EU health commissioner downplays concerns of ‘democratic deficiencies’ in the setup of HERA, as the European Parliament demands more transparency and a greater say in how the authority operates

Slovenian presidency is open to letting research and university associations be involved in the future governance of the European Research Area, but admits further talks are needed to work out best way to do this

One year after €150M anchor investment by the European Investment Fund, Venture Centre of Excellence now has ‘total investment capabilities’ of €1.7B for innovative start-ups

Commission welcomes Swiss parliament’s decision to pay overdue contributions to cohesion funding, but insists it will not lead to association without broader agreements first

The news has moved the optimism needle in Brussels, but lots of administrative and legal hurdles remain, including where the life sciences court that was due to be based in London will now be located

The UK government trumpets the move as an advantage of Brexit, and plant scientists are supportive. Some researchers believe it could prefigure similar moves to ease rules in the EU

After a year of silence, the European Commission finally sets out objectives for each of five pan-EU missions - a new Horizon Europe instrument marrying research and policy to address ‘Grand Challenges’ like climate change and loss of biodiversity

The debate comes at a time when Horizon Europe association talks are embroiled in broader political battles and no longer purely limited to principles of integrity and performance in research and innovation

With association now linked to the EU’s wider relationship with Switzerland and the UK, the parliament wants a formal position in talks. Research programmes have increasingly become ‘strategic instruments’ tied to the ‘general political agenda’