Horizon Europe: the essential guide [Old version]

Horizon Europe, one of the world’s biggest non-military R&D programmes, is finally underway. After nearly seven years of planning, and three years of intense political negotiations among the EU member states, its €95.5 billion budget is approved and the European Commission has launched its first Calls for Proposals to researchers, entrepreneurs and others.

But what is this programme really about? And how can you benefit from it?

Those are the two main questions answered in Horizon Europe: The essential guide. 

In it our news staff – the people who have been reporting and analysing every step of the Horizon debates for years – explain the programme in detail. The report describes:

• How the programme is structured and budgeted
• The latest Horizon work programmes - up to September 2021
• What’s new since the last programme, Horizon 2020
• Who can participate, and how
• How the programme came together politically, with what objectives
• What it means to the rest of the world – and how researchers from Canada to Japan could benefit
• How it tries to fix the east-west innovation gap
• Tips for applying
• Its missions, partnerships and sectoral clusters – in health, space, digital, agriculture, energy, climate, culture and more
• Its three big funding agencies: ERC, EIC and EIT

This is the most easy-to-read, yet authoritative, guide to the programme available anywhere. In plain language, with the complexities deciphered. The report includes new analysis and data on the programme, as well as quick summaries of key news milestones along the way towards the programme’s start.

This is the 4th edition of our regular guides to the EU’s Framework Programmes - updated in September 2021 to include the latest word on the specific Horizon work programmes - as well as the latest news for international applicants. Science|Business, a Brussels-based media and communications company specialised in R&D policy, has been following all these developments in its highly regarded online news service.

In this publication of more than 120 pages, we combine our analysis and coverage of Horizon Europe to help you take full advantage of the programme. If you’re considering applying for Horizon money, read this report first to get a good grasp of what it’s all about and what you’ll have to do.