22 / 02 / 2018
EARTO’s Call to Secure an Increased RD&I Budget at the Level of Europe’s Ambitions
EARTO Calls on the European Institutions to Secure an Increased RD&I Budget at the Level of Europe’s Ambitions We are at a decisive moment for the future of Europe. With the ongoing discussions on the next European Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), European Leaders and Policy Makers have now the chance to define Europe’s Future, a Europe delivering on our key challenges of today and anticipating those of tomorrow. Our global context has changed and turned technological capabilities into THE decisive strategic factor and strength of our economies. However, RD&I intensity is much lower in Europe than in other countries like the US, China, Japan or South Korea. As European Commission President Juncker underlined that “the EU needs a budget that matches its ambitions and meets future challenges”. It is now time for action! EARTO strongly calls on European Leaders and Policy Makers to:- Bring back the target of raising RD&I investment to 3% of GDP as one of the new Ten Commandments of the post-Brexit EU, and strongly commit to prioritise RD&I spending in the next MFF post-2020, seizing this opportunity to significantly scale up the overall EU budget for the next RD&I Framework Programme to overcome the RD&I Investments deficit in Europe.
- Secure and ring-fence the European RD&I budget to preserve it from any spending cuts for the whole duration of the MFF. On 10 January 2018, the EU Commissioners have unanimously agreed to spare R&I from spending cuts in the next MFF, which is now the official Commission position. We call on the other EU Institutions to take similar engagements.
