Specific programme implementing Horizon Europe — the framework programme for research and innovation

SUMMARY OF:

Decision (EU) 2021/764 establishing the specific programme implementing Horizon Europe — the framework programme for research and innovation

WHAT IS THE AIM OF THE DECISION?

This decision:

implements Regulation (EU) 2021/695 Horizon Europe (see summary) — the framework programme for research and innovation (R & I), as it defines the detailed rules for implementing this specific programme, fixes its duration and provides for the means deemed necessary.

The decision repeals Decision 2013/743/EU.

KEY POINTS

See the summary of Regulation (EU) 2021/695 for greater detail on Horizon Europe’s objectives, structure and budget.

The specific programme contributes to the general and specific objectives set out in the Horizon Europe regulation (Regulation (EU) 2021/695).

The operational objectives of the specific programme are the following:

to strengthen excellent basic and frontier research;
to reinforce and spread excellence, including by fostering wider participation throughout the European Union (EU);
to reinforce the links between research, innovation and, where appropriate, education and other policies, including complementarities with national, regional and EU R & I policies and activities;
to support the implementation of EU policy priorities, including in particular the UN sustainable development goals (SDGs) and the Paris Agreement;
to promote responsible R & I, taking into account the precautionary principle;
to strengthen the gender dimension across the specific programme;
to increase collaboration links in European R & I and across sectors and disciplines, including social sciences and humanities;
to strengthen international cooperation;
to connect to and develop research infrastructures across the European research area (ERA) and to provide transnational access;
to attract talent and to train and retain researchers and innovators in the ERA, including through mobility;
to foster open science and ensure visibility to the public and open access to scientific publications and research data, including appropriate exceptions;
to encourage exploitation of R & I results and actively disseminate and exploit results, in particular to leverage private investments and policy development;
to deliver, through R & I missions, on ambitious goals within a set time frame;
to improve the relationship and interaction between science and society, including the visibility of science in society and science communication, and to promote the involvement of citizens and end users in co-design and co-creation processes;
to accelerate industrial transformation, including through improved skills for innovation;
to stimulate R & I activities in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and the creation and scale-up of innovative companies, in particular start-ups, SMEs and, in exceptional cases, small mid-caps;
to improve access to risk finance, including through synergies with the InvestEU programme established by Regulation (EU) 2021/523 (see summary), in particular where the market does not provide viable financing.

In pursuing these objectives, account may be taken of new and unforeseen needs that arise during the period of implementation of the specific programme. This may, if duly justified, include responses to emerging opportunities, crises and threats, as well as responses to needs relating to the development of new EU policies.

The structure of the specific programme (reflecting the structure of the Horizon Europe regulation, with the exception of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology) is as follows:

Pillar I — Excellent science
Pillar II — Global challenges and European industrial competitiveness
Pillar III — Innovative Europe
Part — Widening participation and strengthening the ERA.

The strategic plan and the work programmes

The specific programme is facilitated by a multiannual strategic plan of R & I activities, which also promotes consistency between the work programmes, EU priorities and national priorities.

The result of the strategic planning is set out in a multiannual strategic plan, for preparing the content in work programmes implementing the specific programme, which will contain, as appropriate and among other things:

the expected impact;
an indication of the amount allocated to each action and mission and an indicative implementation timetable;
the following items in relation to grants:
- the priorities
- the selection and award criteria, and the relative weight of the different award criteria
- the maximum rate of funding of the total eligible costs.

The strategic plan covers a maximum period of 4 years, while retaining sufficient flexibility so that the EU can respond rapidly to new and emerging challenges, unexpected opportunities and crises. The strategic plan focuses in particular on the pillar ‘Global challenges and European industrial competitiveness’ and also covers relevant activities in other pillars and in the part ‘Widening participation and strengthening the ERA’.

Budget

The specific programme has a budget of €83.397 billion in current prices, with an additional budget of €2.790 billion in constant 2018 prices stemming from Article 5 of Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2020/2093 (the 2021-2027 multiannual financial framework, see summary) and a further budget of €5.000 billion in constant 2018 prices from the EU Recovery Instrument to support the recovery in the aftermath of the COVID-19 crisis (Regulation (EU) 2020/2094, see summary).

FROM WHEN DOES THE DECISION APPLY?

It has applied since 1 January 2021.

BACKGROUND

MAIN DOCUMENT

Council Decision (EU) 2021/764 of 10 May 2021 establishing the Specific Programme implementing Horizon Europe — the Framework Programme for Research and Innovation, and repealing Decision 2013/743/EU (OJ L 167I, 12.5.2021, pp. 1-80)