Horizon Europe

In July 2018 a proposal for Horizon Europe was launched by the European Commission. After a provisional agreement on Horizon Europe was reached between the European Commission, Council and Parliament, the European Commission began a so called strategic planning process in spring 2019.

First strategic plan 2021-2024

The first strategic plan of Horizon Europe puts forward the targeted impacts for the European Union research and innovation activities and the priorities for the first four years of the implementation of Horizon Europe.

The strategic planning process focused in particular on the Global Challenges and European Industrial Competitiveness pillar of Horizon Europe. It also covered the Widening Participation and Strengthening the European Research Area part of the programme as well as relevant activities in other pillars. Missions and European Partnerships were also identified through the strategic planning process. The results of the strategic planning process created a basis for the content of the first two-yearly work programmes in Horizon Europe.

A co-design process took place over the summer and autumn of 2019. The European Commission invited everyone from everywhere to participate in an open consultation on Horizon Europe's first Strategic Plan.

The Horizon Europe Strategic plan 2021-2024 was published in February 2021.

Second strategic plan 2025-2027

The start of the second Horizon Europe strategic planning process was officially launched during the European Research & Innovation Days in September 2022.

Like its predecessor, the Strategic Plan 2025-2027 will be co-designed with input from citizens and stakeholders. The Strategic Plan 2025-2027 is also covered in the largest ever public online consultation of Horizon Europe, which will remain open for 12 weeks until 23 February 2023.

The next Strategic Plan 2025-2027 is expected to be adopted in 2024.

Horizon Europe has three pillars and one additional component to support activities in Widening Participation and Strengthening the European Research Area (ERA).

• The Excellence Science pillar promotes scientific excellence and has a bottom up approach. This pillar includes bottom up programmes ERC, MSCA and Research Infrastructures.
• The pillar of Global Challenges and European Industrial Competiveness including the Joint Research Center will feed into the strategic priorities of Europe and is divided into six thematic clusters.
• The Innovative Europe pillar targets market-creating innovation and SME growth. The core feature of this pillar is the European Innovation Council (EIC) that will enhance Europe’s capabilities at the forefront of the next wave of disruptive, market-creating innovation.
• A fourth component on Widening Participation and Strengthening the European Research Area completes the Horizon Europe structure. This component focuses on activities that will increase the participation of low R&I performing member states and strengthen the European Research Area.

Missions are one of the main novelties introduced by the European Commission in Horizon Europe. Missions aim to deliver solutions for the great challenges faced by the world.

Five missions areas have been identified:

• cancer
• adaptation to climate change
• healthy oceans, seas coastal and inland waters
• climate-neutral and smart cities
• soil health and food

For each mission area a mission board has been established. The mission board advises the European Commission on how to specify, design and implement missions for Horizon Europe. Each mission board was assisted by an assembly. More information on the mission boards, assemblies and its members can be found here.

The missions were formally launched in September 2021 as part of Horizon Europe. The approval by the European Commission of the implementation plans for each mission marked the end of the 12-months preparatory phase and start of the implementation phase. The calls under the Horizon Europe missions can be found in the Horizon Europe missions two-yearly work programme (2023-2024).

Some parts of Horizon Europe can be implemented through the European Partnerships. These are initiatives in which the EU and public or private partners, such as Member States and/or Associated Countries, industry, universities, research organisations, etc., join forces to support the development and implementation of a programme for research and innovation activities.

The Horizon Europe regulation lays down the conditions and principles for establishing European Partnerships. There are 3 types of European Partnerships: Co-funded European Partnerships, Co-Programmed European Partnerships and Institutionalised Partnerships.

Just as the missions, identifying the European Partnerships was also an integral part of Horizon Europe’s strategic planning process in order to ensure alignment with the programme’s priorities.

49 future partnership candidates have been identified. Several partnerships have started, others are currently under development. More information on the partnerships is availabe here and in this factsheet.

An overview of the partnerships that are supported by FWO can be found via this link

An overview of the partnerships that are supported by VLAIO can be found via this link

More background on Horizon Europe
More background on Horizon Europe European partnerships (summary available in fact sheet)
More background on Horizon Europe Missions (summary available in fact sheet)
More background on Horizon Europe Strategic plan 2021-2024 & 2025-2027 (summary available in fact sheet)
For all documents related to Horizon Europe implementation please consult the Horizon Europe 2021-2027 reference documents page on the Funding and Tender Portal. This section lists the Horizon Europe legislation (Horizon Europe programme regulation and decision), two yearly work programmes for each Horizon Europe programme, model grants agreements, guidance documents and application, evaluation and reporting templates.