The EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation is an essential tool to boost excellent research and foster collaboration at European level. Science Europe firmly believes that such an ambitious programme should help develop excellence throughout the European Research Area.
The EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation is the main EU funding instrument for R&I. The current programme, Horizon Europe, will run from 2021 to 2027 and has a budget of €95 billion. The previous programme, Horizon 2020, ran from 2014 to 2020.
The topic is a major priority area for Science Europe, which represents both research performing organisations – who are among the main beneficiaries of the Framework Programmes – and research funding organisations – who have decades of experience in setting up leading research programmes and regularly collaborate with the European Commission, notably through joint initiatives.
Science Europe and its members are committed to contributing to the success and efficiency of Horizon Europe to boost R&I in Europe.
Horizon Europe aims to strengthen Europe’s position on the global R&I stage and to address the societal challenges that Europe faces.
Science Europe believes that Horizon Europe should be a Framework Programme that:
Science Europe is an active voice in the Horizon Europe policy dialogue. It collaborates with policy makers to ensure that the input of its members is integrated in the programme’s implementation.
The association puts forward the experience of its members and provides feedback from approaches tested at national level. This helps inform the decisions on the development and implementation of new initiatives developed in Horizon Europe.
Science Europe also informs and supports its members regarding their own engagement with the Framework Programme.
Over the course of Horizon Europe’s lifespan, Science Europe will continue to defend the annual budget of the programme to ensure that minimum funding is at least at the level of the ceilings indicated in the Multiannual Financial Framework.
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Science Europe welcomes the new agreement of association of the United Kingdom to the Horizon Europe Framework Programme.
In 2022, Science Europe made significant contributions in various areas, including research culture, research assessment, open science, EU framework programmes, the green and digital transition, and science communication.
Science Europe's 2022 Annual Report highlights the most important achievements of 2022 on Science Europe’s priority topics, including research culture, research assessment, open science, EU framework programmes, the green and digital transition, and science communication.
Science Europe, along with the European University Association (EUA) and the Conference of European Schools for Advanced Engineering Education and Research (CESAER), supports the environmental goals set by the EU's sustainable finance taxonomy regulation. However, Science Europe calls for caution regarding the broad application of the Do No Significant Harm (DNSH) principle to all projects under European research and innovation (R&I) framework programmes, including Horizon Europe.
On 22 February, Science Europe answered the European Commission’s consultation on the past, current, and future European R&I Framework Programmes. The response, developed in collaboration with the SE Working group on Horizon Europe reflects SE Member Organisations’ opinions and concerns regarding Horizon 2020 and Horizon Europe.
Horizon 2020 and Horizon Europe have been crucial instruments to boost European scientific excellence and collaboration, and to further develop the European Research Area (ERA).
Horizon Europe’s budget must be protected from any reduction or redirection. Its successor’s budget should be increased.
These are among the key messages of Science Europe's response to the Public Consultation on Horizon 2020 and Horizon Europe.