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Leru adds to criticism of EU leaders’ proposed €166 million cut to R&D programme
The EU should “stop squeezing” the budget for its Horizon Europe research and innovation programme, a university group has urged.
The League of European Research Universities warned there is “no spare money in Horizon Europe and no room for further budget cuts”, adding to growing criticism of a push from EU national leaders to cut the proposed 2024 budget for the programme.
Over the summer, the European Commission proposed the 2024 Horizon Europe budget should be €12.8 billion, but member state governments are seeking a €166 million cut to this figure. Meanwhile, the European Parliament is set to push for €140m more than the Commission proposal.
In a statement on 16 October, Leru said the Horizon Europe budget is “almost constantly” being squeezed to co-fund new EU priorities and policy initiatives. These include the European Chips Act, which is intended to strengthen microchip R&I and manufacturing.
“We are hopeful that the European Parliament’s common sense and proposals to protect and strengthen the Horizon Europe budget will prevail,” said Leru secretary general Kurt Deketelaere.
“Both the Council of EU finance ministers and the European Commission should be braver and acknowledge that if certain priorities need to be addressed at EU level, funding should follow. New priorities require new funding.”
He added that Leru will “continue to push” for the ringfencing of the budget for both Horizon Europe and future iterations of the bloc’s R&I funding programme.
“Horizon Europe is not a lemon, so stop squeezing it,” he said.
Leru’s plea comes after Science Europe, an association of major European research funding and performing organisations, released a similar statement criticising the proposal by the Council of the EU member state governments to cut the 2024 budget.