PURPOSE: to establish the specific programme implementing Horizon Europe - the framework programme for research and innovation.
PROPOSED ACT: Decision of the European Parliament and of the Council.
ROLE OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT: the European Parliament decides in accordance with the ordinary legislative procedure and on an equal footing with the Council.
BACKGROUND: while the proposal for a Regulation establishing the framework programme for research and innovation ‘Horizon Europe’ for the period 2021-2027 sets out the general and specific objectives of Horizon Europe, the structure and the broad lines of activities to be carried out, this proposal for a Decision aims to define the operational objectives and the activities which are specific to parts of Horizon Europe.
The Horizon Europe proposal is in line with the Commission proposal on the next multiannual financial framework (MFF) for the period 2021-2027. The proposal is framed by the premise that research and innovation (R&I) delivers on citizens’ priorities, boosts the Union’s productivity and competitiveness, and is crucial for sustaining our socio-economic model and values, and enabling solutions that address challenges in a more systemic way.
CONTENT: the proposal for a Decision seeks to establish the specific programme implementing Horizon Europe - the framework programme for research and innovation. It lays down the operational objectives of the specific programme, the budget for the period 2021 – 2027, the rules for implementation of the specific programme and activities to be carried out under this programme.
Horizon Europe is comprised of 3 pillars, namely:
- Pillar I ‘Open Science’ which builds on the success of the European Research Council, the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions and the Research Infrastructures component in the current framework programme.
- Pillar II ‘Global issues and industrial competitiveness’ includes five thematic clusters that address the full spectrum of global challenges through top-down collaborative R&I activities: (i) health; (ii) inclusive and secure society; (iii) digital and industry; (iv) climate, energy and mobility; (v) food and natural resources. A small number of missions with specific goals will be launched from within the pillar.
- Pillar III ‘Open Innovation’ which essentially consists of: (i) scaling up breakthrough and market-creating innovation through a new European Innovation Council; (ii) activities aiming at enhancing and developing the overall European innovation landscape, including support to the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT).
Strategic planning: the implementation of Horizon Europe shall be steered by an inclusive and transparent strategic planning process of the research and innovation activities the programme will fund. The strategic planning exercise shall lay out a multiannual strategy for the development of work programme content, though it will remain sufficiently flexible to respond rapidly to unexpected needs and crises.
This proposal lays down specific provisions for the programming and implementation of the framework programme, in particular for:
(1) Missions (under the global issues and industrial competitiveness pillar): these missions shall be co-designed and decided as part of the Horizon Europe strategic planning process, which shall include collaboration between the relevant Commission services, Member States, the European Parliament and relevant stakeholders.
The first few missions shall be introduced in the first strategic planning exercise. Based on the first two years' experience, the number and scale of missions may be increased in subsequent work programmes. Whilst the duration of the Union support to missions shall not be expected to exceed 10 years and shall be subject to regular review (through the work programme cycle), the timeframe for expected impact of missions may spread out beyond this timeframe.
For co-designing the missions and steering their implementation, the Commission may set up mission boards whose members shall be appointed by the Commission, following an open call for expressions of interest.
(2) The European Research Council (ERC): the Commission shall establish a European Research Council (ERC) to implement the actions under Pillar I 'Open Science' which relate to the ERC. The ERC shall be composed of the independent Scientific Council and the dedicated implementation structure responsible for the administrative implementation and programme execution. The President shall be appointed by the Commission following a transparent recruitment process involving an independent dedicated search committee, for a term of office limited to four years, renewable once.
(3) The European Innovation Council (EIC): to implement the EIC, the Commission shall establish a high level board (the EIC Board) that shall advise, inter alia, on the overall strategy, objectives, activities, evaluation criteria and selection of experts.
The EIC shall be the sole channel for the Union support to breakthrough market-creating innovation. It shall provide direct tailor-made support to innovators through two main funding instruments – the Pathfinder and the Accelerator – which shall both focus through a mainly bottom-up, high-risk approach on breakthrough innovation; on innovator needs and be pro-actively managed.
(4) Work programmes: the programme shall be implemented by work programmes referred to in Article 110 of Financial Regulation. They shall be prepared following a strategic planning process. Work programmes shall set out, where applicable, the overall amount reserved for blending operations.
(5) Committee procedure: for the implementation of Horizon Europe, the Commission shall be assisted by a committee within the meaning of Regulation (EU) No 182/2011. It would meet in different configurations according to the matter to be discussed.
Proposed budget: the financial envelope for the implementation of the framework programme for the period 2021-2027 shall amount to EUR 94.10 billion in current prices.