EU long-term budget must treat research and innovation as a “critical strategic asset”
The budget choices being made as part of the EU’s Multiannual Financial Framework negotiations this autumn “will shape Europe’s capacity to compete, innovate and act for decades to come,” according to a joint statement from European research groups.
The statement, co-signed by CESAER, Coimbra Group, EUA, EU-LIFE, the Guild, LERU and YERUN, sets out the sector’s aspirations for the “decisive phase” of negotiations around the 2028–34 long-term budget.
It calls for the Horizon Europe budget to be set at “at least €200bn” – an increase on the European Commission’s proposed €175bn, but in line with plans put forward by the European Parliament.
“While €175 billion seems substantially larger than the budget of the current programme, inflation and rising research costs significantly reduce the increase in real terms.”
The statement also sets out why, in addition to increased funding, the success of Horizon Europe requires budget certainty: “excellent research depends on stable and predictable investment.” It is argued that FP10’s financial envelope must constitute a minimum commitment, rather than indicative allocation, and that at least 12 per cent of the total programme budget should be committed in each of the seven years.
The groups also repeat calls for “balanced” investment across the R&I landscape, with frontier research and work at lower and medium technology readiness levels effectively supported:
“Horizon Europe should provide strong support for excellent research, knowledge creation, research infrastructures, research talent and the earlier stages of the research and innovation continuum, while deployment, market uptake, scaleup and cost of infrastructure construction should be supported through other EU instruments, notably the European Competitiveness Fund.”
Elsewhere the statement emphasises the need for the EU budget to be agreed in time for a prompt start in January 2028. Last week the Irish government, which currently holds the European Council presidency, recognised that it was in everyone’s interest to “get agreement quickly” on FP10.