A key topic of the first ITRE meeting following the election of the committee’s board focused on the troubles surrounding the funding of the Horizon Europe programme.
The committee near unequivocally denounced the Council of the European Union’s draft budget for 2025, which indicated significant cuts to research funding for next year. According to the draft, member states intend to cut the budget of Horizon Europe with 400 million EUR, as well as reducing the funds for the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) with more than 50 million EUR, totalling a 450 million+ EUR reduction in research budget.
Long-term Member of the European Parliament (MEP) Christian Ehler launched the conversation by criticising the council’s decisions on cutting research budget, contrasting it with the stated goal of reinforcing Research & Innovation in the Council’s strategic agenda. Many other MEPs from all sides of the political spectrum – including numerous newly elected ones – voiced their agreement, and stated that R&I is crucial for the EU. However, calls were also made to put more emphasis on the 10th Research Framework Programme (FP10), which is currently “under construction”, rather than focusing on the ongoing Horizon Europe budget issues.
The “budget waltz” – the back and forth with regards to research budget – is a returning motif during negotiations between the European Parliament and the Council. As it appears, the new Parliament does not break this tradition, which researchers may consider good news, as the parliament usually pushes for more funding for pan-European projects as opposed to the council, which is interested in reducing costs. The final position of the council on the budget is expected by autumn.
