MEPs back €120bn budget for Horizon Europe

While the EU will miss its target to raise total public and private R&D spending in the EU to 3% of GDP by 2020 – in 2017 the EU average was 2.07% – competitors China and the US invest 3-5% of their GDP into research and innovation. The MEPs, who are pretty aware that member states "won’t throw money in a black hole" argue that rising the R&D budget is crucial to remain competitive. Sceptics however predict that members states won’t support a significant boost in budget for Horizon Europe.

An interim analysis of the EP dating back to summer 2017 concluded that it would need investments of €160bn to support all excellent applications filed so far in the EU’s current framework programme Horizon 2020. Following expert recommendations, a huge majority of MEPs (548 votes to 70 against, and 49 abstentions) approved this week to boost the budget of Horizon Europe (2020-2027) to €120bn, a 27.5% increase on the €94.1bn proposed by the European Commission (EC).

The proposal for the specific programme  implementing Horizon Europe led MEP Dr. Christian Ehler (EPP) was approved by 569 votes to 74 against, and 20 abstentions. Within the multiannual financial framework 2020-2027, the MEPs proposed to double the specific funding for SMEs and to support them through grants for incremental innovation with a ring-fenced budget of €2.5bn.

According to the rapporteur for the Horizon Europe proposal Dan Nica (S&D, Romania), at least 35% of the total budget would be allocated to support EU’s climate objectives. "Horizon Europe needs not only to be more ambitious but also simpler, clearer and more accessible to reduce administrative burden and promote fair and objective participation of all research and innovation teams across the EU,” he said. Particularly, the MEPs backed an €1.82bn increase compared to the EC proposal of the LIFE programme for 2021-2027 financing of environmental and climate objectives.

The rapporteur for the specific programme implementing Horizon Europe proposal Christian Ehler (EPP, Germany) said: “This is a historic vote for Europe: all political groups together calling for a more ambitious research and innovation programme. A budget increase to €120bn is the minimum for Horizon Europe to assure that European industry remains competitive compared to the United States and China. We hope that the Council will be as united and ambitious as us and that we can enter into interinstitutional negotiations and have a deal before the EU elections”.