Horizon Europe work programme for 2021-2022 for a healthier, greener and more digital Europe

The European Commission has launched the Horizon Europe programme for the period 2021-2022, providing a total of €14.7 billion in funding.

These investments will help accelerate the green and digital transition and contribute to sustainable recovery after COVID-19 and to the EU’s resilience to future crises.

They will support European research through grants, training and exchanges, build more connected and efficient European innovation ecosystems and create world-class research infrastructures.

They will foster participation across Europe and around the world while strengthening the European Research Area.

Horizon Europe delivers on climate neutrality and digital leadership

Around €5.8 billion will be invested in research and innovation to support the Green Deal and the EU’s commitment to becoming the world’s first climate-neutral continent by 2050.

The funds will go to projects that advance climate change science and develop solutions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to climate change.

Other central objectives of the programme for the next two years are to launch Europe’s Digital Decade and to further strengthen the foundations of digital start-ups, with around €4 billion allocated to these in 2021-2022.

Finally, around €1.9 billion will be used to help repair the immediate economic and social damage caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.

In line with Next Generation EU, the funding will contribute to building a post-Covid Europe that is not only greener and more digital, but also more resilient to current and future challenges.

International cooperation for greater impact

International cooperation in research and innovation is essential to address global challenges and to give Europe access to resources, know-how, scientific excellence, value chains and markets being developed in other parts of the world.

The Horizon Europe work programme for 2021-2022 includes specific actions to support and strengthen cooperation through multilateral initiatives in areas such as biodiversity and climate protection, environmental observations, ocean research or global health.

It also includes specific actions with key non-EU partners, including the first ambitious and comprehensive “Africa Initiative”.

The association of non-EU countries to Horizon Europe will widen the geographical scope of the overall programme and offer additional opportunities for researchers, scientists, companies, institutions or other interested establishments to participate, under the same general conditions as those of Member States.

In order to safeguard the EU’s strategic assets, interests, autonomy or security, the programme will limit participation to a narrow number of actions.

Next steps

The first calls for proposals will be opened on the Commission’s Funding and Tendering Portal on 22 June. The Research and Innovation Days on 23-24 June are the occasion to discuss Horizon Europe among policymakers, researchers, innovators and citizens.

Horizon Europe Information Days for potential applicants will take place between 28 June and 9 July.