01 Jun 2026
Commission publishes report on Research and Technological Development Activities in 2025
The European Commission has published its 'Annual Report on Research and Technological Development Activities of the European Union and Monitoring of Horizon Europe in 2025'. A significant part of the annual report is dedicated to the research related policy activities of 2025. In addition to recurring themes such as the twin transition and international cooperation, this year the report focuses on the EU’s sustainable prosperity, competitiveness, strategic autonomy, defence and security.
According to the report, Horizon Europe attracted strong demand between 2021 and 2025, with 148,884 eligible proposals submitted. By January 2026, 21,329 proposals had been selected for funding, with a total estimated EU contribution of €57.4 billion. By the end of 2025, €52.8 billion had been awarded through 19,456 grants. The overall success rate fell slightly to 14%, compared with 15.3% a year earlier, but remained above the Horizon 2020 average. The Commission noted that around 70% of proposals rated high enough for funding could not be financed, pointing to a funding gap of €118.5 billion.
A key development in 2025 concerned measures aimed at simplifying programme implementation. These included a broader use of lump-sum funding, shorter work programmes, adjusted proposal requirements and a wider use of two-stage evaluations. The Commission also updated digital tools, including the EU Funding & Tenders Portal and a new mobile app.
The report also underlines Horizon Europe’s contribution to EU priorities such as climate, digital transformation, AI, defence-related innovation and strategic autonomy. In 2025, the EU adopted an AI in Science strategy, advanced its Quantum Europe strategy and expanded the network of associated countries to 22, including Switzerland and Egypt.
Looking ahead, the Commission plans new initiatives in 2026, including a European Innovation Act, a European Research Area Act and a multi-billion-euro Scaleup Europe Fund.
The report can be downloaded here: