Horizon Europe

Horizon Europe, managed by the European Commission, is the EU's flagship funding program for research and innovation, with a budget of EUR 93.5 billion for the period 2021-2027. It aims to tackle global challenges like climate change, enhance the EU's competitiveness and growth, and support the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. The program encourages collaborative research and boosts technological advancement through the European Research Area, promoting innovative solutions across diverse sectors.

Programme name

Horizon Europe

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:
1. the ERC;
2. Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA);
3. research infrastructures;
Pillar II 'Global Challenges and European Industrial Competitiveness', with the following components:
1. cluster 'Health';
2. cluster 'Culture, Creativity and Inclusive Society';
3. cluster 'Civil Security for Society';
4. cluster 'Digital, Industry and Space';
5. cluster 'Climate, Energy and Mobility';
6. cluster 'Food, Bioeconomy, Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment';
7. non-nuclear direct actions of the Joint Research Centre (JRC);
Pillar III 'Innovative Europe', with the following components:
1. the European Innovation Council (EIC);
2. European innovation ecosystems;
3. 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

Type of finance provider

Public

Administering body

European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA), European Research Executive Agency (REA), European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA), European Innovation Council and SMEs Executive Agency (EISMEA) and European Health and Digital Executive Agency (HADEA)

Financing product

Grants

Financing value

A total of EUR 95,500 million is allocated across different calls. The details and respective budgets are as follows:

Reliable, efficient, scalable, and lower-cost 1 MW PEMFC system for maritime applications (HORIZON-JU-CLEANH2-2025-03-03). Budget: EUR 184.5 million.
EIT 2025 Call for a New Knowledge and Innovation Community (KIC) in the Water, Marine, and Maritime Sectors (EIT Water) (HORIZON-EIT-2025-KIC-WATER). Budget: EUR 2,965 million.
EIC Pathfinder Open 2025 (HORIZON-EIC-2025-PATHFINDEROPEN). Budget: EUR 142 million.
EIC Transition Open 2025 (HORIZON-EIC-2025-TRANSITIONOPEN). Budget: EUR 98 million.
EIC Accelerator 2025 Open – Short Application (HORIZON-EIC-2025-ACCELERATOR-01). Budget: EUR 384 million.

Low capital (EUR 0-5 million) Mid capital (EUR 5-50 million) High Capital (EUR > 50 million)

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.