Proposed Horizon Europe budget would mean 14 years of stagnant investment, Heitor warns

A leading R&I expert has warned that the proposed Horizon Europe budget for 2028-2034 would mean 14 years of stagnant investment per researcher, challenging claims that the envelope has doubled.

Manuel Heitor, chair of the group of R&I experts who evaluated the Horizon Europe 2021-2027 programme, published a statement on 03/10/2026, ahead of the European Association of Innovation Consultants (EAIC) Summit. He responded to the cuts proposed by the Irish Presidency of the Council, which would reduce the figure from the €175 billion proposed by the Commission, which he already deemed insufficient, to €158.2bn. These budget cuts are the result of demands from the so-called “frugal” countries—such as Germany, Austria, Sweden, Finland and the Netherlands—which are net contributors.

Taking…