Science for a prosperous future: Horizon Europe in support of the new Commission’s priorities

Horizon Europe, the EU’s framework programme for research and innovation, funds science that is advancing knowledge, driving transformation, and tackling the challenges that define our time.??

Each year, calls for proposals for funding are launched under Horizon Europe, to which potential beneficiaries submit their ideas for research projects. Throughout 2024, the European Commission received thousands of proposals – underscoring the keen interest in the programme.?

The transformative potential of Horizon Europe is aligned with the Political Priorities of the new Commission, which took office on 2 December, ensuring the programme - and the projects it funds - delivers for Europe.??

Over the Commission’s five-year mandate, we can expect science to play a key role in various domains: President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen’s objective is to put “research and innovation at the heart of our economy”.??

Below is an overview of various parts of Horizon Europe, proposals received under them, and how they feed into the new Commission’s political priorities.?

“So, we will put research and innovation, science and technology at the heart of our economy. We will invest more and focus better” - President von der Leyen at the European Parliament Plenary on the priorities of the new College of Commissioners.?

A new plan for Europe’s sustainable prosperity and competitiveness?

The Future of European Competitiveness report was a key source for the development of the Commission’s new agenda. In the report, Mario Draghi stressed the importance of innovation in creating start-ups and the development of patents.?

The European Innovation Council (EIC) and the European Innovation Ecosystem (EIE) are driving this goal of securing sustainable growth and competitiveness while ensuring Europe remains a global leader in innovation. The EIC empowers visionary innovators and breakthrough technologies to scale globally.? In 2024, the EIC received 4,138 proposals: EIC Pathfinder Open and Challenges (1,525 proposal submissions); Transition (413 proposal submissions); Accelerator (2,200 proposal submissions).??

The EIE promotes collaboration across regions, industries and research institutions to build a cohesive and inclusive European innovation landscape, with 316 proposals received: African Union-European Union Innovation Platform (21 proposal submissions); Start-up (117 proposal submissions); Expanding Academia-Enterprise Collaborations call (170); Mutual learning and support scheme for national and regional innovation (8 proposal submissions).??

Singled out as being a “success story” in Manuel Heitor’s report on how research can serve Europe’s competitiveness, the Marie Sk?odowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) invests in Europe’s researchers by offering training, sectoral mobility, and career opportunities. Most applications were submitted under the Postdoctoral Fellowships (10,360 proposal submissions); followed by Doctoral Networks (1,417 proposal submissions); COFUND (81 proposal submissions); and MSCA4Ukraine (550+ proposal submissions).?

A new era for European Defense and Security?

As a response to the growing challenges that threaten the EU’s security, the Civil Security for Society research cluster has also received wide-ranging interest through all six of its research calls this year (433 proposal submissions). These address timely matters: advanced information analysis, cybercrime prevention, disaster risk reduction and enhanced forensics. Research was also highlighted as key to delivering on European security in Sauli Niinist?'s report Safer Together: A Path Toward a Fully Prepared Union.??

Supporting people, strengthening our societies and our social model?

Helping to deliver on a “fifth freedom for research and innovation” as outlined by the Enrico Letta’s More than a Market report, Horizon Europe is strengthening research cooperation to ensure its capacity to deliver for its citizens.?

Under Widening Participation and Spreading Excellence, two calls were launched this year (226 proposal submissions). These aim to enhance the interoperability of careers and improve the employability of research and innovation talents across sectors.??

Applicants were invited to propose ideas focused on bringing citizens and researchers together, creating systems that offer attractive early-career perspectives for researchers, supporting universities, and improving structures under Reforming and Enhancing the Research and Innovation System (198 proposal submissions).???

Research infrastructures are essential for enabling scientific discovery, encompassing laboratories, telescopes, and other critical tools for research. The EU supports these through Horizon Europe Research Infrastructures (163 proposal submissions) which includes support for Ukrainian infrastructures.?

Sustaining our quality of life: food security, water and nature?

With its highly relevant focus on sustainability and transformative innovation, the research cluster Food, Bioeconomy, Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment has garnered strong engagement throughout the 2024 available funding opportunities (927 proposal submissions). All the proposals reflect the EU’s dedication to advancing the objectives of the European Green Deal, the Biodiversity Strategy, as well as the Farm to Fork strategy. The EU Mission Soil also aims to improve soil health across Europe (137 proposal submissions).?

Protecting our democracy, upholding our values?

The research cluster Culture, Creativity and Inclusive Society supports research in the social sciences in a range of fields: upholding European values, societal integration, sustainable fashion, as well as support to the music and sport industries. This cluster has also received a remarkable response to its 2024 funding opportunities (737 proposal submissions).??

Further information??

The above programmes and clusters are only a portion of those under Horizon Europe. They reflect those managed by the European Research Executive Agency and the European Innovation Council and SME Executive Agency – two Executive Agencies mandated by the European Commission to implement Horizon Europe.??

Please consult the Funding and Tenders portal for more programmes that may be of interest, as well as information on these programmes, including when new calls for proposals will open.?

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