Fight against cancer must be at the top of EU research programme

“We want to put the fight against cancer, and particularly paediatric cancer, at the top of the research agenda. The new EU framework programme for research Horizon Europe should include a mission that prioritises exactly that”, said Christian Ehler MEP, EPP Group Spokesman, on the occasion of the vote in the European Parliament on the Horizon Europe Programme.

The European Parliament will ask the Member States to increase the EU budget for research and innovation, Horizon Europe, in the upcoming long-term budget (Multiannual Financial Framework) for 2021-2027 from €77 to €120 billion making it by far the largest research programme in the world.

Christian Ehler deplores that there is still a huge mismatch between the actual money we spend on research and our ambition to invest 3 per cent of GDP into research and innovation. He sends a clear message to the Council before the start of the negotiations on the EU long-term budget:

“The Member States have to make their minds up. Do they seriously want to take up the challenge and make sure that Europe remains competitive compared to the United States and China? So far, we have shamelessly failed to reach one of the most important goals we set up for the EU in 2020. The time is now to decide whether we will become a leader or fall behind our global competitors.”

More than half (55 per cent) of the new Horizon Europe budget will be dedicated to fostering excellent collaborative research where universities, research organisations and industry are working together towards innovation.

Also, and in addition to making the fight against child cancer a priority, other specific thematic priorities will be strengthened:

• the creative sector and cultural heritage support strengthened - we have created the European Cultural Heritage Cloud;
• quantum and Artificial Intelligence strengthened;
• fighting against terrorism and disasters with a strengthened cluster for security;
• fighting climate change in particular by supporting the implementation of greener technologies in energy-intensive