20 Mar 2024
Commission adopts second strategic plan for Horizon Europe
On 20 March 2024, the European Commission has adopted the second Strategic Plan for Horizon Europe. The Strategic Plan serves as an interface between the overarching EU policy priorities and the Horizon Europe R&I activities set out in the Horizon Europe Work Programmes. The Strategic Plan has been developed together with the Member States and Associated Countries, including a large public consultation and an event to engage the general public.
The plan sets out three Key Strategic Orientations for the EU's research and innovation funding for the last three years of the programme (2025-2027): Green transition; Digital transition; A more resilient, competitive, inclusive and democratic Europe. These orientations aim to address key global challenges such as climate change, loss of biodiversity, the digital transition, and an ageing population. Open strategic autonomy and securing Europe's leading role in developing and deploying critical technologies are overarching principles that apply across all three key strategic orientations.
The Strategic Plan identifies nine new European co-funded and co-programmed partnerships: Brain Health, Forests and Forestry for a Sustainable Future, Innovative Materials for EU, Raw Materials for the Green and Digital Transition, Resilient Cultural Heritage, Social Transformations and Resilience, Solar Photovoltaics, Textiles of the Future, and Virtual Worlds.
The Strategic Plan also provides an overview of the achievement of EU Missions over their first years and introduces the New European Bauhaus (NEB) Facility. The plan addresses a number of specific issues, such as the balance of research and innovation and the integration of social sciences and humanities. Effectively integrating social sciences and humanities into all clusters, including all missions and partnerships, is a key principle of the programme. This is reflected by flagging specific topics and requesting an assessment of their societal impact. Social sciences and humanities will be integrated into relevant projects, from their drafting to their selection and evaluation.
The Key Strategic Orientations are the guiding principles for Horizon Europe and will be implemented through the Work Programmes. Work Programmes set out the funding opportunities for research and innovation activities through thematic calls for proposals and topics. The Horizon Europe main Work Programme 2025 will be developed following the orientations of the newly adopted Strategic Plan. In April 2024, the Commission will launch a feedback opportunity for the Work Programme 2025 open to all stakeholders.
The Strategic Plan can be downloaded here: