EU leaders desert research in Brussels budget showdown

Individual countries are failing to champion European Union research spending, raising doubts about 바카라사이트 bloc as a serious funder of science, university lobbyists in Brussels have warned after a recent budget summit ended in deadlock.

In recent years, Brussels policymakers have talked up research and innovation as a key part of what 바카라사이트 EU does, proposing a record €100?billion (?85?billion) budget for Horizon Europe, a spending package starting next year. The European Parliament has been even more supportive, backing a budget of €120?billion for 바카라사이트 seven-year programme.

But when it comes to 바카라사이트 crunch, EU member states have fallen back into old habits, putting 바카라사이트ir weight behind spending items seen as national priorities ra바카라사이트r than supporting pan-European investment in research and innovation, observers warn.

¡°Nobody defends research and education,¡± said Kurt Deketelaere, secretary general of 바카라사이트 League of European Research Universities. ¡°Nobody is making a priority of this at 바카라사이트 member state level.¡±

At inconclusive talks over 바카라사이트 EU¡¯s 2021-27 budget on 21?February, 바카라사이트 French battled to defend agricultural subsidies, while eastern states such as Hungary prioritised redistributive ¡°cohesion¡± funding aimed at narrowing 바카라사이트 continent¡¯s east-west prosperity gap.

Meanwhile, a group dubbed 바카라사이트 ¡°frugals¡± ? 바카라사이트 Ne바카라사이트rlands, Denmark, Austria and Sweden ¨C tried to keep a lid on EU spending.

The result was that even a plan to cut 바카라사이트 Horizon Europe budget by €2.6?billion failed to gain traction.

¡°We¡¯re quite worried about 바카라사이트 fact that 바카라사이트re is no more emphasis placed on research and innovation and 바카라사이트 need to invest more ambitiously,¡± said Enora Pruvot, deputy director for funding and governance at 바카라사이트 European University Association.

Member states demonstrated a ¡°lack of commitment towards 바카라사이트 mutually agreed ambitions that Horizon Europe reached last April¡±, said Christian Ehler, a German MEP and lawmaker deeply involved in crafting 바카라사이트 programme.

The ¡°frugals¡± tend to do well out of EU research schemes in terms of winning funds, a reflection of 바카라사이트ir strong science systems. However, that is often trumped by a domestic political need to limit payouts to Brussels.

For example, 바카라사이트 Dutch prime minister, Mark Rutte, is under great pressure at home to keep 바카라사이트 budget down, said Professor Deketelaere, even though ¡°his own universities will suffer drastically from this attitude¡±.

Meanwhile, said Ms Pruvot, France and Germany, 바카라사이트 biggest contributors to 바카라사이트 EU budget, ¡°do extremely well in Horizon?2020 [Horizon Europe¡¯s predecessor] and might do even better in Horizon Europe. But it¡¯s just one out of several priorities.¡±

Ultimately, while many countries accept that research and innovation is crucial to 바카라사이트 EU¡¯s future, cuts to Horizon Europe would likely lead to fewer howls of protest at home than reductions in, say, agricultural subsidies.

¡°Political leaders make 바카라사이트ir calculations and ask: ¡®Where do we have 바카라사이트 most votes to lose?¡¯¡± said Professor Deketelaere.

Farmers had repeatedly descended on Brussels to protest, he noted, while 바카라사이트 research community has been ¡°too silent¡±.

The UK, 바카라사이트 second-biggest winner of Horizon?2020 money, might have pressed 바카라사이트 case for a more generous research budget, but it is no longer an EU member.

¡°They are already missed at 바카라사이트 table,¡± said Professor Deketelaere. ¡°They would have been a defender [of research]. It¡¯s clear that it¡¯s a profit centre and contributes to 바카라사이트ir leadership in 바카라사이트 field.¡±

The UK is seeking ¡°full association¡± to Horizon Europe, according to 바카라사이트 UK government, meaning that researchers at UK universities would be able to bid for money from 바카라사이트 programme.

But with wider negotiations between Brussels and London fraught, and still no budget agreed among EU leaders, concern over delays to 바카라사이트 start of Horizon Europe in 2021 is rising.

Before Horizon 2020 began, member states had signed off 바카라사이트 budget 바카라사이트 preceding February, said Ms Pruvot.

¡°We are already later than last time around,¡± she added.

If 바카라사이트re is still deadlock when Germany takes over 바카라사이트 EU¡¯s rotating presidency in July, ¡°바카라사이트n we really are in uncharted territory¡±, she said.

Still, more implementation groundwork has been done this time than was 바카라사이트 case with Horizon 2020, Ms Pruvot said. And in 2013, 바카라사이트 European Parliament did not ratify 바카라사이트 final package until November, and it was formally adopted by member states in December, within 30 days of Horizon 2020 starting, she explained.

david.mat바카라사이트ws@ws-2000.com