Horizon Europe is well underway, but the world of European R&D policy goes well beyond the confines of the €95.5 billion R&D programme. EU climate, digital, agriculture and regional policies all have significant research and innovation components. National governments often come up with new R&D policies, decide to fund new research avenues, and set up international cooperation deals. This blog aims to keep you informed on all of that and more.
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The European Commission will this year open five new calls worth more than €1.25 billion under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA).
The new calls are focused on training researchers, bring science closer to citizens, help organisations boost their fellowship programmes and fund collaborative projects.
The budget also includes €22.5 million to be spent in 2025 for the ‘Choose Europe for Science' pilot programme, aimed at strengthening research careers in Europe.
The MSCA will also allocate an additional €10 million to support displaced Ukrainian researchers.
Read the full statement here.
The Supporting at-risk researchers (SAFE) will award up to two-year fellowships to international academics at doctoral and postdoctoral level to continue their research in the EU.
Out of 359 applicants, 56 fellows from 15 countries, of which 60% are women, will be offered to pursue their work in 13 EU member states. Germany, France and Italy are the top hosting countries.
Their disciplines range from law to economics to engineering to cultural studies.
Read the full statement here.
The Chips Joint Undertaking (Chips JU) has selected six consortia under its recent quantum calls as part of efforts to strengthen Europe’s quantum technology ecosystem.
These actions, which aim at speeding up the development of industrial-scale quantum manufacturing capabilities, will receive €145 million through specific grant agreements, set to be completed later this year.
“The outcomes of these partnerships will support future pilot lines and reinforce Europe’s semiconductor ecosystem by integrating quantum innovations into the chips value chain,” the statement reads.
Read the full statement here.
The European Commission has published the final Horizon Europe work programmes for 2025, which include calls worth than €7.3 billion.
The Commission will allocate 35% of the 2025 work programme budget to climate change action and 8.8% to biodiversity. On the other side of the twin transition, it will dedicate €1.6 billion for the development of artificial intelligence.
Read the full statement here.
The EU and Japan have agreed to cooperate further on core digital technologies like artificial intelligence, semiconductors and high-performance computing.
“This strategic partnership holds real economic weight for both the EU and Japan,” Henna Virkkunen, executive vice-president for tech sovereignty, security and democracy, said in a statement.
The two partners will also reinforce their collaboration on data governance, submarine cables, Arctic connectivity, digital identities and cybersecurity.
Alongside Japanese minister of state for science and technology policy Minoru Kiuchi, Virkkunen is set to sign a letter of intent on quantum technology on May 13.
Read the full statement here.
Industry group Waterborne Technology Platform welcomed the European Parliament’s resolution for an increased budget for research and innovation under a standalone Framework Programme and the renewal of the current Connecting Europe Facility (CEF).
“This renewed CEF should give priority to cross-border connections and national links with European added value, considering that such infrastructure is an absolute precondition for a successful deepening of the single market and for increasing the Union’s resilience in a changing geopolitical order,” the statement reads.
Read the full statement here.
The European Commission has awarded 39 more cities the EU Mission Label as part of their efforts to fight climate change, which will grant them access to financial resources and advisory services.
These cities, which include Helsinki, Copenhagen, Athens and Paris, will be able to benefit from the international finance opportunities of the Climate City Capital Hub, while the European Investment Bank will lend as much as €2 billion to support local projects.
“The label is a recognition of a city’s commitment and a practical step toward unlocking public and private investment. It is a gateway to additional EU, national, and regional funding opportunities,” the Commission said in a statement.
Read the full statement here.
The EU's next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) should support European integration and should be a cornerstone of strong European Research and Innovation (R&I) sector, Science Europe said in a statement.
The statement also notes that the MFF should promote the strategic alignment of national and EU funds, to help achieve the target of 3% national GDP invested in R&D. Last but not least, the MFF should “host a ring-fenced” FP10.
“The MFF can support these points by supporting a standalone FP10, building on the successes of Horizon Europe Programme and ensuring the independence of the European Research Council and the European Innovation Council,” the statement reads.
Read the full statement here.
The European Commission should ensure that the EU’s next long-term budget and financing for research programmes are up to the task of attracting top international scientists to Europe, the Guild of European Research-Intensive Universities says.
In addition to a Multiannual Financial Framework that is supportive of its bottom-up instruments and international research collaboration through Horizon Europe, the EU must substantially increase the core financing of universities and research institutes, the Guild says in a statement.
Read the full statement here.
The Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) has opened its 2025 call for postdoctoral fellowships for researchers seeking to acquire new skills, develop their careers and work in another country.
With a budget of €404.3 million, the grants are expected to fund nearly 1,650 projects.
The call will close on 10 September 2025.
Read the full statement here.
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