Horizon Europe Framework Programme

The budget includes €5.4 billion from NextGenerationEU to boost the European recovery and make the EU more resilient for the future, as well as an additional reinforcement of €4.5 billion. It represents a 30% increase vis-à-vis Horizon 2020 (for EU27 and in constant prices) and makes it the most ambitious research and innovation programme in the world.

It is expected to be ‘the main tool to strengthen our scientific and technological base, develop solutions for healthier living, drive digital transformation and fight climate change, for our collective resilience’ as highlighted by the

 The key goals

• to strengthen the EU’s scientific and technological bases
• to boost Europe’s innovation capacity, competitiveness and jobs
• to deliver on citizens’ priorities and sustain our socio-economic model and values

The EU missions

The EU missions are commitments to solve some of the greatest challenges facing our world like fighting cancer, adapting to climate change, protecting our oceans, living in greener cities and ensuring soil health and food. They will contribute to the goals of the European Green Deal, Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan as well as the Sustainable Development Goals.

They are an integral part of the Horizon Europe framework programme beginning in 2021. Each mission will operate as a portfolio of actions – such as research projects, policy measures or even legislative initiatives – to achieve a measurable goal that could not be achieved through individual actions.

Association of third countries to Horizon Europe

The Commission started engaging in association discussions with third countries interested in being associated to Horizon Europe as follows:

• The re–association of Norway and Iceland was confirmed
• Negotiations were concluded with all six Western
  Balkan partners (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia) and with Turkey, as well as with four Eastern Partners: Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia and
  Armenia.
• Israel and Tunisia are now associated.
• New Zealand  is associated to Pillar II ‘Global Challenges and European Industrial
  Competitiveness’ as from the Work Programmes 2023 onwards, including for the
  institutionalised European partnerships.
• Official negotiations are ongoing with Morocco (applicable for the entire Programme) and the United Kingdom (applicable for the entire Programme)
  

More on the association of third countries here as of 23 September 2021.

An update has been published on 15 September 2023 here.

Strategic Plan, Work Programme and Calls for proposals

Horizon Europe Strategic Plan

• The first Horizon Europe Strategic Plan (2021-2024) has been adopted by the MEPs on 27 April 2021. More here.
• The start of the second Horizon Europe strategic planning (2025-2027) process was officially launched by the Commission in September 2022. First, the Commission drafted and published the Horizon Europe Strategic Plan 2025–2027 Analysis report, providing a strong  analytical foundation for the Strategic Plan.
• The largest ever public online consultation has been conducted on European Research and Innovation Framework Programmes: see the outcomes here.
• The Strategic Plan 2025-2027 is being drafted with involvement and extensive exchanges with EU Member States and with the European Parliament, and is expected to be adopted in 2024.

Work Programme

• The Commission has adopted on 31 March 2023 the main work programme of Horizon Europe for the period 2023-2024 and the annexes.
• The missions are described here.

Open Calls for proposals

• The open calls for proposals are presented on the Commission’s Funding and Tenders Portal here.