11/03/2019 (Agence Europe) – The European Parliament and the EU Council seem to be slowly moving towards a political agreement on the Horizon Europe framework programme for this Thursday, 14 March. At its session on 7 March, the Parliament would have accepted implementing acts for the strategic plans (and the deletion of co-decision on the specific programme for the execution of the framework programme) (see EUROPE 12205/24), in return for which it would have requested that the annex on missions and partnerships, Article 12a of the specific programme on mission evaluation and Article 4a on the strategic plan be transferred to the framework programme. The co-legislators will also address the issue of the principle of excellence in selecting projects and forms of financing offered to SMEs by the European Innovation Council (EIC), including the role of subsidies. An additional meeting is being considered, but only to endorse a provisional political agreement. (PH)