29 Organisations Urge €200 Billion for Horizon Europe
A petition from 29 European organisations asks decision makers to commit at least €200 billion to the next Horizon Europe research programme.
Updated on Nov. 9, 2026 in Artificial Intelligence
Twenty-nine European organisations, including EUA, EARTO and BusinessEurope, have launched a petition calling for at least €200 billion for the next Horizon Europe programme. The petition is directed at European decision makers ahead of the programme's next funding cycle.
Why it matters
The petition frames Horizon Europe as a necessary investment, arguing that Europe cannot pursue sovereignty, resilience and technological independence while underinvesting in research, development and innovation. Its backers say the programme enables cross-border collaboration between researchers, institutions and industry at a scale no national programme could reach alone.
The petition is backed by 29 organisations and requests a minimum of €200 billion for the next Horizon Europe cycle. The source does not specify the current budget baseline against which this request is measured.
The players
EUA
The European University Association, a membership body representing universities across Europe that advocates for higher education and research policy.
EARTO
The European Association of Research and Technology Organisations, which represents research and technology organisations across Europe.
BusinessEurope
The leading European employers' organisation representing businesses across the continent in EU policy debates.
The details
The petition calls on European decision makers to commit the funding and asks them to treat Horizon Europe as an investment rather than a cost. The associations argue the programme rests on excellence-based competition operating at a scale no single national programme could match.
Timeline
Petition published on 9 November 2026
Big Picture
The petition seeks to set the funding level for the next cycle of Horizon Europe, the EU's flagship research programme, extending its existing framework. Its backers link the request to Europe's broader push for technological independence and resilience.
Funding decisions for Horizon Europe shape the research grants, cross-border partnerships and industrial collaborations available to universities and companies across the continent. The outcome of the petition could influence which projects receive support in the coming cycle.
The takeaway
Long-term research funding decisions made now will determine how competitive European institutions and industries are over the next decade, so the size of the commitment matters beyond the immediate budget debate.
Further reading
For broader context on how Europe is positioning itself in the field, see our coverage of Artificial Intelligence.
