COM(2025) 543 Proposal for a REGULATION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL establishing Horizon Europe, the Framework Programme for Research and Innovation, for the period 2028-2034 laying down its rules for participation and dissemination, and repealing Regulation (EU) 2021/695

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EUROPEAN COMMISSION

Brussels, 16.7.2025

COM(2025) 543 final/2

2025/0543 (COD)

Corrigendum

This document corrects COM(2025) 543 final of 16.7.2025

Concerns the EN version only

It clarifies provisions on high risk suppliers

The text shall read as follows:

Proposal for a

REGULATION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL

establishing Horizon Europe, the Framework Programme for Research and Innovation,

for the period 2028-2034 laying down its rules for participation and dissemination, and

repealing Regulation (EU) 2021/695

(Text with EEA relevance)

{SEC(2025) 555} - {SWD(2025) 555 556}

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EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM

1. CONTEXT OF THE PROPOSAL

• Reasons and objectives

This proposal establishes the tenth Framework Programme for Research and Innovation,

Horizon Europe, a key instrument for delivering the policy ambitions outlined in the

Commission’s proposal for the next long-term EU budget (2028–2034) and the political

priorities for 2024–2029, as set out in President von der Leyen’s guidelines - Europe’s

Choice.

Building on one of Europe’s strongest brands and biggest R&I programme worldwide, —

Horizon Europe, this proposal places research and innovation at the heart of the Union’s

economy and investment strategy. It promotes simplicity and flexibility, enabling faster and

more strategic EU spending through clearer rules and more transparent procedures for

applicants and stakeholders.

The EU stands at a critical crossroads. Climate change, technological disruption, shifting

geopolitics, and demographic trends are profoundly reshaping our society and economy. To

remain competitive, resilient, and united, Europe must prioritise research and innovation.

Only by investing in science, empowering our people and entrepreneurs, and working

together, we can build a more sustainable, secure, and competitive Europe for all.

This imperative is underlined in the Draghi report on the future of EU competitiveness that

placed innovation at the core of Europe’s capacity to regain productivity growth. The Letta

report on the future of the single market, and the report of the Commission Expert Group on

the interim evaluation of Horizon Europe also highlighted the need for the EU to increase

efforts to innovate for its competitiveness, sustainability, and security.

Europe needs to increase its investments in innovation and address its weaknesses that begin

with obstacles in the pipeline from innovation to commercialisation. Public sector support for

R&I also needs to address the shortcomings of Europe’s R&I ecosystem and innovation

performance both at national and EU levels.

In response, this proposal presents a simplified and refocused Horizon Europe aiming to

strengthen the EU’s scientific and technological bases, to boost the circulation and uptake of

knowledge, technology and innovation, and to leverage the EU funding instruments for

maximum added value, for a catalytic effect on further public and private investments in the

Member States.

More specifically, Horizon Europe aims to:

• promote the core values of scientific freedom and openness;

• increase Europe’s excellent knowledge base by focusing on EU added value;

• improve research careers and attract the best researchers in Europe and beyond, in

line with the ‘Choose Europe’ approach;

• mobilise public and private investments across the full R&I chain - from

fundamental research to market commercialisation;

• contribute to increase its investments in innovation notably by supporting innovation

throughout Europe and increasing coherence between EU funding schemes and

Member States investments;

• harness the EU budget’s potential to reduce risk and unlock greater investment

opportunities. Focus investment on EU strategic priorities, including single market,

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clean transition, decarbonisation, circularity, digitisation, security, resilience and

social cohesion;

• improve access to EU funding through faster, user-centric, simplified, and

harmonised procedures to broaden participation and accelerate results.

Following the recommendations of the Draghi report, Horizon Europe will aim to:

• focus resources on strategic priorities while preserving the bottom-up nature of

research;

• increase the potential of public-private partnerships thanks to a simplified landscape;

• increase support for breakthrough innovation;

• simplify access to the programme for beneficiaries.

The Horizon Europe programme consists of:

• a regulation establishing the Framework Programme for Research and Innovation

entitled ‘Horizon Europe’ for the period 2028-2034 (as per Article 182(1) of the

Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union – ‘TFEU’);

• a Specific Programme to implement ‘Horizon Europe’ (as per Article 182(3)

TFEU);

• an associated impact assessment (for the European Competitiveness Fund) and legal

financial statements.

Horizon Europe will be tightly connected with the regulation establishing the European

Competitiveness Fund (ECF), to guarantee a seamless flow from fundamental research to

applied research to start-ups to scale-ups, comprising the single rulebook that also applies to

Horizon Europe. The programme may support dual-use actions.

A Specific Programme on defence research is proposed to be established by the regulation

establishing the European Competitiveness Fund for the period 2028-2034.

A single act establishing Joint Undertakings will complement the above proposals, ensuring

harmonised rules.

This proposal mentions 1 January 2028 as the starting date of application of the legislative

acts.

• Consistency with existing policy provisions

‘Horizon Europe’ is consistent with European Union’s existing policy provisions and in line

with a simpler, more focused and more impactful budget.

The Framework Programme for Research and Innovation is consistent with the European

Competitiveness Compass, adopted by the Commission in January 2025, which provides a

roadmap for boosting competitiveness through flagship measures under three transformational

imperatives: increase its investments in innovation; a joint roadmap for decarbonisation and

competitiveness, and reducing excessive dependencies and increasing security.

Together with the European Competitiveness Fund, ‘Horizon Europe’ works for

strengthening competitiveness, resilience, sustainability, technological leadership, and social

cohesion. They bring a major simplification both in terms of number of programmes with

overlapping objectives as well as in terms of simplifying implementation: less red tape and

reporting, more trust, better enforcement and faster permitting. At the same time, the proposed

architecture of the programme will ensure predictability and continuity in funding priorities

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with the necessary agility and flexibility to allow the Union to respond to emerging or

unforeseen priorities.

The key role of research and innovation in enhancing competitiveness makes public support

for R&I more essential than ever, in particular at Union level where its added value is

undisputed. EU-wide collaboration is crucial for addressing global challenges, especially

societal and environmental ones. The proposal is fully in line with the Commission’s agenda

for R&I, and provides incentives to Member States, non-profit sector and the private sector to

increase investments and join efforts to reach the target of investing 3% of the Union’s

GDP on research and development.

The programme will support the implementation of the Union’s policy objectives, such as the

Clean Industrial Deal, the AI Continent Action Plan, the Affordable Energy Action Plan, the

Industrial Action Plan for the European automotive sector, the EU Startup and Scaleup

Strategy, the Life Science Strategy as well as other ‘Choose Europe’ relevant initiatives.

• Consistency with other Union policies

The proposal is fully consistent with the Union policies. In line with the Commission’s

priorities, it puts research and innovation at the centre of the economy. It establishes an

investment capacity to boost new ideas and nurture them to new innovations at the service of

the European people and beyond.

R&I is critical to the successful delivery on Union priorities in areas like health, digital

technologies, clean industrial transformation, circular economy, inclusive and democratic

societies, biodiversity and natural resources, energy, mobility, environment, food,

decarbonisation, preparedness, space and security. R&I is at the core of enhancing

productivity and the competitiveness of the Union’s economy.

R&I investment will be complementary and tightly connected with the European

Competitiveness Fund, and in synergy with other programmes and instruments of the

Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF). Complementarity and synergy of R&I support and

exploitation across the Union's long-term budget and with Member States will be maximised

through the Competitiveness Coordination Tool (CCT) that will align industrial and

research policies and investments at EU and national level around projects of common

European interest or EU added value.

Based on orientation of the steering mechanism for the next MFF including the

Competitiveness Coordination Tool, the Horizon Europe programme and the European

Competitiveness Fund could finance a coherent sequence between research and innovation,

demonstration, development and deployment, focusing efforts and funding, from the EU and

national, public and private sector of ‘moonshots’ projects with a strong scientific component,

boosting EU-wide value creation and strategic autonomy (see examples below) .

Possible ‘moonshots’:

• Investing in the European Organization for Nuclear Research’s (CERN) Future

Circular Collider, alongside other CERN’s participating countries. The objective is to

maintain Europe’s leadership in particle physics research. The funding (up to 20% of

the overall cost) could come from Horizon Europe.

• Developing Smart and Clean Aviation and European leadership in the next

generation CO2-free aircraft and automated air traffic management: It would require

a partnership with industry, together with a strong scientific and engineering

capacity, supported by Horizon Europe, but also a robust industrial deployment

component from the Competitiveness Fund.

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• Building the quantum computer for the future: make Europe the first continent with

quantum computing fully integrated into daily life, with applications from

personalised medicine to climate modelling, and solving previously impossible

problems for 450 million citizens.

• Developing and applying the world’s next generation AI. It will be developed by,

with, and for European scientists and industry, drawing to (and keeping in) Europe

the world’s best minds. The next generation AI would open scientific and economic

opportunities well beyond the current AI wave, positioning Europe at the forefront.

• Achieving critical research data sovereignty in Europe: make Europe the world’s

most trusted home for critical data for research, giving European researchers,

universities, and companies unparalleled competitive advantage in tackling pressing

global challenges, from climate change to pandemics.

• Developing automated transport and mobility in Europe: which will improve

transport safety, efficiency of traffic flow, reduce emissions, and allow for more

inclusive transportation.

• Investing in innovative therapies for human regeneration for healthier lives and a

stronger economy: capitalise on Europe’s research excellence and expertise in

regenerative therapies and substantially strengthen Europe’s health industry, putting

it in prime position to deliver innovative therapies. These therapies have the potential

to address diseases that have currently no cure.

• Powering the green transition with fusion energy: the first commercial nuclear fusion

power plant, able of generating safe, consistent, and reliable electricity to power

homes, businesses, and hard-to-abate energy intensive industries. Overcome the

scientific, engineering and technological challenges necessary for "Europe to be the

first to put Fusion on the grid by 2034".

• Making the Moon accessible to Europeans: to achieve leadership in the space

economy, Europe needs to develop the next generation of space transportation and

logistics able to deploy and return massive cargo payloads as well as advanced space

robotics to enable exploration and utilisation of space resources by 2040.

• Towards zero pollution of water in the EU: water resilience calls for building a true

water-smart economy which secures sufficient, clean and affordable water and

sanitation to all at all times, including in crises and extreme climate conditions. This

requires stimulating breakthrough innovation, market uptake and large-scale end-

users adoption of e.g. advanced water treatment technologies for removing harmful

pollutants, water efficiency, technologies which enable sustainable water reuse or

substitution, as well as nature-based solutions and desalination technologies, to

ensure sufficient and clean water for industrial and domestic use, to protect and

restore good water quality and availability to ecosystems, and enhance the

competitiveness of EU industries.

• Building a new chapter in the discovery and exploration of our planet’s inner space

through developing, connecting, governing and securing the next generation of

European ocean observing technologies and capacities: from space and airborne, to

floats, vessels and underwater drones and vehicles. Europe needs strategic autonomy

in all ocean observation infrastructure, data and information services to strengthen its

leadership in Ocean policies: from protecting and restoring ocean health and boosting

the competitiveness and sustainability of its blue economy to enhancing maritime

security and defence and strengthening EU ocean diplomacy.

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In coordination with the European Competitiveness Fund, the Programme’s actions will be

used to address market failures or sub-optimal investment situations, in a proportionate

manner, without duplicating or crowding out private financing and have a clear European

added value. This shall aim at ensuring consistency between the actions of the programme and

EU State aid rules, avoiding undue distortions of competition in the internal market.

The proposal is also fully consistent with the approach taken under the European Semester

process of economic policy coordination in support of structural reforms to improve the

quality and efficiency of national research and innovation systems at three levels: firstly,

through substantial investment in scientific and technological research and innovation;

secondly, by making the business environment more innovation-friendly and less risk-averse;

and thirdly, by ensuring that European citizens get supported through what will be a fast and,

for some, turbulent transition driven by innovation, digitisation and global megatrends such as

artificial intelligence and the circular economy.

2. LEGAL BASIS, SUBSIDIARITY AND PROPORTIONALITY

• Legal basis

‘Horizon Europe’ is based on the TFEU Titles ‘Industry’ and ‘Research and technological

development and space’ (Articles 173(3) 182(1), 183 and 188, second subparagraph) as well

as Article 322(1), point (a).

• Subsidiarity (for non-exclusive competence)

The Union has a shared (parallel) competence in this area based on Article 4(3) TFEU. First,

by enhancing collaboration and integration across stakeholders and borders, EU funding

breaks down national barriers and creates a critical mass to address shared challenges.

Second, by addressing market failures and suboptimal investment conditions, and generating

economic impact, the EU enhances economic resilience, leverages private funds, attracts

capital, boosts productivity across the EU, and supports economically beneficial projects that

might not succeed otherwise. It supports EU-wide competition, allowing to select the best

scientific and innovative ideas from across the EU. Third, by strengthening investment

directionality and pooling of resources, the EU can better address EU-wide challenges and

promote shared priorities such as the digital and green transitions.

This EU-level approach supports breakthrough innovations and strategic goals, overcoming

coordination limitations among Member States. For example, ex-post simulations estimate

that, without EU funding for research and infrastructures over decades, essential innovations,

like mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccines, would have been delayed by months, hindering

critical rapid market release and subsequently societal benefits.

• Proportionality

Actions at Union level will enable transnational collaboration and world-wide competition to

ensure the best proposals are selected. This raises levels of excellence and provides visibility

for leading R&I, but also supports trans-national mobility and attracts the best talents

globally. A Union-level programme is best placed to take on high-risk and long-term R&I,

thereby sharing the risk and generating a breadth of scope and economies of scale that could

not otherwise be achieved. Interlinkages with national initiatives will be sought, in particular

in the area of innovation.

It can leverage additional public and private investments in R&I; contribute to further

strengthening the European R&I landscape; and accelerate the commercialisation and

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diffusion of innovation. Union-level programmes can also support policy making and policy

objectives.

The proposed actions do not go beyond what is required for Union objectives.

• Choice of the instrument

Research and innovation, due to its long-term and bottom-up nature, requires an independent,

integrated and predictable self-standing programme, that ensures the right conditions for

spiring new ideas and bringing them to the market. To enable disruptive solutions, it is

imperative that research and innovation is kept independent and that there is continuity in

funding. Therefore, while tightly connected to the European Competitiveness Fund, ‘Horizon

Europe’ has maintained its independent legal base required under Article 182 TFEU and its

brand and positive international reputation, building on its long-term proven success as a

trusted framework for excellence, collaboration and impact.

The legal act creates rights for and obligations on beneficiaries, binding in their entirety and

directly applicable in all Union Member States and countries associated to the Framework

Programme for Research and Innovation.

3. RESULTS OF RETROSPECTIVE EVALUATIONS, STAKEHOLDER

CONSULTATIONS AND IMPACT ASSESSMENTS

• Retrospective evaluations/fitness checks of existing legislation

Retrospective evaluations and fitness checks of existing legislation are essential to ensure that

the next R&I framework programme builds on what works and improves what does not. By

assessing the effectiveness, efficiency, and coherence of past measures, these reviews provide

critical evidence to shape better policy design, reduce unnecessary regulatory burdens, and

align funding instruments with evolving scientific, technological, and societal needs. This

contributes to a more responsive, impactful, and future-ready research and innovation

ecosystem.

• Stakeholder consultations

In the framework of preparing for the next MFF starting in 2028, the European Commission

conducted a public consultation to gather views on EU funding for competitiveness.

The public consultation, held from 12 February to 7 May 2025, gathered 2,034 survey

responses and 462 position papers, with strong participation from EU citizens (26%),

academia (22%), and public authorities (13%), alongside businesses, NGOs, and other

stakeholder networks.

Most of respondents which had experience of Horizon Europe expressed positive views on the

funding process, from identifying funding opportunities, to the relevance and clarity of the

calls. However, they highlighted the application procedure and overall timeline as key weak

points, underscoring the need for simplification, clarity, and better coherence to enhance

accessibility, especially for SMEs and newcomers. Respondents recognised fragmentation in

support across the investment journey as a barrier to competitiveness, particularly in relation

to underinvestment in research and innovation.

The public consultation was complemented by targeted outreach to key stakeholder groups in

both industry, research and innovation. Research and innovation stakeholders have been

actively engaged in shaping the debate on the future role of R&I in EU competitiveness,

particularly following the launch of the Commission’s political guidelines in July 2024 and

the Competitiveness Compass in February 2025.

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• External expertise

This initiative builds on three key external reports: Mario Draghi on EU competitiveness,

Enrico Letta on the future of the single market, and the Commission Expert Group on the

interim evaluation of Horizon Europe.

All three reports converge in their core message: Europe must innovate, adapt, and lead to

safeguard its competitiveness, prosperity, sustainability, and security. Their combined

analysis provides a strong analytical and political foundation for the proposed R&I

Framework Programme and the wider strategic orientation of the European Competitiveness

Fund.

• Impact assessment

This proposal is supported by a comprehensive impact assessment for the European

Competitiveness Fund, which included 14 programmes contributing to EU Competitiveness.

Under the Commission’s Political Guidelines, the next MFF sets out to be more focused,

simpler and more impactful. The architecture of the new MFF will therefore be significantly

different from the current structure. Given this special case of preparing a new MFF, the

impact assessment lacked several key elements. Therefore, the Regulatory Scrutiny Board

decided, exceptionally, to issue an Opinion without qualification.

The Regulatory Scrutiny Board noted that the report contained significant shortcomings such

as on scope, governance, coherence with other part of the MFF, among others. These

shortcomings have been addressed in both the European Competitiveness Fund and the

Horizon Europe legislative proposals.

In line with the need for ‘simplicity and flexibility, speed and strategic focus’ set out in the

Political Guidelines, the impact assessment assessed three options affecting the architecture of

EU funding ranging from the continuation of the 14 programmes related to competitiveness,

to their consolidation into a Competitiveness Fund:

A. Business-as-usual-plus: light coordination.

B. Enhanced coordination between existing programmes (single rulebook).

C. Consolidation of programmes in a new European Competitiveness Fund in one or

two single acts.

The consolidation of programmes in two single acts, as foreseen in Option C, was considered

as the best policy option that would keep the brand ‘Horizon Europe’ while fully contributing

to the objectives of the Competitiveness Fund thanks to the integration in terms of objectives,

structure, governance and rules of the two acts. At the same time, it caters for a standalone

R&I framework programme to safeguard the integrity of research and innovation and the

requirements of Article 182 TFEU. This position has been echoed by the European

Parliament, the Member States and third countries today associated to Horizon Europe. 

• Simplification

Simplification is an overarching priority of the Commission with the aim to reduce burden

and over complexity and favour speed and flexibility.

Being the largest Union programme implemented under direct management, the Framework

Programme for research and innovation is an obvious target for simplification. Simplification

for beneficiaries will be achieved, inter alia, through:

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• Reduced length of the work programme with less prescriptive programming:

reducing the overall number of topics, shortening topic descriptions and minimising

single-project topics.  

• Open topics by default: less prescriptive with more freedom to applicants for

different pathways towards expected outcomes.  

• Continuity and further simplification of the funding landscape: There will be no

distinction between Research and Innovation Actions (RIA) and Innovation Actions

(IA) but one single funding rate of up to 100%, except for for-profit entities other

than SMEs, with a funding rate of up to 70%. The funding rates will be the

maximum that can be reduced when justified for implementing specific actions.

• Increased use of simplified cost options: Building on the experience gained with

lump sum pilots under Horizon 2020 and their broader application in Horizon

Europe, lump sum funding will become the default form of Union contribution,

unless otherwise provided. Other simplified forms of cost, including personnel unit

costs, will be used. These simplification measures aim to foster broader participation,

particularly from newcomers and smaller entities, while preserving sound financial

management and control.

Going together with the unprecedented simplification effort, a faster implementation of

Horizon Europe will be achieved with a reduction of the maximum time to grant to 7 months,

which is one of the fastest time-to grant of the EU programmes and two months faster than

the maximum time to grant set out in the Financial Regulation.

The commitment of both the European Parliament and Council to uphold the simplification

principle in ordinary legislative procedure will be key.

• Fundamental rights

This Regulation respects fundamental rights and observes the principles recognised in the

Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union and other international human rights

conventions to which Member States and the Union are party to.

4. BUDGETARY IMPLICATIONS

The budget of all proposals is presented in current prices. The Commission may continue, on

the basis of a cost-benefit analysis, to use executive agencies to implement of Horizon

Europe.

5. OTHER ELEMENTS

• Implementation plans and monitoring, evaluation and reporting arrangements

This initiative will be monitored through the performance framework for the post-2027

budget, which is covered in a separate proposal. The performance framework provides for an

implementation report during the implementation phase of the programme, as well as a

retrospective evaluation to be carried out in accordance with Article 34(3) of Regulation (EU,

Euratom) 2024/2509. The evaluation shall be conducted in accordance with the Commission's

Better Regulation Guidelines and will be based on indicators relevant to the objectives of the

programme.

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• Other horizontal issues applying to the proposal

Programme principles: the Programme will ensure the effective promotion of values and

principles of the European Research Area and the Pact for Research and Innovation, notably

ethics and integrity in research and innovation, freedom of scientific research, gender equality

and equal opportunities, open science and the promotion of attractive research careers and

mobility.

International cooperation will be further reinforced with the objective of contributing

towards the Union’s competitiveness and excellence in R&I and will balance the risk and

benefit in cooperating with third countries and third country entities.

Valorisation and dissemination: In view of enhancing the Union’s competitiveness and line

with the Commission’s valorisation strategy, dedicated support instruments and tools will be

put in place to facilitate and accelerate the valorisation process and ensure that research

results translate into real-world applications. This transforms public investment in R&I into

new market opportunities, and tangible value for society and industry.

Alignment of strategic steer with the Competitiveness Fund and the Competitiveness

Coordination Tool.

• Detailed explanation of the specific provisions of the proposal

Horizon Europe builds on the legacy of over 40 years EU investments in research and

innovation. It is designed to promote science, protect core values of independence and

openness and improve Europe’s excellent knowledge base and boost EU competitiveness. Its

architecture is designed for enhanced coherence and performance.

It is proposed to use a four-pillar structure.

• Pillar I, ‘Excellent Science’, aims to strengthen the EU's scientific base, attract top

talent, promote excellent research in Europe and provide best science for EU

policies. Research excellence and mobility is at the core of Europe’s ambition to be

the best place in the world to do research: “Choose Europe”. Against this

background, this pillar includes:

– The European Research Council (ERC): The ERC will be expanded to increase its

ability to support frontier research, with a focus on funding excellent researchers

and their teams.

– Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA): The MSCA will continue to support

research training and career development.

– Science for EU policies: non-nuclear direct actions of the Joint Research Centre

(JRC).

• Pillar II, ‘Competitiveness and Society’, aims to support collaborative research and

innovation in areas of high societal impact, with a focus on tackling global societal

challenges and boosting EU competitiveness. This pillar will be similar to the

structure of the interventions areas in the European Competitiveness Fund and its

four policy windows. This will ensure coherent support throughout the investment

journey. In addition, a policy window specific to the new Horizon Europe will

address bottom-up research, in particular in the areas of global societal challenges

such as migration, disinformation, and the safeguarding, strengthening and

promotion of democracy, as well as social and economic transformations, inclusive

societies and social cohesion. Strategic programming for collaborative research will

be informed by an internal assessment capacity, the ‘Observatory of emerging

technologies’, referred to in the Regulation (EU) [XXX]* of the European

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Parliament and of the Council [European Competitiveness Fund]1. Partnerships will

remain a key instrument of the programme and will work synergistically with the

European Competitiveness Fund under the relevant steering processes. They are

proposed to be radically simplified and streamlined in their operations and

organisation. Partnerships can take various forms: public-public-private to public-

public or public-private.

• Pillar III, ‘Innovation’, aims to support innovation in Europe, with a focus on

promoting the development of new products, services, and business models. This

pillar includes:

– The European Innovation Council (EIC): The EIC will support innovative

startups, SMEs, with a focus on promoting disruptive innovation and

entrepreneurship. It will be expanded with:

• More ‘ARPA’ elements into its operations, where high risk projects are

supported in stages, or discontinued, based on their potential to deliver on

disruptive solutions as assessed by expert Programme Managers. It will

further develop pathways from ERC or collaborative research projects

into the EIC to commercialise faster and scale up breakthrough

technologies.

• A ‘DARPA’ approach dedicated to supporting defence and dual use

startups and their scaling up operating in full complementarity with the

ECF InvestEU Instrument and the EU Defence Innovation Scheme

(EUDIS) and CASSINI (Space entrepreneurship initiative) activities.

• It will provide an unprecedented opportunity to support high tech dual

use and defence start-ups and scale-ups, including those deemed strategic

and critical to the interests of the Union and its Member States, which

require targeted direct support and are not able to access sufficient capital

from the market.

• Close coordination and synergy with the European Competitiveness Fund

policy windows regarding the definition of ‘Challenges’.

• Existing deeptech scale up financing under the Scaleup Europe Fund

announced in the Startup Scaleup Strategy will be carried out under the

terms agreed in the current MFF. All future scaleup financing will take

place under the ECF.

– Innovation Ecosystems, including Activities to foster the integration of the

knowledge triangle – higher education, research and innovation, and business –

across the Union.

Close cooperation between collaborative research under Pillar II and the start-up and scale-up

support under Pillar III will be foreseen in order to strengthen the demand side for start-ups

and scale-ups by linking up them to the large corporates in Europe and by facilitating

innovative public procurement measures on EU and national level.

• Pillar IV, ‘European Research Area’, aims to support the development of a unified

European Research Area (ERA), with a focus on promoting excellence,

inclusiveness, and impact. This pillar includes:

1 OJ C […], […], p. […]

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– ERA Policy: This component will support the development of ERA policy, with a

focus on promoting excellence, inclusiveness, and impact.

– Research and Technology Infrastructures: This component will support the

development and operation of research and technology infrastructures, including

for the first time support to capital expenditure.

– Widening Participation and Spreading Excellence: This component will support

the development of research and innovation capacities in all regions of Europe.

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2025/0543 (COD)

Proposal for a

REGULATION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL

establishing Horizon Europe, the Framework Programme for Research and Innovation,

for the period 2028-2034 laying down its rules for participation and dissemination, and

repealing Regulation (EU) 2021/695

(Text with EEA relevance)

THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular

Articles 173(3), 182(1), 183, 188, second subparagraph and Article 322(1), point (a), thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission,

After transmission of the draft legislative act to the national parliaments,

Having regard to the opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee2,

Having regard to the opinion of the Committee of the Regions3,

Having regard to the opinion of the Court of Auditors (1),

Acting in accordance with the ordinary legislative procedure,

Whereas:

(1) It is an objective of the Union to strengthen its scientific and technological bases by

strengthening the European research area (ERA) in which researchers, scientific

knowledge and technology circulate freely and encouraging it to become more

competitive, including in its industry, while promoting all research and innovation

(R&I) activities to deliver on the Union's strategic priorities and commitments, which

ultimately aim to promote peace, the Union's values and the well-being of its peoples.

(2) To deliver scientific, technological, economic, environmental and societal impact and

to maximise the added value of the Union's R&I investments, the Union should invest

in research and innovation through Horizon Europe - the Framework Programme for

Research and Innovation for the period 2028-2034 (the ‘Programme’), which should

strengthen competitiveness, resilience, sustainability, technological leadership, and

social cohesion.

(3) The Programme should be tightly connected with Regulation (EU) [XXX]* of the

European Parliament and of the Council [European Competitiveness Fund]4 by placing

research and innovation at the heart of the Union’s economy and investment strategy.

(4) The Union should furthermore aim to eliminate inequalities, and to promote equality,

between men and women, as well as to combat discrimination in accordance with

2 OJ C […], […], p. […]. 3 OJ C […], […], p. […]. 4 OJ C […], […], p. […]

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Article 8 and Article 10 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union

(TFEU) and the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union.

(5) In a rapidly changing economic, social and geopolitical environment, recent

experience has shown the need for a more flexible multiannual financial framework

and its Union spending programmes. To that effect, and in line with the objectives of

the Programme, the funding should duly consider the evolving policy needs and

Union’s priorities as identified in relevant documents published by the Commission,

European Parliament resolutions and in Council conclusions, while ensuring sufficient

predictability for the budget implementation.

(6) The rules for participation and dissemination of the Programme are designed to further

simplify access, enhance openness, and maximize the impact of Union funding.

(7) The Programme should contribute to increasing public and private investment in R&I

in Member States, thereby helping to reach an overall investment target of at least 3%

of the Union's gross domestic product (GDP) in research and development. Member

States’ investment in R&I should be assessed with the help of the framework for the

coordination of economic, budgetary, employment and social policies within the

Union – the European Semester process. Achieving that target would require Member

States and the private sector to complement the Programme with their own reinforced

investment actions in research, development and innovation. The Union has made

steady progress in increasing research and development investments but is lagging

behind other global leaders. The 3% target mentioned above, set over two decades ago

acknowledged the importance of research and development as a foundation for a

knowledge-based society. While the target encouraged various Member States to set

their own research and development intensity goals, significant disparities remain as

only a few Member States have reached or exceeded their investment ambition.

(8) As in Horizon Europe, the OECD definitions regarding technological readiness levels

(TRLs) should continue to be taken into account in the classification of technological

research, product development and demonstration activities, and in the definition of

types of action available in calls for proposals. Grants should not be awarded for

actions where activities go above TRL 8. It should be possible for the work

programme to allow grants for large-scale product validation and market replication

for a given call under the part ‘Competitiveness and Society’.

(9) It should be possible to implement parts of the budget through European Partnerships

together with other public and private entities, where this is the most effective

implementation form to achieve the policy objectives. European Partnerships should

be established where a close involvement of the Union is required and should ensure

appropriate voting rights for the Union as well as sufficient co-investment by other

partners to leverage Union funding. In view of fostering synergies and efficiencies, it

is necessary to ensure harmonised rules. Therefore, a strategic and coherent portfolio

of a limited number of European Partnerships should be established.

(10) The European Partnerships, including in the form of Joint Undertakings, as an

essential tool to deliver on industrial involvement and investment in collaborative

research and innovation, should contribute to the specific policy objectives of the

policy windows of the European Competitiveness Fund, and be supported through it,

where necessary, to complete these objectives.

(11) EU Missions as set up in the Regulation 2021/695 should enable a transformative and

systemic impact for society, by fostering cross-disciplinary, cross-sectoral, cross-

EN 14 EN

policy and cross-border collaboration. They should rely on research and innovation to

develop the breakthrough technologies, services, products, and social innovations

needed to achieve their ambitious objectives. In turn, EU Missions should accelerate

the development, scaling, and deployment of innovative solutions and help create lead

markets for new products and services. The Framework Programme should finance the

research and innovation activities of the Missions, while the deployment and scaling

up should be delivered through other EU programmes and national funding.

(12) Anchored in the Horizon Europe Strategic Plan 2025-20275, the New European

Bauhaus (NEB) Facility is a multi-annual funding tool designed to accelerate the

transformation of neighbourhoods through sustainable and inclusive design. Its R&I

component should be funded by Horizon Europe while its roll-out component should

be delivered through other EU programmes and national funding.

(13) The European Research Council (ERC) should provide attractive and flexible funding,

thereby enabling talented and creative individual researchers—with a deliberate

emphasis on nurturing early-stage researchers—to pursue the most promising avenues

at the frontier of science. This commitment to investigator-driven research, selected

through Union-wide competition based solely on the criterion of excellence and open

to talent regardless of nationality or origin, is fundamental to attracting the world's

brightest minds and further establishing Europe as a world-leading centre for research

and innovation.

(14) In a knowledge-based global economy, the Union’s long-term competitiveness,

technological leadership and capacity to address global challenges should depend

notably on its ability to develop, attract and retain a highly skilled and internationally

connected research workforce. Strategic investment in excellent researchers, in their

training, mobility and career prospects, within and outside academia, is essential to

sustain innovation, economic resilience and societal well-being. In line with the

principles of the European Charter for researchers, the Marie Skłodowska-Curie

Actions (MSCA) are instrumental in advancing this objective. The Programme should

reinforce links between universities and innovation ecosystems, including the private

sector. It should enable the completion of the European Research Area, including via

development of European higher education sector capacity to compete with global

counterparts through collaboration, nurturing and attracting talent and leveraging more

private investments, including through higher education initiatives like European

Universities Alliances, in synergy with Erasmus+, and in line with the objectives and

activities of this Regulation.

(15) The European Innovation Council (EIC) should stimulate deep tech market-creating

innovation. It should identify, develop and deploy these deep tech innovations through

its instruments. Through coherent and streamlined support, the EIC should fill the

vacuum in public support and private investment for breakthrough technologies and

deep tech innovation. The EIC should aim to bridge, integrate and accelerate through

its instruments the innovator’s journey from research to market and enable the Union

to have leading companies in emerging areas of technology to meet its social and

economic objectives and avoid dependencies on other regions. The EIC should support

high risk, high-potential innovations and companies presenting such technological,

scientific, financial, management or market risks that they are not yet considered to be

fully bankable and therefore cannot raise the necessary level of investments to be

globally competitive from the market. This should incorporate both an ‘open’ (bottom-

5 Commission Decision C(2024)1741 of 20.03.2024.

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up) and a ‘challenge’ driven approach, in close coordination and synergy with the

European Competitiveness Fund and its policy windows. It should include a

‘DARPA’-like approach dedicated to supporting defence and dual use startups and

their scaling up operating in full complementarity with the ECF InvestEU Instrument

and the EU Defence Innovation Scheme (EUDIS) and CASSINI (Space

entrepreneurship initiative) activities. The implementation should be done in close

synergy and coordination with the European Competitiveness Fund.

(16) Deep-tech scale-up financing under the Scaleup Europe Fund announced in the Startup

Scaleup Strategy, existing at the time of the entry into force of the present Regulation,

should be carried out under the terms agreed in the MFF 2021-2027. All scaleup

financing under the MFF 2028-2034 should take place under the ECF.

(17) The Joint Research Centre (‘JRC’) should continue to provide independent scientific

evidence and technical support for Union policies throughout the whole policy cycle.

The direct actions of the JRC should be implemented in a flexible, efficient, and

transparent manner, taking into account the needs of Union policies and the relevant

needs of the users of the JRC and ensuring the protection of the Union’s financial

interests. The JRC should continue to generate additional resources, which it may use

to support its scientific and technical activities.

(18) The Programme should ensure the effective promotion and protection of values and

principles of the European Research Area and the Pact for Research and Innovation6,

notably ethics and integrity in research and innovation, freedom of scientific research,

science for policy, gender equality and equal opportunities, non-discrimination, open

science and the promotion of attractive research careers and mobility. In particular, the

Programme should ensure the effective promotion of equal opportunities for all and

the implementation of gender mainstreaming, including the integration of the gender

dimension in R&I content. It should aim to address the causes of gender imbalance.

Particular attention should be paid to ensuring, to the extent possible, gender balance

in evaluation panels and in other relevant advisory bodies such as boards and expert

groups.

(19) The Programme should support European research infrastructures and technology

infrastructures in driving scientific and technological excellence and industrial

competitiveness, by supporting the continuum of the research and innovation cycle

from basic to applied research towards societal and market deployment.

(20) The Programme should implement concrete measures in support of capacity building

in widening countries and strengthening collaborative links across the Union

enhancing the research and innovation capacity in widening and transition countries,

leading to a more cohesive and integrated European R&I system and contributing to

the target to invest at least 3% of GDP in research and development. The eligible

Member States from the 2021-2027 period should be divided into two groups for the

whole duration of the Programme , on the basis of the Innovation Scoreboard Index

and the relative financial return per Gross National Income (GNI), based on the

following criteria: i) ‘Transition countries’, with both an Innovation Scoreboard Index

(2023-2025) above 75% of the Union average and positive relative financial return per

GNI (2021-2025) under Horizon Europe; ii) ‘Widening countries’, all other Member

States eligible under the 2021-2027 period.

6 Council Recommendation (EU) 2021/2122 of 26 November 2021 on a Pact for Research and

Innovation in Europe, OJ L 431, 2.12.2021, p. 1, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reco/2021/2122/oj.

EN 16 EN

(21) Acknowledging the benefit derived from international cooperation towards addressing,

among others, shared technological, economic, environmental and societal concerns,

the Programme, should promote cooperation with third countries. International

cooperation should aim to strengthen the Union’s competitiveness and excellence in

R&I, including its capacity to attract and retain the best talents worldwide. Geo-

political considerations including economic security should be at the centre of the

approach and varying degrees of cooperation should be considered based on an overall

assessment of the benefit that could be derived by the Union towards addressing its

priorities and global challenges while safeguarding the Union’s values and interests.

Association to all or parts of the Programme should remain the most comprehensive

form of cooperation. For EIC defence related activities, only entities established in

third countries associated with the European Competitiveness Fund for defence

activities should be eligible for funding. The Programme may support activities

financed by the Global Europe programme provided they comply with the rules and

objectives of this Regulation in line with the provisions on synergies.

(22) To reinforce the Union’s strategic autonomy and ensure long-term sustainable

economic growth, it is essential to bolster its global competitiveness while

safeguarding its strategic assets and interests as outlined in the European Economic

Security Strategy7. Article 136 of Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2024/2509 as

complemented by Article 10 of Regulation (EU) XXX [European Competitiveness

Fund] promote the competitiveness of the Union and protect its economic security.

The application of these provisions for the purpose of the Programme should provide

an appropriate legal framework to allow, where necessary, for the establishment of

specific conditions regarding award procedures that promote research-driven

competitiveness and protect the interests and strategic autonomy of the Union,

including measures aimed at restricting participation or protecting results and ensuring

coherence and consistency with specific rules under the European Competitiveness

Fund windows. Where necessary, a risk-based approach should be applied to ensure

that risks related to research and innovation are identified, assessed, and addressed

through proportionate and effective measures8. In accordance with Article 136 of the

Financial Regulation, eligibility restrictions should apply to high-risk suppliers, for

security reasons.

(23) In light of increasing risks linked to natural hazards, health emergencies, technological

accidents, evolving security threats, and other disruptions, it is essential to enhance the

Union’s and Member States’ capability to anticipate, prepare for, and respond to crises

and disasters. The Programme should support research that strengthen disaster risk and

crisis management, invest in climate resilience, and enhance the resilience of vital

societal functions, and build a more resilient, secure, and prepared Union, in line with

the objectives of the EU Preparedness Union Strategy.

(24) Activities should reflect the importance of tackling the dramatic loss of biodiversity

and contribute to the preservation and restoration of nature, ecosystems and their

services. The integration of environmental science in activities is necessary to avoid

damage to the environment, to maintain clean environment and to restore heathy

ecosystems.

7 Joint Communication to the European Parliament, the European Council and the Council on “European

Economic Security Strategy, JOIN(2023) 20 final, Brussels, 20.06.2023. 8 Council Recommendation of 23 May 2024 on enhancing research security, C/2024/3510.

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(25) The Programme acknowledges climate change as one of the biggest global and

societal challenge and climate action as a driver for industrial competitiveness.

Activities should reflect the importance of tackling climate change in line with the

Union’s commitments to implement the Paris Agreement.

(26) Simplification in the Programme’s implementation is essential to ensure its

accessibility and efficiency, particularly by reducing the administrative burden on

beneficiaries and minimising the risk of errors. To this end, the Programme should

primarily rely on lump sums as the default form of Union funding. Advancing efforts

over the previous Framework Programmes to streamline funding rules and minimise

errors, the reimbursement of personnel costs should also be further simplified by using

personnel unit costs, which reduces complexity for participants and facilitates

reporting.

(27) To accommodate specific organisational set-up, especially encountered in the

Research and Innovation activities, it should be possible to declare as eligible costs in-

kind contributions from third parties. To incentivise valorisation of results, it should be

clarified that this should not be counted as revenues of the action.

(28) In view of strengthening the Union's competitiveness and maximising the uptake and

deployment of the results in general, beneficiaries owning results should manage their

results in accordance with their obligations established under this Regulation regarding

valorisation and dissemination. Those obligations may be adjusted in the work

programme, call conditions or grant agreement where appropriate based on policy

considerations, including related to economic security, but should encompass

requirements to protect, give access, valorise results and make them public as

appropriate and justified, including through open science practices. To facilitate and

accelerate the valorisation process, support instruments and tools should be put in

place in line with the Commission’s valorisation strategy as developed under the

European Competitiveness Fund and any such support and services provided for in its

Chapter III.

(29) Support measures are needed to strengthen and better connect innovation ecosystems.

Such measures should support organisations and innovators to create competitive,

robust and connected innovation ecosystems and improve framework conditions

through cooperation and knowledge exchange. They should help connect national,

regional, and local ecosystems by removing barriers in the single market such as

market fragmentation, limited capital access and segmented national capital markets,

slow innovation uptake and the underutilisation of innovation procurement.

(30) The actions supported under this Regulation should accelerate or boost investments by

addressing market failures or sub-optimal investment situations, in a proportionate

manner, avoiding duplication or crowding out, and by incentivising private funding,

and have Union added-value. Without prejudice to the application of Articles 107 and

108 TFEU to national resources, this should also ensure consistency between the

actions under the Programme and the State aid rules, thereby avoiding undue

distortions of competition in the internal market.

(31) This Regulation lays down an indicative financial envelope for Horizon Europe, the

Framework Programme for Research and Innovation for the period 2028-2034.

EN 18 EN

(32) Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2024/25099 applies to the Programme. It lays down the

rules on the establishment and the implementation of the general budget of the Union,

including the rules on grants, prizes, non-financial donations, procurement, indirect

management, financial assistance, financial instruments and budgetary guarantees.

(33) In view of ensuring consistency, a budgetary guarantee and financial instruments,

including when combined with non-repayable support in blending operations, under

this Programme should be implemented in accordance with Title X of the Financial

Regulation and with technical arrangements, terms and conditions established by the

Commission for the purposes of its application.

(34) Where Union support under the Programme is to be provided in the form of a

budgetary guarantee or a financial instrument, including where combined with non-

repayable support in a blending operation, with the exception of financial instruments

under the EIC, such support should be provided exclusively through the ECF

InvestEU Instrument in accordance with the applicable rules of the ECF InvestEU

Instrument.

(35) In accordance with Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2024/2509, Regulation (EU, Euratom)

No 883/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council10, Council Regulation

(Euratom, EC) No 2988/9511,(Euratom, EC) No 2185/9612 and (EU) 2017/193913, the

financial interests of the Union are to be protected through proportionate measures,

including the prevention, detection, correction and investigation of irregularities and

fraud, the recovery of funds lost, wrongly paid or incorrectly used and, where

appropriate, the imposition of administrative sanctions. In particular, in accordance

with Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 883/2013 and (Euratom, EC) No 2185/96 the

European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) may carry out investigations, including on-the-

spot checks and inspections, with a view to establishing whether there has been fraud,

corruption or any other illegal activity affecting the financial interests of the Union. In

accordance with Regulation (EU) 2017/1939, the European Public Prosecutor's Office

(EPPO) is competent to investigate and prosecute fraud and other criminal offences

affecting the financial interests of the Union as provided for in Directive (EU)

2017/1371 of the European Parliament and of the Council14. In accordance with

Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2024/2509, any person or entity receiving Union funds is to

fully cooperate in the protection of the Union’s financial interests, to grant the

necessary rights and access to the Commission, OLAF, the European Court of

Auditors and, as appropriate, to the EPPO, and to ensure that any third parties

involved in the implementation of Union funds grant equivalent rights.

9 Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2024/2509 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 September

2024 on the financial rules applicable to the general budget of the Union (OJ L, 2024/2509, 26.9.2024,

ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2024/2509/oj). 10 Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 883/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11

September 2013 concerning investigations conducted by the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) and

repealing Regulation (EC) No 1073/1999 of the European Parliament and of the Council and Council

Regulation (Euratom) No 1074/1999,(OJ L248, 18.9.2013, p. 1. 11 Council Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 2988/95 of 18 December 1995 on the protection of the European

Communities financial interests (OJ L 312, 23.12.95, p.1). 12 Council Regulation (Euratom, EC) No 2185/96 of 11 November 1996 concerning on-the-spot checks

and inspections carried out by the Commission in order to protect the European Communities' financial

interests against fraud and other irregularities (OJ L292,15.11.96 , p.2). 13 Council Regulation (EU) 2017/1939 of 12 October 2017 implementing enhanced cooperation on the

establishment of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (‘the EPPO’) (OJ L283, 31.10.2017,, p.1). 14 Directive (EU) 2017/1371 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 5 July 2017 on the fight

against fraud to the Union's financial interests by means of criminal law (OJ L 198, 28.7.2017, p. 29).

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(36) The Programme is to be implemented in accordance with Regulation (EU) XXX of the

European Parliament and of the Council [Performance Regulation] which establishes

the rules for the expenditure tracking and the performance framework for the budget,

including rules for ensuring a uniform application of the principles of ‘do no

significant harm’ and gender equality referred to in Article 33(2), points (d) and (f), as

well as the provisions on accessibility for persons with disabilities reflected in Articles

17.3, 20.4 and 21.1 of Annex I, of Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2024/2509 respectively

and in line with the accessibility requirements of Annex I and III of directive

2019/882, rules for monitoring and reporting on the performance of Union

programmes and activities, rules for establishing a Union funding portal, rules for the

evaluation of the programmes, as well as other horizontal provisions applicable to all

Union programmes such as those on information, communication and visibility.

(37) Pursuant to Article 85(1) of Council Decision (EU) 2021/176415, persons and entities

established in overseas countries and territories are eligible for funding subject to the

rules and objectives of the Programme and possible arrangements applicable to the

Member State to which the relevant overseas country or territory is linked.

(38) The Programme replaces the programme Horizon Europe established by Regulation

(EU) 2021/695. Regulation (EU) 2021/695 should therefore be repealed.

HAVE ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:

Title I – The Framework Programme for Research and

Innovation

Chapter I

General Provisions

Article 1

Subject matter

1. This Regulation establishes Horizon Europe - the Framework Programme for

Research and Innovation (the ‘Programme’) for the period of the Multiannual

Financial Framework (the ‘MFF’) 2028-2034 and sets out the rules for participation

and dissemination concerning indirect actions under the Programme and determines

the framework governing the Union support for Research and Innovation activities

for the same duration. It also lays down the objectives of the Programme and its

budget for that period, the forms of Union funding and the rules for providing such

funding. 

2. The Programme shall be implemented through:

15 Council Decision (EU) 2021/1764 of 5 October 2021 on the association of the Overseas Countries and

Territories with the European Union including relations between the European Union on the one hand,

and Greenland and the Kingdom of Denmark on the other (Decision on the Overseas Association,

including Greenland) (OJ L 355, 7.10.2021, p. 6–134).

EN 20 EN

(a) the Specific Programme established by Council Decision XX including the

collaborative research activities of the policy windows as set out in the

European Competitive Fund Regulation.

(b) the Specific Programme on defence research established by Regulation

(EU)[XXX] [European Competitiveness Fund].

3. This Regulation shall not apply to the Specific Programme on defence research

referred to in paragraph 2, point (b). Activities to be carried out under this Specific

Programme and which are laid down in Regulation (EU)[XXX][European

Competitiveness Fund] shall aim to foster the competitiveness, efficiency and

innovation capacity of the European defence technological and industrial base.

4. The terms Horizon Europe, ‘the Programme’ and ‘Specific Programme’ used in this

Regulation refer to matters relevant only to the Specific Programme referred to in

paragraph 2, point (a), unless otherwise specified.

Article 2

Definitions

For the purposes of this Regulation, the following definitions apply:

(1) ‘research infrastructures’ are facilities that provide resources and services to

conduct research and foster innovation in their fields;

(2) ‘technology infrastructures’ are facilities, equipment, capabilities and resources

required to develop, test, upscale and validate technology - from pre-competitive

applied research services up to demonstration and validation;

(3) ‘non-bankable’ means that the legal entity is not yet able to attract sufficient

investment to fully implement its business plan and compete internationally;

(4) ‘blended finance’ means financial support provided under the European Innovation

Council (‘EIC’) consisting of a combination of a grant and an investment;

(5) ‘deep tech’ means an innovation with the potential to deliver transformative

solutions and that is based on cutting-edge advances in science, technology and

engineering;

(6) ‘European Partnership’ means an initiative, where the Union together with private

and/or public partners commit to jointly supporting the development, implementation

and evaluation of a programme of activities, and where the costs are shared between

all partners;

(7) ‘open access’ means online access to results, provided free to the end user;

(8) ‘open science’ means an approach to the scientific process that includes early and

open sharing of research, open access to and responsible management of results,

reproducibility measures, and involving citizens and end users in research and

innovation;

(9) ‘pre-commercial procurement' means the public or private procurement of research

and development services involving risk-benefit sharing under market conditions,

and competitive development in phases, where there is a clear separation of the

research and development services procured from the deployment of commercial

volumes of end-products;

EN 21 EN

(10) ‘procurement of innovative solutions' means public or private procurement where

procurers act as a launch customer for innovative goods or services which are not

yet available on a large-scale commercial basis, and may include conformity testing;

(11) ‘background' means any data, knowledge or know how whatever its form or nature,

tangible or intangible, including any rights such as intellectual property rights, that

is held prior to the accession to a given action;

(12) ‘valorisation’ means the use of results in further activities other than those covered

by the action concerned, including commercial deployment;

(13) ‘international European research organisation' means an international organisation,

the majority of whose members are Member States or associated countries, whose

principal objective is to promote scientific and technological cooperation in Europe;

(14) ‘for profit legal entities’ means a legal entity which by its legal form is for profit

making or which has a legal or statutory purpose to distribute profits to its

shareholders or individual members;

(15) ‘small or medium-sized enterprise’ or ‘SME’ means a micro, small or medium-sized

enterprise as defined in Article 2 of the Annex to Commission Recommendation

2003/361/EC16;

(16) ‘small mid-cap’ means a small mid-cap enterprise as defined in point 2 of the Annex

to Commission Recommendation (EU) 2025/109917;

(17) ‘results’ means any tangible or intangible outcome of a given action, such as data,

knowledge or know-how, whatever its form or nature and whether or not it can be

protected, as well as any rights attached to it, including intellectual property rights;

(18) ‘ERC frontier research action’ means a principal investigator-led research action,

including ERC Proof of Concept, hosted by single or multiple beneficiaries receiving

funding from the European Research Council (ERC);

(19) ‘research and training action’ means an action geared towards the improvement of

the skills, knowledge and career prospects of researchers, promoting mobility

between countries, sectors or disciplines;

(20) ‘coordination and support action’ means an action contributing to the objectives of

the Programme, excluding research and innovation (R&I) activities, except when

undertaken under the component 'widening participation and spreading excellence'

of the part IV ’European Research Area’; and bottom-up coordination without co-

funding of research activities from the Union that allows for cooperation between

legal entities from Member States and associated countries in order to strengthen the

ERA;

(21) ‘indirect actions’ means R&I related activities to which the Union provides financial

support and which are undertaken by participants;

(22) ‘direct actions’ means R&I related activities undertaken by the Commission through

its JRC;

(23) ‘innovation ecosystem’ means an ecosystem which brings together at Union level

organisations whose functional goal is to enable technology development and

16 Commission Recommendation 2003/361/EC of 6 May 2003 concerning the definition of micro, small

and medium-sized enterprises (OJ L 124, 20.5.2003, p. 36). 17 Commission Recommendation (EU) 2025/1099 of 21 May 2025 on the definition of small mid-cap

enterprises (OJ L, 28.5.2025, p. 1)

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innovation and which encompasses relations between material resources (such as

funds, equipment, and facilities, including research and technology infrastructures),

institutional entities (such as higher education institutions and support services,

research and technology organisations, companies, investors - including venture

capitalists - and financial intermediaries) and national, regional and local policy-

making and funding entities.

(24) ‘knowledge triangle’ means the creation of networks between education institutions,

research organisations and business with the aim to create innovation ecosystems

that cater for the creation of an innovation pipeline from the inception of innovation

through entrepreneurial education to the creation of startups and the growth of

scale-ups.

Article 3

Programme objectives

1. In line with the general and specific objectives of the European Competitiveness

Fund, the Programme shall strengthen the EU’s competitiveness, scientific

technological base, and address global challenges based on excellent research and

innovation.

2. The specific objectives of the Programme are:

– Create high-quality knowledge, skills and attractive careers for researchers and

support the realisation of the European Research Area (ERA).

– Increase EU-wide and international collaborative research, knowledge sharing

and valorisation.

– Align EU, national and regional priorities to create a pan-European research

and innovation ecosystem.

– Reduce national and regional disparities in research and innovation capacity,

skills, and talent to strengthen innovation ecosystems.

– Improve the Union’s position in innovation, with a specific focus on strategic

technologies and disruptive innovation, facilitate the diffusion of innovative

solutions through standardisation activities to foster competitiveness and

address key societal challenges.

– De-risk and mobilise more private research and innovation financing,

particularly for supporting deep tech and the scaling up of innovative startups

and SMEs.

– Contribute to increasing public and private investment in research and

innovation in Member States, thereby contributing to reach an overall

expenditure of at least 3% of Union Gross Domestic Product (‘GDP’) in

research and development.

Article 4

Programme structure

3. For the purposes of the Specific Programme referred to in Article 1(2), the

Programme shall be structured in parts as follows, which contribute to the general

EN 23 EN

and specific objectives set out in Article 3 and the policy windows of Regulation

(EU) XXX [European Competitiveness Fund]:

(a) Part I ‘Excellent Science’, with the following components, in particular:

(i) the European Research Council (ERC);

(ii) Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA).

(iii) Science for Union policies: non-nuclear direct actions of the Joint

Research Centre (JRC).

(b) Part II ‘Competitiveness and Society’, with the following components, in

particular:

i) ‘Competitiveness’, including research and innovation activities in

support of policies under the European Competitiveness Fund, such as:

(1) collaborative research and innovation activities under Chapter IV

‘Clean Transition and Industrial Decarbonisation’ of the European

Competitiveness Fund;

(2) collaborative research and innovation activities under Chapter V

‘Health, Biotech, Agriculture and Bioeconomy’ of the European

Competitiveness Fund;

(3) collaborative research and innovation activities under Chapter VI

‘Digital Leadership’ of the European Competitiveness Fund;

(4) collaborative research and innovation activities under Chapter VII

‘Resilience and Security, Defence Industry and Space’ of the

European Competitiveness Fund.

ii) ‘Society’, including research and innovation activities, such as:

(1) global societal challenges;

(2) EU Missions;

(3) the New European Bauhaus Facility;

(c) Part III ‘Innovation’, with the following components, in particular:

(i) the European Innovation Council (EIC);

(ii) Innovation ecosystems including activities to foster the integration of the

knowledge triangle – higher education, research and innovation, and

business – across the Union.

(d) Part IV ‘European Research Area’, with the following components, in

particular:

(i) reforming and enhancing the European R&I system;

(ii) research and technology infrastructures;

(iii) widening participation and spreading excellence.

Article 5

Horizontal principles

The Programme shall:

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(a) ensure a multidisciplinary approach, where appropriate, and provide for the

integration of social sciences and humanities (SSH) across all components under the

Programme, including specific calls for proposals on SSH related topics.

(b) advance scientific knowledge and contribute to the creation of informed, effective,

and responsive public policies across the Union and beyond. The Programme shall

actively promote the use of the results of publicly funded research and of scientific

evidence in policy-making processes at all levels, fostering stronger links between

research, innovation, and the development of evidence-informed public policies. This

shall include encouraging collaborative mechanisms, R&I initiatives and science-for-

policy interfaces connecting policy makers with the scientific community, as well as

facilitating the use of research outcomes in shaping future legislative and regulatory

frameworks at all levels. Special emphasis shall be placed on ensuring that scientific

insights are accessible and relevant to decision makers and citizens, with instruments

for the effective use of research results, policy briefs, and recommendations.

(c) encourage open science practices including by ensuring open access to peer-

reviewed scientific publications regarding results, as well as open access to research

data and other results following the principle ‘as open as possible, as closed as

necessary’.

Article 6

Budget

4. The indicative financial envelope of the Programme for the period 1 January 2028 to

31 December 2034 shall be EUR 175 002 000 000 in current prices.

5. The indicative distribution of the amount referred to in paragraph 1 of this Article for

the Specific Programme referred to in Article 1(2)(a), shall be:

(a) EUR 44 079 000 000 for Part I ‘Excellent Science’, of which EUR 2 600

000 000 for non-nuclear direct actions of Joint Research Centre (JRC).

(b) EUR 75 876 000 000 for Part II ‘Competitiveness and Society’, of which:

i. EUR 68 270 000 000 for ‘Competitiveness’ of which:

EUR 25 331 000 000 for collaborative research and innovation activities

under Chapter IV ‘Clean Transition and Industrial Decarbonisation’ of

the European Competitiveness Fund;

EUR 19 650 000 000 for collaborative research and innovation activities

under Chapter V ‘Health, Biotech, Agriculture and Bioeconomy’ of the

European Competitiveness Fund;

EUR 16 854 000 000 for collaborative research and innovation activities

under Chapter VI ‘Digital Leadership’ of the European Competitiveness

Fund;

EUR 6 435 000 000 for collaborative research and innovation activities

under Chapter VII ‘Resilience and Security, Defence Industry and Space’

of the European Competitiveness Fund.

ii. EUR 7 606 000 000 for ‘Society.

(c) EUR 38 785 000 000 for Part III ‘Innovation’.

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(d) EUR 16 262 000 000 for Part IV ‘European Research Area’, of which

EUR 5 387 000 000 for widening participation and spreading excellence.

1. The amount referred to in paragraph 1 of this Article and the amounts of additional

resources referred to in Article 7 may also be used for technical and administrative

assistance for the implementation of the Programme, such as preparatory,

monitoring, control, audit and evaluation activities, information technology systems

and platforms, information and communication activities, including corporate

communication on the political priorities of the Union, and all other technical and

administrative assistance or staff-related expenses incurred by the Commission for

the management of the Programme.

2. If necessary to enable the management of actions not completed by 31 December

2034, appropriations may be entered in the Union budget beyond 2034 to cover the

expenses necessary and to enable the management of actions not completed by the

end of the Programme.

3. Budgetary commitments for actions extending over more than one financial year may

be broken down into annual instalments over several years.

Article 7

Additional resources

1. Member States, Union institutions, bodies and agencies, third countries, international

organisations, international financial institutions, or other third parties, may make

additional financial or non-financial contributions to the Programme. Additional

financial contributions shall constitute external assigned revenue within the meaning

of Article 21(2), points (a), (d), or (e) or Article 21(5) of Regulation (EU, Euratom)

2024/2509.

2. Resources allocated to Member States under shared management may, at their

request, be made available to the Programme. The Commission shall implement

those resources directly or indirectly in accordance with Article 62(1), point (a) or (c)

of Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2024/2509. They shall be additional to the amount

referred to in Article 6(1) of this Regulation. Those resources shall be used for the

benefit of the Member State concerned. Where the Commission has not entered into

a legal commitment under direct or indirect management for additional amounts thus

made available to the Programme, the corresponding uncommitted amounts may, at

the request of the Member State concerned, be transferred back to one or more

respective source programmes or their successors.

Article 8

Alternative, combined and cumulative funding

1. The Programme shall be implemented in synergy with other Union programmes. An

action that has received a Union contribution from another programme may also

receive a contribution under this Programme. The rules of the relevant Union

programme shall apply to the corresponding contribution or a single set of rules may

be applied to all contributions and a single legal commitment may be concluded. If

the Union contribution is based on eligible costs, the cumulative support from the

Union budget shall not exceed the total eligible costs of the action and may be

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calculated on a pro-rata basis in accordance with the documents setting out the

conditions for support.

2. Award procedures under the Programme may be jointly conducted under direct or

indirect management with Member States, Union institutions, bodies and agencies,

third countries, international organisations, international financial institutions, or

other third parties, provided the protection of the financial interests of the Union is

ensured. Such procedures shall be subject to a single set of rules and lead to the

conclusion of single legal commitments. For that purpose, the partners to the joint

award procedure may make resources available to the Programme in accordance with

Article 7 of this Regulation, or the partners may be entrusted with the

implementation of the award procedure, where applicable in accordance with Article

62(1), point (c), of Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2024/2509. In joint award procedures,

representatives of the partners to the joint award procedure may also be members of

the evaluation committee referred to in Article 153(3) of Regulation (EU, Euratom)

2024/2509,

3. Under this programme, in addition to the conditions set out in Article 8(1) and (2) of

Regulation (EU) XXX [European Competitiveness Fund], a Competitiveness Seal

shall be awarded only to high-quality actions that have not been financed under the

Programme due to budgetary constraints.

4. The Member States may finance actions to which a Competitiveness Seal was

awarded.

Article 9

Third countries associated to the Programme

1. The Programme may be opened to the participation of the following third countries

through full or partial association, in accordance with the objectives laid down in

Article 3 and in accordance with the relevant international agreements or any

decisions adopted under the framework of those agreements and applicable to:

(a) members of the European Free Trade Association which are members of the

European Economic Area, as well as European micro-states;

(b) acceding countries, candidate countries and potential candidates;

(c) European Neighbourhood Policy countries;

(d) other third countries.

2. The association agreements for participation in the Programme shall:

(a) ensure a fair balance as regards the contributions and benefits of the third

country participating in the Programme;

(b) lay down the conditions of participation in Programme, including the

calculation of financial contributions, consisting of an operational contribution

and a participation fee, to the Programme and its general administrative costs;

(c) not confer on the third country any decision-making power in the Programme;

(d) guarantee the rights of the Union to ensure sound financial management and to

protect its financial interests.

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(e) where relevant, ensure the protection of security and public order interests of

the Union.

3. For the purposes of paragraph 2, point (d), the third country shall grant the necessary

rights and access required under Regulations (EU, Euratom) 2024/2509 and (EU,

Euratom) No 883/2013, and guarantee that enforcement decisions imposing a

pecuniary obligation on the basis of Article 299 TFEU, as well as judgments and

orders of the Court of Justice of the European Union, are enforceable.

4. For the purpose of paragraph 1, point (d), association or partial association with other

third countries shall only be possible if they fulfil all the following criteria:

(a) a good capacity in science, technology and innovation;

(b) commitment to a rules-based open market economy, including fair and

equitable dealing with intellectual property rights, respect of human rights,

backed by democratic institutions;

(c) active promotion of policies to improve the economic and social well-being of

citizens.

5. The scope of association of each third country to the Programme shall take into

account an analysis of the risks, notably those likely to affect the Union’s public

order and security in relevant policy areas, including economic and research security,

as well as benefits and the broader objective of driving economic growth and

competitiveness of the Union through innovation. Accordingly, with the exception of

EEA members, acceding countries, candidate countries and potential candidate

countries, third countries may be excluded from parts of the Programme in

accordance with this Regulation or the association agreement itself.

6. The association agreement setting out the conditions for participation in the

Programme, shall, as far as possible, provide for the reciprocal participation of legal

entities established in the Union in equivalent programmes of associated countries in

accordance with the conditions laid down in those programmes.

7. The conditions determining the level of the financial contributions referred to in

paragraph 2, point (b) shall ensure a regular automatic correction of any significant

imbalance compared to the amount that entities established in the associated country

receive through participation in the Programme, taking into account the costs in the

management, execution and operation of the Programme. The allocation of the

financial contributions shall take into account the level of participation of the legal

entities of the associated countries in each part of the Programme.

Article 10

Implementation and forms of Union funding

1. The Programme shall be implemented in accordance with Regulation (EU, Euratom)

2024/2509, under direct management or under indirect management with bodies

referred to in Article 62(1), point (c) of that Regulation.

2. Union funding may be provided in any form in accordance with Regulation (EU,

Euratom) 2024/2509, in particular through grants, prizes, procurement, non-financial

donations, and financial instruments.

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3. With the exception of financial instruments under the EIC (Fund) where Union

support is provided in the form of a budgetary guarantee or a financial instrument,

including where combined with non-repayable support in a blending operation, it

shall be exclusively provided through the European Competitiveness Fund InvestEU

Instrument and implemented in accordance with the applicable rules of the European

Competitiveness Fund InvestEU Instrument through the contribution or guarantee

agreements concluded for that purpose. Where the Programme makes use of the ECF

InvestEU Instrument, it shall provide the provisioning for the budgetary guarantee

and the financing to financial instruments, including when combined with non-

repayable support in the form of a blending operation.

4. Where Union funding is provided in the form of a grant, funding shall be provided as

financing not linked to cost, or as simplified cost options in particular through lump

sums as well as unit costs for personnel, in accordance with Regulation (EU,

Euratom) 2024/2509. Funding may be provided in the form of actual eligible cost

reimbursement only where the objectives of an action cannot be achieved otherwise.

Where it is necessary to enable other sources of funding including co-

investments with national resources subject to State aid rules, funding shall be

provided in the form of actual eligible cost reimbursement or simplified cost

options.

5. For the purposes of Article 153(3) of Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2024/2509, the

evaluation committee may be composed partially or fully of independent external

experts.

Article 11

European Partnerships

1. Where necessary to achieve the objectives set out in Article 3, activities under this

Regulation may be implemented through European Partnerships, by default through

the work programmes.

2. European Partnerships shall be based on a Memorandum of Understanding, agreed

and signed between the partners, stipulating:

(a) the results to be delivered, which shall be clear, measurable, time-bound;

(b) reporting requirements;

(c) the related commitments from all partners;

(d) governance arrangements with a mechanism for partners to discuss and agree

on the partnerships’ programming and activities.

3. In duly justified cases European Partnerships will be implemented by entrusting

budget implementation tasks from various Union funding programmes to bodies

established pursuant to Articles 185 and 187 TFEU, in accordance with Article

62(1), point (c), of Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2024/2509.

4. For European Partnerships established pursuant to paragraphs 2 and 3 of this Article,

support from the Programme shall be conditional upon efficient use of Union

financing, a proportionate financial contribution from other partners at least matching

the Union contribution and voting rights for the Union in the governing bodies

ensuring protection of the interests of the Union in the partnership. For that purpose,

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Joint Undertakings shall be established through a single establishing act ensuring

harmonised rules.

5. European Partnerships shall:

(a) be established only in cases where Union action alone or other forms of

support under the Programme cannot achieve the desired objectives.

(b) be established for the purpose of addressing challenges that require a critical

mass of resources and a unified and coordinated approach, both in terms of

programming and implementation, across actors.

(c) align with and assist in the implementation of major Union policies and policy

initiatives.

(d) be selected in a competitive manner based on a set of quantifiable lifecycle

criteria and a strong portfolio approach, resulting in a coherent set of

initiatives.

(e) be based on ex ante, long-term and formal commitments from all partners to

contribute financially to the resources of the European Partnership, which shall

be centrally managed, except in duly justified cases.

(f) require a clear lifecycle approach, including an upfront plan for the

implementation of the initiative with a strategy for gradually or fully phasing

out from Union funding.

6. Contributions from Partners other than the Union shall take the following forms:

(a) financial contributions to the operational budget of the initiative;

(b) co-financing by the Partners of their own participation, or that of their

members, in projects funded through the initiative.

7. All Partners other than the Union shall provide information on the structure,

membership and activities developed within the partnership. In cases where

partnerships are concluded with representative organisations and associations, this

shall include regular information on their membership.

Chapter II

Excellent Science

Article 12

European Research Council

1. The European Research Council shall provide attractive and flexible funding to

enable talented and creative individual researchers, with an emphasis on early- stage

researchers, and their teams to pursue the most promising avenues at the frontier of

science, regardless of their nationality and country of origin and on the basis of

competition based solely on the criterion of excellence.

2. The ERC shall attract the most talented researchers from all over the world and

establish the Union as a world-leading centre for research and innovation.

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Article 13

Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions

1. The Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions shall support the career at all stages, skills

development, and mobility of researchers from all over the world subject to security

considerations. MSCA shall foster research excellence, attract and retain excellent

research talents, and support sustainable research careers in the Union with the aim

to increase the Union’s competitiveness in research and innovation.

2. The MSCA shall fund excellent doctoral networks, post-doctoral fellowships, R&I

staff exchanges, as well as support mechanisms to foster sustainable careers in view

of attracting and retaining the most promising talents. A strong focus shall be put on

international, inter-sectoral and inter-disciplinary cooperation as well as science

outreach. The funding shall support cutting edge research and focus on developing

research talent, with targeted support for early career researchers. It shall support to

establish the Union as a leading destination for researchers.

Article 14

Joint Research Centre

1. The Joint Research Centre shall provide independent, evidence-based knowledge and

science, supporting EU policies to positively impact society. This shall be undertaken

through JRC direct actions and through participation of the JRC in indirect actions.

Chapter II of Title II shall not apply to direct actions. By way of derogation from

Article 21(3) of Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2024/2509, the revenues or amounts

resulting from the JRC’s research activities (e.g. patents, licenses etc) shall be

reusable by the JRC.

Chapter III

Competitiveness and Society

Article 15

Collaborative research

1. Collaborative research shall support the creation of transnational research and

innovation cooperation networks, bringing together entities of different disciplines,

to support the development and swift diffusion of high-quality results in favour of the

Union’s industrial competitiveness, space, security, clean transition, preparedness

and resilience, and addressing societal challenges, including culture and creativity,

and to strengthen the impact of research in developing and supporting Union

policies.

2. Activities shall be carried out in a balanced manner between lower and higher

Technology Readiness Levels, thereby covering the whole value chain.

3. This Programme shall include the collaborative research and innovation activities in

a specific dedicated part of the work programmes adopted under Chapters IV to VII

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of the Regulation (EU) XXX European Competitiveness Fund. Those work

programmes shall be adopted in accordance with Article 15 of the Regulation (EU)

XXX [European Competitiveness Fund Regulation].

4. The Programme shall support activities to tackle global societal challenges in the

areas of strengthening democratic values and tackling disinformation, including rule

of law and fundamental rights; promoting socio-economic transformations that

contribute to inclusion and growth, addressing demographic and intergenerational

challenges, including from a youth perspective and including migration management

and integration of migrants.

5. The Programme shall contribute to EU Missions notably through the identification of

priority actions for R&I funding for the development of new knowledge,

technologies, services, and products in view of their goals. Funding for the EU

Missions established under Article 8 of the Regulation (EU) 2021/695 shall be

awarded on the basis of work programmes covering up to the budgetary year 2030.

6. The Programme shall support the R&I component of the New European Bauhaus

Facility.

Chapter IV

Innovation

Article 16

The European Innovation Council (EIC)

1. The EIC shall identify, develop and scale up deep tech and disruptive innovation

from research to scale-up. It shall be implemented mainly through open bottom-up

calls for proposals while ensuring a balanced portfolio of actions across thematic

areas. This shall be complemented by targeted thematic and ‘Challenge’ calls in

areas of potential strategic interest in close coordination and synergy with the ECF

policy windows, in particular with the ECF InvestEU Instrument.

2. The EIC may in particular provide the following types of support:

(a) Pathfinder grants for high-risk research, including proof of concept and

prototyping;

(b) Transition grants to develop pathways to commercial development for research

results, including the creation of spin-offs and start-ups;

(c) Accelerator blended finance and investment-only support for single companies

to develop, and bring to market their innovations;

(d) Incentives to procurers to test and provide first customers for deep tech and

disruptive innovations;

(e) Business Accelerator Services to complement EIC funding by providing

access, in complementarity and coordination with the Project Advisory referred

to in Chapter III of the of the Regulation (EU) XXX [European

Competitiveness Fund], to deep-tech expertise, coaching and mentoring, match

making with investors, procurers, corporates and other innovation partners.

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3. The types of support referred to in paragraph 2 shall be combined flexibly in EIC

Challenges developed and overseen by EIC Programme Managers. EIC Challenges

shall be implemented using a portfolio approach where actions are selected based on

their complementarities to achieve defined objectives and interact with each other

under the supervision of EIC Programme Manager.

4. All EIC investment support shall be implemented by one or more dedicated

investment vehicles set up in line with the law of a Member State (the EIC Fund).

The EIC Fund shall be structured in a way that it can attract other public or private

investors in order to increase the leverage effect of the Union contribution.

5. The EIC may support innovation in critical technologies with focus on defence

applications in close coordination with the ECF policy window ‘Resilience and

Security, Defence Industry and Space’. In those cases, Articles 51 and 52 of the

Regulation (EU) XXX [European Competitiveness Fund] shall apply.

Article 17

Innovation Ecosystems

1. The Programme shall support organisations to create competitive, robust and

connected innovation ecosystems and framework conditions. Synergies with Union,

national and regional programmes shall be pursued to this end.

2. The Programme shall support activities to foster the integration of the knowledge

triangle – higher education, research and innovation, and business – across the

Union.

Chapter V

European Research Area

Article 18

European Research Area and infrastructures

1. The objective of the European Research Area (‘ERA’) is to create a single,

borderless market for research, innovation and technology across the Union, in which

researchers, scientific knowledge and technology circulate freely.

2. The Programme shall ensure the effective promotion and protection of values and

principles of the ERA and the Pact for research and innovation, notably ethics and

integrity in research and innovation, freedom of scientific research and gender

equality and equal opportunities, and the promotion of attractive research careers and

mobility. The funding of the Research and Technology Infrastructures shall

contribute to equip the Union with a strong and coherent ecosystem of world-class

sustainable facilities and services, building on prioritised pan-European

infrastructures and complementary state-of-the-art national capacities and using

funding instruments, including European partnerships. The Programme shall

contribute up to 20% of the building costs of critical new world-class capacities of

European research and technology infrastructures.

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3. The Policy Support Facility shall provide Member States and Associated Countries

with practical expert support to design, implement and evaluate reforms that enhance

the quality of their research and innovation investments, policies and systems. It shall

contribute to building stronger and more effective national research and innovation

systems and a more robust European Research Area.

Article 19

Widening

1. ‘Widening countries’ are Bulgaria, Croatia, Czechia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania,

Poland, Romania and Slovakia for the purposes of funding the actions under

paragraph 5, points a) and b).

2. ‘Transition countries’ are Cyprus, Estonia, Greece, Malta, Portugal and Slovenia, for

the purposes of funding the actions under paragraph 5, point b).

3. Only legal entities established in widening countries or transition countries shall be

eligible as coordinators under the ‘widening participation and spreading excellence’

component of the ‘Strengthening the ERA’ part of the Programme.

4. For associated countries, legal entities from the list of eligible countries as defined

based on an indicator and published in the work programme shall be fully eligible as

coordinators under this component. Legal entities from outermost regions as defined

in Article 349 TFEU shall be also eligible as coordinators under this component and

shall be subject to the same rules applying to widening countries under this Article,

with the exception of paragraph 7.

5. ‘Widening’ includes the following:

(a) capacity building measures;

(b) measures supporting networking, knowledge valorisation, countering brain

drain and dedicated National Contact Points (NCP) support.

6. The Programme shall assist widening and transition countries to increase their

participation and to promote a broad geographical coverage in excellent collaborative

projects. Those efforts shall be mirrored by proportional measures by Member States.

7. From 2030 onwards access to capacity building measures is restricted to those

widening countries that have increased their real expenditure of public investment in

research and development in the latest known year compared to the year prior to it.

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Title II - Rules for participation and dissemination

Chapter I

General provisions

Article 20

ECF rules

1. Article 10(2), 10(3) on EU Preference, Article 13 on Application of the rules on

classified information and sensitive information and Article 20 on Accelerated and

Targeted Action for Competitiveness of Regulation (EU) XXX [European

Competitiveness Fund] shall apply for the purpose of this Regulation, unless

otherwise specified.

Article 21

Eligibility

1. Eligibility criteria shall be set to support achievement of the general and specific

objectives laid down in Article 3, in accordance with Regulation (EU, Euratom)

2024/2509 and apply to all award procedures under the Programme.

2. In award procedures under direct and indirect management one or more of the

following categories of legal entities may be eligible to receive Union support:

(a) entities established in a Member State;

(b) entities established in an associated third country;

(c) other entities established in low to middle income non-associated third

countries or, exceptionally, in other non-associated third countries if the third

country is identified in the work programme adopted by the Commission;

(d) other entities established in non-associated countries where the funding of such

entities is essential for implementing the action and contributes to the

objectives laid down in Article 3.

3. Except when the work programme otherwise provides, to be eligible for participation

in grant actions legal entities shall form a consortium that includes as beneficiaries

three legal entities independent of each other and each established in different

countries as follows:

(a) at least two legal entities established in different Member States; and

(b) at least one other legal entity established in another Member State or an

associated country.

4. ERC frontier research actions, EIC actions, research and training actions and actions

that involve or have as their primary aim the implementation of pre-commercial

procurement or procurement of innovative solutions, may be implemented by one or

more legal entities, provided that one of those legal entities shall be established in a

Member State or associated country.

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5. Coordination and support actions may be implemented by one or more legal entities,

which may be established in a Member State, associated country or, in exceptional

cases, in another third country.

6. In accordance with Article 136 of the Financial Regulation, eligibility restrictions

shall apply to high-risk suppliers in line with EU law, for security reasons.

7. International European research organisations and legal entities created under Union

law shall be deemed to be established in a Member State other than the ones in which

other legal entities participating in the action are established.

8. International organisations other than international European research organisations

shall be deemed to be established in a non-associated third country, unless otherwise

provided for in the work programme or the call for proposals.

9. In addition to Article 168(2) and (3) of Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2024/2509,

associated third countries referred to in Article 9(1) and international organisations

may, where relevant, participate in and benefit from any procurement mechanisms

set out in Article 168(2) and (3) of Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2024/2509. Rules

applicable to Member States shall be applied, mutatis mutandis, to participating

associated third countries and international organisations.

10. In award procedures, the following activities shall not be eligible for funding:

(a) activities that are prohibited by Union law, applicable international law, or by

national law in all Member States; activities that are already fully financed

from other public or private sources, except contributions from the Union in

the context of actions referred to in Article 8(1);

(b) activities aiming at human cloning for reproductive purposes;

(c) activities intended to modify the genetic heritage of human beings which could

make such modifications heritable, except research relating to cancer treatment

of the gonads;

(d) activities intended to create human embryos solely for the purpose of research,

technological development and demonstration activities or for the purpose of

stem cell procurement, including by means of somatic cell nuclear transfer;

(e) research on human stem cells, both adult and embryonic, may be financed

depending both on the contents of the scientific proposal and the legal

framework of the Member States involved;

For the purposes of the first subparagraph, point (a), no funding shall be provided in

a Member State for a research, technological or demonstration activity which is

forbidden in that Member State.

11. In addition to the grounds set out in Article 132 of Regulation (EU, Euratom)

2024/2509, award procedures and resulting legal commitments shall allow for

termination where the objectives of the action are unlikely to be achieved at all or

within the set timelines, or the action has lost its policy relevance.

12. The work programme or the documents related to the award procedure may specify

the eligibility criteria set out in this Regulation or set additional eligibility criteria for

specific actions including to take into account specific policy requirements.

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Article 22

Ethics and research integrity

1. Actions carried out shall comply with:

(a) relevant Union, national and international law, including the Charter of

Fundamental Rights of the European Union and the European Convention for

the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms and its

Supplementary Protocols;

(b) ethical principles, including the highest standards of research integrity.

2. For award procedures identified in the work programme, legal entities participating

in an action shall fulfil all the following requirements:

(a) provide an ethics self-assessment relating to the objective, implementation and

likely impact of the activities, including a confirmation and description of

compliance with paragraph 1;

(b) provide a confirmation that the activities will comply with (i) the European

Code of Conduct for Research Integrity, (ii) the Global Code of Conduct for

Equitable Research Partnerships and that no activities excluded from funding

will be conducted;

(c) provide for activities carried out outside the Union, a confirmation that the

same activities would have been allowed in a Member State;

(d) provide for activities making use of human embryonic stem cells, as

appropriate, details of licensing and control measures that shall be taken by the

competent authorities of the Member States concerned as well as details of the

ethics approvals that shall be obtained before the start of the relevant activities;

(e) obtain all approvals or other mandatory documents from the relevant national,

local ethics committees or other bodies, such as data protection authorities,

before the start of the relevant activities and keep those documents on file to be

provided to the Commission or the relevant implementation body upon request.

Chapter II

Grants

Article 23

Calls for proposals

1. A call for proposals is not required for coordination and support actions which:

(a) are to be carried out by legal entities identified in the work programme; and

(b) do not fall within the scope of a call for proposals, in accordance with Article

198, point (e), of Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2024/2509.

2. The work programme shall specify calls for proposals for which Competitiveness

Seals may be awarded. Information concerning the application and the evaluation

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may be shared with interested financing authorities, subject to the conclusion of

confidentiality agreements unless explicitly objected by the applicant.

Article 24

Financial capacity of applicants

1. In addition to the exceptions mentioned in Article 201(5) of Regulation (EU,

Euratom) 2024/2509, the financial capacity shall be verified only if the requested

funding from the Union for the action is equal to or greater than EUR 1.000 000.

2. Notwithstanding paragraph 1, if there are grounds to doubt the financial capacity of

an applicant, or if there is a higher risk due to the participation in several ongoing

actions funded by Union R&I programmes, the financial capacity of other applicants,

or of coordinators even where the requested funding is below the threshold referred

to in paragraph 1 shall also be verified.

3. If the financial capacity is structurally guaranteed by another legal entity, the

financial capacity of that other legal entity shall be verified.

4. In the case where the financial capacity of an applicant is weak, the participation of

the applicant may be made conditional on provision of a declaration on joint and

several liability by an affiliated entity.

5. The contribution to the Mutual Insurance Mechanism set out in Article 30 shall be

considered to be a sufficient guarantee under Article 155 of Regulation (EU,

Euratom) 2024/2509. No additional guarantee or security shall be accepted from

beneficiaries or imposed upon them.

Article 25

Award criteria and selection

1. A proposal shall be evaluated on the basis of the following award criteria:

(a) excellence;

(b) impact;

(c) quality and efficiency of the implementation.

The work programme shall lay down details concerning the application of the award

criteria referred to in paragraph 1.

2. By derogation from paragraph 1, only the excellence criterion referred to in point (a)

of that paragraph shall apply for evaluations under ERC frontier research actions and

research and training actions.

Article 26

Time-to-grant

1. By way of derogation from the first subparagraph of Article 197(2) of Regulation

(EU, Euratom) 2024/2509, the following periods shall apply:

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(a) for informing all applicants of the outcome of the evaluation of their

application, a maximum period of five months from the final date for

submission of complete proposals;

(b) for signing grant agreements with applicants, a maximum period of seven

months from the final date for submission of complete proposals.

2. The work programme may establish shorter periods than those provided for in

paragraph 1.

3. In addition to the exceptions laid down in Article 197(2), second subparagraph, of

Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2024/2509, the periods referred to in paragraph 1 of this

Article may be exceeded for ERC actions, missions-oriented approach and when

actions are submitted to an ethics assessment, security scrutiny or assessments to

protect the competitiveness of the Union including its strategic assets and interests.

Article 27

Funding rates

1. A single funding rate per action shall apply for all activities it funds. The maximum

rate per action shall be fixed in the work programme.

2. Up to 100 % of total eligible costs of an action under the Programme may be

reimbursed, except for for-profit legal entities where up to 70% of the total eligible

costs may be reimbursed. By way of exception, SMEs shall be eligible for a funding

rate of up to 100% of the total eligible costs.

Article 28

Indirect costs

1. Indirect eligible costs shall be 25% of the total direct eligible costs, excluding direct

eligible costs for subcontracting, financial support to third parties and any unit costs

or lump sums which include indirect costs. Where appropriate, indirect costs

included in unit costs or lump sums shall be calculated using the flat rate referred to

in the previous sentence.

2. Notwithstanding paragraph 1, if provided for in the work programme, indirect costs

may be declared in the form of a lump sum or unit costs.

Article 29

Eligible costs

1. By way of derogation from Article 193(2) of Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2024/2509,

costs of resources made available by third parties by means of in-kind contributions

shall be eligible up to the direct eligible costs of the third party.

2. By way of derogation from Article 195(2) of Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2024/2509,

income generated by the valorisation of the results shall not be considered to be

revenues of the action.

EN 39 EN

Article 30

Mutual Insurance Mechanism

1. A Mutual Insurance Mechanism (the ‘MIM’) is hereby established which shall

replace and succeed the Mechanism set up in accordance with Article 37 of

Regulation (EU) 2021/695. The MIM shall cover the risk associated with non-

recovery of sums due by certain ECF beneficiaries under direct management, as well

as any preexisting risks covered in accordance with Article 37 of Regulation (EU)

2021/695.

2. The MIM shall be managed by the Union, represented by the Commission acting as

executive agent. Specific rules for the operation of the MIM shall be set out by the

Commission by means of an implementing act. 

3. Beneficiaries shall make a contribution to be offset against the initial pre-financing

and paid back to the beneficiaries at the payment of the balance. 

4. Any financial return generated by the MIM and any recovered amounts shall

constitute external assigned revenue within the meaning of Article 21(5) of

Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2024/2509 for the Programme, or its successor. If the

return is insufficient, the MIM shall not intervene, and the granting authority shall

recover any amount directly.  

5. Once all grants for which the risk is covered by the MIM are completed, any

amounts held by the MIM may be recovered by the Commission and shall constitute

external assigned revenue within the meaning of Article 21(5) of Regulation (EU,

Euratom) 2024/2509 for the Programme, or its successor.  

Article 31

Ownership of results

1. Beneficiaries shall own the results they generate.

2. Two or more beneficiaries shall own results jointly if they have jointly generated

them and it is not possible to:

(a) establish the respective contribution of each beneficiary; or

(b) separate the results when applying for their protection.

They shall agree in writing on the allocation and terms of exercise of their joint

ownership. Unless otherwise agreed, each joint owner may grant non-exclusive

licences to third parties to valorise the jointly owned results (without any right to

sub-licence), if the other joint owners are given advance notice and fair and

reasonable compensation. The joint owners may agree in writing to apply another

regime than joint ownership.

3. If third parties involved in the action (including personnel) have rights to the results,

the beneficiaries shall ensure that those rights can be exercised in a manner

compatible with their obligations regarding those results.

4. Transfer of ownership may be subject to conditions as set out in the work

programme, call conditions or grant agreement, including a requirement to pass on

any obligations regarding the results.

EN 40 EN

Article 32

Valorisation and dissemination

1. Beneficiaries shall manage their results in accordance with the obligations set out in

the work programme, call conditions or grant agreement. As part thereof,

beneficiaries shall:

(a) protect their results if justified, in particular if the results have commercial

potential;

(b) grant access to their results and background if needed for implementing action

tasks or for valorising results, including for commercial deployment;

(c) undertake best efforts to valorise their results, either directly or indirectly,

including through transfer or licensing; if results are not valorised within a

given period, the Commission may identify instruments and tools, such as

those serving the valorisation strategy set out in Chapter III of Regulation (EU)

XXX [European Competitiveness Fund], that the beneficiaries concerned shall

use to facilitate the valorisation of those results;

(d) make the results public in an appropriate manner as soon as feasible, while

keeping results confidential if needed due to the protection of intellectual

assets, security concerns or legitimate interests;

(e) adhere to open science practices, including by:

(i) ensuring open access to all peer-reviewed scientific publications

regarding the results;

(ii) managing responsibly the research data in the action and other results in

line with the principles ‘findability’, ‘accessibility’, ‘interoperability’ and

‘reusability’ (the FAIR principles) as well as ensuring open access

thereto unless doing so would be against legitimate interests, including

commercial interests, or other constraints.

(f) unless otherwise provided for in the work programme or call conditions,

develop and regularly update a plan to manage their results, including data;

(g) grant free access to their results for developing, implementing and monitoring

their policies or programmes to the following entities:

(i) to Union institutions, bodies, offices or agencies;

(ii) to Member States’ national authorities, where provided in the work

programme, call conditions or grant agreement.

Article 33

Pre-commercial procurement and public procurement of innovative solutions

1. Grant actions may involve or have as their primary aim the pre-commercial

procurement or procurement of innovative solutions. These procurements are to be

carried out by beneficiaries which are public procurers or private procurers.

2. The procurement procedures:

EN 41 EN

(a) when carried out by public procurers: shall comply with competition rules and

with the principles of transparency, non-discrimination, equal treatment, sound

financial management, proportionality, applicable EU rules for strengthening

resilience in supply chains and sector specific regulatory requirements;

(b) when carried out by private procurers: shall comply with the TFEU principles,

competition rules and applicable contract law, EU rules for strengthening

resilience in supply chains and sector specific regulatory requirements

(c) may authorise the award of multiple contracts within the same procedure

(multiple sourcing);

(d) shall provide for the award of the contracts to the tenders offering best value

for money while ensuring absence of conflicts of interest.

3. In the case of pre-commercial procurement, the procurement procedure may be

conducted with two instead of three phases and may include the purchase of first-of-

a-kind solutions to simplify and accelerate implementation.

4. Specific conditions may apply including regarding the place of performance of the

procured services, goods or works and the ownership of the results and access

thereto. As part thereof, for pre-commercial procurement:

(a) the contractors shall own at least the intellectual property rights to the results

they generated, while the procurers shall obtain at least free access to the

results for their own use as well as free access to the results for their current

and future contractors to use the results for the procurers.

(b) in case of supply chain overdependencies or security of supply issues with the

contractors, or in emergency situations where the contractors cannot supply

sufficient solutions to satisfy wider demand on the EU market, the procurers

shall have the right to give, or require the contractors to give the right to third

parties to commercially use the results for the procurer and for wider markets

on a non-exclusive basis and under fair and reasonable conditions;

(c) if contractors fail to commercially use their results within a given period or

abuse their results against the public interest, they may be required to transfer

their ownership of results to the procurers.

5. Procurement actions carried out by the Commission or implementation bodies may

take the form of pre-commercial procurement or public procurement of innovative

solutions. These procurements shall be carried out by the Commission or the relevant

implementation body on its own behalf or jointly with contracting authorities from

Member States and associated countries.

EN 42 EN

Chapter III

European Innovation Council

Article 34

European Innovation Council specific rules

1. In accordance with Article 20(2)(a)(i) of Regulation (EU) XXX [European

Competitiveness Fund], EIC Transition grants may be awarded without calls for

proposals for the purpose of follow up funding for results generated by actions

funded by the Programme and Horizon Europe Regulation No 695/2021.

2. The EIC Accelerator shall support only single beneficiaries and single investees who

are SMEs, including startups, and small mid-caps.

3. Proposals for EIC Accelerator actions may be submitted by one or more legal entities

intending to establish or support a potential recipient, with the prior agreement of

that recipient. If the selected for funding, the grant and investment agreement shall be

signed only with that recipient.

4. In the case of blended finance actions, the beneficiary and the investee may differ in

the sense that the investee may be the holding or the parent company of the

beneficiary.

5. Funding bodies implementing Union Programmes, or national or regional

programmes certified by the Commission, may directly submit a proposal for a EIC

Transition or EIC Accelerator call, where such proposals stem from a project review

of an action funded by the certified programme and subject to conditions set out in

the EIC work programme (EIC Plug in).

6. For the EIC Accelerator, the third evaluation criteria set out in Article 25(1) shall be

replaced by the level of risk of the action, the quality and efficiency of the

implementation, and the need for Union support.

7. Investments shall be made in non-bankable investees and jointly with co-investments

by other private investors. However, where such support is not provided fully under

the European Competitiveness Fund, support to bankable investees or without

participation of other investors, may be provided in order to protect the Union’s

strategic interests.

8. By way of derogation from Article 212(2)(a) of Regulation (EU, Euratom)

2024/2509, the conditions concerning economic viability, shall not apply to EIC

Accelerator investment actions.

9. Blended finance actions shall be suspended, amended or, if duly justified, terminated

if measurable milestones are not reached or if the beneficiary refuses the investment

support without a duly justified reason.

10. The EIC Fund may award follow-on investments:

(a) if needed to protect the Union's strategic assets, interests, autonomy or

security; or

(b) if subsequent funding rounds would not proceed or would proceed at

significantly less favourable terms without EIC follow-on investment.

EN 43 EN

11. The EIC work programme may set out additional limitations regarding the award of

follow-on support.

Article 35

Repeal

Regulation (EU) 695/2021 is repealed with effect from 1 January 2028.

Article 36

Transitional provisions

1. This Regulation shall not affect the continuation or modification of the actions

concerned, until their closure, under Regulation (EU) 695/2021, which shall continue

to apply to the actions concerned until their closure.

2. The financial envelope for the Programme may also cover technical and

administrative assistance expenses necessary to ensure the transition between the

Programme and the measures adopted under its predecessor, Regulation (EU)

695/2021.

Article 37

Entry into force and application

This Regulation shall enter into force on the twentieth day following that of its publication in

the Official Journal of the European Union.

It shall apply from 1 January 2028.

This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.

Done at Brussels,

For the European Parliament For the Council

The President The President

EN 1 EN

LEGISLATIVE FINANCIAL AND DIGITAL STATEMENT

1. FRAMEWORK OF THE PROPOSAL/INITIATIVE ................................................. 3

1.1. Title of the proposal/initiative ...................................................................................... 3

1.2. Policy area(s) concerned .............................................................................................. 3

1.3. Objective(s) .................................................................................................................. 3

1.3.1. General objective(s) ..................................................................................................... 3

1.3.2. Specific objective(s) ..................................................................................................... 3

1.3.3. Expected result(s) and impact ...................................................................................... 3

1.3.4. Indicators of performance ............................................................................................ 3

1.4. The proposal/initiative relates to: ................................................................................. 4

1.5. Grounds for the proposal/initiative .............................................................................. 4

1.5.1. Requirement(s) to be met in the short or long term including a detailed timeline for

roll-out of the implementation of the initiative ............................................................ 4

1.5.2. Added value of EU involvement (it may result from different factors, e.g.

coordination gains, legal certainty, greater effectiveness or complementarities). For

the purposes of this section 'added value of EU involvement' is the value resulting

from EU action, that is additional to the value that would have been otherwise

created by Member States alone. ................................................................................. 4

1.5.3. Lessons learned from similar experiences in the past .................................................. 4

1.5.4. Compatibility with the multiannual financial framework and possible synergies with

other appropriate instruments ....................................................................................... 5

1.5.5. Assessment of the different available financing options, including scope for

redeployment ................................................................................................................ 5

1.6. Duration of the proposal/initiative and of its financial impact .................................... 6

1.7. Method(s) of budget implementation planned ............................................................. 6

2. MANAGEMENT MEASURES................................................................................... 8

2.1. Monitoring and reporting rules .................................................................................... 8

2.2. Management and control system(s) ............................................................................. 8

2.2.1. Justification of the budget implementation method(s), the funding implementation

mechanism(s), the payment modalities and the control strategy proposed .................. 8

2.2.2. Information concerning the risks identified and the internal control system(s) set up

to mitigate them............................................................................................................ 8

2.2.3. Estimation and justification of the cost-effectiveness of the controls (ratio between

the control costs and the value of the related funds managed), and assessment of the

expected levels of risk of error (at payment & at closure) ........................................... 8

2.3. Measures to prevent fraud and irregularities ................................................................ 9

3. ESTIMATED FINANCIAL IMPACT OF THE PROPOSAL/INITIATIVE ............ 10

3.1. Heading(s) of the multiannual financial framework and expenditure budget line(s)

affected ....................................................................................................................... 10

EN 2 EN

3.2. Estimated financial impact of the proposal on appropriations ................................... 12

3.2.1. Summary of estimated impact on operational appropriations.................................... 12

3.2.1.1. Appropriations from voted budget ............................................................................. 12

3.2.1.2. Appropriations from external assigned revenues ....................................................... 17

3.2.2. Estimated output funded from operational appropriations......................................... 22

3.2.3. Summary of estimated impact on administrative appropriations ............................... 24

3.2.3.1. Appropriations from voted budget .............................................................................. 24

3.2.3.2. Appropriations from external assigned revenues ....................................................... 24

3.2.3.3. Total appropriations ................................................................................................... 24

3.2.4. Estimated requirements of human resources.............................................................. 25

3.2.4.1. Financed from voted budget....................................................................................... 25

3.2.4.2. Financed from external assigned revenues ................................................................ 26

3.2.4.3. Total requirements of human resources ..................................................................... 26

3.2.5. Overview of estimated impact on digital technology-related investments ................ 28

3.2.6. Compatibility with the current multiannual financial framework.............................. 28

3.2.7. Third-party contributions ........................................................................................... 28

3.3. Estimated impact on revenue ..................................................................................... 29

4. DIGITAL DIMENSIONS .......................................................................................... 29

4.1. Requirements of digital relevance .............................................................................. 30

4.2. Data ............................................................................................................................ 30

4.3. Digital solutions ......................................................................................................... 31

4.4. Interoperability assessment ........................................................................................ 31

4.5. Measures to support digital implementation .............................................................. 32

EN 3 EN

1. FRAMEWORK OF THE PROPOSAL/INITIATIVE

1.1. Title of the proposal/initiative

Framework programme for research adn innovation (Horizon Europe)

1.2. Policy area(s) concerned

Research and Innovation

1.3. Objective(s)

1.3.1. General objective(s)

In line with the general and specific objectives of the European Competitiveness

Fund, Horizon Europe shall strengthen the EU’s competitiveness, scientific

technological base, and address global challenges based on excellent research and

innovation.

1.3.2. Specific objective(s)

The specific objectives of the Programme are:

– Create high-quality knowledge, skills and attractive careers for researchers and

support the realisation of the European Research Area (ERA).

– Increase EU-wide and international collaborative research, knowledge sharing

and valorisation.

– Align EU, national and regional priorities to create a pan-European research

and innovation ecosystem.

– Reduce national and regional disparities in research and innovation capacity,

skills, and talent to strengthen innovation ecosystems.

– Improve the Union’s position in innovation, with a specific focus on strategic

technologies and disruptive innovation, strengthen deployment and valorisation

of innovative solutions to foster competitiveness and address key societal

challenges.

– De-risk and mobilise more private research and innovation financing,

particularly for supporting deep tech and the scaling up of innovative startups

and SMEs.

– Contribute to increasing public and private investment in research and

innovation in Member States, thereby contributing to reach an overall

expenditure of at least 3 % of Union Gross Domestic Product (‘GDP’) in

research and development.

.3.3. Expected result(s) and impact

Specify the effects which the proposal/initiative should have on the beneficiaries/groups targeted.

– Promote the core values of scientific freedom and openness.

– Increase Europe’s excellent knowledge base by focusing on EU added value.

– Attract the best researchers in Europe and beyond through a ‘Choose Europe’

approach.

EN 4 EN

– Mobilise public and private investments across the full R&I chain - from

fundamental research to market deployment.

– Contribute to closing the innovation gap notably by supporting innovation

throughout Europe and increasing coherence between EU funding schemes and

Member States investments.

– Unlock the de-risking potential of the EU budget.

– Focus investment on EU strategic priorities, including decarbonisation,

digitisation, security, resilience and social cohesion.

– Improve access to EU funding through faster, user-centric, simplified, and

harmonised procedures to broaden participation and accelerate results.

1.3.4. Indicators of performance

Specify the indicators for monitoring progress and achievements.

This initiative will be monitored through the performance framework for the post-

2027 budget, which is covered in a separate proposal. The performance framework

provides for an implementation report during the implementation phase of the

programme, as well as a retrospective evaluation to be carried out in accordance with

Article 34(3) of Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2024/2509. The evaluation shall be

conducted in accordance with the Commission's Better Regulation Guidelines and

will be based on indicators relevant to the objectives of the programme. The latter

shall comprise SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound)

output, outcome and impact indicators to capture the progress towards achieving the

Fund’s specific and general objectives along impact pathways in the short-, medium-

and long-term respectively.

Impact indicators shall be monitored on the long-term, indicatively starting from year

5 after the start of the programme. They shall comprise, but not be limited to: 1)

Share of publications among the top cited at global level; 2) Causal effect on

improvement of working conditions of researchers, including salaries, 3) Causal

effect of participation on turnover growth in funded private companies; 4) Causal

effect of participation on employment growth in funded private companies; 5)

Estimated net effect of EU funding on GDP growth in the EU; 6) Estimated net

effect of EU (R&I) funding on total employment in the EU; 7) Estimated

contribution to 3% target of EU R&D expenditures

1.4. The proposal/initiative relates to:

 a new action

 a new action following a pilot project / preparatory action18

 the extension of an existing action

 a merger or redirection of one or more actions towards another/a new action

18 As referred to in Article 58(2), point (a) or (b) of the Financial Regulation.

EN 5 EN

1.5. Grounds for the proposal/initiative

1.5.1. Requirement(s) to be met in the short or long term including a detailed timeline for

roll-out of the implementation of the initiative

The EU stands at a critical crossroad. Climate change, technological disruption,

shifting geopolitics, and demographic trends are profoundly reshaping our society

and economy. To remain competitive, resilient, secure and united, Europe must

prioritise research and innovation. Only by investing in science, empowering our

people and entrepreneurs, and working together, we can build a more sustainable,

secure, and competitive Europe for all.

This imperative is underlined in the Draghi report on the future of EU

competitiveness that placed innovation at the core of Europe’s capacity to regain

productivity growth. The Letta report on the future of the Single Market, and the

Heitor report on the future of EU R&I policy also highlighted the need for the EU to

increase efforts to innovate for its competitiveness, sustainability, and security.

Europe needs to close its innovation gap and address its weaknesses that begin with

obstacles in the pipeline from innovation to commercialisation. Public sector support

for R&I also needs to address the shortcomings of Europe’s R&I ecosystem and

innovation performance both at national and EU levels.

In response, this proposal presents a simplified and refocused Framework

Programme for Research and Innovation - Horizon Europe aiming to strengthen the

EU’s scientific and technological bases, boost the circulation and uptake of

knowledge, technology and innovation, leverage EU funding instruments for

maximum added value, hence having a catalytic effect on further public and private

investments in the Member States.

– Following the recommendations of the Draghi report, Horizon Europe will aim

to:

– Focus resources on strategic priorities,

– Seize the potential of public-private partnerships thanks to a simplified

landscape,

– Increase support for breakthrough innovation,

– Simplify access to the programme for beneficiaries.

1.5.2. Added value of EU involvement (it may result from different factors, e.g.

coordination gains, legal certainty, greater effectiveness or complementarities). For

the purposes of this section 'added value of EU involvement' is the value resulting

from EU action, that is additional to the value that would have been otherwise

created by Member States alone.

The specific benefits of EU investments in the area of R&I are:

– boosting the EU’s economy growth and competitiveness (e.g. every euro EU-

funding - through the Framework Programme Horizon Europe - is estimated to

generate up to €11 in GDP gains by 204519);

– creation of trans-national and cross-sectoral networks and new markets, with

positive knowledge spillovers, dissemination and technology transfers across

19 COM(2025) 189 final, 2025, Interim evaluation of Horizon Europe

EN 6 EN

the Union to speed-up and enhance the deployment of new products and

services (e.g. European Partnerships create and foster networks in essential

domains across EU, national and regional institutions and between industry and

academia, exemplified in the hydrogen sector20);

– pooling public and private resources, including capital, talent, infrastructures,

to achieve the critical mass (scale and complexity) to fund more ambitious and

innovative projects – also by risk-sharing - essential for taking leadership in

emerging markets and tackling global challenges (e.g. only EU-level action can

overcome the thin distribution of patients affected by rare disease and the lack

of standardisation and data21);

– strengthening scientific excellence through EU-wide competition and

cooperation, achieving impacts that extend far beyond what could have been

achieved at national or regional level, increasing efficiency and minimising the

risk of duplication of research efforts within the EU (e.g. EU-funded peer-

reviewed publications are cited more than twice the world average22);

– strengthening support and leveraging private investments for the emergence

and scale-up of breakthrough market creating innovations (e.g. the EIC Fund

has crowded in over EUR 2.6 billion of additional investment into EIC-

supported companies, with a leverage effect of over EUR 3 for every euro of

equity invested by the EU23; and drive the economic progress and

competitiveness of European business (e.g. firms receiving EU-grants grow

faster than comparable non-EU funded: evidence showing an increase of 20%

in employment and about 30% in total assets and revenues24);

– providing a sound knowledge base for policy-making (e.g. the work of the

UN’s IPCC on climate change relied extensively on EU-funded research25).

– increasing the EU's attractiveness as a place for education, research, innovation

and business (e.g. EU-funding facilitates researchers mobility and help creating

a more attractive perspective for top researchers from other parts of the world

who want to move to the EU26);

– having a positive structuring effect on national R&I ecosystems and the

implementation of national R&I reforms; (e.g. the European Research Council

has become a global beacon of excellence, inducing national and institutional

changes to support and attract its grantees), and facilitating the setting of

unified standards and regulations across Member States crucial for fields like

healthcare, environmental protection, and digital technologies, helping to

spread the benefits of R&I more widely (e.g. exemplified by several European

Partnerships27).

20 Idem. 21 Idem. 22 COM(2024) 49 final, 2024, Ex-post evaluation of Horizon 2020 23 COM(2025) 189 final, 2025, Interim evaluation of Horizon Europe 24 COM(2024) 49 final, 2024, Ex post evaluation of Horizon 2020 25 Idem. 26 COM(2025) 189 final, 2025, Interim evaluation of Horizon Europe 27 Idem.

EN 7 EN

1.5.3. Lessons learned from similar experiences in the past

EU Framework Programmes have generated significant and long-lasting impacts , as

shown by successive evaluations since the EU started investing in R&I in 1984.

While European research and innovation programmes have been successful, there are

important lessons to be learned from the past, from stakeholder feedback, and from

analytical studies. Research, innovation and education should be addressed in a more

coordinated manner and coherent with other policies and research results better

disseminated and valorised into new products, processes and services. Monitoring

and evaluation need to be further strengthened, including for the integration of all

programme parts into the central monitoring system. For final evaluation, strengthen

focus on medium- and long-term indicators of results and impacts, as well as long-

term impacts of previous FPs.

The Communication on the interim evaluation of Horizon Europe identified several

areas for improvement. Findings of the interim evaluation of Horizon Europe were

based on extensive stakeholder feedback and the strategic recommendations of the

Commission expert group on the interim evaluation.

They could be summarised as follows:

a. Support breakthrough innovation

b. Continue simplification, piloting any new changes through policy experiments.

c. Continue international cooperation, targeting efforts at specific countries (world

leaders).

d. Increase the partnerships’ leverage effect.

e. Increase synergies with other EU funding programmes and EU policies for

deployment and dissemination of innovation.

f. Simplify complex governance arrangements and increase flexibility to respond to

emergencies.

g. Continue to support women in research and innovation.

h. Rationalise the funding landscape, avoiding overlap between programme parts.1.5.4.

Compatibility with the multiannual financial framework and possible synergies

with other appropriate instruments

Through its interaction in the Competitiveness Fund, it can leverage additional public

and private investments in R&I; contribute to further strengthening the European

R&I landscape; and accelerate the commercialisation and diffusion of innovation.

Union-level programmes can also support policy making and policy objectives.

Research and innovation, due to its long-term and bottom-up nature, requires an

independent, integrated and predictable self-standing programme, that ensures the

right conditions for spiring new ideas and bringing them to the market. To enable

disruptive solutions, it is imperative that research and innovation is kept independent

and that there is continuity in funding. Therefore, while tightly connected to the

Competitiveness Fund, ‘Horizon Europe’ has maintained its independent legal base

required under TFEU article 182 and its brand and positive international reputation,

building on its long-term proven success as a trusted framework for excellence,

collaboration and impact.

EN 8 EN

The legal act creates rights for and obligations on beneficiaries, binding in their entirety and

directly applicable in all Union Member States. 1.5.5. Assessment of the different

available financing options, including scope for redeployment

[TBD]

[…]

EN 9 EN

1.6. Duration of the proposal/initiative and of its financial impact

 limited duration

•  in effect from 01/01/2028 to 01/01/2034

•  financial impact from 2028 to 2034 for commitment appropriations and from

2028 to 2040 for payment appropriations.

 unlimited duration

– Implementation with a start-up period from YYYY to YYYY,

– followed by full-scale operation.

1.7. Method(s) of budget implementation planned28

 Direct management by the Commission

•  by its departments, including by its staff in the Union delegations;

•  by the executive agencies

 Shared management with the Member States

 Indirect management by entrusting budget implementation tasks to:

•  third countries or the bodies they have designated

•  international organisations and their agencies (to be specified)

•  the European Investment Bank and the European Investment Fund

•  bodies referred to in Articles 70 and 71 of the Financial Regulation

•  public law bodies

•  bodies governed by private law with a public service mission to the extent that

they are provided with adequate financial guarantees

•  bodies governed by the private law of a Member State that are entrusted with

the implementation of a public-private partnership and that are provided with

adequate financial guarantees

•  bodies or persons entrusted with the implementation of specific actions in the

common foreign and security policy pursuant to Title V of the Treaty on

European Union, and identified in the relevant basic act

• bodies established in a Member State, governed by the private law of a

Member State or Union law and eligible to be entrusted, in accordance with

sector-specific rules, with the implementation of Union funds or budgetary

guarantees, to the extent that such bodies are controlled by public law bodies or

by bodies governed by private law with a public service mission, and are provided

with adequate financial guarantees in the form of joint and several liability by the

controlling bodies or equivalent financial guarantees and which may be, for each

action, limited to the maximum amount of the Union support.

Comments

28 Details of budget implementation methods and references to the Financial Regulation may be found on

the BUDGpedia site: https://myintracomm.ec.europa.eu/corp/budget/financial-rules/budget-

implementation/Pages/implementation-methods.aspx.

EN 10 EN

[…]

[…]

EN 11 EN

2. MANAGEMENT MEASURES

2.1. Monitoring and reporting rules

The monitoring and reporting rules for this programme will follow the requirements

laid down in Regulation xxx [Performance Regulation].

The progress of the programme towards its objectives will be measured in the short-,

medium- and longer-term along a number of impact pathways. Common indicators

from the Regulation on Performance monitoring of the MFF will be used where

relevant, particularly those indicators that were measured also in previous

Framework Programmes. Reporting rules for participants have been designed with

these indicators in mind, but also with a conscious intention to limit the

administrative burden for participants. Wherever possible data will be collected from

open sources. All data on the management processes (applications, success rates,

time to grant, type of beneficiaries, etc.) will be collected and stored, and made

available in real time via a dedicated data storage. Today, the reference system

(CORDA) works well, and is available for Member States and other interested

bodies. Report will be produced giving information on management processes (from

year one) and, progressively, information on outputs and results. Programme

evaluations and implementation reports are planned and will be published according

to common provisions. Programme impacts - following the longer-term indicators –

will be assessed only in evaluations. In addition, the JRC's direct actions are assessed

internally by means of an annual internal evaluation and externally through peer

review by a number of top-level experts selected in consultation with the JRC's

Board of Governors.

2.2. Management and control system(s)

2.2.1. Justification of the budget implementation method(s), the funding implementation

mechanism(s), the payment modalities and the control strategy proposed

The Framework Progamme for Research & Innovation will be implemented through

direct and indirect Management. In terms of broad lines of implementation, there are

no fundamental changes from the Horizon Europe. Simplification measures

introduced under Horizon Europe will be further extended. Lump sum project

funding will become the standard model. For the remaining exceptional cases of

funding based on actual costs, the personnel costs will be defined by a unit cost

system. These two measures will contribute to minimising the vulnerability to

financial errors.

The general maximum time to grant will be reduced from 8 months to 7 months.. The

Common Implementation Centre continues providing cost effective services to all

Commission services responsible for the implementation of the Framework

Programmes. Validation of Legal Entities and management of evaluation experts will

stay centralised in the Research Executive Agency, giving economies of scale, and

ensuring efficient organisation of evaluations. The control strategy is based on:

- procedures for selecting the best projects and translating them into legal

instruments;

- project and contract management throughout the lifetime of every project; -ex-ante

checks on 100 % of claims,

EN 12 EN

- certificates on the financial statements above a certain threshold, and certification

on methodologies to calculate unit costs or ex-ante assessment on Large Research

Infrastructure on a voluntary basis;

- ex post audits (representative and risk-based) on a sample of paid claims for grants

under actual costs;

- regular project reviews on the technical implementation and results for all grants

- ex-post technical reviews on a sample of grants .

In indirect management, the Commission will make use of the following bodies to

implement the budget where this is appropriate and cost-effective and provides

strong leverage effect: - Institutionalised European Partnerships (Article 185 or

Article 187 TFEU). These bodies are subject to regular evaluations to ensure that

they remain pertinent to achieving the objectives of the Programme. Control

strategies for the supervision of bodies operating under indirect management have

been, or will be, developed. In direct management, the Commission will continue to

rely to a large extent on Executive Agencies, established in accordance with the

Council Regulation 58/2003. The delegation of activities to the Executive Agencies

is subject to a mandatory independent ex-ante Cost-Benefit Analysis and the

Executive Agencies undergo regular evaluations performed by external experts. The

above mentioned CostBenefit Analysis will also consider the costs of control and

supervision. Interim evaluations conducted in 2012 and in 2015 confirm the high

efficiency and added value of the Executive Agencies in programme implementation.

2.2.2. Information concerning the risks identified and the internal control system(s) set up

to mitigate them

The basic funding model in Horizon Europe of reimbursement of acual eligible costs

was gradually replaced by an increased use of lump sum project funding, with a

target of 50% of the budget for the last year of Horizon Europe. This follows the

European Court of Auditors statements, e.g. in its 2016 Annual Report, that 'the

principal risk to the regularity of transactions is that beneficiaries declare ineligible

costs which are neither detected nor corrected before [reimbursement].

recommending the wider use of Simplified Cost Options (SCOs). For grants, the

estimated representative rate of error for H2020 is -3.86 %, with a 'residual' error rate

of -1.92 %, after taking account of all recoveries and corrections that have been or

will be implemented. However, the error rates were lower in those parts of the

programme where it was possible to use Simplified Cost Options (SCOs) more

widely and/or where a small and stable group of beneficiaries were involved. This

included the European Research Council grants and Marie Curie Actions.

2.2.3. Estimation and justification of the cost-effectiveness of the controls (ratio between

the control costs and the value of the related funds managed), and assessment of the

expected levels of risk of error (at payment & at closure)

The narrower estimate of the costs of the control system (evaluation, selection,

project management, ex-ante and ex-post control) are in the range of 2-4 % across

the Commission services responsible for the implementation of the previous

Framework Programmes for 2024 (including costs for the management of Horizon

2020 and Horizon Europe). This is considered to be a reasonable cost in the light of

the efforts needed to ensure that objectives are achieved and the number of

transactions involved. The expected risk of error at payment for grants with a

EN 13 EN

funding model based on the reimbursement of ineligible costs is 2.5-3.5 %. The risk

of error at closure (after the effect of controls and corrections) is around (but not

necessarily below) 2 % for Horizon 2020, and below 2% for Horizon Europe. The

expected risk of error for grants with a funding model based on lump sum funding is

close to 0 % (at payment and at closure). The overall expectation for error rates will

depend on the balance between the two methods of funding (reimbursement of

eligible costs and lump sums). The Commission aims to apply the lump sum funding

model where appropriate, planning to reach 50% of the call budget by 2027.

However, the main driver to adopt lump sum funding will not be reduction of the

error rate, but the achievement of all the objectives of the programme.

This scenario assumes that the measures of simplification are not subject to

substantial modifications in the decision making process. Note: this section only

concerns the process of grant management (in the different management modes), for

administrative and operational expenditure implemented through public procurement

processes the risk of error at payment and closure should be below 2 %

2.3. Measures to prevent fraud and irregularities

The services charged with the implementation of the research and innovation budget

are determined to fight against fraud at all stages of the grant management process.

They have developed, and are implementing, common and sectorial anti-fraud

strategies, including an enhanced use of intelligence, especially using advanced IT

tools, training and information for staff, and awareness-raising presentations towards

grant beneficiaries and National Contact Points. These efforts will continue and anti-

fraud and risk assessment activities will be further enhanced thanks to the current

development by central services of the corporate ARACHNE risk-scoring tool.

Overall the measures proposed should continue to have a positive impact on the fight

against fraud, especially the greater emphasis on risk based controls since Horizon

Europe, that will continue under the new Programme, and reinforced scientific

evaluation and control. The research and innovation common Anti-Fraud Strategy of

the Commission services, Executive Agencies and Joint Undertakings responsible for

the implementation of the R&I Framework Programmes, covering grants, has been

updated to cover risks related to simplified cost options and will be further updated

based on lessons learnt and closed OLAF cases. It should be underlined that detected

fraud has continuously been very low in proportion to the total research and

innovation expenditure, nevertheless the services charged with the implementation of

the research and innovation budget remain fully committed to combat it. The

legislation will ensure that audits, reviews, and investigations can be carried out by

the Commission services, including the European Anti-Fraud office (OLAF), as well

as the European Public Prosecutor Office (EPPO), using the standard provisions

already in use under Horizon Europe.

EN 14 EN

3. ESTIMATED FINANCIAL IMPACT OF THE PROPOSAL/INITIATIVE

3.1. Heading(s) of the multiannual financial framework and expenditure budget line(s) affected

• New budget lines requested

In order of multiannual financial framework headings and budget lines.

Heading of

multiannual

financial

framework

Budget line Type of

expenditure Contribution

Number

Diff./Non-

diff.

from

EFTA

countries

from

candidate

countries

and

potential

candidates

from

other

third

countries

other assigned

revenue

2 [04 01 02] - Support expenditure for

Horizon Europe

Non-

diff. YES YES YES NO

2 [04 03 01] - Excellent Science Diff YES YES YES NO

2 [04 03 02] - Competitiveness and

Society Diff. YES YES YES NO

2 [04 03 03] - Innovation Diff. YES YES YES NO

2 [04 03 04] - European Research Area Diff. YES YES YES NO

3.2. Estimated financial impact of the proposal on appropriations

3.2.1. Summary of estimated impact on operational appropriations

–  The proposal/initiative does not require the use of operational appropriations

–  The proposal/initiative requires the use of operational appropriations, as explained below

EN 15 EN

3.2.1.1. Appropriations from voted budget

EUR million (to three decimal places)

Heading of multiannual financial framework Number 2

Year Year Year Year Year Year Year

TOTAL

MFF

2028-

2034 2028 2029 2030 2031 2032 2033 2034

Operational appropriations

[04 03 01] - Excellent Science Commitments (1a) 4,093 6,343 6,616 6,773 6,701 6,812 6,741 44,079

Payments (2a) pm pm pm pm pm pm pm pm

[04 03 02] - Competitiveness and Society Commitments (1b) 7,042 10,918 11,387 11,659 11,537 11,729 11,604 75,876

Payments (2b) pm pm pm pm pm pm pm pm

[04 03 03] - Innovation Commitments (1a) 3,600 5,581 5,821 5,960 5,897 5,994 5,932 38,785

Payments (2a) pm pm pm pm pm pm pm pm

[04 03 04] - European Research Area Commitments (1b) 1,508 2,341 2,441 2,499 2,472 2,513 2,488 16,262

Payments (2b) pm pm pm pm pm pm pm pm

Appropriations of an administrative nature financed from the envelope of Specific Programmes29 [04 01 02] - Support expenditure for

Horizon Europe (3) pm pm pm

pm pm pm pm pm

TOTAL appropriations Commitments =1a+1b+3 16,243 25,183 26,265 26,891 26,607 27,048 26,765 175,002

Payments =2a+2b+3 pm pm pm pm pm pm pm pm

Year Year Year Year Year Year Year TOTAL

MFF 2028-

2034 2028 2029 2030 2031 2032 2033 2034

TOTAL operational Commitments (4) 0.000 0.000 0.000

0.000 0.000

29 Technical and/or administrative assistance and expenditure in support of the implementation of EU programmes and/or actions (former ‘BA’ lines), indirect research, direct research.

EN 16 EN

appropriations Payments (5) 0.000 0.000 0.000

0.000 0.000

TOTAL appropriations of an administrative

nature financed from the envelope for Specific

Programmes

(6) 0.000 0.000 0.000

0.000 0.000

TOTAL appropriations

under Heading 2 Commitments =4+6 0.000 0.000 0.000

0.000 0.000

of the multiannual financial

framework Payments =5+6 0.000 0.000 0.000

0.000 0.000

Year Year Year Year Year Year Year TOTAL

MFF

2028-2034 2028 2029 2030 2031 2032 2033 2034

• TOTAL operational appropriations

(all operational headings)

Commitments (4) 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000

Payments (5) 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000

• TOTAL appropriations of an administrative nature

financed from the envelope for Specific

Programmes (all operational headings)

(6) 0.000 0.000 0.000

0.000 0.000

TOTAL appropriations Under

Heading 1 to 3 Commitments =4+6 0.000 0.000 0.000

0.000 0.000

of the multiannual financial framework

(Reference amount) Payments =5+6 0.000 0.000 0.000

0.000 0.000

Heading of multiannual financial framework 7

‘Administrative expenditure’ [The necessary appropriations should be determined

using the annual average cost figures available on the appropriate BUDGpedia

webpage.]

EN 17 EN

DG: <…….>

Year Year Year Year Year Year Year TOTAL

MFF

2028-

2034 2028 2029 2030 2031 2032 2033 2034

 Human resources 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

 Other administrative expenditure 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

TOTAL DG

<…….> Appropriations 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

DG: <…….>

Year Year Year Year Year Year Year TOTAL

MFF

2028-

2034 2028 2029 2030 2031 2032 2033 2034

 Human resources 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

 Other administrative expenditure 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

TOTAL DG

<…….> Appropriations 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

TOTAL appropriations under HEADING 4

of the multiannual financial framework

(Total

commitments

= Total

payments)

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

EUR million (to three decimal places)

Year Year Year Year Year Year Year TOTAL

MFF 2028-

2034 2028 2029 2030 2031 2032 2033 2034

TOTAL

appropriations under

HEADINGS 1 to 4

Commitments 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

of the multiannual Payments 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

EN 18 EN

financial framework

=============

EUR million (to three decimal places)

Year Year Year Year Year Year Year TOTAL

MFF 2028-

2034 2028 2029 2030 2031 2032 2033 2034

TOTAL appropriations under

HEADINGS 1 to 4 Commitments

of the multiannual financial framework Payments

Year Year Year Year Year Year Year TOTAL

MFF 2028-

2034 2028 2029 2030 2031 2032 2033 2034

TOTAL operational

appropriations

Commitments (4)

Payments (5)

TOTAL appropriations of an administrative

nature financed from the envelope for specific

programmes

(6)

TOTAL appropriations

under HEADING <….> Commitments =4+6

of the multiannual financial

framework Payments =5+6

Year Year Year Year Year Year Year TOTAL

MFF 2028-

2034 2028 2029 2030 2031 2032 2033 2034

EN 19 EN

TOTAL operational

appropriations

Commitments (4)

Payments (5)

TOTAL appropriations of an administrative

nature financed from the envelope for Specific

Programmes

(6)

TOTAL appropriations

under HEADING <….> Commitments =4+6

of the multiannual financial

framework Payments =5+6

Year Year Year Year Year Year Year TOTAL

MFF

2028-2034 2028 2029 2030 2031 2032 2033 2034

• TOTAL operational appropriations

(all operational headings)

Commitments (4)

Payments (5)

• TOTAL appropriations of an administrative nature

financed from the envelope for specific programmes

(all operational headings)

(6)

TOTAL appropriations under

Headings 1 to 6 Commitments =4+6

of the multiannual financial framework

(Reference amount) Payments =5+6

Heading of multiannual financial framework 7 ‘Administrative expenditure’30

EUR million (to three decimal places)

DG: <…….> Year Year Year Year Year Year Year TOTAL

30 The necessary appropriations should be determined using the annual average cost figures available on the appropriate BUDGpedia webpage.

EN 20 EN

2028 2029 2030 2031 2032 2033 2034 MFF 2028-

2034

 Human resources

 Other administrative expenditure

TOTAL DG <…….> Appropriations

DG: <…….> Year Year Year Year Year Year Year TOTAL

MFF 2028-

2034 2028 2029 2030 2031 2032 2033 2034

 Human resources

 Other administrative expenditure

TOTAL DG <…….> Appropriations

TOTAL appropriations under HEADING 7 of the

multiannual financial framework

(Total

commitments

= Total

payments)

EUR million (to three decimal places)

Year Year Year Year Year Year Year TOTAL

MFF 2028-

2034 2028 2029 2030 2031 2032 2033 2034

TOTAL appropriations under

HEADINGS 1 to 7 Commitments

of the multiannual financial framework Payments

3.2.2. Estimated output funded from operational appropriations (not to be completed for decentralised agencies)

Commitment appropriations in EUR million (to three decimal places)

Indicate

objectives and

outputs

Year 2028

Year 2029

Year 2030

Year 2031

Enter as many years as necessary to show the

duration of the impact (see Section1.6) TOTAL

OUTPUTS

EN 21 EN

 Type31

Avera

ge

cost

N o

Cost N o

Cost N o

Cost N o

Cost N o

Cost N o

Cost N o

Cost Total

No

Total

cost

SPECIFIC OBJECTIVE No 132…

- Output

- Output

- Output

Subtotal for specific objective No 1

SPECIFIC OBJECTIVE No 2 ...

- Output

Subtotal for specific objective No 2

TOTALS

The output and result indicators for the purpose of monitoring progress and achievements of this programme will correspond to the common

indicators provided under Regulation xxx [Performance Regulation].

31 Outputs are products and services to be supplied (e.g. number of student exchanges financed, number of km of roads built, etc.). 32 As described in Section 1.3.2. ‘Specific objective(s)’

EN 22 EN

3.2.3. Summary of estimated impact on administrative appropriations

–  The proposal/initiative does not require the use of appropriations of an

administrative nature

–  The proposal/initiative requires the use of appropriations of an administrative

nature, as explained below

3.2.3.1. Appropriations from voted budget

VOTED

APPROPRIATIONS

Year Year Year Year Year Year Year TOTAL

2028 -

2034 2028 2029 2030 2031 2032 2033 2034

HEADING 7

Human resources 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000

Other administrative

expenditure 0.000 0.000 0.000

0.000 0.000

Subtotal HEADING 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000

Outside HEADING 7

Human resources 625.906 653.293 682.926 714.991 749.687 787.229 827.851 5041.883

Other expenditure of an administrative nature

421.944 506.573 602.561 711.464 835.052 975.331

1134.583 5187.508

Subtotal outside

HEADING 7 1047.851 1159.866 1285.487 1426.455

1584.738 1762.560 1962.435 10229.391

TOTAL 1047.851 1159.866 1285.487 1426.455 1584.738 1762.560 1962.435 10229.391

===================================================================

3.2.4. Estimated requirements of human resources

–  The proposal/initiative does not require the use of human resources

–  The proposal/initiative requires the use of human resources, as explained

below

3.2.4.1. Financed from voted budget

Estimate to be expressed in full-time equivalent units (FTEs)33

VOTED

APPROPRIATIONS

Year Year Year Year Year Year Year

2028 2029 2030 2031 2032 2033 2034

 Establishment plan posts (officials and temporary staff) 34

20 01 02 01 (Headquarters and

Commission’s Representation Offices)

0 0 0

0

20 01 02 03 (EU Delegations) 0 0 0 0

01 01 01 01 (Indirect research)

35 1439 1557 1684 1823 1972. 2134 2309

01 01 01 11 (Direct research) 36 1261 1261 1261 1261 1261 1261 1261

33 Please specify below the table how many FTEs within the number indicated are already assigned to the

management of the action and/or can be redeployed within your DG and what are your net needs. 34 These figures include only the necessary staff in Directorates-General and not the one that will be needed for

executive agencies, Joint Undertakings, and other decentralised bodies, as well as the additional staff paid

from the contributions of the future associated countries. 35 The baseline is the number of FTEs in 2027 increased each year proportionally to the level of the budget for

Horizon Europe 2028-2034 for the given year, capped to 75% of the increase to take into account expected

efficiency gains. 36 The baseline is the number of FTEs in 2027, stable over the period.

EN 23 EN

Other budget lines (specify) 0 0 0 0

• External staff (inFTEs)

20 02 01 (AC, END from the

‘global envelope’) 0 0 0

0

20 02 03 (AC, AL, END and JPD in the EU Delegations)

0 0 0

0

Admin. Support

line [XX.01.YY.YY]

- at

Headquarters 0 0 0

0

- in EU

Delegations 0 0 0

0

01 01 01 02 (AC, END - Indirect research) 37

627 679 734 794 860 930 1006

01 01 01 12 (AC, END -

Direct research) 38 545 545 545 545 545 545 545

Other budget lines (specify) -

Heading 7 0 0 0

0

Other budget lines (specify) - Outside Heading 7

0 0 0

0

TOTAL 0 0 0 0

The human resources required will be met by staff who are already assigned to the

management of the action, together if necessary with any additional allocation which may be

granted to the managing DGs, considering the increased envelope of the programme, under

the annual allocation procedure and in the light of budgetary constraints. This level of staff

does not include nor prejudge the level of staff needed for executive agencies or

implementing bodies.

3.2.4.3. Total requirements of human resources

TOTAL VOTED

APPROPRIATIONS

+

EXTERNAL ASSIGNED

REVENUES

Year Year Year Year Year Year Year

2028 2029 2030 2031 2032 2033 2034

 Establishment plan posts (officials and temporary staff)

20 01 02 01 (Headquarters and

Commission’s Representation

Offices)

0 0 0 0 0 0 0

20 01 02 03 (EU Delegations) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

01 01 01 01 (Indirect research) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

01 01 01 11 (Direct research) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Other budget lines (specify) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

• External staff (in full time equivalent units)

20 02 01 (AC, END from the

‘global envelope’) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

20 02 03 (AC, AL, END and JPD in the EU Delegations)

0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Admin. Support

line

- at

Headquarters 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

[XX.01.YY.YY] - in EU

Delegations 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

37 The baseline is the number of FTEs in 2027 increased each year proportionally to the level of the budget for

Horizon Europe 2028-2034 for the given year, capped to 75% of the increase to take into account expected

efficiency gains. 38 The baseline is the number of FTEs in 2027, stable over the period.

EN 24 EN

01 01 01 02 (AC, END - Indirect

research) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

01 01 01 12 (AC, END - Direct

research) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Other budget lines (specify) - Heading 7

0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Other budget lines (specify) -

Outside Heading 7 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

TOTAL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

3.2.5. Overview of estimated impact on digital technology-related investments

Compulsory: the best estimate of the digital technology-related investments entailed

by the proposal/initiative should be included in the table below.

Exceptionally, when required for the implementation of the proposal/initiative, the

appropriations under Heading 7 should be presented in the designated line.

The appropriations under Headings 1-6 should be reflected as “Policy IT expenditure

on operational programmes”. This expenditure refers to the operational budget to be

used to re-use/ buy/ develop IT platforms/ tools directly linked to the implementation

of the initiative and their associated investments (e.g. licences, studies, data storage

etc). The information provided in this table should be consistent with details

presented under Section 4 “Digital dimensions”.

TOTAL Digital

and IT

appropriations

Year Year Year Year Year Year Year TOTAL

MFF

2028 -

2034 2028 2029 2030 2031 2032 2033 2034

HEADING 7

IT expenditure (corporate)

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Subtotal

HEADING 7 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Outside HEADING 7

Policy IT expenditure on operational programmes

83.688 94.699 107.160 121.261 137.217 155.272 175.703 875.000

Subtotal outside

HEADING 7 83.688 94.699 107.160 121.261 137.217 155.272 175.703 875.000

TOTAL 83.688 94.699 107.160 121.261 137.217 155.272 175.703 875.000

Policy IT expenditure should represent 0,5% of the total expenditure of the

programme.

TOTAL Digital and IT appropriations

Year Year Year Year TOTAL

MFF

2021 -

2027 2024 2025 2026 2027

HEADING 7

IT expenditure (corporate) 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000

Subtotal HEADING 7 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000

Outside HEADING 7

Policy IT expenditure on operational 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000

EN 25 EN

programmes

Subtotal outside HEADING 7 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000

TOTAL 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000

3.2.6. Compatibility with the current multiannual financial framework

The proposal/initiative:

–  can be fully financed through redeployment within the relevant heading of the

multiannual financial framework (MFF)

–  requires use of the unallocated margin under the relevant heading of the MFF

and/or use of the special instruments as defined in the MFF Regulation

–  requires a revision of the MFF

3.2.7. Third-party contributions

The proposal/initiative:

–  does not provide for co-financing by third parties

–  provides for the co-financing by third parties estimated below:

Appropriations in EUR million (to three decimal places)

Year 2028

Year 2029

Year 2030

Year 2031

Year 2032

Year 2033

Year 2034

Total

Specify the co-

financing body

TOTAL appropriations

co-financed 39 p.m. p.m. p.m. p.m. p.m. p.m. p.m. p.m.

3.3. Estimated impact on revenue

–  The proposal/initiative has no financial impact on revenue.

–  The proposal/initiative has the following financial impact:

–  on own resources

–  on other revenue

–  please indicate, if the revenue is assigned to expenditure lines

EUR million (to three decimal places)

Budget revenue line:

Appropriations

available for the

current financial

year

Impact of the proposal/initiative40

Year 2028 Year 2029 Year 2030 Year 2034

Article ………….

39 Bilateral Association Agreements are not fixed yet. Contributions from associated countries will come

on top of the amounts presented in this Legislative Financial Statement.

40 As regards traditional own resources (customs duties, sugar levies), the amounts indicated must be net

amounts, i.e. gross amounts after deduction of 20% for collection costs.

EN 26 EN

Budget revenue line:

Impact of the proposal/initiative

2028 2029 2030 2031 2032 2033 2034

Item

p.m. p.m. p.m. p.m. p.m. p.m. p.m.

For assigned revenue, specify the budget expenditure line(s) affected.

01.02XX Appropriations accruing from contributions from third parties

Other remarks (e.g. method/formula used for calculating the impact on revenue or

any other information).

Third countries may contribute to the Programme through association agreements.

The conditions determining the level of financial contribution will be laid down in

association agreements with each country and shall ensure an automatic correction of

any significant imbalance compared to the amount that entities established in the

associated country receive through participation in the programme, taking into

account the costs in managing the programme.

EN 1 EN

4. DIGITAL DIMENSIONS

Horizon Europe uses the corporate tools described in the Legal, Financial and Digital

Statement of the European Competitiveness Fund, which is cross-referenced for all

the digital dimensions.

    Resolutsiooni liik: Riigikantselei resolutsioon Viide: Haridus- ja Teadusministeerium /  / ; Riigikantselei /  / 2-5/25-01448

Resolutsiooni teema: Teadusuuringute ja innovatsiooni raamprogramm “Euroopa horisont” 2028- 2034

Adressaat: Haridus- ja Teadusministeerium Ülesanne: Tulenevalt Riigikogu kodu- ja töökorra seaduse § 152` lg 1 p 2 ning Vabariigi Valitsuse reglemendi § 3 lg 4 palun valmistada ette Vabariigi Valitsuse seisukoha ja otsuse eelnõu järgnevate algatuste kohta, kaasates seejuures olulisi huvigruppe ja osapooli:

- Proposal for a REGULATION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL establishing Horizon Europe, the Framework Programme for Research and Innovation, for the period 2028-2034 laying down its rules for participation and dissemination, and repealing Regulation (EU) 2021/695, COM(2025) 543;

- Proposal for a COUNCIL DECISION on establishing the Specific Programme implementing Horizon Europe - the Framework Programme for Research and Innovation for the period 2028-2034, laying down the rules for participation and dissemination under that Programme, and repealing Decision (EU) 2021/764, COM(2025) 544.

EISi toimiku nr: 25-0437

Tähtaeg: 21.11.2025

Adressaat: Justiits- ja Digiministeerium, Kaitseministeerium, Kliimaministeerium, Kultuuriministeerium, Majandus- ja Kommunikatsiooniministeerium, Rahandusministeerium, Regionaal- ja Põllumajandusministeerium, Siseministeerium, Sotsiaalministeerium, Välisministeerium Ülesanne: Palun esitada oma sisend Haridus- ja Teadusministeeriumile seisukohtade kujundamiseks antud eelnõude kohta (eelnõude infosüsteemi (EIS) kaudu).

Tähtaeg: 05.09.2025

Lisainfo: Eelnõu on kavas arutada valitsuse 04.12.2025 istungil ja Vabariigi Valitsuse reglemendi § 6 lg 6 kohaselt sellele eelneval nädalal (26.11.2025) EL koordinatsioonikogus. Esialgsed materjalid EL koordinatsioonikoguks palume esitada hiljemalt 21.11.2025.

Kinnitaja: Nele Grünberg, Euroopa Liidu asjade direktori asetäitja Kinnitamise kuupäev: 31.07.2025 Resolutsiooni koostaja: Elen Nurme [email protected], 693 5201  

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25.07.2025

Ettepanek: Euroopa Horisont (COM (2025) 543, 544)

Otsuse ettepanek koordinatsioonikogule

Kujundada seisukoht

Kaasvastutaja sisendi tähtpäev: 5.09.2025

KOKi esitamise tähtpäev: 26.11.2025

VV esitamise tähtpäev: 4.12.2025

Subsidiaarsuse tähtpäev: -

Seisukoha valitsusse toomise alus ja põhjendus

 Algatuse reguleerimisala nõuab vastavalt Eesti Vabariigi põhiseadusele seaduse või Riigikogu otsuse vastuvõtmist, muutmist või kehtetuks tunnistamist (RKKTS § 152¹ lg 1 p 1);

 Algatuse vastuvõtmisega kaasneks oluline majanduslik või sotsiaalne mõju (RKKTS § 152¹ lg 1 p 2).

Vastutav ministeerium: Haridus- ja Teadusministeerium

Kaasvastutajad: Majandus- ja Kommunikatsiooniministeerium, Rahandusministeerium, Justiits- ja Digiministeerium, Regionaal- ja Põllumajandusministeerium, Kliimaministeerium, Siseministeerium, Kaitseministeerium, Kultuuriministeerium, Sotsiaalministeerium, Välisministeerium

Sisukokkuvõte

Euroopa Komisjon avaldas 16.07.2025 määruse eelnõu (COM (2025) 543) uue teadusuuringute ja innovatsiooni raamprogrammi “Euroopa horisont” kohta aastateks 2028-2034, sätestades programmi eesmärgid, osalemise tingimused, eelarve ja rahastusreeglid. Täpsemad programmi rakendamise tingimused on esitatud nõukogu otsuse eelnõus.

Algatuse eesmärk on tõsta teaduse ja oskuste kõrget taset ning teadlaskarjääri atraktiivsust Euroopa haridusruumis, suurendada EL ja rahvusvahelist teaduskoostööd, joondada EL-i, riiklikud ja regionaalsed prioriteedid EL-ülesesse innovatsiooni ökosüsteemi, vähendada riikide ja regioonide innovatsioonivõimekuse lõhet, parandada liidu kui terviku positsiooni maailmas, samuti koondada erasektori investeeringuid ja maandada investeerimisriske eriti süvatehnoloogia vallas ning innovatiivsetele

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kasvuettevõtetele ning VKE-dele. Programmi kaudu panustatakse ühtlasi EL ühisesse eesmärki saavutada era- ja avaliku sektori rahastus teadusesse ja innovatsiooni vähemalt 3% tasemel SKT-st.

Uue raamprogrammi rakendamist nähakse tugevas puutumuses ja sünergias Euroopa konkurentsivõime fondi määrusega. Samuti on senisest suurem fookus kaitsevaldkonnal ja kahese kasutusega tehnoloogiate toetamisel. Oluline on ka bürokraatia vähendamise element ja lihtsustamine programmi reeglites ning soolise võrdõiguslikkuse põhimõtete läbiv järgimine.

Uue raamprogrammi eelarve on eelnõu kohaselt 175 miljardit eurot (võrdluseks praeguse programmi eelarve on 95 miljardit).

Eesmärgid

Määruse eelnõu kohaselt jagunevad uue raamprogrammi tegevused nelja samba vahel:

I sammas: tipptasemel teadus, mille eelarve on 44 miljardit eurot ning mille all on Euroopa Teadusnõukogu (ERC), Marie Skłodowska-Curie meetmed (MSCA) ning Euroopa Ühisuuringute Keskuse (JRC) tegevused. Eesmärk on tugevdada ELi teadusbaasi, meelitada ligi tippteadlasi, edendada tippteadust Euroopas

II sammas: konkurentsivõime ja ühiskondlikud väljakutsed – eelarve 75,9 miljardit, samba ülesehitus järgib Euroopa konkurentsivõime fondi nelja poliitikaakna struktuuri (puhtad tehnoloogiad; tervis, biotehnoloogia, põllumajandus; digi; kaitse ja kriisivalmidus), tagades sidusa toetuse investeeringute koguahelas. Teiseks toetatakse selle samba alt ühiskondlikele väljakutsetele lahenduste leidmist (EL missioonid, Bauhaus).

III sammas: innovatsioon – eelarve 38,8 miljardit, millest toetakse innovatsiooni Euroopas, keskendudes uute toodete, teenuste ja ärimudelite arendamisele. Selle samba all on Euroopa Innovatsiooninõukogu (EIC), mida laiendatakse, nt tuuakse sisse „ARPA” elemente, kus kõrge riskiga projekte rahastatakse etappide kaupa, samuti keskendutakse kaitse- ja kaheotstarbeliste iduettevõtete toetamisele („DARPA” lähenemine). Olemasolev süvatehnoloogia ettevõtete rahastus Scaleup Europe Fundi kaudu viiakse üle ECFi alla. Soovitakse toetada trasformatiivseid ja suuremahulisi “moonhot” projekte era- ja avaliku sektori kaasrahastusel, konkurentsivõime fondi toel (nt puhas lennundus, kvanttehnoloogia, tuuma, kosmos). Koostöö II ja III samba vahel on olulise tähtsusega, et tugevdada idufirmade nõudluspoolt sidudes neid Euroopa suurte ettevõtetega ning edendades innovaatilisi riigihankeid nii ELi kui riiklikul tasandil.

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IV sammas: Euroopa teadusruum (ERA) – eelarve 16,3 miljardit, hõlmab poliitikakujundamise, teadus- ja tehnoloogia taristu (esmakordselt ka kapitalikulude) ja osaluse laiendamise (nn Widening) toetamist.

Partnerlused jäävad endiselt programmi põhivahendiks, kuid neid lihtsustatakse oluliselt, nii tegevuste kui organisatsioonilise poole pealt.

Euroopa Komisjon avaldas koos Euroopa Horisondi raamprogrammi eelnõuga nõukogu otsuse eelnõu, millega sätestatakse detailsemad reeglid raamprogrammi ja Euroopa konkurentsivõime fondi teadusarenduse ja innovatsiooni osade rakendamiseks. Eelnõu õiguslik alus on ELTL artikkel 182 lõige 4, mis seab kohustuse nõukogul vastu võtta spetsiifiline programm, mille kaudu rakendada raamprogrammi ning kus sätestatakse detailsemad rakendamise reeglid, kestvus ja vajalikud vahendid. Raamprogrammi rakendamiseks võtab komisjon rakendusaktiga vastu eraldi tööprogrammid ERC, EIC, MSCA ja JRC jaoks, milles pannakse paika täpsemad tegevused ja nendeks vajalikud vahendid, abikõlblikkuse tingimused, toetuste kriteeriumid, kaasfinantseerimise määrad. Ülejäänud raamprogrammi osi rakendatakse konkurentsivõime fondi määruse alusel vastu võetavate tööprogrammide kaudu.

Kas EL algatus reguleerib karistusi või haldustrahve? Ei

Kas nähakse ette uue asutuse loomine (järelevalvelised või muud asutused)? Ei

Kas lahenduse rakendamine vajab IT-arendusi? Ei

Mõju ja sihtrühm

Algatus mõjutab laiemalt kõigi valdkondade teadusarendustegevust. Spetsiifilisem mõju on idu- ja ja kasvuettevõtetele, VKE-dele, teadusmahukatele ettevõttetele, ülikoolidele, teadusasutustele, samuti kodanikuühiskonna organisatsioonidele, investeerimissektorile.

Kaasamine

Kaasata kõik asjassepuutuvad partnerid ja huvirühmad, sealhulgas ülikoolid, teadusasutused, Kaubandus-Tööstuskoda.