Horizon Europe: What next for prosperity and partnerships beyond 2024?

Since the beginning of the year, the EU has been busy laying the groundwork for its next five-year legislative and political cycle. With the continent still overshadowed by conflict on its eastern borders, and in an increasingly uncertain geopolitical environment, the European Council now has the unenviable task of defining the strategic priorities for the next European Commission to action from the autumn onwards. While the full picture is not yet known, it has nonetheless become clear that – along with defence and security – competitiveness will be at the top of the list for the incoming president and college of commissioners. And inevitably, this will put R&D and innovation under a very bright spotlight in the years ahead, including Horizon’s public-private partnerships in critical and emerging tech sectors.

In this context, R&I policy makers working to advance Europe’s industrial transformation have a lot on their plate to consider before the new mandate begins. Strengthening the value chains between fundamental and applied research is a perennial issue, as is the integration of novel technologies and materials into industrial systems and processes. In parallel, how will the Commission’s industrial R&I strategy evolve vis-a-vis new instruments like the Strategic Technologies for Europe Platform (STEP)? How can more effective synergies be established with other flagship programmes, such as Digital Europe, and will the current options available be enough? And what will the new co-programmed partnerships in materials, solar, textiles and the virtual world add to European competitiveness?

On July 9, Science|Business will convene members of its international Network to discuss these topics and more with Maria Cristina Russo, the newly appointed director of prosperity in the research directorate at the European Commission. The discussion will combine analysis of existing plans with anticipation of what may shape the next Commission agenda, exploring the most important ideas and developments in the making.