The associations released their position on 8 November 2018 as negotiations within the European Parliament on the future of the programme are ongoing. It underlines that the programme should continue to set the standard for excellence in Europe and that international collaboration between EU member states and other countries must be stimulated.

The associations state that they support the the European Parliament’s plea for a considerable increase of the Horizon Europe budget, but reiterate that the necessary budget to accomplish its projected objectives is €160 billion. They also urge the European institutions to work towards a smooth start of Horizon Europe on 1 January 2021.

This position builds on the prior statement “Universities united for the best Horizon Europe”, released in June 2018.