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Horizon Europe is a seven-year European Union scientific research initiative, successor of the Horizon 2020 programme and the earlier Framework Programmes for Research and Technological Development. The European Commission drafted and approved a plan for Horizon Europe to raise EU science spending levels by 50% over the years 2021–2027.
The proposal called for €100 billion in research and innovation spending for years 2021–2027. Of that sum, €2.4 billion is earmarked for the Euratom nuclear research programme and €3.6 billion is put away for an umbrella investment fund, called InvestEU. After accounting for 2% annual inflation, in 2018 the funding for Horizon Europe amounted to €86.6 billion.[1][2]
Wealthier EU members have expressed opposition to the increase in funding, with Dutch prime minister Mark Rutte saying the draft budget was "unacceptable".[3]
To pay for the €100 billion science spending, the Commission's plan calls for cuts to agriculture and cohesion funding by 5 per cent. Additionally, the plan seeks to tie funding to adherence to the rule of law in member states, including judicial independence.[3]
Compared to the previous framework programme Horizon 2020, some changes in terms of cost reporting have been implemented with the objective to simplify the grant management process.[4]
Horizon Europe adopts five missions:
- Adaptation to Climate Change: support at least 150 European regions and communities to become climate resilient by 2030
- Cancer: working with Europe's Beating Cancer Plan to improve the lives of more than 3 million people by 2030 through prevention, cure and solutions to live longer and better
- Restore our Ocean and Waters by 2030
- 100 Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities by 2030
- A Soil Deal for Europe: 100 living labs and lighthouses to lead the transition towards healthy soils by 2030[5]
The budget of €95.5 billion for Horizon Europe, which was launched in 2021, is up from the €77 billion budget for its predecessor, Horizon 2020.[6][7][8]
Independent observers had predicted the final approved funding to be much lower after completion of the lengthy negotiations with the European Parliament and EU member states.[9] Former EU commissioner for Research, Science and Innovation Carlos Moedas, along with many advocacy groups, had pushed for a more expansive EU science budget. In order to build political support for the budget increase, he used American originated ideas of "moonshots" to focus research efforts and boost the public interest.[10]
Horizon Europe supports European partnerships in which the EU, national authorities and / or the private sector jointly commit to support the development and implementation of a programme of research and innovation activities. To be deemed a Horizon Europe Associated Member is to engage in "the closest form of cooperation in research and innovation for non-EU countries, by providing, as far as possible, the same rights and obligations to these countries' research and innovation entities as those accorded to entities of EU Member States."[11] Associated Countries are "non-EU countries that pay into the Horizon Europe budget to be treated equally to the EU Member States for the purposes of the programme."[12]
Horizon Europe expanded its partnerships beyond the 27 member states of the EU, this includes:
| Associated non-EU countries | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| State | Joined | Note | Ref |
 Albania | 1 July 2022 | [13] | |
 Armenia | 1 January 2021 | Agreement signed on 12 November 2021, retroactive to 1 January 2021. | [13] [14] |
 Bosnia and Herzegovina | 1 January 2021 | Agreement signed on 6 December 2021, retroactive to 1 January 2021. | [13] |
 Canada | 1 January 2024 | Associated to Pillar II only. Association agreement was signed on 3 July 2024, retroactive to 1 January 2024. | [13][15] |
 Faroe Islands | 1 June 2022 | [13] | |
 Georgia | December 2021 | [13] [16] | |
 Iceland | 6 October 2021 | [13] | |
 Israel | December 2021 | [13] [17] | |
 Kosovo | December 2021 | [13] | |
 Moldova | 22 November 2021 | [13] | |
 Montenegro | December 2021 | [13] | |
 New Zealand | 1 January 2023 | Associated to Pillar II only. Association agreement was signed on 9 July 2023, retroactive to 1 January 2023. | [13] [18] |
 North Macedonia | December 2021 | [13] | |
 Norway | 6 October 2021 | [13] | |
 Serbia | 1 January 2021 | Agreement signed on 6 December 2021, retroactive to 1 January 2021. | [13] |
 Tunisia | 1 January 2021 | Agreement signed on 29 March 2022, retroactive to 1 January 2021. | [13] |
 Turkey | 1 January 2021 | [13] [19] | |
 Ukraine | 1 January 2021 | The Agreement entered into force in June 2022, "associated third country" status was applied retroactively from 1 January 2021. | [13] [20] [21] |
 United Kingdom | 1 January 2024 | Associated to the entire programme, with the only exception of the EIC fund. | [13] [22] |
- In August 2022, the United Kingdom launched formal dispute resolution proceedings over its access to the programme.[23] In September 2023, the United Kingdom and European Union reached an agreement on the UK rejoining Horizon starting from 1 January 2024.[24]
- Participants from non-associated non-EU countries, can participate in Horizon Europe actions, but not always with funding.[13]
In addition, the following countries are interested in exploring the concept of association to Horizon Europe:
| State | Note | Ref |
|---|---|---|
 Japan | Sides preparing for potential launch of formal negotiations. | [25] |
 Morocco | Negotiations paused. | [13] |
 Singapore | Expressed its interest to launch exploratory discussions. | [25] |
 South Korea | Negotiations concluded on 25 March 2024. Anticipated join date of 1 January 2025. | [26][27] |
 Switzerland | Negotiations ongoing. | [13][28] |
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