Knowledge organisations warn against EU budget cuts to research and innovation
The Netherlands should not advocate a smaller EU budget, but a smarter one. That is the message being put forward by Dutch knowledge institutions and students in a letter to Prime Minister Jetten and Minister of Finance Heinen on 13 October.
A smaller budget would primarily come at the expense of knowledge and innovation. This became evident in the budget proposal of the Irish EU Presidency, which once again includes substantial cuts to the European research programme Horizon Europe. As a result, the proposed budget has been reduced by almost ten per cent in a short period of time. The planned cuts to Horizon Europe run counter to Dutch and European ambitions to make Europe more competitive, secure and independent.
Research and innovation disproportionately affected
China and the United States are investing heavily in knowledge and technology. In a world where geopolitical tensions are increasing, and where Dutch security, broad-based prosperity and competitiveness depend heavily on European productivity and innovation capacity, investment in European research is of great importance. Mario Draghi and Peter Wennink, who have authored reports on the European economy, have also called for greater investment in knowledge. Nevertheless, European investment is at risk of declining. This weekend, the proposal for a reduced budget from Ireland, holder of the EU Presidency, was published. Research and innovation are once again being disproportionately affected.
Call to protect innovation as a strategic priority
The knowledge organisations are calling on the Dutch government to safeguard research and innovation as a strategic priority in the new European budget. Specifically, in line with Members of the European Parliament Ehler and Repasi, they advocate a budget of €220 billion for Horizon Europe for the period 2028-2034.
A great deal is at stake for the Netherlands, as the country receives almost twice as much funding from Horizon Europe as it contributes. Investment in European research and innovation is therefore highly important for the Netherlands itself. The Dutch government should work towards a budget that places future prosperity and competitiveness at its core, with framework programmes in which Dutch knowledge-intensive companies and knowledge institutions can participate at least as successfully as they do now.
Response from the President of Leiden University
Luc Sels, President of the Executive Board, said that Leiden University fully supports the appeal: ‘We frequently refer to the reports by Mario Draghi and Enrico Letta. We endorse the need to eliminate Europe’s innovation gap, strengthen broad-based prosperity and competitiveness, and reduce strategic dependencies. In the Netherlands, many claim to support the Wennink call for strong innovation ecosystems as the foundation of economic earning capacity.’
‘Yet at the same time, we see Europe cutting back on precisely the investments needed to make this possible. The gap between our ambitions and our willingness to invest in them is substantial. Research and innovation (and, in the Netherlands, apparently education as well) are being treated as a balancing item in the budget.’
Letter
The appeal comes at a crucial moment. On 13 October, the Dutch House of Representatives will debate the Netherlands’ position on the European Multiannual Financial Framework. Later that week, European heads of government will discuss the matter at the European Council summit.
Read the letter (in Dutch) from Universities of the Netherlands (UNL), the Netherlands Federation of University Medical Centres (UMCNL), the Netherlands Association of Universities of Applied Sciences (VH), the Dutch National Student Association (ISO), the Dutch Research Council (NWO), and the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW).