Nobel prize-winning scientist Harald zur Hausen steps down as chair, citing personal reasons. He is replaced by Walter Ricciardi. Bettina Ryll, founder of a patients’ group that has transformed access to novel skin cancer treatments, joins the board

Slim chances for MEP Dan Nica to become Romania’s next EU commissioner for transport

Call for bigger budgets for the European Research Council and culture-related research comes ahead of rocky budget negotiations

Author of government report on Brexit contingency planning for science says UK will need new research funding body, an immigration policy overhaul and money for a wide ‘talent hunt’ if country crashes out of EU

Chair of UK parliament’s science committee, Norman Lamb, predicts UK will support entry to the next EU research programme, ‘almost at any cost, almost whatever the terms’

EU research programme needs simpler rules for paying staff costs, while payments to SMEs are a major source of error and need additional checks

An EU-wide coalition of cities and regions urges commissioner-designate Elisa Ferreira to defend cohesion policy

At confirmation hearings, Johannes Hahn told MEPs a ‘compromise’ on agriculture and cohesion is needed to divert funds to research, while proposed new head of energy, Kadri Simson said the EU will not meet carbon targets unless it invests more in R&I

Parliament is withholding its stamp of approval for Sylvie Goulard, who is under heavy fire over alleged misuse of EU funds. ‘A cloud of doubt hangs over her,’ said one MEP

Anita Krohn Traaseth, member of the European Innovation Council’s advisory board, says Europe can take the lead in the coming wave of technology-driven growth