Row over Horizon Europe raises risk of delay

Thousands of research jobs under threat, says Commission

A row over who has the power to shape the EU’s next R&D programme is creating a real danger that the multibillion-euro scheme might not be ready to start in 2021, which the European Commission says would put thousands of research jobs at risk.

Kurt Deketelaere, secretary-general of the League of European Research Universities, told Research Europe he was feeling “very pessimistic” about an agreement on the 2021-27 Horizon Europe programme being reached before the European Parliament stops work for the election in May. Similar fears over delays dogged the current programme Horizon 2020 during its creation. They were averted at the last minute, but this time around the problems may be greater.