Recently, a subtle but significant wave has been stirring across Europe’s research community. The source of this ripple? A key speech by Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, during the EU’s annual budget meeting on May 20th. For months, there had been silence about what comes after “Horizon Europe,” the EU’s flagship research program. Von der Leyen finally broke that silence, but her words left many researchers and university leaders both hopeful and puzzled.
To understand why this matters, imagine you’re a scientist relying heavily on Horizon Europe. This massive funding program, with a budget of €93.5 billion (about $105 billion), supports research across Europe from 2021 to 2027. For many, it’s the lifeline of their labs, their projects, and their careers. So, hearing that there will be a new “independent” EU research program after Horizon Europe, but one that will be “closely linked” to a new “European Competitiveness Fund,” felt like walking into a familiar room only to find the furniture rearranged—and the walls might even be moving.
European universities and research leaders, naturally, were on edge. Kurt Deketelaere, Secretary General of the League of European Research Universities (LERU), voiced a deep concern: that fundamental, curiosity-driven research could be sidelined in favor of applied research that focuses strictly on marketable innovations. This worries me personally because I know several basic scientists working on long-term projects with no immediate commercial payoff. If funding shifts heavily toward applications only, many vital discoveries might never happen.
At the heart of von der Leyen’s speech was a promise to simplify funding application processes and cut bureaucracy, making it easier for individuals, companies, and public authorities to access European funds through a “single European Competitiveness Fund.” Sounds efficient, right? But what struck the research community was the phrase “closely linked.” It raises the question: Is this new research framework truly independent, or will it be absorbed and controlled under the umbrella of the competitiveness fund? That would be like owning a cozy café that suddenly has to merge operations with a giant coffee chain—your brand may remain, but your autonomy and decision-making power could vanish.
Jan Palmowski, Secretary General of the British Association for Science and Technology, offers an insightful take. He points out a fundamental contradiction in the phrase “independent but closely linked.” “If it’s part of the Competitiveness Fund, it’s not independent,” he says. “And if it’s independent, it shouldn’t be described as closely connected.” This is the kind of nuance that matters deeply in policymaking but can be confusing for everyone else. It’s similar to a musician saying their solo album is “closely linked” to their band’s work — it sounds like part of the band’s brand, not a truly solo venture.
This debate isn’t just academic. The autonomy of funding programs affects researchers’ freedom to pursue bold, foundational questions without immediate commercial pressures. A physics professor I know shared how his breakthrough Nobel-winning work depended on long-term basic research grants. Without those funds being secured and independent, such groundbreaking achievements become far less likely.
The call from Europe’s research community is clear: The next Framework Programme, FP10, needs a genuinely ambitious and dedicated budget — roughly €200 billion, more than double Horizon Europe’s current funding. This would safeguard proven successful initiatives like the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA), the expanded European Research Council (ERC), and the revamped European Innovation Council (EIC). These programs nurture young scientists, fund groundbreaking discoveries, and help translate ideas into innovations.
Why, then, was there a long period of silence or uncertainty from the European Commission about FP10? Deketelaere suggests that after the new Commissioners took office last autumn, the importance of fundamental research was, for a time, overlooked. Reports and leaked documents between late 2024 and early 2025 seemed to hint that as long as applied research fed innovation, basic research could be deemphasized.
But things shifted dramatically after von der Leyen’s recent speeches. At the Sorbonne University in Paris, she delivered a passionate message titled “Choosing Europe, Benefiting Science.” Here, she recommitted to keeping the EU’s research framework independent and emphasized Europe’s role as a global leader in science and innovation. It was like a parent suddenly realizing they had been neglecting their child’s needs and resolving to fully support their growth.
Interestingly, Deketelaere even credits former U.S. President Donald Trump’s relentless criticism of institutions like Harvard University as indirectly contributing to this renewed European commitment to scientific freedom. Geopolitical tensions often create unexpected ripples in the academic world, and here, it seems, American political drama helped galvanize European resolve.
This turnaround is already reaping early rewards. Top research university groups outside the EU—such as the UK’s Russell Group, Canada’s U15, and the Swiss Universities umbrella organization—have welcomed the announcement that FP10 will remain an independent program. These groups represent elite universities beyond the EU who collaborate closely with Horizon Europe. Their support underscores a simple truth: research and innovation thrive on international cooperation. Horizon Europe, as the world’s largest collaborative R&D program, is a living testament to this fact.
Imagine you’re managing a multinational project, and your partners promise to keep your collaboration free, open, and independent. That reassurance is invaluable and fuels optimism for what lies ahead.
Of course, champagne bottles haven’t been popped yet. The road ahead still holds many challenges. The research community will watch closely to ensure that the Commission’s rhetoric translates into concrete budgets and policies. For them, it’s not just about numbers on paper but about securing the very foundation of scientific progress in Europe.
This story is not only about policy or finance; it’s about people—researchers, innovators, and the future of knowledge itself. Fundamental research lays the groundwork for every breakthrough, from new medicines to clean energy. If Europe loses sight of that, the whole world loses.
So, whether you’re a scientist, a student, or simply someone who believes in the power of discovery, there’s a role for you here. Supporting strong, independent research funding is supporting the very engine that drives progress and improves lives.
Science changes the world, but first, science needs the world’s unwavering support.