Nowotny says deal is ‘vote of confidence’ in ERC
The president of the European Research Council, Professor Helga Nowotny, has welcomed the European Parliament’s approval of Horizon 2020
Speaking after the vote, she said: “The ERC Scientific Council and I are delighted with this positive outcome of the Parliament vote, which recognises the key role that excellent frontier research holds for Europe’s future. After the long negotiations preceding Horizon 2020 and its budget, I interpret this as a vote of confidence for the ERC. This substantial budget increase over the coming seven years will allow the ERC to continue its mission – finding and funding the very best researchers with the most creative ideas – with renewed vigour.
“Europe needs to nurture its talent wherever it can be found. Funding frontier research in times of economic crisis will also boost confidence in Europe’s ability to compete at a global level, and help it become ever more attractive to researchers coming from outside. Under Horizon 2020, the ERC will continue to promote excellence in science and fund research that often leads to vital, but unpredictable, breakthroughs with important benefits for European citizens. The main challenges for the years to come will be to preserve the quality of the evaluation and of the panels, as well as to start thinking about interactions with national funding agencies,” she added.
The Council of the European Union is expected to adopt Horizon 2020 in early December, before it comes into force on 1 January 2014.
