!!Petition to double the Research and Innovation budget for the EU compared to Horizon 2020

At [ESOF2018|https://www.esof.eu/en] in Toulouse on July 10, the [Initiative for Science in Europe|https://initiative-se.eu] (ISE) and [EuroScience|https://www.euroscience.org] have launched a [petition to double the R&I budget|https://double-ri.eu] for the EU compared to Horizon 2020. We welcome the proposal by Commissioner Carlos Moedas, but we believe that in view of geopolitical circumstances additional steps for Europe as a whole are needed.
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!!To sign the petition, please go to [https://double-ri.eu].

!!Academia Europaea invites its members to sign the petition if they wish to do so.
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!Petition

Toulouse, July 10, 2018
The European Commission, under the leadership of Commissioner Carlos Moedas, has recently
published its proposal for Horizon Europe, the upcoming European Research and Innovation
Programme for the period from 2021 to 2027.
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We, the undersigned scientists, concerned citizens, innovators welcome the general structure and
ambition of the proposal for an increased European Research and Innovation budget – a significant
increase in a difficult situation. However, we believe that it falls short of the effort required of Europe
to face the growing geopolitical challenges as well as the very high level of competition now set notably
by Asian countries: gross domestic spending on R&D in the EU in percentage of GDP, which is below
2% and lags behind Korea (4.2%) Japan (3.1%), USA (2.7%), China (3.3%). There is a serious danger that
the situation will force many promising young scientists to leave Europe, and that Europe will become
less attractive for foreign scientists.
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As we are well aware, in the next decade Europe will have to rely more on its own forces to promote
its values and its leadership. An cohesive Europe will need to invest in what counts for strengthening
our societies, our economies, our security and our efforts in order to tackle the major global challenges
of our planet. An ambitious research and innovation policy, engaging society as a whole, represents a
large European added value, and will be decisive in increasing its cohesiveness.
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Now is the time to make clear Europe’s readiness to rise up to the challenge. Naturally, the European
Union Member States have to share responsibility for action, but the European Union as a whole must
take the lead by demonstrating that it is willing to play its role as a global leader.
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We urge the European Parliament, the Council of Ministers and the European Commission to create
the needed step change in budgetary commitment for Research and Innovation, by moving from the
current 100 billion € target proposed for the next 7-year Financial Framework period to 160 billion €.
Such an increase will enable Europe not only to respond the challenges and take the lead in innovative
and interdisciplinary areas as well as in technology, but it will also allow more investment in life
sciences, physical and engineering sciences and the social sciences and humanities, all fields that are
indispensable for European societies to thrive. This budget will also allow Europe to foster major
advances in emerging areas and forge new partnerships with Asia, Africa and Latin America as well as
to further strengthen its areas of traditional strengths and its established partnerships.
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Europe can, and Europe must take the lead! Member States must enable the EU to make this possible!
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Download the [petition|Petition-def-2.pdf].

![#doubleRIEU|https://twitter.com/search?q=%23doubleRIEU&src=typd]
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