The Council adopted several positions as regards the different aspects of the Horizon 2020: new framework programme for research and innovation (2014-2020) which will replace the EU’s 7th Research Framework Programme which ends in 2013.
The progression of the situation is as follows:
On 31 May 2012, the Council reached an agreement on a partial general approach on the "Horizon 2020 framework programme". On that occasion, the Council also took note of a report on the progress made concerning the other three parts of the package: the specific programme implementing Horizon 2020, the rules of participation in research projects and the Euratom programme.
On 10 October 2012, the Council reached an agreement on a partial general approach on the rules for participation, and on an amended regulation of the EIT.
On 11 December 2012, the Council reached an agreement on a partial general approach on : (i) the draft decision establishing the Specific Programme implementing Horizon 2020; (ii) a proposal to define the content of the strategic innovation programme of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) for the period 2014-2020.
Specific Programme implementing actions under Horizon 2020: the agreement is based on a compromise text put forward by the Presidency. The debate focused on two key aspects of the proposal: the processes and practices to close the research and innovation gap between European regions in order to better address the objectives of the European Research Area, and finding the most suitable governance structure while maintaining the objectives of simplification.
Outstanding issues
- Comitology: one delegation would like the threshold on the approval of the funding of indirect actions to be below EUR 2.5 million, while another would like the approval of all funding actions for Societal Challenge 6 to be approved by the Committee regardless of the threshold. Another delegation still maintains its scrutiny reservation on delegated acts in regards to financial instruments.
- Widening participation and closing the innovation divide: discussion concerned the following: (i) the concept of teaming of excellent research institutions and low performing RDI regions, mainly with regard to the (financial) support that may be provided by the Commission and at what stage this support is given ; (ii) the addition of an action on the participation of additional partners in on-going projects ; (iii) the introduction of a reference for monitoring the impact of various features of the funding system on the participation as well as references to gender, sector and geographical balance of appointed independent experts.
- Societal Challenge 7: discussions were based on: (i) the references to military and defence aspects of research; (ii) the addition of references to "coherence" with the European Space Agency and other actors, in addition to the concept of complementarity.
The Commission fully reserves its position on the entire compromise proposal. Its reservations pertain mainly to: all comitology aspects, in particular the approval of individual projects (with or without threshold) and the Horizon 2020 governance structure, as well as the interlinkages between Horizon 2020 and COSME and the related threshold on loan guarantees of less than EUR 150 000.
European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT): the EIT strategic innovation agenda includes an overview of the activities planned for the next seven years, in particular, the priority fields for the new Knowledge and Innovation Communities (KICs) and their selection and designation. Its main themes are:
- added-value manufacturing
- Food4future - sustainable supply chain from resources to consumers
- innovation for healthy living and active ageing
- raw materials – sustainable exploration, extraction, processing, recycling and substitution
- smart secure societies
- urban mobility.
It is proposed to set up new KICs in two waves: in 2014 and after 2017, subject to a positive review.
Euratom programme: the Council also took note of a report on the progress made regarding the Euratom proposal complementing Horizon 2020 in the field of nuclear research.
The successive positions within the Council on the various strands of Horizon 2020 will facilitate the start of negotiations with the European Parliament with a view to achieving a first-reading agreement on the whole package in the course of 2013.