Nobel-prize winner Philippe Aghion calls for "coalitions of the willing" to drive forward innovation

Nobel-prize winner Philippe Aghion has said that small groups of EU countries should work together to push ahead with research and innovation, rather than working for all 27 EU member states to move together.

Speaking at News Tank's annual Think event in Paris on 05/02/2026, Aghion said that innovation would require "a coalition of the willing", using a term normally used for military and defence initiatives.

Referring to the report on boosting EU competitiveness drafted by former European Central Bank President Mario Draghi, Aghion said: “The Draghi report will not be implemented by all 27 member states, but by those who want to do so. Then, if others want to join, they can.”

Aghion, who won the 2026 Nobel prize for economics, also called for research in Europe to be properly funded. “You can't be disruptive in innovation if you don't have a well-funded university research system at the core,” he said.

He added: “We need to say, ‘Let's do things and see what the cost is.’ Countries that want to do things together need to do so. Certain things can be done at the European level; we…