Deal on Horizon Europe: now we need the money on the table

”We have secured a deal on a future European research and innovation programme that includes high priority mission areas like cancer research, adaption to climate change and healthy food. Now, we ask the EU Member States to secure ample financing for the Horizon Europe Programme”, said Christian Ehler MEP, EPP Group Spokesman, after the deal on Horizon Europe was adopted by the European Parliament.

The European Parliament wants €120 billion to finance Horizon Europe, which will run from 2021 to 2027. It is well above the budget of around €100 billion proposed by the European Commission and significantly above the current seven-year research budget (Horizon 2020) of €80 billion. The final budget for Horizon Europe will be decided in the agreement on the overall long-term budget (MFF) of the EU.

“I remind EU leaders that they agreed to invest 3 percent of GDP in research and that they have so far shamelessly failed. If we want to compete with the USA and Asia in the future - and we do - it is time to put the money on the table”, said Christian Ehler.