New plans for Horizon Europe programme 2028–2034
Photo: Pixabay.
The Horizon Europe programme is a key tool in the implementation of the EU’s research and innovation policy and aims to help strengthen Europe’s competitiveness, resilience and sustainability.
In the summer, the European Commission presented its proposal for the Horizon Europe framework programme for the period 2028–2034. The main goal of the programme is to strengthen the EU’s science and technology base while also responding to global societal challenges.
The Commission has proposed a total budget of EUR 175 billion, divided across four pillars: Excellence in Science, Competitiveness and Society, Innovation, and the European Research Area (ERA). The proposal stresses the importance of continuing open science, increased collaboration, better synergies with Member States’ initiatives, and measures to promote faster processing, and foster broader participation.
Compared to the current framework programme, the main differences in the proposal are a bigger budget, including a proportional increase in instruments such as the ERC. Another notable difference is that the research collaboration that is part of the current programme’s Pillar II will be tied more closely to the EU’s planned industrial policy initiatives, which will be coordinated via the EU’s Competitiveness Fund. A greater focus on security is another difference compared to the current framework programme. Significant changes may yet be made to these plans in future negotiations in the European Parliament.
The Swedish Government welcomes the proposal to continue the ambitious Horizon Europe funding programme with its focus on excellence and innovation through open competition. These are also key factors for the internationalisation of Swedish research, the career prospects of individual Swedish researchers, and the innovation capacity and competitiveness of Sweden’s business sector.
Johan Ahlenius