Make research count: EU-LIFE researchers act

The proposed budget for Horizon Europe, the successor of the EU research funding program Horizon 2020, risks facing substantial cuts by the European Council. This will affect research funding at all levels and will impose serious restrains on scientific research in the EU member states while dedicating European funds for research and innovation is not a cost: it is an investment in future.

Besides the tremendous positive impact in our wellbeing and on our environment, according to a European Commission study, each Euro invested in EU research & innovation programme generates 5 Euros for the economy.

In a previous Open Letter we urged the European Parliament and the EU Council to provide Horizon Europe with key assets and to prioritise R&I by committing an appropriate budget for Horizon Europe. Now we keep advocating for R&I through a media campaign to urge politiciansto increase the budget for scientific funding. In Belgium, VIB managing directors Jo Bury and Johan Cardoen, together with Ajit Shetty, chairman of the Board of Directors of Janssen Pharmaceutica until February this year, published an opinion piece in the Belgian Newspaper ‘De Tijd’ intitled “Europe cannot take a step back in supporting research and innovation”. In Spain, Luis Serrano, director of CRG published an opinion paper in the national daily newspaper El Pais on why “Europe should invest in science”. More initiatives expected to come in the following weeks.

We also strongly support the LifeTime call for action requiring significant European investment programs to release Horizon Europe's full potential to the benefit of our economy and citizens' health. Many EU-LIFE organizations and scientists already sign the petition. You can sign it here. 

Research matters. We need to say it loud, let us make sure the EU Council hears it!