Almost unnoticed, and covered by the terrorist attack in Strasbourg, presented to the EU Parliament last week, the European science an early Christmas gift, learning under the Christmas Tree: A voucher for a total of 120 billion euros, to be redeemed in the period from 2021 to 2027.

in Parallel to the difficult negotiations of the overall EU budget, the multiannual financial framework (MFF), are currently being revised all the structural and funding programs of the EU for the next seven years. Also, the promotion of Science, under the name “Horizon 2020”, is set up as a “Horizon Europe”.

For the current program is the EU budget since 2014, a total volume of 70 billion euros. Already in the summer of Carlos Moedas, EU Commissioner for science and research, had asked for the next period of the framework funding programme, an increase in the budget of around 100 billion euros. On Wednesday, the Parliament decided on an updated design– which provides for a funding volume of EUR 120 billion.

The design is not from Moedas, but of the Brandenburg MEPs Christian Ehler (CDU). He is, together with the Romanians Dan Nica, the Rapporteur for the process to “Horizon Europe”. Ehler was about the year 4000 proposals from all EU-countries distributed for Changes.

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in terms of Content, some well-known tools of previous EU funding, which will be conducted in a slightly modified structure, we now find: In columns such as “Open Science” and “Global Challenges” are well-established institutions such as the European research Council (ERC), and programs such as the Marie Skłodowska-Curie program for the promotion of young talent. Interdisciplinary research, promoting future technologies, such as quantum technology, or by the brain-inspired IT approaches, has already been created for ten years in a so-called “Flagships”.

nevertheless, the New column “Open Innovation”. Here, it should be reinforced in the future through the Development of a European Innovationsrats (EIC) the promotion of Start-Ups, technology and risk projects. Appropriate pilot projects are already up and running. In addition, for example, the fight against cancer, or for a plastic-free ocean should be promoted in the future in the so-called “Missions” to areas of research that are very much in the public focus.

For the Humanities and the cultural Sciences, there is also good news: The creation of an EU-wide platform for cultural heritage (Cultural Heritage-Cloud) is to be funded with 300 million Euro. Museums and cultural professionals by offering a Central place for the digitisation of their works. Multi-national cooperation on joint projects was requested explicitly, explains Ehler.

a Final volume of funding by Brexit open

As a tricky question of Brexit remains, however. Although funding Atlas adopted with the United Kingdom, according to the DFG of Germany is the second-largest recipient of EU funds, but also a country that was much more into the EU budget has contributed. Just in time for the Start of the “Horizon Europe” in 2021, so an annual deficit of nine to twelve billion euros.

Since, it is not surprising that the EU, in spite of “Members first”attitude, a reorganisation of the participation rules for third countries aims, in addition to existing partners such as Israel, Norway and Switzerland, also the future cooperation with Oxford, Cambridge et al. is to ensure. Also in terms of the high scientific value of networking with the UK offers, Ehler convinced: “We must do everything to keep the British in the European research.”

the rest of The timetable for the Horizon Europe subsidy program is ambitious: On the legislative level, the Trialogue – the negotiations between the EU Parliament and the Council of the EU-Commission in an Advisory capacity. Up to the spring of all EU States, the majority of about program content and costs agreed. Only Horizon Europe can be “adopted” before the European elections in may 2019 final. The last Time the coupon to the European scientists at the end was meant to be then, but 10 billion is worth less than.

you can read more about the topic of science policy and promotion in our week of daily decision-makers Briefing Background digitisation & KI.