"We are happy" - Horizon 2020 reactions

Research Europe has done a round-up of the first reactions to the European Commission's proposal for the next multianuual research funding framework programme. Click on the titles if you'd like to read for yourself. 

 

Gernot Klotz, European Technology Platform for Sustainable Chemistry:

 “Horizon 2020 has a focus on output rather than being over prescriptive. We support the use of bridging actions to coordinate programmes and the inclusion of pilot plant and scale-up activities that are vital to moving ideas into the market quickly.”

 

European Factories of the Future Research Association:

“The budget for the ‘Factories of the Future’ PPP has not been allocated yet. Considering that in ‘Factories of the Future’ PPP was funded by both the NMP and the ICT programmes, it is promising to see that for Horizon 2020 the NMP budget will receive €4,3 billion (which is an increase by 23%), while the ICT budget will receive €9 billion Euros. It can therefore be expected that the ‘Factories of the Future’ PPP budget in Horizon 2020 will rise considerably as of the year 2014.”

 

Nathalie Moll, EuropaBio:

“To stay at the forefront of global competition and to meet the societal challenges of healthy ageing, sustainable agriculture and the bio-based economy, the Commission has listed biotechnology as one of the six key areas that research and innovation funding should focus on. Research and innovation coupled with coherent and workable legislation will ensure Europe and its innovative industries such as biotechnology strive for the enhancement of quality of life, knowledge, innovation, job creation and productivity that we so clearly need.”

 

Peter Koren, Austrian Industry Association (IV):

“The new direction of Horizon 2020 towards innovation and applied research corresponds to the demands of Austria’s industry. Industry needs to take the lead in taking Europe forward in top-level research. We are happy to see that the Commission is recognising this in the proposal.”

 

Reinhard Bütikofer, The Greens:

“The apparent reduction in funding for SMEs is a cause for concern however. Funds directly earmarked for activities related to SMEs have been reduced by 50% under Horizon 2020. Even if Horizon 2020 succeeds in its pledge to allocate at least 15% of its "Industrial leadership" and "Societal challenges" funds to SMEs, this could result in an overall reduction of funds for SMEs compared to the past framework which is unacceptable considering the role of SMEs in the European economy.”

 

Pilar Del Castillo Vera, European People’s Party:

"The Horizon 2020 Programme will constitute a crucial instrument in order to stimulate our economy and boost Europe's industrial competitiveness. It is a good idea to put together all the EU research and innovation funding under a single programme. The EPP Group has been always committed, through the simplification of rules and procedures to drastically cut the current existing red tape, and attract the broadest range of innovative business.”

 

League of European Research Universities:

“With regard to the Rules for Participation, LERU is pleased to see that the model, which has proven to be very successful for the ERC grants, will now be used for almost all H2020 research projects. A reimbursement of a 100% of direct costs will mean a true simplification for the participants, not only for the administrators handling the budget, but also, and very importantly, for the principal investigators. The new rules should enable universities to recruit staff specifically to work on H2020 projects and thus enhance and build up the next generation of researchers in Europe. LERU does regret that cost declaration through full costing will not be possible anymore as a number of universities haveput a lot of effort in moving to full costing.”