As 2020 will come to a close, so will the 8th research framework programme, known as Horizon 2020. Its successor, named Horizon Europe, will be launched at a time where ambitious funding for science, research and innovation will be essential if Europe is to deal with the many challenges its citizens are already facing, and will continue to face in the coming years.
As the voice of Chemistry in Europe, EuChemS has published a Position Paper which outlines the strengths and weaknesses we perceive in the proposals put forward by the European Commission as well as the reports prepared by the Members of the European Parliament, Dan Nica and Christian Ehler.
In our position, we call for a larger budget to be allocated for the research framework programme as a whole, as well as boosts to be made to the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) and the European Research Council (ERC) budgets – two funding programmes that have enabled breakthrough scientific outcomes over the years. EuChemS has also underlined its support for excellent science, as well as the notion of ‘Missions’ put forward by the European Commission. Such missions would define targets to be reached, from finding cures to Parkinson’s disease to ensuring plastic-free oceans. Finally, EuChemS had emphasised the fact that science knows no borders, and that countries that have in the past participated in research framework programmes, should be able to do so again in Horizon Europe.
You can read our full position paper and our amendments here; and for a more general overview, take a look at our Info Sheet here.