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Dear colleagues, dear friends,
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<p><br>
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<p>Please find here this unusual message from the ERC president
which I in turn invite you to spread widely around you.</p>
<p>Kind regards,</p>
<p><br>
</p>
<p>Godefroid de Callataÿ<br>
</p>
<p><br>
</p>
<p>-----</p>
<p>--- Message transféré -------</p>
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<th nowrap="nowrap" valign="BASELINE" align="RIGHT">Sujet :
</th>
<td>The Future of EU R&I and the long term EU budget:
a personal message by Prof. Jean-Pierre Bourguignon, ERC</td>
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<th nowrap="nowrap" valign="BASELINE" align="RIGHT">Date :
</th>
<td>Fri, 11 Sep 2020 11:16:55 +0000</td>
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<th nowrap="nowrap" valign="BASELINE" align="RIGHT">De : </th>
<td><a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:ERC-PRESIDENT@ec.europa.eu" moz-do-not-send="true">ERC-PRESIDENT@ec.europa.eu</a></td>
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<th nowrap="nowrap" valign="BASELINE" align="RIGHT">Pour :
</th>
<td><a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:ERC-PRESIDENT@ec.europa.eu" moz-do-not-send="true">ERC-PRESIDENT@ec.europa.eu</a></td>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black" lang="EN-US">Dear
ERC grantee,</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New
Roman",serif" lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black" lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black" lang="EN-US">I
hope you and your loved ones are fine in these troubled
times. </span><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black" lang="EN-US">I
am sending you an unusual message about the ongoing fierce
battle around the EU’s future research budget.</span><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black" lang="EN-US">At
the European Council summit in July, the EU’s national
leaders agreed on a compromise about the EU long-term
budget that entails a massive cut to the planned budget
for the next framework programme Horizon Europe, and
potentially for the ERC. </span><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black" lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black">A potentially
disastrous threat for the future of Europe’s research, at
a time when research is needed </span><span style="color:black" lang="EN-US">more than ever and when
political leaders claim that the success of their policies
will depend on research and innovation. There is a
considerable gap with the ambitions expressed.</span><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black" lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black" lang="EN-US">The
research community and the ERC are currently working
very hard to achieve an important revision of this
compromise. On Monday I was given the opportunity to speak
at </span><span style="color:black">the European
Parliament in the ITRE Committee that takes care of
research. Here is my </span><span style="color:#1F497D"><a href="https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Ferc.europa.eu%2Fnews%2Fhearing-itre-european-parliament&data=02%7C01%7C%7C9b1e1d04758644f61b5508d856669032%7C7ab090d4fa2e4ecfbc7c4127b4d582ec%7C0%7C0%7C637354345785453548&sdata=3UlQYH7R%2FJlWaKOAeES2%2FjOnMga7fw%2B%2FaW2RI2yCO8g%3D&reserved=0" originalSrc="https://erc.europa.eu/news/hearing-itre-european-parliament" shash="DYnCg0j0D16eVgyPPhhFVc/Ex7NlWhH0Nf5TGoxzzgHR/9m2rYculZGG70VG+1AHGtrChPiCTFUE7yvABsbpagH78UCzlppmTyPEcZ4p55sNxJdqztAT2wDVKFnr3dnGseH7Eu374p38/OroFWd3vjf86srrsdTm3gRulXuxJIA=" originalsrc="https://erc.europa.eu/news/hearing-itre-european-parliament" shash="hmhd3/54qRy5M8HE7GbgqpZTOQJUXOEFiUTo/UVyj7I+yymGeHINsisg5NihmGlTdaEnC+xJwv/qHWmqGCSUCqEDSVg1rOuW5snLUXpF1+KoXEihcNlOV0GBHlX80zTdbgusxLPvmJAOWt7kG8ZOgE1uieLjeFty2yX0r0TUApQ=" moz-do-not-send="true"><span style="color:purple">speech</span></a>.
</span><span style="color:black">(See also social media,
e.g. this</span><span style="color:#00B050"> </span><span style="color:#1F497D"><a href="https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Furldefense.com%2Fv3%2F__https%3A%2Ftwitter.com%2FERC_Research%2Fstatus%2F1303050689585840129__%3B!!DOxrgLBm!SbhVe2awf94vRfjvHwrPInnsGPE_SWO9O7CkOK1OjQt3_X1hS3mxEcJU0akwpjhffMw55MuWnA%24&data=02%7C01%7C%7C9b1e1d04758644f61b5508d856669032%7C7ab090d4fa2e4ecfbc7c4127b4d582ec%7C0%7C0%7C637354345785463533&sdata=qOZLH9xZeRSyWhnOkOt%2FsNLhzpzTFy3gw%2FawotC5yjY%3D&reserved=0" originalSrc="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/twitter.com/ERC_Research/status/1303050689585840129__;!!DOxrgLBm!SbhVe2awf94vRfjvHwrPInnsGPE_SWO9O7CkOK1OjQt3_X1hS3mxEcJU0akwpjhffMw55MuWnA$" shash="LosQFJ8x7Ijll88EZXhs1z8eR66vKobWvFepzkzpd7q0aES8FNyfR5pvd7cqJrCqgP071PLtYSqSmxuynQaLAEQnY1Fbo7PPMcT2jX+eHxT/adEyQFNrQ4YKhfyj22toUcQRFbLbCeSC5FFroVF+TSqEMmFu3t0tN0OOSfRC2us=" originalsrc="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/twitter.com/ERC_Researc
h/status/1303050689585840129__;!!DOxrgLBm!SbhVe2awf94vRfjvHwrPInnsGPE_SWO9O7CkOK1OjQt3_X1hS3mxEcJU0akwpjhffMw55MuWnA$" shash="Tx70EAvAzK40iAi+Wu4QLMZ5P8Cm2aVdLa1dN6gvtSrb/E5UIqIRAFsBOlpkwthyaEp5eYxapleZhtpkr0Brzk+wYDN4Y6u/LKoGgQBOazjg6PKOmVuOtPQkfjoOAF5aQkdZ7ddmZbhrfFmMMDCOgAUkx3gkIANXZTnqKgfux0o=" moz-do-not-send="true"><span style="color:purple">tweet</span></a> </span><span style="color:black"> and</span><span style="color:#1F497D"> <a href="https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Furldefense.com%2Fv3%2F__https%3A%2Ftwitter.com%2FERC_Research%2Fstatus%2F1303050689585840129__%3B!!DOxrgLBm!SbhVe2awf94vRfjvHwrPInnsGPE_SWO9O7CkOK1OjQt3_X1hS3mxEcJU0akwpjhffMw55MuWnA%24&data=02%7C01%7C%7C9b1e1d04758644f61b5508d856669032%7C7ab090d4fa2e4ecfbc7c4127b4d582ec%7C0%7C0%7C637354345785473531&sdata=d%2BYYBoy6%2FRcuWxxp62F8LeBn43jVBjZrWYTatTXBazQ%3D&reserved=0" originalSrc="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/twitter.com/ERC_Research/status/1303050689
585840129__;!!DOxrgLBm!SbhVe2awf94vRfjvHwrPInnsGPE_SWO9O7CkOK1OjQt3_X1hS3mxEcJU0akwpjhffMw55MuWnA$" shash="OxSObdqGrXv1r2xgguyIIQlpOsLyFNlodyTOYcaW5fKrGdc/pjoIVUW5iqipQZwRuKBi73c4lwiSAz1qUoLHsI0s1CmJ2Gc8UUwga3RaV+dMIUtjie7h1j21np9i4GAmI7dMosnzXoP6DBM79Qv+82fbviWRepbTOBIVCNi6oNU=" originalsrc="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/twitter.com/ERC_Research/status/1303050689585840129__;!!DOxrgLBm!SbhVe2awf94vRfjvHwrPInnsGPE_SWO9O7CkOK1OjQt3_X1hS3mxEcJU0akwpjhffMw55MuWnA$" shash="Ht5V0UHX980gkVqMakhqbrHF7oEMOQINWLvht3SnfMmWz4lkjrjRFspr9Z27gm7a4c44pwis62xdh1JVvMLsNAQzAmfokEgnICUykWbFfAO9LhiakPBV0Gh3Ig/tXqM9v+n8uMX3yFz5PECRbLZXSyyNckNsNLVPc8oEL1XXmq4=" moz-do-not-send="true"><span style="color:purple">this</span></a></span><span style="color:black">). </span><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="color:black">I hope I can
count on you for taking all possible initiatives to get
the content of our plea and this speech
well disseminated locally, nationally and in
your European networks, in the worlds of politics, media
and social media, and beyond. </span></b><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black">I know many of
you have already signed the </span><span style="color:#1F497D"><a href="https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Furldefense.com%2Fv3%2F__https%3A%2Fwww.change.org%2Ffriendsoftheerc__%3B!!DOxrgLBm!SbhVe2awf94vRfjvHwrPInnsGPE_SWO9O7CkOK1OjQt3_X1hS3mxEcJU0akwpjhffMxlqobMdw%24&data=02%7C01%7C%7C9b1e1d04758644f61b5508d856669032%7C7ab090d4fa2e4ecfbc7c4127b4d582ec%7C0%7C0%7C637354345785473531&sdata=%2Ftod66tx%2BpaUCWz9If0L5ucHsW8TWYiYKug93PWBaH4%3D&reserved=0" originalSrc="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/www.change.org/friendsoftheerc__;!!DOxrgLBm!SbhVe2awf94vRfjvHwrPInnsGPE_SWO9O7CkOK1OjQt3_X1hS3mxEcJU0akwpjhffMxlqobMdw$" shash="HAA7cJ918v7yICa5qQ1eV3MvBobdvp1RU4HoXLmUsF3d9U8yeG9kt9svvHxhNCdOseTCAbfeRKdFJHlbQ450ZtOqg/mtsLbcdymcD2qzKuNCPybzzIRe5Z162iOFBxAI+jdOeFj1a1HjPN0AsA6CRdJmI3sEWapr8Q3ehUomkhw=" originalsrc="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/www.change.org/friendsoftheerc__;!!DOxrgLBm!SbhVe2awf94vRfjvHwrPInnsGPE_SWO9O7CkOK1OjQ
t3_X1hS3mxEcJU0akwpjhffMxlqobMdw$" shash="CieB2jgr4rSuIsJQPa22Qt3PlL87QJ17wpQpuhee0QrMdcvIBy1CPyckYipK/TWU2Sg/yuoNI0AU90svHRsvrIPBWcseNw8HU10HM3OZN1hnc5vF3Ncmp5iyki1/7N8ra44g8bKGO83QkE2nXS4c4PmrXRAPeGyE4LE6vNCZFFo=" moz-do-not-send="true"><span style="color:purple">petition</span></a></span><span style="color:black"> initiated</span><span style="color:#1F497D"> </span><span style="color:black">by
the University of Bergen to protect the ERC budget and
signed by over 16,000 people keen to support</span><span style="color:#1F497D"> </span><span style="color:black">research</span><span style="color:#1F497D"> (<a href="https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bbc.co.uk%2Fnews%2Famp%2Fscience-environment-54019253&data=02%7C01%7C%7C9b1e1d04758644f61b5508d856669032%7C7ab090d4fa2e4ecfbc7c4127b4d582ec%7C0%7C0%7C637354345785483525&sdata=E%2B%2BVga2VzrTjd7g2sGj6jm1ntcevQrO%2BAxf9itAQ4OA%3D&reserved=0" originalSrc="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/amp/science-environment-54019253" shash="fSQ5h8sCK8E4UJ+3R1MNvSyAtyDW9WYt2I1odCc4FkaZwPGyYsoGJCNXrcB383nnuDJKnON4OavaTFsB+XiB18YrqEpM9SrU7Oyc4nlINvo7o0mOJJxBXZ3VbU+EMv5fPpkm/mQ2W87mxi28rs4d+NnwGF/pidPTx4s9KCJR4Yo=" originalsrc="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/amp/science-environment-54019253" shash="RoPtak+vtkgYUsHpilqqUnOV54xTa9zM/Qx7nwvuYd1eZ37OLaCOprU85ynXgXa91XTiT7hle2Xrr/kQSIK07f0vEDCcg0IlD6XpN2iSomsg/3GxPQAqjX4tGAy+UuJErKBkwz5gVNQQ8KrYraCevH+kLQqahwM
lZ9vx1CWVzp8=" moz-do-not-send="true">BBC article</a>; <a href="https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fvimeo.com%2F454678262&data=02%7C01%7C%7C9b1e1d04758644f61b5508d856669032%7C7ab090d4fa2e4ecfbc7c4127b4d582ec%7C0%7C0%7C637354345785483525&sdata=rR4IwM2xw6LycOUKwXbwtYecoFKcHfC1utgLxzoWH8g%3D&reserved=0" originalSrc="https://vimeo.com/454678262" shash="HJxLjoKlUZVZWBCekeFu665C+yFbl5Quy0F3enczPxVoYqzkVskni/Sz5vPRarXIefIr24L90pNFuGwZKzgS8w4RoMePfgoANZdCewSZwvy79HWaY1YYORWe2QkK0s57K60y+KD+6VI8tRs7PcBHzkvVSAYw2nv4vUlMn5zccDU=" originalsrc="https://vimeo.com/454678262" shash="Hf6fc83o9N2vM6KoLstxKKyGqRGC7++vjjtjBB8OEumjuLJprkkN/eQilYXZjAmXSu7uptV3Y6WQfMxK5sFFItCtHW4dnfwxbvFoLTIvPr86WiKTH1qUTUU+hCkm84ySEk3l95PmOkQ4/w9yBFOAspIgojq7VHjbZDsmV9eDmbY=" moz-do-not-send="true">press conference</a>).</span><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black" lang="EN-US">We
are now at the critical stage where politicians have to
hear your view on the situation. The moment to act is now
- time is running out. </span><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black" lang="EN-US">Thanking
you in advance for your consideration and your help in the
present struggle that is so critical for the future of
Europe, I remain</span><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black" lang="EN-US">Yours
truly,</span><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black">Jean-Pierre
Bourguignon</span><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black" lang="EN-US">ERC
President <i>ad interim</i></span><span style="mso-fareast-language:EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-fareast-language:EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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