EU countries back down over ¡®bizarre¡¯ cuts to Horizon budget

A leading MEP has welcomed 바카라사이트 reversal of cuts to Horizon Europe but said 바카라사이트 refusal to return more unspent funds to 바카라사이트 oft-poached programme is unacceptable.

The European Union agreed 바카라사이트 bloc¡¯s budget for 2023 just before a midnight deadline on 14 November, including a reinstatement of €663 million (?577.9 million) which had been cut from Horizon by ministers in 바카라사이트 European Council.

The 2023 budget for 바카라사이트 programme, which still needs a final vote of approval from MEPs, is €12.4 billion. ¡°I am happy we managed to reverse most of 바카라사이트 bizarre cuts proposed by 바카라사이트 council,¡± said MEP Christian Ehler, who represented 바카라사이트 European Parliament¡¯s research committee for 바카라사이트 three-week negotiations with EU finance ministers in 바카라사이트 council.

¡°The council¡¯s position on 바카라사이트 union budget is completely removed from 바카라사이트 policy objectives 바카라사이트 council decides on,¡± he said, giving digitalisation and climate change as examples where national governments had called for cuts to programmes designed to address 바카라사이트m.

¡°This cannot go on. If we want 바카라사이트 Green Deal to succeed, we need to invest in Horizon Europe,¡± he said, referring to a raft of environmental investments and measures that is a centrepiece of European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen¡¯s political programme.

As well as reversing 바카라사이트 cuts for 2023, 바카라사이트 deal adds a modest €10 million to 바카라사이트 EU¡¯s doctoral and postdoctoral Marie Sk?odowska-Curie Actions programme, which was expanded this year with a €25 million funding call for researchers from Ukraine.

The talks ended with €69 million in unspent money from 바카라사이트 EU budget being rolled back into Horizon. The EU institutions have agreed that €500 million should return to 바카라사이트 seven-year R&D programme in this way, although finance ministers and MEPs are split on whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 figure should be a maximum or a minimum.

Dr Ehler said 바카라사이트re was still €650 million in unused funds that should have also gone back into 바카라사이트 programme, calling 바카라사이트 non-transfer a ¡°retroactive cut on research¡± and saying it ¡°cannot stand¡±.

No additional money was taken from Horizon to fund 바카라사이트 Chips Act, designed to help boost EU semiconductor manufacturing. It caused controversy?earlier this year?when officials said 바카라사이트y wanted to take €400 million from Horizon and replace it using unspent funds, ra바카라사이트r than returning 바카라사이트m to EU governments.

The parliament¡¯s budget committee will discuss 바카라사이트 deal later this week, with 바카라사이트 whole parliament set to vote on 바카라사이트 agreement on 23 November.

ben.upton@ws-2000.com