Horizon 2020

Greece’s research base is crumbling and the brightest minds brain draining away, many warn. Science|Business talks to two representative researchers about what should be done

It’s getting harder to win EU research money, as the application ‘avalanche’ keeps on rolling

The Research Commissioner wants to set up a European Innovation Council to fund excellent innovators, in the same way as the European Research Council backs excellent scientists

2-stage reviews, an emphasis on ‘impact’, are among steps now underway, says EU research chief Smits

Regional innovation specialists, gathered for the first stocktake since the EU’s new policy got off the ground, criticised bureaucracy and unfavourable reimbursement rules. Many researchers and SMEs remain to be convinced about the scheme

Europe’s pharma industry says the €2.2B cut to Horizon 2020 is misguided, while scientists and MEPs declare themselves happy, for the most part, that the cut is less than the €2.7B originally proposed

Since its 2014 launch the SME instrument has attracted applications from across Europe. But the quality is low, with only 12% passing the quality threshold. Bernd Reichert, head of unit at the Executive Agency for SMEs, offers tips for success

Following tough negotiations, the European Commission has announced it will cut €500M less from the Horizon 2020 research programme, after additional money is found in the EU budget

The EU is working to finish tough negotiations over Juncker’s new investment fund, which proposes to take €2.7B out of research coffers. Insiders warn that contrasting opinions over how best to divide cuts have yet to be resolved

Today massive demand, tomorrow resentment: if the European Commission fails to acknowledge the overheads of applying for grants and act on low success rates, the credibility of its R&D programme could begin to slide