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Science Europe, EUA, and EARTO sent an Open Letter to European Commissioner for Innovation and Research Iliana Ivanova. The letter stresses the crucial role of EU R&I investments in addressing global challenges, boosting the EU's global competitiveness, and reinforcing its strategic autonomy.

In 2022, Science Europe made significant contributions in various areas, including research culture, research assessment, open science, EU framework programmes, the green and digital transition, and science communication.

On 22 February, Science Europe answered the European Commission’s consultation on the past, current, and future European R&I Framework Programmes. The response, developed in collaboration with the SE Working group on Horizon Europe reflects SE Member Organisations’ opinions and concerns regarding Horizon 2020 and Horizon Europe.  

Substantial discrepancies exist between European R&I capacities, and these are at risk of increasing. Leveraging the potential of Europe's existing talent, developing new capacities, and optimising and spreading R&I benefits are more important than ever. This Science Europe report makes a number of recommendations to support this.

For Science Europe, 2021 was a very important year: the association celebrated its 10th year of existence. Founded in 2011, it has grown into a respected and influential voice in the European research policy debate. Moreover, we published a new Strategy Plan for 2021–2026, which maps our collective objectives and sets a specific yet flexible action framework over the next five years.

The European Union’s research and innovation community urges the European Commission and UK Government to work towards a successful UK association to Horizon Europe as soon as possible.

The Science Europe Strategy Plan comes at a crucial time for European Research an Innovation (R&I) and includes an updated vision, mission, values, and set of strategic priorities for the association. It supports its Member Organisation in their mission to create world-class scientific knowledge, delivering more benefit for our societies.

This Multi-annual Action Plan proposes a series of framework actions to guide the implementation of the Science Europe Strategy Plan 2021–2026 in line with the association's updated vision, mission, values, and strategic priorities.

The outbreak of a new type of Coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) delayed the organisation and hosting of all GRC meetings in 2020. On 14 January 2021, Science Europe and the German Research Foundation (DFG) co-hosted the 2020 regional meeting for the European region on COVID-19.

The year 2020 saw a global pandemic attest to the value of science. In the race for COVID-19 treatments and vaccines, Science Europe’s Member Organisations were at the forefront of the global response and our association became more relevant and important than ever.

The 2020 edition of the Science Europe High Level Workshop on ERA was co-hosted with the Foundation for Science and Technology and the Portuguese Ministry of Science, Technology, and Higher Education. It explored how research and innovation can contribute to crisis recovery and to societal resilience in the context of an evolving research culture.

In its response to the European Commission, Science Europe outlines numerous topics that should be further addressed in order to create the best possible start for Horizon Europe. Such developments include striking the right balance between research and innovation, embedding the whole spectrum of equality aspects, better integration of Social Sciences and Humanities, and the creation of synergies between the various parts of the programme.

The Research and Innovation (R&I) sector has been sacrificed in these budget negotiations, when it should have been the spearhead of an ambitious, future-oriented, knowledge-based plan for Europe. Science Europe now calls the European Parliament and the European Commission, as the protectors of European R&I, to continue taking a strong stand in favour of a larger budget for Horizon Europe

Science Europe encourages EU Member States and Associated Countries to keep leading European and global projects to tackle the medical, social, and economic challenges brought on by COVID-19.

Science Europe Members Organisations can contribute with their expertise and experience to build the necessary collaborative approaches within Europe and across the world.

Science Europe warmly welcomes the strong commitment from Mariya Gabriel, Commissioner-designate for Innovation and Youth, to support excellent research in Europe. Research is essential for Europe to address the societal challenges, and lead the transition to a sustainable and digital economy and society.

Ahead of the trilogue negotiations on the EU Budget for 2020, Science Europe calls on the Council to agree to a substantial budgetary increase for Horizon 2020. Outcomes of Horizon 2020 provide a key contribution to long-term economic growth, European competitiveness, and in finding solutions to societal and global challenges.

For Horizon Europe’s ‘Strategic Plan’ 2021-2024, Science Europe urges the European Commission to support cutting-edge research and innovation at all Technological and Societal Readiness Levels, and to adopt objectives that are not limited to short term impact. Europe should dare to explore unexplored paths and support riskier experimentation. Moreover, Science Europe recommends to reinforce a series of cross-cutting factors to increase the scientific, economic, and societal impacts of Horizon Europe.

Science Europe welcomes the Political Partial Agreement on Horizon Europe, voted on today in plenary by the European Parliament. Science Europe is very pleased to see that excellence remains the core principle of the programme. However Horizon Europe’s ambitions can only be met with the appropriate funding and we therefore advise that Horizon Europe is granted a budget of at least €120bn.

In view of the upcoming trilogues between the three European institutions, Science Europe invites all parties to consider a series of elements to further improve the legislative package for Horizon Europe. The budget of €120bn proposed by the European Parliament is a very welcome proposal and should be taken up by the Council in the next Multiannual Financial Framework. Moreover, fundamental research must be included in all parts of the programme, including the European Innovation Council.

The overall funding for research and innovation in Europe needs to be increased and an adequate ring-fenced budget should be provided for Horizon Europe. In this factsheet Science Europe illustrates some of the reasons why.

The European Commission proposal for Horizon Europe falls short of acknowledging the importance of fundamental research. This factsheet demonstrates the essential role fundamental research plays, not only for research, but also for innovation.

Science Europe welcomes the overall continuity between the internal structure and funding rates between Horizon 2020 and Horizon Europe. However, the proposed budget increase for the period 2021-2027 does not live up to the ambitious scenarios defended by the European Commission in front of the Heads of States and Governments in March 2018 and will not be sufficient for Europe to meet its ambitious political goals.

Science Europe sees interesting opportunities in the use of missions and cross-disciplinary Research and Innovation as part of Europe’s toolset to address societal or global challenges. However, the criteria for selecting missions so far have been too broad and more discussion is needed on the concept of missions and their introduction in FP9.

The Multiannual Financial Frameworks (MFF) determine the budget allocation of the EU over a period of seven years. Science Europe recommends strengthening science, research, and innovation by increasing their budget in the MFF for 2021–2027 and to take measures to ensure that the 9th Framework Programme for Research and Innovation will have the capacity to achieve its goals.