The European Parliament wants more money for science, but the Council wants less

The European Parliament does not want cuts next year, but wants to spend an additional €305 million on the Horizon Europe research programme. Negotiations are underway with heads of government.

Parliament voted on it yesterday. the money at the top of the The budget (12.2 billion euros) proposed by the European Commission earlier. It’s good news for science, but the money isn’t just being added.

The Council of the European Union (the heads of government of the member states) wanted to cut a similar amount from the proposed EU budget. Parliament and the Council have the same opinion on the budget.

negotiate

So far they have to go out together. Over the next three weeks, representatives of Parliament and the Council will negotiate. They will then issue a joint statement. If all goes well, this statement will be approved by both Parliament and the House within two weeks.

VSNU Universities Consortium calls It is a “good thing” and calls on Parliament to “resolutely adhere to this position”.

If negotiations fail or Parliament rejects the outcome, the European Commission (Europe’s “government”) must submit a new proposal. But if the council’s heads of government reject the joint statement, the parliament has the last word: it can still give its approval.