurity and safety, as the World population will max out in the next 40-50 years. Thepressure for food placed by such demographic increase will need to be met bymaintaining or increasing the quality, variety and nutritional levels of the currentEuropean fruit production. These challenges can only be met via a continuous input oftechnological innovation in the entire European Fruit Chain. To ensure that resources bededicated to the most important matters, mechanisms must be in place to listen andreact to the chain-driven demand of innovation, as this is fundamental to maintain aviable Fruit Chain in Europe. With its research potential, Europe is in an ideal position toaddress this demand of innovation via dedicated research, thus contributing to theEuropean Knowledge Based Bio-Economy.

The present document presents the collective outlook of EUFRIN, the EUropeanFruit Research Institutes Network which has taken a proactivestance in leading the effort to bring together the various stakeholders of the EuropeanFruit Chain, with the goal of coordinating and implementing the Strategic Researchneeds of the sector.

EUFRIN European Fruit Research Institutes Network© EUFRIN 2This outlook is the result of twelve months of consulting and confrontation between a dedicated EUFRIN Working Group and its Board, and has been prepared at atime during which the EU has been conducting Consultation Exercises in order to betterdefine the Horizon 2020 Program, and the tools and funding schemes that will beadopted from 2013 onward. The ultimate goal of EUFRIN is to act as a promoter andcoordinator of the appropriate forms of international cooperation, responding to thepolitical guidelines of the EU in the implementation of the European Research Area,bridging the gap between the actual need of innovation of the Fruit Chain and the EUcommitment to improve Europeans’ wellbeing through research and innovation.