Now 16,000 people tell politicians to protect ERC budget

Nobel laureates back warning that EU budget presents risk to basic science

More than 16,000 people from 94 countries—including fourteen Nobel laureates—have now signed an open letter urging EU politicians to ensure the European Research Council has a big enough budget in the 2021-27 Horizon Europe R&D programme.

“In light of the current European debate on the [2021-27 EU budget], there is significant reason to fear a cut across all areas of Horizon Europe, and we anticipate that this would also impact the ERC,” the letter says. “We urge the EU to protect the funding of the ERC.”