Horizon Europe is the key funding programme for research and innovation in the EU. The programme facilitates collaboration and strengthens the impact of research and innovation in developing, supporting and implementing EU policies while tackling global challenges.
Objective(s) and scope
Horizon Europe is the EU’s key funding programme for research and innovation with a budget of EUR 95.5 billion. It tackles climate change, helps to achieve the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals and boosts the EU’s competitiveness and growth. The programme facilitates collaboration and strengthens the impact of research and innovation in developing, supporting and implementing EU policies while tackling global challenges. It supports creating and better dispersing of excellent knowledge and technologies.
The programme is structured in four pillars as follows:
- Pillar I 'Excellent Science', with the following components:
- the ERC;
- Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA);
- research infrastructures; (b)
- Pillar II 'Global Challenges and European Industrial Competitiveness', with the following components:
- cluster 'Health';
- cluster 'Culture, Creativity and Inclusive Society';
- cluster 'Civil Security for Society';
- cluster 'Digital, Industry and Space';
- cluster 'Climate, Energy and Mobility';
- cluster 'Food, Bioeconomy, Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment';
- non-nuclear direct actions of the Joint Research Centre (JRC);
- Pillar III 'Innovative Europe', with the following components:
- the European Innovation Council (EIC);
- European innovation ecosystems;
- the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT);
- Part 'Widening Participation and Strengthening the European Research Area (ERA)', with the following components:
- widening participation and spreading excellence;
- reforming and enhancing the European R&I System
Eligible countries
Legal entities from the EU and associated countries (EEA, European Neighbourhood Policy countries, third countries that fulfil the criteria of Article 16 of Regulation (EU) 2021/695)
Eligibility criteria (if available)
Any legal entity, regardless of its place of establishment and including legal entities from non-associated third countries or international organisations, may participate in actions under the Programme, provided that the conditions laid down in Regulation (EU) 2021/695 have been met together with any conditions laid down in the work programme or call for proposals.
Further information on eligibility criteria
Annex B Eligibility of Horizon Europe Work programme 2023-2025
Application period
Applicable period for Horizon programme: 2021-2027. Specific application periods are defined for each call under the programme.
Additional information
Articles 22 and 23 of Regulation (EU) 2021/695