The European Commission?has been urged to offer more ¡°clarity¡± on the successor to Horizon Europe after confirming it will be a self-standing programme, with questions about its connection to a proposed ¡°European Competitiveness Fund¡±?and the nature of its budget still unanswered.

Last week, Commission president Ursula von der Leyen confirmed that the next European Union research funding programme, currently known as Framework Programme 10 (FP10), would ¡°stay a self-standing programme¡±, quelling mounting concerns across the sector that it would be folded into the new competitiveness fund.

In a published on 27 May, however, the League of European Research Universities (Leru) and the Guild of European Research-Intensive Universities said ¡°further clarity is needed¡± on the future of FP10.

Noting von der Leyen¡¯s comment that the next framework programme will be ¡°tightly connected¡± to the proposed competitiveness fund, Leru and the Guild called for ¡°clarity on what this connection entails and how it will be implemented¡±.

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The umbrella bodies also urged the Commission to address several ¡°key priorities¡± they highlighted in published earlier this year, which was signed by more than 200 university leaders across Europe.

The next framework programme, they said, should have a ¡°ring-fenced budget of at least €200 billion¡±, while ¡°proven successes¡± including the Marie Sk?odowska-Curie Actions (MSCA), which fund knowledge exchange, training and career development, should receive greater investment.

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Leru and The Guild called for the expansion of the European Research Council and the reform of the European Innovation Council, asking the Commission to ensure their ¡°bottom-up nature and autonomy¡±.

More support should be provided for research and innovation collaboration ¡°across sectors, borders and disciplines¡± with a focus on ¡°pressing global challenges¡±, the university groups said, while partnerships with ¡°closely associated countries¡± should be strengthened to ensure ¡°enhanced global competitiveness¡±.

In a statement, Leru secretary general Kurt Deketelaere said the sector was ¡°grateful and partially reassured ¨C for now¡± in the wake of von der Leyen¡¯s comments. ¡°The message from the European R&I community is loud and clear: FP10 and the European Competitiveness Fund must be complementary, with distinct legal frameworks and budgets,¡± he continued.

¡°We will not accept a token FP10 ¨C one designed merely to silence researchers, stripped of meaningful content or funding.¡±

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Guild secretary-general Jan Palmowski said the next framework programme ¡°must be built on excellence, with a predictable, ring-fenced budget¡±, adding: ¡°It must build on its proven strengths to invest in bottom-up, curiosity-driven research, coupled with effective instruments to benefit society ¨C and with appropriate support for private investment.¡±

¡°Europe¡¯s universities and their leaders are united in their commitment to Europe¡¯s future,¡± Palmowski said. ¡°We urge Europe¡¯s political leaders to listen¡±.

emily.dixon@timeshighereducation.com