Right now, the budget for the next Framework Programme for Research of the European Commission, Horizon 2020, is being discussed. The presence and specificity of our discipline in European research priorities had been questioned and, thanks to your letters, the European Parliament decided there had to be a specific Challenge on SSH.

Now there is another key point: there is imminent danger of a significant reduction of the budget percentage for SSH and to make of the Challenge a hotchpotch where many more things are put into. It is urgent for you to send this letter that we have received and that we also ask you to forward to other persons working in SSH. The letter requests for the Commissioner for Research, Innovation and Science (Ms Geoghegan-Quinn) to clarify what the position on the Challenge 6 is -which will affect the future of Social Sciences and the Humanities-, and the budget to be assigned. It is done with copy to key persons from the European Parliament and the Council of Europe whose emails we have attached.

It is a time of great relevance for people with the highest responsibilities on research policies in Europe, to know the position that we, -who work in order to do Social Sciences and Humanities of the maximum quality- have, precisely when Europe needs this most.

If you agree, the attached letter needs to be signed and sent in the same email to:

Download the letter

- Commissioner [email protected]

- Members of European Parliament: [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]

- Council or Europe: [email protected] (personal assistant of Ambassador Tom Hanney)

Copy can be sent to the Head of Research Working Group: [email protected]
We hope that this effort will have a positive impact on the presence and budget of the Social Sciences and the Humanities in the coming years.

Best regards,

Marta Soler

Director of CREA

University of Barcelona