19 Feb 2025
ITRE Committee adopts Report on Horizon Europe Interim Evaluation
On 19 February 2025, the ITRE Committee adopted a report on the evaluation of the implementation of the Horizon Europe programme with regard to its interim evaluation and recommendations for the tenth research framework programme. The plenary vote for this report is scheduled for 11 March 2025. The report was drafted by rapporteur MEP Christian Ehler.
MEPs acknowledge the administrative burdens faced by participants under the current Framework Programme, and emphasise the need for radical simplification in the application and management processes of FP10. Furthermore, based on extensive stakeholder feedback, FP10 should focus on three core objectives:
- Creating a European competition of ideas by accelerating the development from fundamental science to innovation scale-up;
- Supporting strategic research initiatives which require large-scale and European collaboration;
- Advancing the European Research Area.
In his press release, MEP Ehler underlines that the report is a strong signal for an independent FP 10 as well as “a strong stance against integrating the budget for Research and Innovation in a broader Competitiveness Fund.”
He emphasises the following three messages:
- The EC is urged to respect the Treaties and ensure that FP 10 remains an independent Union programme.
- The budget of the Framework Programme should be increased to € 220 billion.
- Horizon Europe is too strongly influenced by short-term political goals that are set top-down: “Therefore, we should double down on what works and especially support the bottom-up instruments currently part of the Programme, such as the ERC and the EIC.”
For more information: