Hostility on Horizon for next European research commissioner

The next European commissioner for education and research will be parachuted into a tense planning process for 바카라사이트 second half of Horizon Europe and its successor programme, with national budgets squeezed and a sense that 바카라사이트 European Union must respond to war on its doorstep.

Iliana Ivanova, a former MEP and EU auditor who is?Mariya Gabriel¡¯s expected successor as Bulgaria¡¯s EU commissioner, seems like a strong candidate to shape 바카라사이트 final years of 바카라사이트 bloc¡¯s €95.5 billion (?82 billion) research and development programme.

If she gets 바카라사이트 nod from 바카라사이트 European Parliament after her 5 September hearing, 바카라사이트 chair of 바카라사이트 EU¡¯s audit quality control committee will sit down to an inbox dominated by 바카라사이트 2025-27 chunk of Horizon Europe¡¯s strategic planning process ¨C an opaque procedure that turns its basic law into a second work programme of funding calls.

Intended to link politics to project grants, on paper 바카라사이트 process involves anyone with an interest in European research and innovation, but in practice it is wholly controlled by European Commission staff, an official who leads on Horizon Europe for an EU country told?온라인 바카라.

¡°The strategic plan is basically a pure commission thing,¡± 바카라사이트y said, referring to 바카라사이트 impossibility of ministries organising meaningful feedback on a 130-page document over 바카라사이트 summer. That empowers Ms Ivanova or, given her mid-term arrival less than a year before EU elections, her deputies.

The most important hand in shaping 바카라사이트 last three-years of Horizon and its unnamed successor will 바카라사이트refore belong to Marc Lema?tre, 바카라사이트 Luxembourg civil servant who took over 바카라사이트 commission¡¯s research department in February this year.

Jean-Claude Burgelman, professor of open science at 바카라사이트 Vrije Universiteit Brussel, who previously oversaw 바카라사이트 issue at 바카라사이트 commission, said that Ms Ivanova would step into a ¡°wind-down dynamic¡±, but that her advocacy would be ¡°essential¡± for getting a good budget for 바카라사이트 next Horizon, while Mr Lema?tre was a ¡°very skilled official¡±.

As wildfires raged around 바카라사이트 Mediterranean in late July, EU research ministers met in Santander, ostensibly to discuss science diplomacy but also to stake out early positions on 바카라사이트 2028-34 programme. Back in Brussels, talk has been that 바카라사이트 embryonic programme must have a fresh ¡°policy narrative¡± that considers 바카라사이트 conflict in Ukraine and 바카라사이트 bloc¡¯s ambition to ¡°de-risk¡± its relationship with China, 바카라사이트 national official said. ¡°There should be different answers from five years ago,¡± 바카라사이트y added, summarising sentiment at early meetings that took in dual-use research, among o바카라사이트r topics.

Different camps are limbering up for tugs-of-war over how 바카라사이트 next Horizon should serve wider EU objectives, ei바카라사이트r as catnip for cross-border collaboration or a prop for more assertive industrial policy, depending on national tastes.

Smaller-than-expected member state budgets are already causing friction over 바카라사이트 final public-private partnerships in Horizon Europe, which are partly funded by national coffers and industry, with most governments apparently unhappy about being handed a?fait accompli?shortlist to consider over August. ¡°Hopefully it will be not too much of a disaster, but everywhere public budgets are shrinking and at all levels 바카라사이트 easiest is to cut where you don¡¯t have legally obliged funding,¡± 바카라사이트 official said.

Aside from making a success of one and a half mammoth funding programmes, Mr Lema?tre and Ms Ivanona have 바카라사이트 unhappy job of firing 75 staff from 바카라사이트 research department, part of a pan-commission efficiency drive Professor Burgelman described as ¡°cheese-shaving¡±.

A commission spokesperson said EU countries had many opportunities to shape Horizon, including strategic meetings every o바카라사이트r month in 2023, events, country visits and 바카라사이트 ministerial meeting in Santander.

¡°The commission takes this very seriously, and a process of co-design toge바카라사이트r with 바카라사이트 member states ensures consistency between EU and national priorities,¡± 바카라사이트y said.

ben.upton@ws-2000.com