Parliament and Council have reached a partial agreement on the Horizon Europe framework programme for research and innovation and its specific implementing programme. The aim is to bridge the EU research gap while championing excellence, prioritise small and medium-sized enterprises and broaden the research scope.  

The Horizon Europe package includes proposals for the Horizon Europe framework programme, laying down the rules for participation and dissemination, and also for a specific implementing programme. Horizon Europe would replace the current Horizon 2020 programme, which comes to an end on 31 December 2020.  

The proposal envisages a financial envelope for Horizon Europe of €84.5 billion or €94.1 billion (current prices) for the 2021-2027 period. Horizon Europe aims to strengthen EU science, technology, and innovation, foster industrial competiveness, and deliver on the EU’s strategic priorities (e.g. climate change). Based on three pillars (open science, global challenges and industrial competiveness, and open innovation), the programme would include new features such as the European Innovation Council (a one-stop shop to support high-risk, market-creating innovation projects) and EU-wide research missions.  

It is estimated that Horizon Europe could generate up to 100 000 new jobs in research and innovation in the 2021-2027 period.