Dr. Christian Ehler

Member of the European Parliament since 2004

Dr Christian Ehler has been a Member of the European Parliament for Brandenburg since 2004 and belongs to the Group of the European People’s Party (EPP/CDU). He has been a Member of the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE) for over ten years and has been its coordinator for the EPP since the beginning of this legislative period. As rapporteur for Horizon 2020 (2014-2020) and Horizon Europe (2021-2027), Dr Christian Ehler is considered one of the leading figures in the design and implementation of the European Framework Programme for Research and Innovation. He is the initiator of the ITRE working group on the implementation of the Framework Programme, which ensures close parliamentary scrutiny of Europe’s research and innovation funding. Furthermore, Dr Christian Ehler is Vice-Chair of the European Parliament’s think tank STOA (Science and Technology Options Assessment).

 One of Dr. Ehlers main priorities is to ensure Europe’s excellence in science, technology and innovation in all sectors, including health, digital and climate. As Rapporteur for Horizon Europe, he has put forward a number of instruments to reduce the administrative burden for researchers and SMEs and for boosting public-private partnerships contributing to achieving EU climate and digital goals.

 In addition to his engagement in the field of research an innovation, in the European Parliament Dr Christian Ehler is also Member of the US Delegation and substitute Member of the Committee on Culture and Education, the Delegation for relations with Israel and the Delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Union for the Mediterranean.