Est. 2min 13-06-2005 (updated: 05-11-2012 ) Euractiv is part of the Trust Project >>> Languages: Français | DeutschPrint Email Facebook X LinkedIn WhatsApp Telegram The Luxembourg Presidency’s proposal to cut the proposed doubling of the FP7 budget drastically has triggered alarm bells in the Commission and the academic world. The proposed cuts have triggered alarm within the Commission, the Parliament, the academic world and various other science and research stakeholders. Science and Research Commissioner Janez Poto?nik addressed the Competitiveness Council on 7 June 2005, urging EU research ministers to respect their commitment to the Lisbon and Barcelona goals by backing the Commission proposal to double European research spending. The Luxembourg Presidency proposal, cutting the current Commission plan for the FP7 budget by 45-69 per cent, would mean that “work on the FP7 would need to be done all over again”, said Poto?nik. The European Parliament (EP) fully supports the Commission’s proposal and is backing the need to double the European research funding. The EP’s committee responsible for the EU budget has endorsed the Commission’s position, and the chair of the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE), Giles Chichester, has written a letter to the EP President, Josep Borrell, expressing the ITRE committee’s “alarm and disappointment” at the cuts to the EU research budget being proposed for the financial perspective for 2007-2013. “The member states must bear in mind that without the European Parliament there will be no agreement on the financial perspective […] We intend to display realism and ambition. It is up to the Council to do the same,” said the EP President Borrell in a statement. Read more with Euractiv European space policy to be launched in 2005The European Space Council has endorsed the Commission's attempt to kick off the European space policy programme before the end of 2005. Subscribe now to our newsletter EU Elections Decoded Email Address * Politics Newsletters PositionsThe Chair of European Research Advisory Board (EURAB), Helga Nowotny: "[...] a drastic cut in the research budget [...] would be a severe blow to the goal of sustainable knowledge-based growth, hamper the desperately needed improvement in employment and engender dismal consequences for research and innovation in Europe." The European Life Scientist Organization (ELSO) thinks that a reduced FP7 budget would seriously hamper the establishment of a European Research Council (ERC), which would need a big budget to start off with. "If it has to start with a smaller budget, it will reduce its impact," said the ELSO's spokeswoman Carol Featherstone (according to The Scientist). The European University Association (EUA) has called on the national rectors’ conferences to put pressure on their national governments to ensure that the proposal to double the current research budget is not undermined by member states’ unwillingness to increase their contributions to the EU budget. Euroscience, the European Academy of Sciences and Arts and the European Federation of National Academies of Sciences and Humanities all together urge leaders of the EU member states’ governments to demonstrate their commitment to their own targets (Lisbon and Barcelona goals) for the benefit of Europe’s citizens long-term economic well being. BackgroundThe Commission official proposal for the 7th Framework Programme for Research and Technological development (FP7) envisages a doubling of the current European research budget. The Luxembourg Presidency proposal on the Financial perspective proposes an increase of only 31-55 per cent. The proposed reduction is due to the 'club of six' (Germany, France, the UK, Austria, the Netherlands and Sweden), demanding that the member states' contributions to the EU budget should be reduced. Timeline The European Council will take place on 16-17 June 2005. Further ReadingEU official documents Kommission, Pressemitteilung:Why Europe needs research spending(9. Juni 2005) Ratsvorsitz:Competitiveness Council: orientation debate on the Seventh Framework Programme for research(7. Juni 2005) Rat: Competitiveness council conclusions 6-7 June 2005 Ratsvorsitz:Proposal for decisions concerning the Seventh Framework Programme for Research and Technological development (2007-2013)(23. Mai 2005) Nichtständiger EP-Ausschuss zu den politischen Herausforderungen und Haushaltsmitteln der erweiterten Union 2007-2013:Report on on Policy Challenges and Budgetary Means of the enlarged Union 2007-2013(19. Mai 2005) CORDIS News:No decision on research at Competitiveness Council(9. Juni 2005) CORDIS News:Parliament committee endorses research budget increase(8 June 2005) CORDIS News:EURAB urges scientific community to lobby ministers on FP7 budget(6. Juni 2005) CORDIS News:EUROSCIENCE challenges Europe's leaders to honour Lisbon targets when setting FP7 budget(3. Juni 2005) EU Actors positions European University Association (EUA):Letter from the EUA President, Professor Georg Winckler(8. Juni 2005) European Research Advisory Board (EURAB):Letter from Helga Nowotny, the head of the EURAB to European research organisations(3. Juni 2005) European Research Advisory Board (EURAB):Recommendation on the Financial Perspective for FP7 and Criteria for the Selection of Topics for the Work Programmes(April 2005) Euroscience:Euroscience position on the FP7 budget(Mai 2005) Press articles Scientist:EU science budget threatened ResearchResearch:Luxembourg Presidency defends compromise on Framework 7 budget Science magazine:Researchers Lobby to Head Off Threatened Cuts Le Monde:L'entente européenne sur le budget s'annonce difficile Nouvel Observateur:Le budget de l'UE bloque sur le «rabais» britannique
