ERC grant pressure driven by chronic underfunding, ERC grantees say

The Association of European Research Council Grantees (AERG) and the Ambassadors for the ERC European Research Council network have stated that the real problem behind the massive increase in the number of applicants to the ERC lies not in the ambition of researchers, but in chronic underfunding.

The two networks responded on 12/05/2026 to recent developments regarding the evaluation of ERC grant proposals. On 16/04/2026, the Scientific Council of the ERC presented a series of revisions to the 2027 Work Programme eligibility rules, including reviewing resubmission restrictions to "reduce pressure on the evaluation system". Then, on 29/04/2026, it decided to revise some of the changes.

Whilst the authors of the statement welcomed the lifting of restrictions on new applications, they said that "these events have highlighted the difficult position the ERC currently finds itself due to the increased number of applications".

The two networks added: "Persistently low success rates place a considerable burden on researchers, whose substantial efforts in preparing high-quality proposals too often remain unfunded. Scientific ambition is not the problem; underfunding is."

The AERG and the Ambassadors for the ERC also insisted on the need for prior consultation with the scientific community before introducing major reforms affecting the ERC selection process.