Horizon Europe (2021-2027) is the European Union’s (EU’s) key funding programme for research and innovation, with a budget of more than €95 billion. The programme is built around three main pillars – excellent science, global challenges and industrial competitiveness, and innovative Europe.

Five missions relating to climate change, cancer, oceans and water, carbon-neutral cities and soil health, also form an integral part of Horizon Europe.

New elements in Horizon Europe

  • European Innovation Council: Support for innovations with potential breakthrough and disruptive nature with scale-up potential that may be too risky for private investors. This is 70% of the budget earmarked for SMEs.
  • Missions: Sets of measures to achieve bold, inspirational and measurable goals within a set timeframe. There are 5 main mission areas as part of Horizon Europe.
  • Open science policy: Mandatory open access to publications and open science principles are applied throughout the programme
    Factsheet: Open science in Horizon EuropeSearch for available translations of the preceding link
  • New approach to partnerships: Objective-driven and more ambitious partnerships with industry in support of EU policy objectives

More information

Presentation outlining Horizon Europe