The European Round Table of Industrialists (ERT) and the European Research Council (ERC) share the strong concerns about cuts to the EU research budget expressed by Nobel laureates in their letter that was published across Europe last October. The prosperity of Europe depends on maintaining its competitive edge. Scientific discovery and technological progress will produce new products, processes and services, and new industries will be created in their wake. If we want Europe to be an attractive place for research investment and entrepreneurship, Europe’s R&D budget must serve this purpose. Please find the Joint ERC and ERT Statement as pdf in the right column.