In a significant move, the European Commission has rolled out its second strategic plan for Horizon Europe, setting the stage for research and innovation funding from 2025 to 2027. This announcement, made during the Research and Innovation Days, highlights three pivotal strategic orientations: the green transition, the digital transition, and the promotion of a resilient, competitive, inclusive, and democratic Europe. These priorities are designed to address urgent global issues such as climate change, biodiversity loss, digital transformation, and the challenges posed by an ageing population.
At the heart of these orientations is the principle of open strategic autonomy, which aims to secure Europe's leadership in the development and deployment of critical technologies. A notable aspect of the strategic plan is its heightened focus on biodiversity, with 10% of the program's total budget for 2025-2027 earmarked for biodiversity-related topics. This commitment is in line with existing climate expenditure targets, which are set at 35% over the program's duration, alongside major digital initiatives that will receive €13 billion during the same period.
The plan also introduces nine new European partnerships, which are both co-funded and co-programmed, to spur innovation across various sectors. These partnerships encompass initiatives on Brain Health, Sustainable Forestry, Innovative Materials, Raw Materials for the Green and Digital Transition, Resilient Cultural Heritage, Social Transformations, Solar Photovoltaics, Future Textiles, and Virtual Worlds.
New European Bauhaus Facility
A significant addition to the strategic plan is the New European Bauhaus (NEB) Facility. This initiative aims to bring together citizens, municipalities, experts, businesses, universities, and institutions to reimagine sustainable and inclusive living in Europe and beyond. Due to its interdisciplinary nature, the NEB will be integrated as a cross-cluster issue within the Horizon Europe work programs for 2025-2027, supported by synergies with other EU programs.
The strategic plan also emphasizes the balance between research and innovation, supporting activities across various maturity and technology readiness levels. This includes early-stage research, innovation, demonstration, and deployment activities in model regions, living labs, and lighthouses. Furthermore, it seeks to enhance collaborative research projects with lower technology readiness under Pillar II.
Integration of Social Sciences and Humanities
A core principle of the program is the integration of social sciences and humanities into all clusters, missions, and partnerships. This integration is evident in specific topics and the evaluation of their societal impact, ensuring these disciplines are embedded in relevant projects from their inception to assessment.
Next Steps
The strategic orientations will steer the implementation of Horizon Europe through work programs, which detail funding opportunities for research and innovation activities via thematic calls for proposals. The main Work Programme for 2025 will be crafted in alignment with the newly adopted strategic plan. In April 2024, the Commission will open a feedback opportunity for stakeholders to contribute to the Work Programme 2025.
The strategic plan for 2025-2027 is the culmination of extensive analysis by the Commission, including a gap analysis of missing topics within Horizon Europe's legal framework. The plan was co-created by the Commission services and co-designed with the European Parliament, Member States, Associated Countries, and over 2000 stakeholders and citizens, who participated in the largest public consultation on European Research and Innovation Framework Programmes.