Scientists disappointed in Spanish research budget

Representatives of the Spanish scientific community have expressed their disappointment over a proposed 3.61% increase in Spain’s science budget for 2014 after four years of cuts.

Since 2009, Spain has cut 39% of the state’s spending on science, which has been followed by a reduction in the number of people employed in research, questions over Spain’s membership of international scientific organisations and a drop in the percentage of GDP invested in science.

By contrast, in 2014 Spain is set to increase its science spending by €214m, reaching €6.15bn, according to an analysis published by the Confederation of Spanish Scientific Societies (COSCE).

This budget draft was put forward by Mariano Rajoy’s government last week and is due to be debated in the Spanish parliament before the end of the year. It is unlikely to change, however, given the absolute majority of the governing right wing People’s Party.

However, ‘these increases are insignificant and disappointing: they are much less than what is needed to go back to 2009’s [spending] levels’, says José María Pingarrón, a professor of analytical chemistry at the Complutense University in Madrid, and board member of COSCE.

Amaya Moro, a postdoctoral fellow in astrophysics at Spain’s National Research Council (CSIC) Centre for Astrobiology, added: “We are sceptical about the government’s intentions also because the call for the 2013 National Plan, which was expected for the beginning of this year, has not been issued yet, so maybe the government is planning to skip this year’s call.”