Research leaders blast proposed R&D cut

Member state governments’ move to slash EU funding labelled “extremely disappointing”, especially in “unusual” times

A move by EU member state governments to cut the proposed 2022 budget of the bloc’s Horizon Europe R&D programme by €316 million is especially disappointing in the context of Covid-19, according to research leaders.

“It’s an extraordinarily poor signal from the Council of the EU given that we’re still getting out of the pandemic and there’s no shortage of innovation cuts ahead of us,” said Jan Palmowski, secretary-general of the Guild of European Research-Intensive Universities.