Geoghegan-Quinn welcomes Horizon 2020 approval

Máire Geoghegan-Quinn, European Commissioner for Research, Innovation and Science, has welcomed the European Parliament’s adoption of Horizon 2020.

The Commissioner said: “This is a vote of confidence in the power of EU research and innovation funding. It paves the way for more investment in knowledge and competitiveness in Europe. The Parliament’s support for and input to Horizon 2020 has been very important.”

The next framework programme will now have a budget of €78.6bn (in today’s prices) and is the biggest EU research programme yet, and one of the biggest publicly funded worldwide. Horizon 2020 is also one of few programmes in the next EU budget to see a strong increase in funding – almost a 30% rise in real terms over the current Seventh Framework Programme.

Following the vote, Professor Dr Dainius Pavalkis, Lithuanian Minister of Science and Education, commented: “The vote by the Parliament completes the first reading agreement on the Horizon 2020 package and paves the way for the timely implementation of the programme. The result is good for researchers, SMEs and for Europe as a whole.”

Also welcoming the result was Androulla Vassiliou, European Commissioner for Education, Culture, Multilingualism and Youth, who said: “With the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) and the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions, Europe is investing in people who have the knowledge and talent to innovate and change lives. This is excellent news for the research community and the EIT’s entrepreneurs of tomorrow.”

EU member states will now need to give their final seal of approval ahead of the first calls for proposals, currently set for 11 December 2013.