Horizon Europe is the world’s largest research and innovation program, with a funding envelope of approximately EUR 95 billion under the Multiannual Financial Framework 2021-2027. The program facilitates collaboration and strengthens the impact of research and innovation in developing, supporting and implementing EU policies, while tackling global challenges.
The current Horizon Europe framework (2021-2027) consists of a main work program divided into three pillars:
including international fellowships and support for research training (Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions), research infrastructure and European Research Council grants
tackles a variety of societal issue at its broadest extent
intends to stimulate pioneer technologies that have the potential to create new markets and build favorable ecosystems to innovation
On November 24, 2023, Canada became an “associated country” within Pillar II of the Horizon Europe program, which has a budget of approximately EUR 52.5 billion. Researchers in Canada are therefore able to participate in Pillar II calls for proposals under similar conditions as EU Member States and other associated countries, i.e., they are able to lead and join Horizon Europe project consortia and obtain funding directly from Horizon Europe. Universities, non-government organizations, industry and small-medium enterprises, government, and cultural institutions are all eligible to apply. Canadian researchers can participate in all Horizon Europe programs that are open to international partners as a third-party, but only in Pillar II can Canadians access a broader range of research opportunities and receive funding directly from Horizon Europe.
An internal working group has been struck to further investigate Horizon Europe opportunities and consider appropriate institutional supports. This webpage will be updated as more information is available.
Horizon Europe Strategic Plan 2025-2027
The new strategy document from Horizon Europe has been made public. From this document it will become clear what the focus areas and "topics" for the forthcoming rounds of funding calls will be. All the forthcoming "work programmes" will be based on this updated strategy document, and the work programmes in turn will be the basis for the individual calls ("topics").
A detailed article on the release of the document can be found here.
Pillar II: Global Challenges and European Industrial Competitiveness
Pillar II moves beyond the societal challenges familiar under the previous funding framework, Horizon 2020, tackling major global challenges and addressing Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) which aim to ‘improve people’s lives and to protect the planet for future generation’. At the same time the calls under Pillar II will address Europe’s competitiveness in technology, embracing challenges which are often complex and require interdisciplinary solutions and activities from research to innovation. Pillar II is organized into six thematic clusters, each tackling a specific vertical societal issue:
- Health
- Culture, Creativity and Inclusive Society
- Civil Security for Society
- Digital, Industry and Space
- Climate, Energy and Mobility
- Food, Bioeconomy, Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment
Applications for Horizon Europe calls are put forward by partnership-based consortia made up of at least three partner organizations, with at least one partner from an EU country and two partners from different EU or associated countries. See General Conditions for additional information.
Helpful Resources
European Commission
- An overview of the Horizon Europe program can be found on the European Commission’s Research and Innovation webpage
- Information on all available 2023-24 work programs (calls for proposals within each cluster)
- A complete list of open Pillar II calls can be found on the EU's Funding and Tenders Portal
- Details on how to apply for funding, evaluation and grant management and how to review for Horizon Europe are included in the European Commission’s online manual
- Tools for finding partners for research projects
- Details on all research projects funded by the EU under its framework programs can be found on the CORDIS EU Research Results website. Available project data includes participants, results, reports, deliverables and links to open-access publications
Government of Canada
- Information for Canadians looking to participate in Horizon Europe can be found onthe Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada’s Horizon Europe webpage
- Mission of Canada to the EU has compiled a Canada EU STI Opportunities Support Document
- The Trade Commissioner Service has prepared a Horizon Europe Guide for Canadian participation in the European Union’s Framework Programme for Research and Innovation (2021-2027)
- Advice and guidance about Canada’s participation in Horizon Europe can be provided through the Government of Canada’s National Contact Points (NPC)
Presentations
- “Horizon Europe: The World’s Biggest Collaborative Research Programme”, presented by the European-Canadian Centre for Innovation and Research (January 22, 2024)
- “Horizon Europe and Canada”, presented by the Mission of Canada to the EU (January 25, 2024)
- “Horizon Europe”, presented by ISED (March 21, 2024)
- “European IP Helpdesk”, presented by the European IP Helpdesk (March 21, 2024)
- “General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Overview”, presented by Privacy Horizon (March 21, 2024