Council of the European Union proposes a Regulation establishing the new EU Framework Programme, Horizon Europe 2021-2027

On 29 September, the EU Council of Ministers proposed a Regulation establishing Horizon Europe, the European Framework Programme for Research and Innovation for the period of 2021-2027, as well as a Decision on establishing the specific programme implementing Horizon Europe.

The agreement is an important step towards the final adoption of Horizon Europe. It is now important to reach an agreement with the European Parliament and the European Commission in order for the EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation to enter into force early next year – for the benefit of the European research and innovation community, as well as the EU’s competitiveness.

The Regulation also contains provisions governing international cooperation and the programme’s openness to third countries' participation, as well as synergy with other EU funding programmes. Once the Regulation is made available, the European Commission will commence talks with countries planning to join the programme, in order to make effective progress towards concluding a memorandum. In July 2020, Montenegro sent a letter to the European Commission on its intention to participate in the Horizon Europe Framework Programme, which would be a continuation of the cooperation in the field of research and innovation, which originally began when the country first joined the Union’s programmes in 2008.

Overview of past activities

The Regulation on Horizon Europe, proposed by the European Commission in June 2018, provides for the establishment of the European Framework Programme for Research and Innovation for the period of 2021-2027, as the successor to Horizon 2020. It sets out the objectives, budget, forms of funding and funding rules in the field of research and innovation.

The Decision on establishing the specific programme implementing Horizon Europe, which was also proposed by the European Commission in June 2018 as part of the Horizon Europe package, sets out the operational objectives and types of activities envisaged for the implementation of Horizon Europe.

On 4 June 2020, the European Commission presented amended proposals for both legal acts to allow additional funding from the EU recovery instrument called Next Generation EU (NGEU), which will be part of Horizon Europe.

On 21 July 2020, the heads of state and government agreed on a recovery plan for Europe, which combines the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) for the period of 2021-2027 and the funds that will be available through the aforementioned Next Generation EU instrument.