Press Release: Commission welcomes letter from 44 Nobel laureates and 130,000 citizens urging EU leaders to invest in research and innovation

European Commission President José Manuel Barroso has welcomed a delegation led by Nobel laureates Sir Tim Hunt and Professor Jules Hoffman to the European Commission. They have presented President Barroso, in addition to the President of the European Parliament, Martin Schulz, and the President of the European Council, Herman Van Rompuy, with an open letter, signed by 44 Nobel laureates and 6 Fields medallists.

The letter emphasises the importance of EU funding for research and innovation, and warns against the consequences of budget cuts in these areas. The delegation also highlighted a petition in support of this cause, to date signed by more than 130 000 people from Europe and around the globe.