Brussels, 25 June – The European Commission, Parliament and the Council of the EU have reached an agreement on the €70.2 billion Horizon 2020 research programme (covering the period 2014-2020) after months of negotiations and six months of trialogue meetings.
Brussels, 25 June – The European Commission, Parliament and the Council of the EU have reached an agreement on the €70.2 billion Horizon 2020 research programme (covering the period 2014-2020) after months of negotiations and six months of trialogue meetings.
The main issue of contention has been over funding rates. The Council and Commission have pushed through their simplified system, which had been rejected by Parliament as an oversimplification that would disadvantage large research institutes.
In return the Parliament was able to secure a separate funding instrument for SMEs with around 4% of the total budget, (which had been heavily resisted by the Council) and a pledge that 20% of Horizon 2020 would be directed towards small companies.
Although the overall Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) is still being negotiated, Horizon 2020’s budget is secure. The legislation is still to be formally passed by the Council in July and the Parliament in September.