Horizon Europe
Horizon Europe (HE) is the European Union’s flagship research and innovation funding programme for the 2021–2027 period, with a budget of €93.5 billion. It aims to drive scientific excellence, foster innovation, and address major societal challenges while supporting Europe’s green and digital transitions. HE also emphasises inclusiveness, strengthening the European Research Area (ERA), and promoting collaboration among academia, industry, and policymakers to accelerate the impact of research and innovation across Europe and beyond.
Research and innovation funding programmes
Programme structure
The programme is structured around three main pillars:
Excellent Science
Enhancing the EU’s global standing in research through support for frontier science, mobility programs, and research infrastructures.
Global Challenges and European Industrial Competitiveness
Addressing pressing societal challenges, such as climate change, health, and energy, while strengthening industrial innovation and competitiveness.
Innovative Europe
Supporting breakthrough innovations and scaling up disruptive technologies.
Work programmes
HE funding opportunities are set out in Work Programmes (WPs).
Separate WPs cover:
- European Research Council (ERC)
- Joint Research Centre (JRC)
- European Innovation Council (EIC)
The main WP covers:
- Marie Skłodowska-Curie actions and research infrastructures (Pillar I)
- All clusters (Pillar II)
- The European innovation ecosystems (Pillar III)
- Widening Participation and Strengthening the European Research Area
- EU Missions, which are cross-cutting initiatives under Pillar II aimed at delivering concrete solutions to major societal challenges
The activities of the EIT are outlined in separate programming documents. Moreover, a substantial portion of HE Pillar II is implemented through institutionalised partnerships, particularly in the areas of Mobility, Energy, Digital and the Bio-based economy, each governed by its own WP. HE is also implemented through another Specific Programme – the European Defence Fund, and is complemented by the Euratom Research and Training Programme, both of which operate under their own dedicated WPs.