EU default on knowledge

Nieuws | de redactie
24 september 2013 | Member States want to drastically reduce next year's Education, Research and Innovation budget. Universities call it "inconceivable" that they are now backtracking on this summer's budgetary agreement with the Commission and the European Parliament.

The proposed cut of EUR 426 million to the ‘competitiveness’ budget (which had already been pared down to the bare minimum) would effectively destroy the EU’s capacity to invest in knowledge, research and innovation.

European Research Universities (LERU) are deeply concerned about the current 2013-2014 budgetary discussions and urges the Council to honour the commitments made earlier this year. LERU also calls on all parties to engage in a constructive negotiation process to reach an acceptable outcome on the 2014 budget.

Simply inconceivable

The Research Universities call it “inconceivable that the EU would reduce even further its commitment to EU policies that promote growth and employment – a commitment which, although repeated often, is invariably the one to suffer first.”

“It is completely unacceptable that an agreed commitment should be opened up again for discussion after the enormous effort, time and energy that was spent to close the deal on the MFF (Multi-annual Financial Framework 2014-2020) and on Horizon 2020 (the EU’s framework programme for research and innovation 2014-2020) in the early summer.”

Act with necessary integrity

“Unless a satisfactory agreement is reached, the already compromised timetable to start the new Horizon 2020 programme at the beginning of 2014 would be irreparably damaged. This is not the time for change and delay!”

LERU, which represents some of Europe’s strongest research universities, supports fully the important role of EU research policies and a robust budget to fund the best research from around Europe and beyond. The proposed cuts will endanger this vital objective.

LERU calls upon the Council “to act with the necessary integrity and confidence, so that a sensible 2014 budget and a viable Horizon 2020 programme are delivered as soon as possible.”


«
Schrijf je in voor onze nieuwsbrief
ScienceGuide is bij wet verplicht je toestemming te vragen voor het gebruik van cookies.
Lees hier over ons cookiebeleid en klik op OK om akkoord te gaan
OK