Horizon Europe (HORIZON)

Research and Innovation

Horizon Europe is the EU’s key funding programme for research and innovation with a budget of €95.5 billion. Its overarching goals are:

1. to strengthen the EU's scientific and technological bases and the European Research Area (ERA);
    
2. to boost Europe's innovation capacity, competitiveness and jobs;
    
3. to deliver on citizen's priorities and sustain our socio-economic model and values.

The programme has a particular focus on creating impact on the European Green Deal, the digital and sustainability transition and recovery from the coronavirus-crisis.

Horizon Europe consists of three pillars:

Pillar 1 - Excellent Science
The Excellent Science pillar aims to increase the EU’s global scientific competitiveness

Pillar 2 - Global Challenges and European Industrial Competitiveness
This pillar supports research relating to societal challenges and reinforces technological and industrial capacities through so-called clusters

Pillar 3 - Innovative Europe
The Innovative Europe pillar aims to make Europe a frontrunner in market-creating innovation via the European Innovation Council

Horizon Europe also consists of one horizontal activity:

Widening Participation and Strengthening the ERA. This horizontal activity is divided into two strands: 

• widening participation and spreading excellence;
   
• reforming and enhancing the European R&I system.

In terms of financing, in most cases, the Horizon Europe Programme provides grants which cover a percentage of eligible costs. These grants vary depending on the funding strand and the type of legal entity (namely whether it is profit-making or not and/or whether it is a public or private organisation).

Horizon Europe is open to legal entities such as companies, schools, research institutes, non-governmental organisations, international organisations and public entities at local, regional and national level. In some cases it can also be accessible to individuals, such as researchers.