Facts about Horizon Europe
Horizon Europe is the world's largest research and innovation program with a budget of 95.5 billion euros. As much as 35 percent of the budget will contribute to climate action to achieve green change and sustainable value creation for companies, research institutions and public administration.
- Horizon Europe (EU’s official website)
- Status overview of Horizon Europe from the Ministry of Education and Research (text in Norwegian)
- Norwegian institutions’ responsibilities vis-à-vis Horizon Europe (text in Norwegian)
The program is the ninth in a series of EU research and innovation programs and succeeds Horizon 2020. An important innovation is the introduction of ambitious mission-oriented research and innovation missions to solve selected major societal challenges.
Horizon Europe’s three pillars
Horizon Europe retains the three-pillar structure we are familiar with from Horizon 2020, but the content of each pillar will change somewhat.
Excellent science – Pillar 1
Pillar 1 continues the ground-breaking and curiosity-driven research initiatives under the European Research Council (ERC), the mobility funding instruments under Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions and research infrastructure.
Global challenge and industrial competitiveness – Pillar 2
Pillar 2 is organised into six wide-ranging clusters that continue initiatives from Horizon 2020 targeting societal challenges and industrial leadership (enabling technologies). Thematic research and innovation in collaboration projects are funded under Pillar 2.
It has been proposed to earmark more than half of Horizon Europe’s budget to Pillar 2. Initiatives in missions and partnerships will also be funded under this pillar.
Innovative Europe – Pillar 3
The pillar Innovative Europe aims to bring Europe at the forefront of market-creating innovation and SME growth through the European Innovation Council (EIC). The pillar also supports the overall development of the European innovation landscape through the programme European Innovation Ecosystems (EIE). The European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) promotes the integration of business, research, higher education and entrepreneurship.
Crosscutting part - WIDERA
In addition to the three main pillars, Horizon Europe consists of a crosscutting part (WIDERA) that will ensure wider participation and strengthening of the European Research Area (ERA).
The main content of the crosscutting part will also contribute to the dissemination of outstanding quality and reform and improve the European research and innovation system.
The Research Council's presentation of Horizon Europe (pdf in Norwegian).
What are "missions"?
In the Horizon Europe context, missions or social missions are a tool for solving major societal challenges. Through clear, time-limited, and targeted thematic assignments, the aim is to set a political agenda and create popular commitment for the social missions.
There will be separate mission announcements. Initially, funds will be announced for a limited number of preparatory projects through so-called co-ordination and support actions. During the summer of 2021, the EU will decide whether and how the mission areas will be implemented on a full scale. During the autumn of 2021, the EU will announce funding for several projects under five mission areas.
Messages at time of print 1 June 2023, 01:23 CEST