Horizon 2020

Horizon 2020 was the largest multinational research and innovation funding programme in the world during its operational period. It was the financial instrument implementing the Innovation Union, a flagship initiative of the Europe 2020 strategy aimed at securing the European Union's global competitiveness. The programme consolidated previous European Union research frameworks, such as the Seventh Framework Programme, into a single, strategic structure focused on tackling societal challenges and driving economic growth.

Overview

Launched by the European Commission and officially adopted by the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union, this initiative sought to bridge the gap between scientific discovery and marketable innovation. It aimed to strengthen the European Research Area by fostering collaboration across academia and industry, reducing fragmentation, and attracting top talent to the continent. The programme's design emphasized a challenge-based approach, directing resources toward pressing global issues like climate change, sustainable energy, and public health.

Structure and pillars

The programme was organized into three primary pillars, each with distinct objectives and funding instruments. The first pillar, **Excellent Science**, aimed to reinforce and expand the excellence of the European Union's science base, primarily through the European Research Council for frontier research, the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions for researcher mobility, and investments in future and emerging technologies. The second pillar, **Industrial Leadership**, was designed to accelerate the development of technologies that would underpin future businesses, with significant support for leadership in enabling and industrial technologies, access to risk finance, and innovation in small and medium-sized enterprises. The third pillar, **Societal Challenges**, directly addressed major concerns shared by all European Union citizens through collaborative research and innovation actions in fields like health, food security, and clean transport.

Budget and funding

With a total financial envelope of approximately €80 billion for the seven-year period from 2014 to 2020, the programme represented a significant increase in funding compared to its predecessor. The budget was allocated across the three pillars, with the largest share dedicated to the Societal Challenges pillar. Funding was distributed through competitive calls for proposals, utilizing various grant types including the European Research Council Advanced Grants, Innovation Actions, and Coordination and Support Actions. Associated countries, such as Switzerland, Norway, and Israel, also contributed financially and participated fully in the programme.

Implementation and participation

Implementation was managed by the European Commission's Directorate-General for Research and Innovation, with specific parts delegated to executive agencies like the European Research Council Executive Agency and the European Innovation Council and SMEs Executive Agency. Participation was open to a wide range of entities from all European Union member states and associated countries, including universities, research organizations, small and medium-sized enterprises, and large industries. Notable collaborative projects often took the form of large-scale Public-private partnerships, such as the Innovative Medicines Initiative, and missions within the Joint Research Centre.

Impact and evaluation

Independent evaluations and reports, including those by the European Court of Auditors, highlighted the programme's role in strengthening scientific excellence, fostering cross-border collaboration, and generating breakthroughs with high societal impact. It supported groundbreaking work by Nobel laureates, helped launch thousands of innovative startups, and contributed to strategic developments in areas like quantum computing and renewable energy. The programme's legacy and framework directly informed the design and priorities of its successor, Horizon Europe, which launched with an even larger budget to continue driving European research and innovation policy.

Category:European Union programmes Category:Research funding