Prestigious European science funder scraps stricter rules after researcher backlash

The European Research Council proposed the rule change in response to an increasing volume of grant applications.Credit: Tom Werner/GettyThe European Research Council (ERC) has reversed a policy it introduced to help deal with a deluge of applications to its coveted awards, after a huge researcher backlash against the measure.On 16 April the ERC, Europe’s most prestigious funder of basic research, said it would tighten restrictions on how soon researchers could reapply after failing to secure funding, to help peer reviewers to cope with growing demand and a static annual budget of around €2.3 billion (US$2.66 billion).European funder must increase capacity to meet the ambition of scientistsBut many researchers strongly opposed the changes, which might have meant some unsuccessful applicants having to wait up to 4 years before they could apply for funding again. The council’s plan was “3000% the wrong direction”, wrote Anthony Guihur, a molecular biologist at the healthcare company Labcorp, in Geneva, Switzerland, on the social media platform Bluesky. An open letter that quickly gathered more than 1,000 signatories argued that longer exclusion periods risked discouraging bold ideas and pushing talent away from Europe.In a statement published on 29 April, the ERC scientific council, which decides the body’s