Interim Evaluation

Article 52 of the Horizon Europe Regulation foresees an interim evaluation which analyses the programme’s design, implementation and first results. The evaluation will address the relevance, coherence, efficiency and effectiveness of the programme, and its EU value added. Numerous supportive studies covered every component of the programme, including Partnerships, Missions, the European Institute of Technology, and direct research actions by the Joint Research Centre. They looked into the rationale for the programme, its implementation and achievements, and the longer-term impacts of EU investment in research and innovation. In particular, the efficiency analysis reviewed costs and benefits for applicants to the programme, and included an assessment of potential unnecessary burdens and complexities for applicants and participants.

Based on these studies and analysis, the European Commission published a Communication on the interim evaluation by in April 2025.

The outcomes of the interim evaluation were discussed in the Council and delivered important inputs for the future of R&I funding on EU level.