Parliament proposals undermine research, universities warn

Fourteen university associations are opposing proposals from the European Parliament that would dilute the emphasis on quality in EU-funded research.

Negotiations in the Parliament on the EU’s 2021-27 R&D programme Horizon Europe are “undermining” the programme’s aim to get the maximum benefits from the research it funds, the associations said in a joint statement published on 8 November.

As reported by Research Europe, the associations’ concerns relate to proposals made by Romanian MEP Dan Nica, one of the Parliament’s two leads on Horizon Europe. He wants to focus on reducing differences in EU member states’ participation in the programme as well as on EU-specific commercial outcomes. Nica’s proposals would also reduce the participation of non-EU countries.