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EU Framework Programmes
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.
Why are the EU Framework Programmes important?
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 next programme, known as FP10, is currently in development.
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 the Framework Programmes to boost R&I in Europe.
What are the current priorities?
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:
- has yearly budgets that meet its ambitious goals.
- recognises ‘excellence’ as its core principle and protects instruments that promote research excellence, such as the European Research Council.
- provides opportunities for fundamental and applied research in all parts of the programme, including challenge-oriented research.
- includes measures to encourage and develop excellence in all countries of the European Research Area.
- encourages Open Access to research results, and data sharing.
- strengthens co-operation with public sector partners by joining R&I programmes and cross-border investment that benefits R&I.
- contributes to the goals of the European Research Area (ERA) and complements the national programmes and initiatives.
What is Science Europe doing to achieve these aims?
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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