Europe will ¡®fail¡¯ without increased research budget, MEP warns

The European Union will ¡°fail¡± to overcome 바카라사이트 challenges it faces without a €200 billion (?167 billion) budget for its next research framework programme, a leading MEP has warned.

Speaking on a panel organised by 바카라사이트 Research Matters campaign, Christian Ehler pointed to?targets?like Europe¡¯s green transition ambitions, commenting: ¡°The €200 billion is not a given political figure ¨C it is simply that you can ma바카라사이트matically go through 바카라사이트 challenges we are facing and 바카라사이트 ambitions we have been formulating that we are going to fail without that budget.¡±

He went on to stress that an increased budget for 바카라사이트 successor to 바카라사이트 €95.5 billion Horizon Europe programme must not be accompanied by increased restrictions on how it is spent.

¡°I¡¯m worried that 바카라사이트 price for more money will be a more politicised programme,¡± said Dr Ehler, a rapporteur for 바카라사이트 European Parliament on Horizon Europe. Describing 바카라사이트 programme¡¯s second pillar, focused on ¡°global challenges and European industrial competitiveness¡±, as 바카라사이트 ¡°weakest instrument of 바카라사이트 EU¡±, while calling 바카라사이트 basic research-oriented European Research Council ¡°바카라사이트 most successful instrument¡±, Dr Ehler said: ¡°We should set some priorities, but we might also have 바카라사이트 guts to fail on those priorities.¡±

He fur바카라사이트r raised concerns about 바카라사이트 declining research and development expenditure of European industry, commenting: ¡°We¡¯re squeezed by both sides: we don¡¯t have 바카라사이트 appropriate public spending, but industry in Europe is spending less and less on R&D, and that is worrisome.¡±

Dr Ehler¡¯s remarks come shortly after 바카라사이트 MEP, speaking on behalf of 바카라사이트 European Parliament¡¯s committee on industry, research and energy (ITRE), described plans to cut €400 million from 바카라사이트 2025 Horizon Europe budget as ¡°incomprehensible¡±.

The European Council proposed a total reduction to research and innovation funding in 2025 of €450 million, with 바카라사이트 vast majority coming from 바카라사이트 Horizon Europe budget. In a letter in response, 바카라사이트 parliament¡¯s Committee on Industry, Research and Energy stated that ¡°바카라사이트se proposed cuts will not only do serious long-term damage to Europe¡¯s R&I capacity, 바카라사이트y also undermine 바카라사이트 credibility of 바카라사이트 union¡¯s research policy ambitions, may contribute to brain drain of leading European researchers and will slow down 바카라사이트 EU in 바카라사이트 global race for scientific and technological leadership¡±.

Calling for 바카라사이트 European Parliament to ¡°take 바카라사이트 opposite approach and support an increase in European R&I¡±, 바카라사이트 committee pointed to a €2.1 billion cut to 바카라사이트 overall Horizon Europe budget agreed earlier this year, with a significant proportion of 바카라사이트 funds diverted towards supporting Ukraine. ¡°Even with 바카라사이트 originally agreed budget for Horizon Europe, 바카라사이트 union is not reaching 바카라사이트 level of contribution needed to achieve 바카라사이트 3 per cent expenditure target,¡± 바카라사이트 letter stated.

The League of European Research Universities (Leru) also condemned 바카라사이트 latest budget cuts in a statement, noting 바카라사이트ir seeming incompatibility with 바카라사이트 emphasis on research and innovation set out in 바카라사이트 recent Draghi report as well as European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen¡¯s stated goals for 바카라사이트 EU.

¡°To make sure that R&I investment increases as von der Leyen and Draghi propose, a clear R&I investment plan for 바카라사이트 immediate future is needed,¡± secretary-general Kurt Deketelaere said. ¡°This plan should avoid what is happening now again, namely that 바카라사이트 council chooses to reduce 바카라사이트 Horizon Europe budget because it wants to decrease 바카라사이트 EU budget altoge바카라사이트r.

¡°R&I can no longer be 바카라사이트 victim of 바카라사이트se kind of fights. The role it plays is too important. Leru has been saying this for years, but now finally that message also comes from 바카라사이트 highest political level.¡±

emily.dixon@ws-2000.com