Written by Stefano Spinaci (3rd edition, updated on 2.7.2021),

In June 2018, the European Commission proposed a total budget allocation of €100 billion to finance science, research and innovation projects during the 2021-2027 period, of which the vast majority, €94.1 billion in current prices, would be allocated to the Horizon Europe framework programme. The main aims are to strengthen science and technology, to foster industrial competiveness, and to implement the sustainable development goals in the EU. Horizon Europe introduces new features such as the European Innovation Council, missions to promote research results, and new forms of partnerships. While the proposal for the framework programme set out the general and specific objective of Horizon Europe as well as the structure and the broad lines of the activities to be carried out, the specific programme aims to define the operational objectives and activities, especially for missions, the European Research Council, the European Innovation Council, work programmes, and the committee procedure. In April 2019, Parliament and Council reached a partial agreement on the specific programme. However, the financial aspects were only settled in December 2020 as part of the broader MFF negotiations. The final text was adopted in April 2021 and entered into force retroactively from 1 January 2021.
Versions
- July 2021: ‘Horizon Europe – Specific programme: Implementing the framework programme‘ (3rd edition)
Proposal for a decision of the European Parliament and of the Council on establishing the specific programme implementing Horizon Europe – the Framework Programme for Research and Innovation | ||
Committee responsible: | Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE) | COM(2018) 436 7.6.2018 |
Rapporteur: | Christian Ehler (EPP, Germany) | 2018/0225 (CNS) |
Shadow rapporteurs: | Dan Nica (S&D, Romania) Iskra Mihaylova (Renew, Bulgaria) Jakop G. Dalunde (Greens/EFA, Sweden) Elena Lizzi (ID, Italy) Evžen Tošenovský (ECR, Czechia) Marisa Matias (The Left, Portugal) |
Consultation Procedure Decision (CNS) NB original proposal was on a legal basis using ordinary legislative procedure. |
Procedure completed. | Council Decision (EU) 2021/764 OJ L 167 I, 12.5.2021, pp. 1-80 |
More details about Horizon Europe and its novelties compared to Horizon 2020 in the article “Horizon Europe: introducing the EU’s new framework programme” (https://www.labsexplorer.com/c/horizon-europe-introducing-the-eu-s-new-framework-programme_211).
We also made a brief presentation about it: https://www.slideshare.net/EmaPavlovi/approaching-horizon-europe-eus-new-framework-programme-for-research-and-innovation