Brussels, 30/05/2013 (Agence Europe) - EU research ministers meeting in Brussels on Thursday 30 May confirmed their original position to the European Parliament with regard to the funding model for the next research and innovation framework project (Horizon 2020). Although inter-institutional negotiations are entering the home stretch, the Council once again spoke of a “red line” it categorically does not want to cross and is therefore refusing to change the formula from reimbursing direct (100 %) and indirect costs (20 %), despite the continued pressure from the Parliament and the European Universities Association (EUA), which are arguing together for a “real costs” option.
Two days before the ministers' meeting in Brussels, a Parliament press conference provided the opportunity for MEPs and EUA representatives to demonstrate their unity in their common goal. The rapporteur on Horizon 2020 participation rules, Christian Ehler (EPP, Germany) said that he was “deeply concerned by the superficiality of the whole debate” with the Council. He denounced the lack of flexibility demonstrated by the Council with regard to the majority of his demands but underlined that, above all, it is “essential to enable” future framework programme beneficiaries “to know and present their full economic costs when carrying out research projects”. He was totally supported in this by John Smith, the deputy secretary general of the EUA.
The Irish minister in charge of research and innovation, Sean Sherlock, asserted at the end of the debate in Brussels that the funding model as proposed by the European Commission remained, “a red line” for a large majority of member states. The Council appears, however, to have modified its position on other subjects. Thus, there is now “a high degree of flexibility” possible in the negotiations with Parliament: on the budgetary thresholds on research and innovation in the energy field; in Horizon 202” (inclusion of new objectives) and on creating an instrument for SMEs.
Ministers agreed on submitting a non-paper, which has been finalised by the Commission. The goal was to clarify the criteria, in major infrastructure project funding cases, that will be taken into account in the determination of eligible costs. Thus, beneficiaries of European funding should be able to move some indirect costs to direct costs. In this document, a copy of which has been obtained by EUROPE, those costs eligible as direct costs are: capitalised costs (infrastructure management) and operational costs (costs for staff, energy and insurance etc). These two categories will have to be directly attributed to the project financially supported. (JK/transl.fl)