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Horizon Europe

Horizon Europe is the main Research and Innovation Funding Programme of the European Commission.

Horizon 2020

Horizon 2020 is the previous Funding Programme. There are no longer calls, but projects can run until 2024.

Digital Europe

Digital Europe is a Funding Programme focused on bringing digital technology to businesses, citizens and administrations.

Other EU Funding

There are many other relevant EU funding programmes, managed by several agencies and directorates.

Horizon Europe

Horizon Europe is the 9th Framework Programme for Research and Innovation of the European Commission and successor of Horizon 2020 that will run from 2021 till 2027.

Strategic Plan

In July 2018 a proposal for Horizon Europe was launched by the European Commission. After a provisional agreement on Horizon Europe was reached between the European Commission, Council and Parliament, the European Commission began a so called strategic planning process in spring 2019.

First strategic plan 2021-2024

The first strategic plan of Horizon Europe puts forward the targeted impacts for the European Union research and innovation activities and the priorities for the first four years of the implementation of Horizon Europe.

The strategic planning process focused in particular on the Global Challenges and European Industrial Competitiveness pillar of Horizon Europe. It also covered the Widening Participation and Strengthening the European Research Area part of the programme as well as relevant activities in other pillars. Missions and European Partnerships were also identified through the strategic planning process. The results of the strategic planning process created a basis for the content of the first two-yearly work programmes in Horizon Europe.

A co-design process took place over the summer and autumn of 2019. The European Commission invited everyone from everywhere to participate in an open consultation on Horizon Europe's first Strategic Plan.

The Horizon Europe Strategic plan 2021-2024 was published in February 2021.

Second strategic plan 2025-2027

The start of the second Horizon Europe strategic planning process was officially launched during the European Research & Innovation Days in September 2022.

Like its predecessor, the Strategic Plan 2025-2027 will be co-designed with input from citizens and stakeholders. The Strategic Plan 2025-2027 is also covered in the largest ever public online consultation of Horizon Europe, which will remain open for 12 weeks until 23 February 2023.

The next Strategic Plan 2025-2027 is expected to be adopted in 2024.

Missions

Missions are one of the main novelties introduced by the European Commission in Horizon Europe. Missions aim to deliver solutions for the great challenges faced by the world.

Five missions areas have been identified:

For each mission area a mission board has been established. The mission board advises the European Commission on how to specify, design and implement missions for Horizon Europe. Each mission board was assisted by an assembly. More information on the mission boards, assemblies and its members can be found here.

The missions were formally launched in September 2021 as part of Horizon Europe. The approval by the European Commission of the implementation plans for each mission marked the end of the 12-months preparatory phase and start of the implementation phase. The calls under the Horizon Europe missions can be found in the Horizon Europe missions two-yearly work programme (2023-2024).

Some related links

More background on Horizon Europe
More background on Horizon Europe European partnerships (summary available in fact sheet)
More background on Horizon Europe Missions (summary available in fact sheet)
More background on Horizon Europe Strategic plan 2021-2024 & 2025-2027 (summary available in fact sheet)
For all documents related to Horizon Europe implementation please consult the Horizon Europe 2021-2027 reference documents page on the Funding and Tender Portal. This section lists the Horizon Europe legislation (Horizon Europe programme regulation and decision), two yearly work programmes for each Horizon Europe programme, model grants agreements, guidance documents and application, evaluation and reporting templates.

 

Work Programme & Calls

We offer a handy Excel file, weekly updated, containing an up-to-date overview of the Horizon Europe calls. call topics overview
 

Testimonial

image of ERC grants awarded to professor Inez Germeys

ERC grants awarded to professor Inez Germeys

Professor Inez Germeys leads the Center for Contextual Psychiatry at KU Leuven, which is a large multi-disciplinary research group focusing on the interaction between the person and the environment in the development of psychopathology. She has received a European Research Council (ERC) Consolidator grant (INTERACT) and Proof of Concept grant (IMPACT). With these grants professor Germeys and her team researched a new mobile self-management therapy for patients with a psychotic disorder. The Acceptance and Commitment Therapy in Daily Life (ACT-DL) was further developed for the clinical environment. In line with that the Horizon 2020 IMMERSE project aims to thoroughly evaluate strategies, processes, and outcomes of implementing a digital mobile mental health solution.