The vote follows a deal reached by the Parliament and national governments on 12 November for the 2014 budget, which foresaw a budget of €9 billion for Horizon 2020 in the first year. This would be a decrease on the 2013 figure under FP7 of €9.9 billion. However a new flexibility measure in the overall budget could see up to €400 million for research, Erasmus and SMEs brought forward in 2014-2015. This would then be offset against the budget in later years.
Two days after the budget deal, MEPs voted to approve the overall Horizon 2020 legislative package, bringing all EU-level funding for research and innovation under one roof for the first time.
Other funding programmes that will compliment Horizon 2020 include the new COSME programme to support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The programme will receive €2.3 billion to facilitate SME access to markets inside and outside the EU and offer easier access to finance through loan guarantees and risk-capital.
The Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) will receive €1.1 billion for digital service infrastructures and broadband.
The best deal available
Interest groups in Brussels would all have preferred a much higher investment in R&D, but welcome the end to negotiations, “We are happy with the Parliament’s consent to the budget,” said Stefan Kuster, Head of Policy Affairs at Science Europe.
Lesley Wilson, Secretary General of the European University Association agrees, acknowledging that in light of other budget cuts and Europe's economic struggles, R&D did not fare so badly. "Overall more than €80 billion have been allocated in the MFF to the long-term programmes for research and innovation and education,” she said.
MEPs previously voted to reject the long-term budget in March, but convincing austerity-driven national government to up their spending was always going to be a difficult task.
MEPs were, however, successful in securing greater flexibility in the budget between years and budgetary lines. This will see the carrying-over of under-utilised funds from one year to the next under certain conditions, allowing for EU money to be spent when it is needed most.
The Parliament was also successful in introducing a revision clause, which will give the next Parliament and Commission, due to be voted in in 2014, a say on the budget. “Otherwise the new European Parliament and Commission would have been forced to stick with it until the end of their terms,” said Schulz.
Finally, on the revenue side or “own resources”, the European Parliament has insisted that work is stepped up and a High Level Group will report back by the end of 2014 with new proposals which ultimately could lead to a reduction in Member State contributions to the EU Budget.
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