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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In December 2020, the EU knowledge community collectively welcomed the provision in Protocol I of the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement for the UK to associate to Horizon Europe. Now, at the end of the first year of Horizon Europe’s implementation, the procedure to officialise the association is in a deadlock.
The European Union’s research and innovation community urges the European Commission and UK Government to work towards a successful UK association to Horizon Europe as soon as possible.
Non-EU European countries, such as Norway, Iceland, the United Kingdom, and Switzerland contribute to the excellence of the European Research Area (ERA). Guaranteeing the full association of Switzerland to Horizon Europe is a pressing and critical issue for European Research and Innovation (R&I).
Science Europe congratulates Prof. Maria Leptin on her appointment as the next European Research Council (ERC) President.
The Science Europe Strategy Plan comes at a crucial time for European Research an Innovation (R&I) and includes an updated vision, mission, values, and set of strategic priorities for the association. It supports its Member Organisation in their mission to create world-class scientific knowledge, delivering more benefit for our societies.
This Multi-annual Action Plan proposes a series of framework actions to guide the implementation of the Science Europe Strategy Plan 2021–2026 in line with the association's updated vision, mission, values, and strategic priorities.