Spanning om EU-kennisbudget groeit

De YAE meldt onder meer dat “numerous European media reported on the open letter, inducing the German Federal Research Minister, Anette Schavan, to publish a statement in the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung. Accordingly, the German government will negotiate in favour of a strong budget in Brussels on November 22/23 for the research program “Horizon 2020”. This is in line with the Swedish government that announced on October 30 to veto a budget ‘made for the fifties’ that makes cuts where the EU needs to invest, naming research one of the top priorities.”

Brits besef moet groeien 

In een reactie op de petitie en de 130.000 handtekeningen die hij in ontvangst nam zei Herman  Van Rompuy over zijn actuele budget-compromis voorzet “that ‘is along  the spirit of  the Commission’s proposal’ and would protect Horizon 2020 from  disproportionate  cuts.” Belangrijk was nu vooral dat landen die de Europese begroting fors willen beperken en snijden de boodschap helder vernemen. Hij “recommended more activities dedicated to certain member states that already  announced to veto the recently presented compromises.

Commissievoorzitter Jose Manuel Barroso wees in een vergelijkbare richting in zijn gesprek met de YAE. Hij meldde dat “especially the British Government should  realize how much the UK research system benefits from EU funding. He also shared the concern that the budget for Horizon 2020 is one of the candidates that might be  neglected once certain alliances form and package deals with other priorities are brought to the table.”