EU governments propose a €231m cut in 2027 Horizon budget

The European Council has agreed its position on the draft EU budget for 2027, and is seeking a €231m cut in funds committed to Horizon compared to the proposals put forward by the European Commission earlier this year.

The Commission had proposed a €12.8bn commitment to the final year of the current Horizon Europe programme as part of its draft, which is also the final budget in the EU’s 2021–2027 multiannual financial framework.

The Council, which is formed of EU member state governments, has said it is taking a “prudent approach” to budget-setting, noting the need to safeguard against “ongoing crises and challenges” such as the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East.

Other areas where the Council is looking to reduce committed funds in 2027 include Euratom, where a €10.7m decrease in budget is proposed, and Erasmus+ – the European Council here puts forward a reduction in funds committed from just over €4.5bn to around €4.35bn.

The Council says that it is aiming to formally adopt a position in September ahead of negotiations with the European Parliament – the legal deadline for agreeing the 2027 budget will this year be in mid-November.

The fact that the Council has proposed a budget reduction does not necessarily mean that this is how the final allocations will play out. Last year’s budget deliberations saw MEPs secure a small increase to the European Commission’s original proposals for the 2026 Horizon Europe budget, notwithstanding the efforts of the EU governments which make up the European Council to secure a cut of similar scale to this year’s.