The Commission has adopted today the mainHorizon Europe work programme 2023-24, with around €13.5 billion to supportresearchers and innovatorsin Europe to pursuebreakthrough solutions for environmental, energy, digital and geopolitical challenges.
As part of the broader EU €95.5 billion research and innovation programme,Horizon Europe, this funding will contribute to the EU reaching itsclimate goals, increasingenergy resilience, and developingcore digital technologies. It will also address targeted actions tosupport Ukraine, boost economic resilience and contribute to a sustainable recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. It will help to achieve a stronger European research and innovation ecosystem, including through wider participation of researchers and innovators across Europe, greater mobility and funding for world class research infrastructures.
Delivering on climate action and digital transformation
€5.67 billion(over 42% of the work programme's budget) is dedicated to reaching key climate action objectives, finding innovative solutions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adapting to climate change.€1.67 billioncontributes to supporting biodiversity.
Over€4.5 billionwill support the EU digital transition, including for the development of core digital technologies and encouraging their integration in our lives.
Extensive support will also be provided to theNew European Bauhaus, which aims to show the benefits of the green transition in people's daily lives and living spaces.
Supporting a safe, secure and resilient Europe
Nearly €970 millionwill be invested to help speed up the clean energy transition, in line with theREPowerEU Plan, and increaseEurope's energy independencefrom unreliable suppliers and volatile fossil fuels.
In 2023, the work programme will direct investments ofmore than €1 billionfromNextGeneration EUtowards Europe's recovery from the economic and social damage caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Moreover, it supportsresearch and innovationwith €336 millionto enhance pandemic preparedness and to respond to health emergencies. This is in line with the objectives of the European Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority (HERA).
It will also support critical infrastructures againstphysical and cyber threatsto reinforce the EU resilience.
Targeted support to Ukraine
Targeted support to Ukraine is provided on top of the €70 million of dedicated measures already launched in 2022. New actions includereinforcing the access of researchers from Ukraineto European research infrastructures, continuing support to the health scientists from Ukraine, and supporting the climate-neutral reconstruction of several Ukrainian cities through theEU Mission for Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities.
Global challenges require global solutions
The Horizon Europe work programme 2023-2024 covers actions to support and strengtheninternational initiativesin renewable energies, food systems, global health, environmental observations and more. It builds on the‘Africa Initiative'and introduces the new‘Mediterranean Initiative', responding to the new research and innovation agenda developed with the Union for the Mediterranean.
Concerningcooperation with China, the work programme will focus on tackling global challenges through two research flagship initiatives on Food, Agriculture, and Biotechnology and Climate Change and Biodiversity.
Openness to international cooperation is balanced with the need to safeguardEU interests in strategic areas, in particular to promote the EU's open strategic autonomy and its technological leadership and competitiveness.
EU Missions
More than €600 millionwill be invested in the fiveEU Missionsin 2023. This will support research and innovation, which is expected to result in, for example, better prepared local and regional authorities to face climate-related risks, the restoration of at least 25 000 km of free-flowing rivers, Climate City Contracts with 100 cities, the roll-out of soil monitoring programmes or optimise minimally-invasive diagnostic cancer interventions.The Commission expects missions to raise contributions from other funding sources, to reach an overall level of investment at the end of 2023 that surpasses investments made from Horizon Europe.
Next Steps
The first calls for proposals will open on theon 7 December 2022.Horizon Europe Information Daystargeting potential applicants are taking place between 6 December 2022 and 16 February 2023.
Background
The 2023-2024 Horizon Europe work programme is based on Horizon Europe's Strategic Plan 2021-2024, adopted in March 2021. It was co-created with stakeholders, Member States and the European Parliament. On 1 December, the Commission launched thelargest public consultationever held on the past, present and future of the EU's Horizon research and innovation programmes 2014-2027. It is open for 12 weeks and contributes to the final evaluation of Horizon 2020, the interim evaluation of Horizon Europe as well as laying the groundwork for the preparations of the Horizon Europe Strategic Plan 2025-2027.
For More Information
Horizon Europe Work Programme 2023-2024
Horizon Europe Cluster Health
Video of MariyaGabriel, Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth
Horizon Europe Factsheets
Horizon Europe
Horizon Europe Strategic Plan
– funding opportunities