Europe needs a substantial increase in the next research and innovation budget

21.11.2018 10:50

Europe needs a substantial increase in the next research and innovation budget

”Only a substantial increase in the EU budget for research and innovation will assure that Europe remains competitive compared to the United States and China. Unfortunately there is still a huge mismatch between the actual money we spend on research and our ambition to invest 3 per cent of GDP into research and innovation. So far, we have shamelessly failed to reach the most important Europe 2020 goal”, said Christian Ehler MEP, EPP Group Spokesman, after the vote in the European Parliament’s Industry Committee on the Horizon Europe Programme.

The European Parliament will ask the Member States to increase the EU budget for research and innovation, Horizon Europe, in the upcoming long-term budget (Multiannual Financial Framework) for 2021-2027 from €77 to €120 billion making it by far the largest research programme in the world.

"We reached a position in Parliament in 3 months, much faster than Horizon 2020. We hope that the Council will be as united as the European Parliament and that we can enter into negotiations and have a deal before the European elections”, said Christian Ehler.

“It will send a positive signal to citizens, researchers and to our global competitors that we are sticking to our ambitions and that we are in the race to become the most excellent and innovative place in the world. Europe is at an historic crossroads. The time is now to decide whether we will become a leader or fall behind our global competitors.”

More than half (55 per cent) of the new Horizon Europe budget will be dedicated to fostering excellent collaborative research where universities, research organisations and industry are working together towards innovation.

In addition, specific thematic priorities will be strengthened:

  • the creative sector and cultural heritage support strengthened - we have created the European Cultural Heritage Cloud;
  • quantum and Artificial Intelligence strengthened;
  • fighting child cancer;
  • fighting against terrorism and disasters with a strengthened cluster for security;
  • fighting climate change in particular by supporting the implementation of greener technologies in energy-intensive industries.

"Researchers and companies will have fast-track options throughout the programme to have access to funding in only 3 months. Female researchers will be able to better combine work and family life; we have added more flexibility to the Marie Curie Programme."

"Finally, we will help to increase participation of the EU-13 countries (the countries that entered the EU after 2004) which have so far received less than six per cent of the current Horizon 2020 Programme without undermining the excellence principle", Christian Ehler concluded.

Note to editors

The EPP Group is the largest political group in the European Parliament with 219 Members from 28 Member States

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