Horizon Europe is the EU's flagship funding programme for research and innovation, running from 2021 to 2027 with a EUR 95.5 billion budget. It addresses global challenges like climate change, supports the UN's Sustainable Development Goals, and enhances EU competitiveness and growth.

Key features:

• European Innovation Council (EIC):  focuses on scaling high-risk, breakthrough innovations, with 70% of its budget reserved  for SMEs.
• Missions: ambitious initiatives tackling cancer, climate change, and healthy oceans, with measurable goals and timelines.
• Open science policy: requires open access to publications and integrates open science principles for greater transparency and collaboration.
• New partnerships: objective-driven collaborations with industry to support EU policy goals.

Programme structure (three pillars):

1. Excellent science: strengthens scientific capabilities via the European Research Council, Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions, and investments in research infrastructures.
2. Global challenges and industrial competitiveness: tackles societal challenges through clusters on health, climate, security, digital, energy, mobility, and food.
3. Innovative Europe: drives market-creating innovations via the European Innovation Council, Innovation Ecosystems, and the European Institute of Innovation and Technology.

Horizon Europe also emphasises widening participation and strengthening the European Research Area to foster excellence across the EU, building a resilient and innovative research ecosystem.