This week: R&D funding, pesticide ‘loopholes’, drug regulation and more
EIC delays
The EU’s innovation fund for technology development is again delaying its investments, and has apologised for “the difficult position” this puts grantees in. Since its 2021 launch, the European Innovation Council has delayed promised equity-based investments in dozens of companies. Now MEP Christian Ehler has shared a letter informing winners of a call with an October 2022 cut-off for applications that their grants will be delayed: “The approval process is ongoing, and contracts will be signed indicatively toward the end of April.” Ehler described the delay as “Kafkaesque”.