LONDON – Research and health emerged as the biggest losers following a marathon four days of negotiations by EU leaders on the bloc’s €1.1 trillion (US$1.3 trillion) 2021 - 2027 budget and the formation of a €750 billion (US$872 billion) pandemic recovery fund. Rather than €94.4 billion over the next seven years as proposed, the R&D program Horizon Europe, will get €80.9 billion.
LONDON – An unseemly row has broken out at the heart of EU science, with Mauro Ferrari, head of the European Research Council (ERC), accusing the European Commission of failing to coordinate and fund R&D needed to combat COVID-19.