David Matthews

Research director general says ‘everything is on the table’. Leading MEP tells Science|Business conference the European Institute of Innovation & Technology could have 'common structure' with European Innovation Council

With the UK finally associated to the framework programme after a three year hiatus, both sides are seeking to re-engage and build British participation. But on the EU side there are concerns about UK visa fees

Several EU-Canada projects already exist, but joining Horizon should ease the path to many more. However, Canadians are wary of application paperwork - and may be disappointed to find they cannot apply to the European Research Council on equal terms

Otmar Wiestler wants the next framework programme to include EU-wide efforts to take industrial leadership in new technologies. He’s also not in “fundamental opposition” to military dual use research calls in Horizon Europe’s successor

The prohibitive cost of computing is a big barrier for AI SMEs trying to enter the market. A new Commission proposal aims to ease the way, but questions over access, budget and an ethics requirement remain

Competition commissioner Margrethe Vestager takes aim at thousands of joint research projects with Chinese military universities. But Brussels’ plans are still only recommendations, and it will be left to academics and member states to implement them

The Commission has set out proposals to fund more research with military as well as civil applications in Framework Programme 10, but universities want to see safeguards put in place

The foreign affairs committee has joined in criticism of the Commission, with MEPs saying they are being locked out of politically sensitive association talks with countries outside Europe

The proposed directive on Transparency of Interest Representation, designed to prevent malign foreign lobbying, could force universities to register any foreign-funded research, observers fear

During a debate at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, the research commissioner called for EU programmes to be more SME-friendly. Separately, she was also grilled on Swiss association to Horizon Europe