Compared to China and the US, we in Europe are really spending much less on research

Maria Leptin, president of the European Research Council (ERC), believes Europe must significantly increase its investment in scientific research and innovation to remain competitive on the global stage. She stated that the current budget for research is a "tiny fraction" of the EU's overall budget, especially when compared to the substantial investments made by China and the United States.

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Make the cake bigger, that should be the goal if Europe wants to lead in research and innovation.

Leptin's call for a larger "cake" comes as negotiations begin for the next European Horizon program budget (2028-2035). The current seven-year program has a budget of approximately 95 billion euros. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has proposed increasing the Horizon budget to 175 billion euros and nearly doubling the ERC's budget from 16 billion euros, with the European Parliament even suggesting 200 billion euros. However, member states must agree to these proposals, with final decisions not expected until next year.

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Compared to China and the US, we in Europe are really spending much less on research.

While expressing gratitude for the proposed increases and von der Leyen's support for making scientific research a core European task, Leptin stressed that the proposed ceiling is arbitrary. She argues that Europe could achieve much more with greater funding, highlighting the disparity in research expenditure compared to China and the US. She also noted potential challenges, as member states' input could lead to a reduction in the overall proposed EU budget, impacting research funding. Leptin urged member states to also boost their national research investments, citing positive signals from the Netherlands, which she recognized as a leading European country in research.

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For clarity, I am not involved in the negotiations and neither is the European Research Council. Those are really a task for the member states. We receive the budget, we do not decide on it. No more than that. I do have a strong opinion about it.

When asked about the rise of right-wing politicians in member states, Leptin, identifying herself as not a political scientist, suggested that such political shifts could pose a threat, implying a potential negative impact on research funding and priorities. She emphasized the need for continued and increased investment to ensure Europe's leadership in innovation.

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You are a leading country in Europe in this field and I assume you want to remain so.