Horizon Europe - Performance

Programme in a nutshell

Concrete examples of achievements (*)

^{(*) Key achievements in the table state which period they relate to. Some come from the implementation of the predecessor programmes under the 2014-2020 multiannual financial framework. This is expected and due to the multiannual life cycle of EU programmes and the projects they finance, where results often follow only after completion of the programmes.}

Budget for 2021-2027

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Rationale and design of the programme

Horizon Europe is the EU’s 7-year research and innovation programme, running from 2021 to 2027. The programme is designed to serve all the political priorities of the EU.

Budget

Budget programming (million EUR):

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Financial programming:
- EUR 1 990.9 million (- 2%)
compared to the legal basis *

^{(*) Top-ups pursuant to Article 5 of the multiannual framework regulation are excluded from financial programming in this comparison.}

• Non-linear Budget Allocation Over Time: It is expected that the budget allocation may not follow a linear pattern over time. A significant part of Horizon Europe’s budget for 2021-2023 corresponds to the European Union Recovery Instrument to support Europe’s recovery after the Covid-19 crisis. This has provided an additional EUR 5.3 billion budget programming for the three first years of the Framework Programme. Since the regulation of the European Union Recovery Instrument foresees the concentration of funds over the period 2021-2023, the overall budget programming significantly drops after 2023. Indeed, an overall budget of EUR 12,9 billion is programmed for 2024 (excluding the top ups from decommitments Art 15.3 FR, and contributions from other countries) compared to EUR 15,3 billion for 2023.  
• Difference Between Financial Programming and Legal Base: During the three first year of Horizon Europe, budget programming was fairly in line with the legal base and differences are rather limited. However, the Mid-Term Revision of the MFF has resulted in a reduction of EUR 2.1 billion for the Horizon Europe programme over years 2025-2027. These funds will be reallocated to benefit other identified programs as per the mid-term revision. Therefore, the budget programming for 2025-2027 will be adjusted accordingly. Nevertheless, Horizon Europe’s budget programming for the same period will also be readjusted to take into account additional funding expected to contribute to the budget. According to Article 5 of the MFF Regulation, Horizon Europe’s budget programming benefits from a top up of up to EUR 3 billion (in constant 2018 prices) based on fines collected by the Union between 2022 and 2027. This additional budget has not yet been taken into account in the programming for 2025-2027. In addition, Horizon Europe’s programming will benefit from the possibility to re-use so-called decommitments made available again as per Article 15(3) of the Financial Regulation. Decommitments correspond to unspent money of running projects. Based on joint statement agreed by the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission during the adoption process of the Horizon Europe Regulation, EUR 500 million in constant 2018 prices can be programmed on this basis. [In addition, as part of the political agreement reached on the MFF Mid-Term Revision, an additional EUR 100 million in constant 2018 prices of decommitments will be made available again to Horizon Europe by 2027.] For the period 2021-2023, decommitments made available again already represent EUR 286 million and the final agreement on the European Chips Act foresees the use of EUR 75 million to be used for this initiative over 2024-2027 (out of the initial EUR 500 million). Hence, the scope for manoeuvre regarding the use of this source of funding is rather limited. As in previous years, the 2024-2027 budget will also benefit from additional contributions linked to the participation of other countries associated to Horizon Europe. This represented approximatively EUR 2,5 billion for 2021-2023 and is expected to increase significantly with additional countries joining the Framework Programme especially the United Kingdome and Canada. 
• Horizon Europe Strategic Plan 2025-2027: The Horizon Europe Strategic Plan 2025-2027, shaped by a robust analysis and inclusive co-design process, serves as the blueprint for utilising efficiently the Horizon Europe budget in alignment with EU priorities. Informed by extensive consultation and considering key global and societal shifts, the plan addresses pressing challenges such as the COVID-19 pandemic, climate-related events, and geopolitical dynamics. It emphasizes bridging innovation gaps, addressing regional disparities, and fostering significant investments in research and innovation to realize the European Green Deal and ensure strategic autonomy. With active involvement from Member States, stakeholders, and the European Parliament, the plan is expected to be adopted in 2024, defining strategic orientations and research priorities to drive sustainable recovery and advance green and digital transitions, ultimately shaping a climate-neutral and digitally advanced Europe for its citizens. 

Budget performance – implementation

Multiannual cumulative implementation rate at the end of 2022 (million EUR):

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Annual voted budget implementation (million EUR)⁽¹⁾:

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Contribution to horizontal priorities

Green budgeting

Contribution to green budgeting priorities (million EUR):

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Research and innovation are pivotal drivers in facilitating the green transition, offering pathways to accelerate and navigate the necessary transitions while deploying, demonstrating and engaging citizens in innovative solutions. The Horizon Europe regulation states that actions under this programme must contribute at least 35% of expenditure to climate objectives. This underscores the programme’s commitment to addressing climate change and advancing sustainability goals. 

Monitoring figures Mainstreaming climate has been seamlessly integrated into all actions funded by Horizon Europe and reported in the Commission’s financial system. However, as commitments for 2023 are ongoing, it is not currently possible to provide reliable monitoring data for the year. Additionally, the stable monitoring figures for 2021-2022 will only be known after the verification of the current monitoring data is completed and any necessary corrections are made. The 2023 figures will be checked to ensure the reliability of climate information encoded in the Commission financial system, once all commitments for the year 2023 will be completed, i.e., at the end of the year 2024. Europe.  

Estimate figures: For the years 2024-2027, these are based on draft and foreseen work programs and strategic plans. The estimated climate contribution for 2025-2027 reflects the minimum target of 35% as per the Horizon Europe legal basis as no work programmes are available yet. Should corrective measures be necessary, they will be proposed to ensure that Horizon Europe's overall contribution to climate aligns with regulatory requirements. 

Among the numerous activities funded under Horizon Europe, the four EU ‘green’ missions actively drive Europe towards a greener and healthier future, as evidenced by their progress in 2 years⁵. These missions are promising approach to supporting the European Green Deal and accelerating transformative change at both local and regional levels. For instance, the ‘Adaptation to climate change’ mission is empowering European regions to become climate-resilient by 2030. With over 300 regional and local authorities committed to the cause, and 50 actively engaged in developing risk assessments, this mission is laying the groundwork for resilient communities in the face of climate challenges. The ‘Climate-neutral and smart cities’ mission is spearheading efforts to achieve 100 climate-neutral and smart cities by 2030. With nearly 400 cities expressing interest, this initiative is fostering innovation and collaboration, creating a powerful network of cities committed to climate action. Meanwhile, the ‘Restore our ocean and waters’ mission is leading the charge in protecting and restoring marine and freshwater ecosystems. Through the establishment of lighthouse sites and the pledge of over 480 actions, this mission is driving tangible solutions to preserve aquatic resources for generations to come. Lastly, the ‘Soil’ mission is working for climate change mitigation and adaptation. By creating 100 living labs and lighthouses (more than 1 000 real-life experimentation sites across Europe), the mission is leading the transition towards healthy soils by 2030.  

Horizon Europe supports the Green Deal and plays a pivotal role in advancing the objectives set forth by EU nature legislation, including the birds and habitat directives and invasive alien species regulation, along with the EU biodiversity strategy 2030 and international commitments such as the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. Through funded projects, Horizon Europe focuses on biodiversity protection, restoration and sustainable use, addressing key issues relating to biodiversity such as climate, food security, public health, water management and energy sustainability. The programme also emphasises the promotion of transformative change and nature-positive actions, particularly through nature-based solutions. 

The overarching target of the multiannual financial framework is to allocate 10% of spending to biodiversity by 2026-2027. Mainstreaming biodiversity considerations has been integrated across all areas and topics funded by Horizon Europe. Preliminary ex post estimations reveal that spending on biodiversity within the programme has increased from 7.9% in 2021 to 8.7% in 2023. However, to achieve the Horizon Europe ambition of 10% of spending on biodiversity by 2026-2027, further efforts will be required. In this regard, cluster 6 of pillar II already contributes significantly to biodiversity objectives through the calls that support biodiversity protection, nature restoration, transformative change and ensuring that the EU is meeting the global biodiversity targets. Additional measures and initiatives will be necessary to ensure that Horizon Europe effectively contributes to biodiversity conservation and restoration in the years ahead. Therefore, increasing the contribution to biodiversity of other clusters of pillar II – along with pillars I and III – is being investigated, in order to meet the aforementioned 10% spending target on biodiversity. 

Based on the preliminary estimations, 4.1% of Horizon Europe spending has been allocated to address clean air for the 2021-2024 period. 

The Horizon Europe programme plays a crucial role in promoting environmental sustainability and addressing major societal challenges. Horizon Europe aims to make a significant contribution to environmental protection, resource efficiency and sustainable development. A significant portion of the programme’s initiatives align with the EU taxonomy criteria for sustainable investments. Specifically, funded activities such as ‘Circular economy and bioeconomy sectors’, the ‘Clean hydrogen partnership’ or the ‘Climate neutral and smart cities’ mission have been identified as sustainable investments, reflecting their alignment with the EU's environmental objectives, including the transition to a carbon-neutral economy by 2050. 

To ensure coherence and alignment with the EU taxonomy, a comprehensive alignment analysis was conducted for the intervention fields within the Horizon Europe programme. This analysis categorises intervention fields into three groups based on their alignment with the taxonomy criteria: ‘fully aligned’, ‘partially aligned’, or ‘not covered’. This approach provides a comprehensive overview of the programme’s environmental impact and facilitates targeted actions for improvement. Large parts of Horizon Europe are not directly relevant to the taxonomy, such as activities in the health, security or digital sectors, which we have assessed as ‘not covered’. Another set of actions, including the actions European Research Council, Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions, ‘Widening participation and strengthening the European research area’ and INFRASTRUCTURES, primarily support scientific excellence and research and innovation stakeholders. While these supported projects may indirectly contribute to economic activities covered by the taxonomy, they are considered ‘not covered’ as they primarily target stakeholders that not covered by the taxonomy. Conversely, other programme areas such as destinations in clusters, partnerships/joint undertakings, missions, and the Knowledge and Innovation Communities and instruments of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology, generally support applied research and innovation activities that directly benefit industrial actors in developing innovative products and services. These efforts either exceed current technical performance requirements outlined in the taxonomy regulation or aim to create an environment conducive to the adoption of high-performing products and services. Without delving into project-level distinctions, these programme areas or instruments are assigned a percentage share of taxonomy relevance based on information and experience gathered from programme implementation until 2023, including quality control measures regarding climate action relevance. This alignment analysis has been used as an alternative to project-based assessments, recognising the complexity and scale of our initiatives. This streamlined approach enables efficient decision-making and ensures effective resource allocation to support sustainable development goals. 

Based on the budget implemented and our taxonomy perspective, approximately EUR 8 685 million have been evaluated as fully or partially aligned, while EUR 16 443 million were identified as not covered. Additionally, an ex- ante estimate for 2023 indicates that approximately EUR 3 962 million are evaluated as covered. Through its commitment to environmental sustainability and innovation, the Horizon Europe programme promotes positive change and make a significant contribution to the broader environmental goals of the EU. 

Gender

Contribution to gender equality (million EUR) (*):

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Under the Horizon Europe programme, a broad array of actions has been taken to promote gender equality in research and innovation, aligning with the broader goals outlined in the European Commission gender equality strategy 2020-2025. Horizon Europe emphasises gender equality as a cross-cutting priority, integrating strengthened provisions to foster gender-equal and inclusive research environments, promote gender balance and ensure the integration of the gender dimension in projects.

Provisions for gender equality have been significantly strengthened under Horizon Europe compared to Horizon 2020. They include the requirement for applying legal entities to have a gender equality plan in place in order to be eligible for funding. Additionally, the integration of the gender dimension into research and innovation content is now a default requirement unless specified otherwise in the topic description. Efforts are also underway to achieve gender balance among research teams and within program-related boards and committees. To support organisations in meeting the gender equality plan eligibility criterion, the Commission has developed detailed guidance documents and offered online training sessions targeting specific regions. A recent addition is the EU Award for Gender Equality Champions, which recognises academic and research organisations’ outstanding results obtained through gender equality plan in implementation. Moreover, dedicated funding is allocated to promoting gender studies and intersectional research, particularly under cluster 2 of the programme focusing on culture, creativity, and inclusive society. Horizon Europe also has dedicated measures and funding schemes to empower women innovators through Pillar III, Innovative Europe, and the European Innovation Council.

Furthermore, gender mainstreaming efforts extend beyond Horizon Europe to the broader European research area policy, where initiatives focus on fostering gender equality in research careers, leadership, decision-making and the integration of the gender dimension into research content. The European research area policy agenda 2022-2024 outlines specific actions to promote gender equality and inclusiveness, including the development of policy coordination mechanisms on inclusive gender equality opening to intersectional approaches, and strategies to counteract gender-based violence in research and innovation. These objectives are also supported through funding under the ‘Widening participation and strengthening the European research area’ work programme of Horizon Europe.

In addition, Horizon Europe aims to foster women’s participation in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), where they remain under-represented. Efforts include supporting the implementation of a manifesto for gender-inclusive STEM education and careers, supported by other activities such as the EU Prize for Women Innovators and various projects aimed at strengthening gender equality including through a science, technology, engineering, the arts and mathematics (STEAM) approach integrating the arts and social science and humanities in STEM education.

Gender mainstreaming will continue and be further reinforced in the 2025-2027 Work Horizon Europe work programme, in support of EU political priorities, including regarding combating gender-based violence including sexual harassment in the EU research and innovation system, in line with the upcoming directive on combating violence against women and domestic violence.

Gender equality is a crosscutting priority in Horizon Europe and the integration of the gender dimension in research and innovation content is a requirement by default. Until there are project reviews that allow to determine whether projects have actually integrated a gender dimension and to what extent, we attribute a 0* score by default to all of Horizon Europe, except for topics and actions whose principal objective is explicitly to improve gender equality (score 2), or which explicitly mention gender equality as one of their objectives or indirectly contribute to it (score 1) or which we already know will have no significant impact (score 0).

For 2021 and 2022, we have updated amounts compared to the previous programme performance statements, with the precise budgets allocated to actions, instead of relying solely on the indicative budget envelopes defined in the work programmes ex ante. In addition, we have implemented a more rigorous screening process to identify projects having a gender dimension, under Pillar 1 (European Research Council and Marie Skłodowska-Curie actions), as under Missions within Pillar 2. This increased scrutiny has resulted in the identification of a significantly larger number of projects actively contributing to gender equality. As a result, the combination of updated budgets for 2021 and 2022 and a more comprehensive project examination process has resulted in an increase in expenditure figures contributing to gender equality, particularly under score 2.

Score 2

If the principal objective of the project is explicitly to improve gender equality, a score of 2 is attributed. A selection of some examples:

Under Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions :

• 2021: EUR 7.2 million (score 2)
• 2022: EUR 7.0 million (score 2)

Under the European Institute of Innovation and Technology:

• 2022: EUR 3.7 million (score 2) including the cross-KIC strategic synergies Supernovas project for women entrepreneurship
• 2023: the European Institute of Innovation and Technology expects to have consolidated figures at the end of June 2024. At this stage, the only 2023 estimated figures available amount to EUR 3.6 million (score 2).

Under the European Innovation Council:

• 2023: EUR 390 600 (score 2) for the Women Leadership Programme (EUR 70 600) and the EU Prize for Women Innovators (EUR 320 000).

Under pillar 2, cluster 3 – Civil Security for Society: 

• 2021: EUR 7.4 million (score 2) for topics on preventing domestic and sexual violence and child sexual exploitation. 

A Gender Marker Score 1 is attributed to projects that will contribute in some way to gender equality, but not significantly. A selection of some examples:

Under EU Missions:

• 2022: EUR 193 million (score 1) for 9 projects under the Cancer mission, the Ocean and Waters mission, and the Soil mission.
• 2023: EUR 243.5 million (score 1) for 10 projects under the Cancer mission, the Ocean and Waters mission, the Cities mission, the Soil mission, and the Joint-calls mission.

Under Marie Skłodowska-Curie actions :

This bottom-up work package encourages gender equality in research teams, funds a substantial number of women researchers and asks that gender be integrated into the contents of funded projects. 

Building on a keyword search in the titles and abstracts and further scrutiny, the following has been identified:

• 2021: EUR 41.1 million (score 1) 
• 2022: EUR 40.8 million (score 1).
• 2023: it is too early to provide figures for 2023 as most calls are yet to be evaluated.

Under Research Infrastructures (INFRA): 

• 2023: EUR 3.7 million (score 1) for a topic on cooperation with Latin America paying special attention to women and young researchers.

Score 0*

If the projects are not properly implementing activities, the project reviews that allow to determine whether they have actually integrated a gender dimension and to what extent cannot take place. Therefore, we attributed a 0* score by default to all of Horizon Europe, except for topics and actions for which gender relevance is mentioned or is clearly not present.

Score 0 

A score of 0 is attributed to projects that are not expected to contribute noticeably to gender equality. 

Digital

Contribution to digital transition (million EUR):

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• Horizon Europe investments in the digital transformation for 2021-2022 are up to EUR 14 053.2 million, which represents 33% of the Horizon Europe budget. As the Horizon Europe estimates refer to biannual 2021-2022 work programmes, the figures indicated in the table correspond to the split of half of the value to get a reference per year. This figure includes contributions to developing digital solutions/applications in different economic sectors. The contribution to core digital (general-purpose) technologies amounts to EUR 4 184 2 million for 2021-2022.

Budget performance – outcomes

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• The Horizon Europe programme aims to deliver impactful research and innovation across various dimensions, including scientific, technological/economic, societal impact and strengthening the European research area. The Horizon Europe programme demonstrates progress across its specific objectives, with efforts underway to address challenges, exploit synergies and mitigate external factors impacting its performance. Continuous implementation monitoring and performance monitoring allow to ensure the programme’s effectiveness and to maximise its impact. 
• The performance of the Horizon Europe programme is assessed using a set of 27 indicators, as set in Annex V of the Horizon Europe regulation. These 27 indicators cover the entire lifecycle of the programme and are classified into three categories: for the short- term, 9 for the medium-term and 9 for the long- term. At this stage, 3 years after the launch of the programme, performance analysis relies on the 9 short-term indicators. Based on these 9 indicators, the Horizon Europe programme is progressing well towards its targets, with no major deviations observed. However, there are delays in the number of scientific publications. This could be explained by the delayed adoption of the Horizon Europe regulation and consequently, calls for proposals. Furthermore, it should be noted that complete data will only become available once they have been recorded through the periodic reports of the projects. This process typically takes place 18 months after the start of the project. Once these data are encoded, they can be accurately accounted for, and the results will subsequently be updated accordingly. Therefore, the results for some indicators, such as the ‘Researchers involved in upskilling activities’ indicator are currently incomplete, as they cover only the parts of the programme already encoded. Nonetheless, the results of the 9 indicators show that the progress in the specific objectives of the framework programme (Article 3 of the Horizon Europe regulation) are on track. As for the indicator on the co-creation of research and innovation content, a revision of the milestone and the target is under consideration, due to a change of methodology. 
• The European Union has faced significant challenges in recent years, including the COVID-19 pandemic, geopolitical tensions such as the Russian invasion of Ukraine and climate-related extreme events. These crises have underscored the need for joint and just responses, with Europe rallying to address them collectively. However, ongoing geopolitical challenges continue to pose uncertainties for economic and social developments. The war in Ukraine, in particular, has had far-reaching consequences, impacting various sectors including research and innovation. Despite these challenges, the Horizon Europe programme has shown agility in supporting Ukrainian researchers and innovators, with initiatives like the European Innovation Council's EUR20million action, which provides direct funding to support the Ukrainian innovation community. Additionally, the Marie Skłodowska-Curie actions have launched a dedicated EUR 25 million scheme to support displaced doctoral candidates and post-doctoral researchers from Ukraine, allowing them to continue their research activities in Europe. The European Research Council has also appealed to its grantees to provide temporary employment to refugee researchers and support staff from Ukraine. These funding actions demonstrate the EU's commitment to supporting research and innovation efforts in times of crisis and highlight the crucial role of innovation in addressing complex challenges. Looking ahead, continued investment in research and innovation will be essential for fostering resilience and driving sustainable solutions to global issues. 
• In addition to addressing immediate crises, the EU’s research and innovation efforts are crucial for advancing the green and digital transitions. Funding actions under programs like Horizon Europe play a significant role in accelerating progress towards these transitions. For example, research and innovation funded activities focused on renewable energy, sustainable agriculture and circular economy practices contribute to the green transition by reducing carbon emissions and promoting environmental sustainability. Similarly, investments in digital technologies, such as artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and digital infrastructure, support the digital transition by enhancing connectivity, efficiency, and innovation across various sectors. By funding initiatives that drive innovation in both green and digital domains, Horizon Europe is paving the way for a more sustainable and technologically advanced future. The Horizon Europe programme plays a crucial role in advancing the green transition by addressing key environmental challenges such as climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution. One significant focus area is the preservation and restoration of ocean ecosystems, which are vital for the planet’s resilience. Through Horizon Europe, research is conducted to restore degraded ecosystems, reverse biodiversity loss and enhance climate change adaptation. Innovations in blue bioeconomy and biotechnology are explored, offering promising solutions for marine ecosystem regeneration. Moreover, Horizon Europe supports sustainable fisheries and aquaculture through digital technologies, contributing to the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development and global biodiversity frameworks. 
• Furthermore, farmers and foresters, who manage a significant portion of the EU’s land, are pivotal in the green transition. Horizon Europe engages these stakeholders to develop sustainable land management practices aligned with the EU’s climate ambitions. Research efforts focus on tools and solutions to adapt to changing environmental conditions and promote sustainable agriculture and forestry. By integrating projects funded by Horizon Europe with the common agricultural policy network, impactful solutions are deployed to support the transition to greener practices. 
• In addition, the global food system faces numerous challenges, exacerbated by climate change and recent crises. Horizon Europe drives research to accelerate the transition to sustainable food systems, addressing issues such as food waste prevention, alternative proteins and microbiome research. By aligning with the EU Green Deal and the farm-to-fork strategy, Horizon Europe targets sustainable food consumption and production from farm to fork. Investments in research foster systemic approaches to transform food systems, promoting fairness, health , sustainable agriculture practices and environmental sustainability. 
• Moreover, Horizon Europe contributes to the green transformation of health and care systems, ensuring they remain resilient amid environmental and health challenges. Biomedical research supported by Horizon Europe explores therapeutic approaches for post-COVID-19 health conditions and strengthens healthcare systems’ resilience and quality. Initiatives like the co-funded partnership on transforming health and care systems address these challenges, enhancing the competitiveness and resilience of the EU’s economy and industry while addressing strategic dependencies. Through these concerted efforts, Horizon Europe drives innovation and research to foster a sustainable and resilient future for Europe and the world. 
• The Strategic Technologies for Europe Platform initiative, adopted by the Commission on 20June 2023, aims to bolster Europe’s technological leadership and resilience by supporting investments in critical technologies in the sectors of digital technologies and deep tech innovation, clean and resource efficient technologies and biotechnologies. Horizon Europe, particularly through the European Innovation Council, plays a significant role in supporting the goals of Strategic Technologies for Europe Platform and plays an important role in its implementation.  
• One of the main challenges identified by European scale-up companies and investors is the later-stage financing gap in Europe in critical sectors, particularly for high-risk, deep technologies. The European Innovation Council Fund addresses this gap, but evidence shows that the European Innovation Council instrument is highly oversubscribed, with a low overall success rate close to 5%. To meet the needs of companies requiring larger investment amounts for developing breakthrough technologies, the Strategic Technologies for Europe Platform proposed a new compartment of the European Innovation Council Fund providing unprecedented equity investments ranging from EUR 15 to 50 million, which would have been supported through a budgetary reinforcement of EUR 2.63 billion (including EUR 2.13 billion from redeployments and de-commitments). The Council and Parliament did not approve the budgetary reinforcement for the European Innovation Council, but have agreed to increased flexibility in providing equity-only support for companies: the amendments made in February 2024 in the context of the revision of the multiannual financial framework will expand equity-only support for all European Innovation Council projects beyond the Strategic Technologies for Europe Platform, and clarify equity terms to attract other investors. Furthermore, the co-legislators have agreed on the possibility to award Sovereignty Seals as quality labels for projects contributing to Strategic Technologies for Europe Platform objectives, including via proposals assessed through European Innovation Council calls, to facilitate access to EU funding and investment opportunities. 
• By enhancing the European Innovation Council's flexibility to provide equity investments and strengthening funding opportunities via the Sovereignty Seal, Strategic Technologies for Europe Platform strengthens synergies among existing funding instruments, fostering the development of critical technologies in the fields of digital technologies and deep tech innovation, clean and resource -efficient technologies, and biotechnologies. It thereby contributes to Europe’s efforts to maintain and enhance its technological leadership and resilience in strategic sectors. 

Horizon Europe is striving to foster synergies with other EU programmes by the following methods: 

• Combining Horizon Europe funding with other EU, national or regional funding instruments in the same operation, project or initiative in order to achieve greater impact and efficiency (cumulative/ complementary funding).  
• Funding collaboration where projects/initiatives build on each other’s results/resources (sequential synergies). This takes place in the form of upstream synergy, where regional/national initiatives pave the way for joint efforts to apply for Horizon Europe and downstream synergy aiming to enhance the take-up of Horizon Europe and other research results towards the market and concrete deployment.  
• Funding parallel projects that complement each other (complementary parallel projects), which also includes funding to improve the research and innovation capacity to provide the necessary basis for Horizon Europe projects.  
• Securing alternative funding for proposals that have been submitted to a competitive call for proposals under an EU programme and evaluated as complying with all quality requirements of that programme, but which could not be funded due to budgetary constraints. The most prominent example is the Seal of Excellence.  
• Funding excellent Horizon Europe project proposals from Member States by way of transfers from the European Regional Development Fund to Horizon Europe, where budgetary constraints would otherwise prevent them from being selected for support.  

Partnerships and missions are instruments intrinsically set up to create synergies by bringing together EU and associated countries, the private sector, foundations and other stakeholders. Both instruments have a strong commitment to collaborate and build synergies from the start in a proactive manner. Initial examples include cooperation between the EU ‘Carbon-neutral and smart cities’ mission and the partnerships on driving urban transitions, connected and automated driving or Built4People or the ‘Cancer’, ‘Oceans’ and ‘Soil’ missions and the partnership for the risk assessment of chemicals. 

Seal of Excellence: there is no comprehensive overview of the update of the Seal of Excellence due to the lack of a requirement to report to the Commission but according to voluntary reporting more than 30 Seal of Excellence support schemes at both regional and/or national level are implemented in 18 countries. 

Horizon Europe aims to foster collaboration across various research and innovation domains. For instance, initiatives that combine digital technologies (such as data analytics, artificial intelligence or cybersecurity) with sustainable practices (such as renewable energy, circular economy or eco-friendly manufacturing) exemplifies synergies between these horizontal priorities. For instance, the EU ‘Restore our ocean and waters’ mission aims to protect and bring back the health of our ocean and waters by 2030 through research and innovation, stakeholder (including with citizens) and investment in the blue economy. Under the mission, the EU is developing the European digital twin of the ocean, a digital replica to help scientists understand and predict the impact of human activities and climate change. This powerful tool collates data from EU assets like the Marine Observation and Data Network (EMODnet) and the Copernicus Marine Environment Monitoring Service programmes and feeds it state-of-the-art computer models to simulate the ocean under different scenarios. By building a digital replica, researchers can study the ocean’s past, present and future, which can help inform EU policy and foster new connections between science, business and society. As for specific examples from the 2023-2024 work programme, a call for project relating to cross-sectoral solutions for the climate transition has been issued. This call aims to support research and innovation addressing climate challenges, including climate sciences, mitigation adaptation and more.  

To address the need for further simplification and accessibility within the Horizon Europe programme, a series of actions has been initiated. These measures aim to enhance the user experience and increase the accessibility of Horizon Europe, particularly for newcomers. Some of the key actions include: 

• revamping information and dissemination channels, especially through the EU Funding & Tenders Portal, to provide clearer and more accessible guidance on Horizon Europe; 
• implementing simplified cost options, such as lump sum and unit costs, to streamline financial grant management and make the programme more user-friendly; 
• pilot actions to open the programme to new actors, fostering broader participation and innovation; 
• targeted actions to strengthen the participation of widening countries across all areas of Horizon Europe; 
• restructuring of the European Innovation Council Fund to consolidate its position as the largest technology investor in Europe. 

Additionally, the client centricity project aims to enhance the user experience of the EU Funding & Tenders Portal. Through this project, the portal will undergo a comprehensive revamp, focusing on meeting the needs of its users. Key improvements include artificial-intelligence-powered functionalities for search and recommendations, the introduction of the EU Grants mobile application and the establishment of a centralised newsroom for improved client-centric outreach activities. 

Furthermore, efforts are underway to implement a robust data governance and data quality framework to enhance the reporting of framework programme data and indicators. This includes the implementation of a risk-based data control framework to improve the quality of data on key impact pathways, including the performance indicators.  

MFF 2014-2020 – Horizon 2020

Horizon 2020 – the eighth framework programme funding research, technological development and innovation – was established as a means of putting the EU at the heart of world-class science and innovation, making it more competitive and creating economic growth and new jobs.

Budget implementation

Cumulative implementation rate at the end of 2022 (million EUR):

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Performance assessment

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• Many Horizon 2020 projects are still ongoing, as reflected by the payment rate (9191,6%), which explains why some targets have a deadline after 2020. The Horizon 2020 performance is measured until the last initiatives financed under Horizon 2020 are finished, i.e., several years after the formal end of the programme in 2020. Overall, Horizon 2020 has made good progress towards achieving scientific impacts by improving research and innovation capacity, scientific excellence, and reputation and by integrating research and innovation efforts. The results indicate that, in most areas, Horizon 2020 has achieved its targets or even exceeded them.  
• The initiatives under the programme as far as the ‘Excellent science’ pillar is concerned are very satisfactory. From 2014 to 2020, the share of publications from European Research Council-funded projects among the top 1% most cited has remained high, at about 7%, considerably exceeding the target of 1.8%. Future and emerging technologies have already generated more than 29 publications in peer-reviewed journals per EUR 10 million of funding⁸, and one patent per EUR 10 million of funding⁹, (targets achieved). The Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions scheme has exceeded its target of 65 000 researchers, including 25 000 PhD students. From 2014 to 2020, 115 053 supported researchers have had access to research infrastructures, including e-infrastructures, both remotely and physically, thus far exceeding the target. 
• The initiatives under the ‘Industrial leadership’ pillar have progressed well. In this respect, projects on leadership in enabling and industrial technologies have produced more than 9 000 public–private publications. 197% of participating firms have introduced innovations ‘new to the company or the market’ with the potential to generate scientific breakthroughs, which almost meets the target of 200% (including private companies beyond the beneficiaries involved in the project). 56.65% of SMEs¹⁰ participating to the pillar “Industrial leadership” have introduced innovations new to the company or the market exceeding the target of 50%. As regards patents, the result of 0.63 patent applications per EUR 10 million of funding¹¹ shows that it is progressing slowly towards the target of 3. This is normal since patents are generally filed at the end of projects. The SME instruments have generated around 2 545 jobs at the end of 2020. 
• On the other hand, the ‘Societal challenges’ pillar shows moderate progress. So far, the initiatives under this pillar have generated about 9 910 public–private publications¹² and 83 900 innovations¹³, including prototypes and testing activities. However, the number of peer-reviewed publications in high-impact journals per EUR 10 million of funding and the number of patent applications per EUR 10 million of funding are lower than the respective targets. Nevertheless, we expect to see better performance results following the final reporting, when publications and patents generally start to appear. 
• Overall, the results to date show that 82% of the indicators have achieved their target. However, 18% of the indicators indicate that the progression is not as foreseen. It concerns the productivity of patents and publications peer-reviewed in high-impact journals in the Societal challenges’ and the patents in the ‘Leadership in enabling and industrial technologies’ priorities. There are many factors that can lead to underperformance, and it is important to identify and address these factors to improve research outcomes, where necessary. However, considering that Horizon 2020 is finished, and calls are no longer published, the margin of manoeuvre to make adjustments is very limited, if not impossible. However, the conclusions should be used to steer the performance of the next programme. Some possible explanations for underperformance of the programme are described below. 
• The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on research around the world, leading to delays and disruptions in many researchers’ works. There are several key factors that can help to contextualise and explain the situation. 
  Limited access to research facilities and equipment: Many researchers have been unable to access laboratories, libraries, and other research facilities due to COVID-19-related closures and restrictions. This has made it difficult to carry out experiments, collect data and conduct other research activities, leading to delays and disruptions in research projects. 
  Changes in research priorities: The pandemic has led to changes in research priorities, with many research projects being postponed, cancelled, or redirected to focus on COVID-19-related research. This has affected researchers in all fields, including those who were working on projects that were not directly related to the pandemic. For instance, in the field of health, some Horizon 2020 projects have been reoriented to deal with the emergency. The pandemic-caused disruptions impacted the projects in different ways: for example, a clinical trial cannot be interrupted without serious consequences for the project. On the other hand, a technological development project can be resumed once the crisis has passed, without the need to repeat some research activities. Therefore, significant delays and failures are expected. These factors are beyond the control of individual researchers.  
• Inappropriate targets: It is important to set targets that are challenging but attainable, and to review them regularly to ensure that they remain relevant and achievable. The Horizon 2020 targets for the ‘Leadership in enabling and industrial technologies’ and ‘Societal challenges’ priorities were set in 2011 (1) in the context of the Commission proposal for the Horizon 2020 regulation as mentioned in the 2014 EU draft budget, with reference to the previous performance of the EU’s Seventh Framework Programme. At that time, less than 10% of Seventh Framework Programme projects had started to produce results as the programme was still running (2007-2013). As the full data were not available when the targets for Horizon 2020 were set, the level of performance of the Seventh Framework Programme was not representative, therefore this made difficult to set realistic targets for Horizon 2020. Moreover, as regards the indicator ‘Publications in peer-reviewed high impact’, at that time, the target was estimated based on data collected on peer-reviewed publications but not restricted to the 'high-impact' ones.  
• As mentioned in the ex-post evaluation of Horizon 2020 14, another element to be considered is the inherent nature of R&I investments, which often require a lengthy period to yield exploitable results. As shown by the analysis of the long-term effectiveness of FP7, R&I programmes need a longer cycle to demonstrate their impacts. This lesson was identified in the interim evaluation, so the ex-post evaluation follows up on FP7 outputs. Notably, IPR performance can only be fully assessed up to ten years after project completion. 
• Design of Horizon 2020: Another aspect to be considered is the design of Horizon 2020 in comparison to the Seventh Framework Programme. In Horizon 2020, a large part of basic research is covered by the pillar ‘Excellence’, aiming to reinforce and extend the excellence of the EU’s science base. The part focused on societal challenges has therefore moved away from basic/frontier research towards applied research. Moreover, it is not uncommon for grants under the pillar ‘Excellence’, like the European Research Council grants, to produce more scientific publications than in applied research. Basic research often involves the development of new concepts, theories, and models that can have wide-ranging implications for a particular field. This can lead to a greater number of publications, as researchers seek to build on and refine these ideas. Applied research, on the other hand, often involves the testing and application of existing theories and concepts to real-world problems. While this can lead to important discoveries and advancements, it may not always result in as many publications as basic research. This hypothesis is supported by the fact that the overall performance in terms of publication peer reviewed per EUR 10 million funded by Horizon 2020 is higher than that of the Seventh Framework Programme. 
• As a result, on one hand the pandemic has affected the research projects, such as causing delays in data collection or changes to funding priorities. On the other hand, the timing of target-setting for Horizon 2020 lead to inappropriate targets for Horizon 2020. Therefore, these specific factors contribute to explain the perceived underperformance.  
• Following the recommendations by the Internal Audit Service on the performance framework and to ensure the quality of data, a deep analysis on the Horizon 2020 data was initiated for the performance indicators. After internal investigations, we noticed that the methodology to extract the data needed to be revised to ensure accuracy and reliability. The data collection method has been revised to be more accurate. However, to allow the possibility to compare with past performance figures for Horizon 2020 and to ensure alignment with the methodology used in the ex-post evaluation of Horizon 2020 and, it has been decided to keep using the same methodology for the indicators reported in the above table.  
• For Horizon Europe, the new methodology which provides more reliable information data is being implemented to report on the performance. To set the target of Horizon Europe indicators the new methodology has been used to extract Horizon 2020 data, as described in the metadata of the relevant Horizon Europe indicators.  

Contribution to the sustainable development goals