19 Oct 2026
The Guild reiterates call for EU budget commensurate with its geopolitical needs
The presidents of The Guild of European Research-Intensive Universities have published a statement calling on the European Council to give Europe a budget commensurate with its geopolitical needs. The statement was released on 16 October 2026, and expresses "deep concerns about the lack of consensus within the European Council to give Europe an ambitious budget for the next period 2028-2034". The university presidents urge the Heads of State and Government to reconsider the cuts to Horizon Europe, Erasmus+ and Global Europe proposed in the negotiating box, and to urgently reach an agreement by the end of 2026.
The statement stresses the interlinked importance of the three programmes for universities, students and researchers, and their "unique and critical role in building Europe's resilience to prepare for future and still unknown crises".
With regard to Horizon Europe, the statement highlights the importance of the European Research Council (ERC) and the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) for bringing the best researchers to Europe through large-scale excellence-based competition. It also stresses the unique support Horizon Europe provides for cross-border research collaboration to develop innovative, promising solutions to societal challenges.
The Guild presidents call for an agreement for the period 2028–2034 that provides:
- Horizon Europe: €177 billion in constant 2025 prices (€200 billion in current prices)
- Erasmus+: €53 billion in constant 2025 prices (€60 billion in current prices)
- Global Europe (instrument): €177 billion in constant 2025 prices (€200 billion in current prices).
For more information:
The Guild statement: Resilience must be built before crisis hits (pdf)