Ok I agree that these things may happen. I thought you meant cronyism within the actual procurement procedure, which I don't believe happens. The rules and proc

Ok I agree that these things may happen. I thought you meant cronyism within the actual procurement procedure, which I don't believe happens. The rules and procedures are so strict and transparent here, in my experience. I wouldn't call the scenario you mention cronyism per se, as it may tie into wider national policy considerations that are legitimate, e.g., national strategies on employment, research, technology etc. It'd be legitimate to fall on the national exchequer for funds if EU funding applications aren't successful. I'd prefer if groups didn't rely on the likes of EU Horizon. As you said earlier, the success rates are so low for some calls, and the effort for application is so high. It's a poor risk/reward in many cases and leads to a lot of wasted effort.