The European University Association (EUA) appreciates the European Commission’s proposal for the 2021-2027 EU budget and welcomes its willingness to step up investment in forwardlooking policies including research and education.
At €100 billion, the new programme will receive about 30% more than Horizon 2020 – and possibly more in the case that the UK will be associated to the programme and contribute to its funding –, allowing it to start addressing the efficiency issue that plagues Horizon 2020 and its record-low success rates. However, the increase is not ambitious enough to meet the combined objectives of an improved average success rate, enhanced funding for innovation and resourcing large-scale “missions”, among others. Indeed, this would require a fullscale doubling of the budget allocated to Horizon 2020.