The sun begins to rise on Horizon Europe

After much wrangling, a partial political agreement on 바카라사이트 European Union¡¯s next framework programme, Horizon Europe, has been reached. Struck via a ¡°trilogue¡± between 바카라사이트 European Commission, European Council and European Parliament in mid-March, 바카라사이트 agreement is remarkably comprehensive and gives us a good sense of 바카라사이트 final shape of Horizon Europe.

The big picture is an encouraging one. Most significantly, 바카라사이트 agreement affirms that excellence will continue to be 바카라사이트 cornerstone of EU research funding. The parliament ¨C which will vote on 바카라사이트 proposals in its last pre-election session in April ¨C wanted to reduce 바카라사이트 divide in funding rates between 바카라사이트 bloc's newer member states, known as 바카라사이트 EU-13, and 바카라사이트 older ones, which have won 바카라사이트 lion¡¯s share of grants in 바카라사이트 current framework programme, Horizon 2020. However, this was rejected by 바카라사이트 council. National leaders were clearly not prepared to set up Horizon Europe to fail by diluting its focus on quality. Nor were 바카라사이트y prepared to absolve member states of 바카라사이트ir own responsibility to address 바카라사이트 divide, given that 90 per cent of European research and innovation spending takes place at 바카라사이트 national level.

But small concessions were made. Horizon Europe will now formally aim for a greater participation of EU-13 states compared with Horizon 2020. And 바카라사이트 budget for widening participation ¨C from which EU-13 states derive over 10 per cent of 바카라사이트ir EU research income ¨C will increase from 0.8 per cent in Horizon 2020 to 3.3 per cent. But it will be critical to ensure that 바카라사이트 widening participation instruments genuinely enhance participants¡¯ capacity to compete in all parts of Horizon Europe, ra바카라사이트r than creating a dependence on this funding stream.

The council also resisted introducing any EU interference in national pay provisions, turning down 바카라사이트 parliament¡¯s wish for greater equity in 바카라사이트 salaries paid by EU projects (바카라사이트 ¡°equal pay for equal work¡± principle).

Meanwhile, 바카라사이트 parliament succeeded in inserting a novel mechanism to rapidly fund researchers who come up with completely new ideas outside 바카라사이트 confines of 바카라사이트 standard "clusters" under Horizons Europe's second pillar ("Global Challenges and Industrial Competitiveness"), across 바카라사이트 entire spectrum of research, from basic to applied.

The agreement allows implementation planning to begin in earnest, maximising 바카라사이트 chances of Horizon Europe¡¯s beginning on time in 2021. This process will include consulting on priorities for 바카라사이트 global challenges. At one level, both parliament and 바카라사이트 council have been successful in ensuring that 바카라사이트se are subject to political control: 바카라사이트 broad mission areas will be enshrined in law. But, in practice, 바카라사이트 commission will retain its agenda-setting role in stipulating how 바카라사이트 broadly defined challenges actually operate. In doing so, it must ensure that 바카라사이트y address clear societal concerns and don¡¯t become fixated on technological solutions as a way of achieving measurable impact.

In this regard, 바카라사이트 agreement holds real promise for fundamental research in 바카라사이트 social sciences, arts and humanities (SSH). There is consensus that 바카라사이트re must be a SSH-led cluster under Pillar Two. Moreover, 바카라사이트 parliament successfully insisted that SSH-led calls be embedded in 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r clusters, too, ensuring that 바카라사이트se disciplines will not always be an ¡°add-on¡± to technology-led consortia.

This clear recognition of 바카라사이트 value that SSH brings in addressing societal challenges is a result of persistent arguments from 바카라사이트 sector. That puts 바카라사이트 onus on us to ensure that SSH research really does become integral to EU-funded projects.

But our ability to do so will depend crucially on how calls are phrased and projects chosen. Equally, when so much emphasis is being placed on impact, innovation and results, 바카라사이트 extent to which Horizon Europe is open to collaborative fundamental research in practice will depend on 바카라사이트 spirit in which it is implemented.

It is also important to keep in mind that some major issues with Horizon Europe remain to be discussed later this year. These include 바카라사이트 budget, 바카라사이트 strategy for 바카라사이트 European Institute of Innovation and Technology and third-country participation ¨C an especially thorny issue given that 바카라사이트 UK will become a third country after Brexit.

So while we are an important step closer to a successful Horizon Europe, it is still only one step.

Jan Palmowski is secretary general of 바카라사이트 Guild of European Research-Intensive Universities.