EUA: Research cuts are “worrying U-turn”
An organisation representing 850 higher education institutions has called on the European Parliament to reject proposals that would significantly cut investment in European research.
The European University Association (EUA) has written to MEPs asking them to oppose European Commission plans to remove €2.7bn from Horizon 2020 in order to finance the European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI) plan. While the EUA says it supports efforts to boost job creation and growth, the organisation says that such plans must not come at the expense of Europe’s research sector, which it describes as the backbone of Europe’s future competitiveness.
Stating her concerns, Lesley Wilson, secretary general of EUA, described the planned cuts as a “worrying U-turn”. She commented: “In recent years the Commission was a key advocate for further research investment and there was strong support for collaborative research activities that demonstrated their economic impact. EUA is convinced that if the proposal goes ahead, the EU will put itself at risk of losing ground against competitors that are investing heavily in research.
“The Commission’s plan follows an unacceptable trend of cuts to research and sends the wrong signal to national and regional policy makers. This issue is of major importance to universities as the reduction to funds will affect support for research collaboration. Numerous studies have demonstrated the effectiveness and impact of European collaborative research on innovation, societal challenges and productivity in services. Europe needs this investment to continue. MEPs now have a full role to play in shaping the EFSI, and we’re urging them to protect – not downgrade – European research funding.”
The organisation has also written an open letter to President Jean-Claude Juncker, urging the Commission not to sideline European research and reconsider the funding sources for the EFSI. The EUA has also called for the inclusion of scientific oversight in the selection of projects that will be administered under the EFSI to ensure that research and innovation plays a full part in tackling Europe’s many challenges.
