REPORT FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL Ex post evaluation of Horizon 2020, the EU framework programme for research and innovation
Date: 2024-01-29
Institutions: Directorate-General for Research and Innovation, European Commission
Subjects: EU programme, EU research policy, Framework Programme for Research and Development, economic consequence, innovation, research and development, research expenditure (EU), scientific cooperation, social impact, sustainable development

EN 

  EN 

   EUROPEAN COMMISSION  Brussels, 29.1.2024  COM(2024) 49 final  REPORT FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL Ex post evaluation of Horizon 2020, the EU framework programme for research and innovation  {SEC(2024) 52 final} - {SWD(2024) 29 final} - {SWD(2024) 30 final}  
 
 
REPORT FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND 
THE COUNCIL 

Ex post evaluation of Horizon 2020, the EU framework programme for research and 
innovation 

1.  INTRODUCTION 

Since  1984,  Europe  has  invested  in  research  and  innovation  (R&I)  to  give  the  continent  a 
competitive edge, resilience and technological independence. Horizon 2020, the EU's eighth 
framework  programme  for  R&I,  was  a  major  initiative  to  boost  this  long-term  investment. 
Spanning from 2014 to 2020, it was endowed with a budget of EUR 75.6 billion. 

The  aim  of  this  report  is  to  present  the  findings  of  the  final  evaluation1  of  Horizon  2020, 
building on the interim evaluation of 2017. 

Horizon 2020’s  core mission  was to  drive  economic growth  and create jobs  by  synergising 
R&I  and  putting  a  strong  emphasis  on  excellent  science,  industrial  leadership  and  tackling 
societal  challenges.  The  programme  garnered  immense  interest,  attracting  over  1  million 
individual applications from 177 countries over seven years. It funded almost 35 000 projects 
involving 40 000 organisations. Given this extensive reach, it would have needed an additional 
EUR 159 billion to fund all the high-quality proposals submitted. 

This evaluation looks into the impacts of Horizon 2020. It also assesses the efficiency of the 
programme,  its  coherence  with  other  initiatives,  relevance  to  societal  needs  and  the  overall 
added value it provides the EU. 

The evaluation is underpinned by an extensive body of evidence, including: 

(i) 

(ii) 
(iii) 
(iv) 

over  1 000  interviews  with  beneficiaries,  national  authorities  and  implementing 
bodies; 
a survey including both successful and unsuccessful applicants; 
a mix of quantitative and qualitative evaluation methods; 
a stakeholder consultation that attracted 1 818 replies. 

2.  WHAT IMPACT DID THE PROGRAMME HAVE? 

In  line  with  its  foundational  objectives,  Horizon  2020  was  instrumental  in  nurturing  a 
society and economy rooted in knowledge and innovation. It played a key role in mobilising 
additional R&I funding and it made a significant contribution to the EU’s target of investing 
3%  of  Gross  Domestic  Product  (GDP)  in  research  and  development  (R&D)  by  2020. 
Nevertheless, Horizon 2020 investments only accounted for 10% of public R&D expenditure 
in  the  EU,  with  the  majority  of  funding  originating  from  the  Member  States  and  regional 
bodies. By the end of 2020, the EU’s investment in R&D had risen to 2.32% of GDP, a 15% 
increase since the programme was first launched (2.02%). 

1  Under  Article 32(4)  of  Regulation  (EU)  No 1291/2013  of  the  European  Parliament  and  of  the  Council  of 
11 December 2013 establishing Horizon 2020 - the Framework Programme for Research and Innovation (2014-
2020), complemented by Regulation 1290/2013 and by Council Decision 2013/743. 

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The  programme  also  boosted  other  EU  policies  and  was  crucial  in  the  development  and 
functioning of the European Research Area (ERA).  It demonstrated relevance in meeting 
the needs of society, exhibiting agility and flexibility in responding to emergencies such as the 
Ebola  or  COVID-19  outbreaks.  Horizon  2020  was  pivotal  in  producing  influential  science, 
particularly in guiding global action to tackle climate change. The evaluation underscores that 
it is essential to sustain this action on research and innovation across subsequent framework 
programmes in order to achieve the desired outcomes. It is worth noting that 41% of Horizon 
2020  projects  were  still  running  at  the  time  of  the  final  evaluation,  indicating  that  the 
programme’s impacts are ongoing and continue to yield results. 

The  2017  interim  evaluation  prompted  refinements  to  the  latter  half  of  the  programme, 
including  initiatives  to  enhance  open  science,  boost  international  cooperation,  and  simplify 
programme implementation. The interim evaluation also led to several novelties, such as the 
launch of a pilot for the European Innovation Council for the last years of Horizon 2020 and 
the  introduction  of  EU  Missions  under  the  following  programme,  Horizon  Europe  (2021-
2027). 

2.1 

SCIENTIFIC IMPACT 

Horizon 2020 was strategically designed to strengthen Europe’s scientific and technological 
bedrock by investing in knowledge, skills and infrastructure. These long-term investments are 
critical for the EU’s current and future ability to lead, react or adapt to dynamic changes in 
scientific and technological advancement and the ever-changing socio-economic environment. 

Horizon 2020 was instrumental in driving scientific breakthroughs and pioneering 
advancements in new domains of science and technology. Key examples include: 

• 

the development of experimental personalised cancer vaccines, a significant leap in 
cancer treatment; 

•  supporting the development of the first vaccines against COVID-19, demonstrating the 

programme’s agility and responsiveness to global health emergencies; 

•  using artificial intelligence in protein structure prediction, with profound implications 

for drug discovery; 

•  advances  in  ancient  DNA  dating,  including  discovering  evidence  of  Europe’s  first 

homo sapiens; 

•  breakthroughs  in  chemical  engineering,  composite  materials  (with  applications  in 

clean energy technologies) and quantum mechanics; 

•  capturing the first image of a black hole, a monumental achievement in astrophysics 

opening new avenues for studying the universe’s most mysterious objects. 

Horizon 2020 supported 33 Nobel Prize winners, either before or after they were honoured, 
underlining its significant role in fostering world-class scientific excellence. 

The  programme  outperformed  its  predecessor  programme  (FP7)  on  scientific  output,  as 
evidenced by the number of scientific publications. At the time of evaluation, beneficiaries had 
reported over 276 000 peer-reviewed publications, with 18% stemming from projects that had 
received European Research Council (ERC) grants. This number is still expected to rise as more 
projects  reach  completion.  Notably,  Horizon  2020  publications  are  twice  as  cited  as  the 
global average, and 3.9% rank within the top 1% of the most cited publications worldwide, 
surpassing the performance of major international funders, including the US National Science 
Foundation. 

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Horizon  2020  made  substantial  contributions 
to  scientific  breakthroughs  and 
advancements in nascent domains of science and technology, particularly in medical sciences, 
quantum mechanics, chemical engineering and composite materials. Funding for transnational 
R&I projects enabled significant collaborations that might not have been possible otherwise. 
26%  of  all  Horizon  2020  publications  are  linked  to  new,  rapidly  evolving  research  areas. 
Horizon  2020  allocated  over  EUR  13  billion  to  projects  relevant  for  emerging  digital 
technologies, such as artificial intelligence and quantum computing. 

The  programme  also  had  a  profound  impact  on  knowledge  circulation,  with  82%  of  its 
publications being freely and publicly available online, demonstrating a strong commitment to 
open access. This figure marks a significant increase from 65% at the start of the programme 
in 2014 and compares favourably with similar international programmes. The trend to provide 
open access has influenced 19 Member States to adopt similar policies. 

Horizon 2020 was pivotal in diversifying and enhancing researchers’ skills and knowledge. 
It also improved their career prospects, particularly benefiting early-career researchers 
such  as  Marie  Skłodowska-Curie  Actions  (MSCA)  fellows,  ERC  Starting  and  Consolidator 
grantees, FET grantees and junior members of teams supported by ‘Spreading Excellence and 
Widening Participation’ projects. With nearly 50 000 researchers supported in cross-sector and 
cross-country mobility, the programme is on track to achieve its targets on researcher mobility, 
mainly via MSCA. Erasmus+ and Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions were exemplary in making 
synergies between EU programmes, promoting mobility, training and career development for 
students and researchers. 

In addition, the Horizon 2020 programme enabled the EU to develop and upgrade large-scale 
research  infrastructure  at  both  European  and  global  level.  Over  24 000  researchers  and 
organisations gained access to these infrastructures, expanding opportunities for collaborative 
work  and  scientific  advancements.  The  Leadership  in  Industrial  Technologies  (LEIT) 
programme  facilitated  access  to  technology  infrastructure  such  as  European  Digital 
Innovation  Hubs  and  open  innovation  test  beds,  enabling  companies  to  test  innovations  in 
realistic conditions. Another important development was the deployment of common research 
infrastructure under the roadmap for the European Strategy Forum on Research Infrastructures. 
These  are  noteworthy  achievements,  though  the  evaluation  suggests  that  greater  synergies 
could be made between EU, national and regional programmes for research infrastructure, 
in particular to ensure their operations are sustainable. 

2.2 

SOCIETAL IMPACT 

Horizon  2020  bolstered  research  and  innovation  with  the  aim  of  tackling  key  societal 
challenges  including  health,  food  security,  energy,  transport,  environmental  sustainability, 
climate  action,  inclusive  societies  and  security.  The  programme’s  contributions  to  these 
challenges  are  significant  not  just  in  scope  but  also  in  depth,  impacting  multiple  facets  of 
society and the global environment. 

A prime example is Horizon 2020’s crucial role in advancing our understanding of climate 
change. Its investments, building on the foundations laid by FP7, have been influential, with 
10% of all scientific publications cited by the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change 
(IPCC) originating from these two programmes. 

Horizon 2020 has also been instrumental in supporting the development of practical solutions 
for  climate  action.  A  prime  example  is  the  progress  made  in  alternative  and  low-emission 

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fuels. Pioneering work under FP7 and Horizon 2020 propelled the EU to the forefront of testing 
and deploying hydrogen fuel cells in buses, and is driving innovation on low-emission air travel 
anticipated for 2030. 

In  terms  of  investments  in  sustainable  development,  Horizon  2020  exceeded  its  target  of 
60%, allocating 64.4% of its total budget to these initiatives. However, despite the significant 
contributions  to  climate  action,  the  programme  fell  short  of  its  35%  budgetary  target  for 
climate-specific  topics,  concluding  with  a  final  allocation  of  32%.  This  underscores  the 
importance of continuing the focus on and monitoring of similar targets under Horizon Europe 
to ensure that future initiatives align more closely with the set objectives. 

Horizon  2020  made  significant  contributions  to  societal  impacts  in  numerous  areas, 
demonstrating its wide-ranging influence and effectiveness 

• Climate science. Horizon 2020 and its predecessor programme FP7 were the second largest 
provider of climate science in the world. 

•  Health  research.  The  programme  demonstrated  adaptability  in  responding  to  emerging 
health crises. It responded promptly by launching specific calls for proposals during the Ebola 
and Zika epidemics, and even greater agility in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

• COVID-19 research. Collectively, Horizon 2020 and FP7 are recognised as the third most 
frequently  acknowledged  funding  sources  for  COVID-19  related  research  in  the  world, 
indicating their significant role in pandemic research and response. 

•  Rare  diseases.  The  programme  funded  research  to  gain  a  deeper  understanding  of  rare 
diseases and fostered the development of related therapies, contributing to advancements in 
personalised medicine and patient care. 

• Sustainable fishing. By improving fishing methods and reducing discards, Horizon 2020 has 
contributed  to  more  sustainable  fishing  practices,  balancing  economic  interests  with 
environmental conservation. 

•  Smart  electricity  grid.  The  programme  supported  the  development  of  a  smart  European 
electricity grid, funding projects that focus on automation, energy storage integration and the 
adoption of renewable energy sources to aid the transition to a more sustainable energy system. 

• Urban transport. Horizon 2020 played a role in improving urban transport by supporting 
sustainable  urban  mobility  plans,  including  well-designed  parking  measures  and  cycling 
infrastructure to help improve urban liveability and sustainability. 

•  Human-centric  industrial  technologies.  The  programme  supported  the  development  of 
solution addressing the human aspects of digital transformation. This included, for instance, 
development of  safe and user-friendly robotics, which are essential in the context of increasing 
adoption of digital technologies in manufacturing. 

• Culture and cultural heritage. Horizon 2020 improved the accessibility and inclusiveness 
of  cultural  spaces,  enriching  cultural  heritage  experiences  and  giving  access  to  a  broader 
audience. 

• Security. The programme helped make Europe more secure by supporting crime prevention 
and  counter  terrorism  initiatives,  improving  border  surveillance  and  improving  disaster 
resilience. 

EU society faces a wide range of complex challenges, for which R&I activities involving social 
sciences  and  humanities  disciplines,  such  as  sociology,  economics,  psychology,  political 
science, history, and cultural sciences, are essential. These disciplines are key to gain a deeper 
understanding  of  and  effective  response  to  complex  societal  issues.  Compared  to  previous 

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programmes,  Horizon  2020  significantly  increased  the  role  played  by  social  sciences  and 
humanities  disciplines,  allocating  over  20%  of  its  budget  to  related  topics,  evidence  of  its 
commitment to interdisciplinary research. 

However, the evaluation revealed that the level of integration of social sciences and humanities 
was  uneven  across  different  parts  of  the  programme.  This  echoes  the  suggestions  for 
improvement noted in the interim evaluation of Horizon 2020. In response, the Horizon Europe 
programme was adjusted to bring in new measures to integrate social sciences and humanities 
in  a  more  robust  manner.  Proposals  now  receive  lower  evaluation  scores  if  they  fail  to 
sufficiently incorporate social sciences and humanities disciplines where it was identified as 
relevant. 

Another  key  challenge  identified  under  Horizon  2020  is  the  long  timespan  required  for 
projects to demonstrate their societal impacts, which complicates monitoring and evaluation 
processes. Experience has shown that monitoring arrangements were too narrow in scope, 
limiting the ability to capture the full spectrum of societal impacts. In addition, the design of 
indicators was found to be weak, hindering the effective assessment of outcomes. To remedy 
these shortcomings, concerted efforts are made to improve data availability and improve the 
monitoring framework under Horizon Europe. 

2.3 

ECONOMIC IMPACT 

Horizon  2020  made  a  significant  contribution  to  the  European  economy,  not  only  by 
stimulating employment and economic output growth, but also by leveraging other funds 
and  raising  the  productivity  of  the  companies  involved.  It  also  led  to  the  development  of 
thousands of innovation outputs. The list of these results is not yet final, as a significant share 
of the projects supported by the programme was not yet completed at the time of evaluation and 
continue to yield results. 

On top of its nominal budget, Horizon 2020 contributed to increasing R&D spending in 
Europe by attracting co-investment from both, the public and private sectors. For each 
euro spent from the Horizon 2020 budget, project participants brought in EUR 0.23 of their 
own resources to run the projects. The programme was especially effective in the private for-
profit sector, where for every euro of Horizon 2020 funding, project participants invested an 
additional  EUR 0.57.  The  highest  degree  of  financial  leverage  was  achieved  in  European 
partnerships: in joint undertakings, private partners’ contributions with resources (in cash 
or in kind) more than doubled or even tripled the volume of EU funding. 

In  addition,  Horizon  2020  grants  had  a  positive  effect  on  revenue  and  employment  for 
participating  companies,  compared  to  firms  with  similar  characteristics  that  did  not  receive 
funding. 

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Horizon 2020 has not only been a catalyst for scientific and technological advancements, 
but  also  a  significant  driver  of  economic  growth.  The  wider  economic  effects  of  the 
programme, as assessed through macroeconomic models, are substantial. 

• GDP. The programme is  estimated to  contribute an average annual  increase of EUR 15.9 
billion to EU GDP, totalling an impressive EUR 429 billion over the period 2014-2040. 

• Employment. Horizon 2020 is also expected to have had a notable impact on job creation, 
with a net gain in employment levels reaching around 220 000 employees at its peak. 

The  long-term  economic  effects  of  Horizon  2020  are  subject  to  varying  interpretations 
depending on the assumptions underpinning different macroeconomic models. Some models 
suggest that the effects are mainly concentrated in the implementation phase of the programme; 
other models project that these benefits will continue and potentially increase over time. 

Horizon 2020 has had a significant impact on the economic performance of participating 
firms in several key areas. 

•  Employment  Growth:  Participating  firms  experienced  an  average  increase  of  20%  in 
employment growth compared to unsuccessful applicants.  

• Output Growth: These firms also saw an average increase of 30% in turnover and total assets 
growth, again compared to those who did not receive funding. 

•  Private-sector  funding.  For  each  euro  invested  in  private  for-profit  participants,  the 
programme leveraged an additional EUR 0.57 in funding from the private sector. 

•  Investment  in  intangible  assets.  Participating  firms  demonstrated  a  higher  propensity  to 
invest in intangible assets than unsuccessful applicants. 

to 

Horizon  2020  has  significantly  contributed 
intellectual  property  rights  (IPR) 
developments, with its beneficiaries declaring close to 4 000 IPR applications, three quarters 
of which are for patents, followed by 12% for trademarks. Given the often lengthy patenting 
process,  Horizon  2020  IPR  figures  are  expected  to  increase  significantly  even  after  the 
programme ends. A long-term analysis has shown that patents stemming from FP7 not only 
exceed  the  global  average  in  economic  value  but  also  have  a  clear  tendency  to  be 
interdisciplinary.  In  addition,  some  40%  of  patents  self-declared  by  participants  of  the 
Leadership in Enabling and Industrial Technologies (LEIT) programme part have contributed 
to  key  enabling  technologies,  including  photonics,  and  to  micro-  and  nanoelectronics.  The 
Societal Challenges pillar has generated some 20% of all innovations under Horizon 2020 and 
the Excellent Science pillar has contributed 31%, albeit mostly at a lower level of technological 
readiness. 

The  Horizon  Innovation  Radar,  a  tool  for  identifying  high-potential  innovation  in  the 
programme, suggests that Horizon 2020 funded potentially ground-breaking technological 
innovations.  The  most  ready-to-market  innovations  have  emerged  from  the  Industrial 
Leadership pillar, particularly under the LEIT projects. These projects have shown a higher 
propensity  for  market-ready  innovations,  especially  in  areas  such  as  emerging  digital 
technologies, high-performance computing and advanced materials. 

The interim evaluation of Horizon 2020 identified a notable gap in venture and growth capital 
in the EU to scale up innovation. To help bridge this gap, a pilot started to run the European 
Innovation Council (EIC) in the last three years of Horizon 2020. Early indications show that 
the EIC pilot had a positive impact on the turnover and staffing levels of its beneficiaries. 
It also tackled a critical funding gap in high-risk areas where limited alternatives are available 
at national and regional levels. In comparison to countries with similar support structures, the 

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EIC stands out as the only initiative offering enough breadth and funding to support deep-tech 
companies. 

Organisations funded by the programme showed a higher capacity to attract more risk capital 
than non-funded applicants, though estimates vary. In particular, small and medium-sized 
enterprises (SMEs) participating in the LEIT part of the programme were successful in drawing 
equity investments four times higher than the EU contribution they received. The InnovFin 
financial facility, managed by the European Investment Bank group and supported by EUR 3.7 
billion in Horizon 2020 funding, was successful in mobilising private finance for innovative 
start-ups and other  ecosystem players in  Europe. It leveraged  EUR 77.5 billion in  debt  and 
equity for over 38 000 organisations, well above its targets, and fostered the development of 
venture capital ecosystems and networks.  

Although Horizon 2020 made progress in bridging the gap between high-quality European 
research  and  market  innovation,  it  has  not  fully  closed  this  long-standing  gap.  Measures 
tracking  the  spread  of  innovation  suggest  that  the  EU  improved  its  performance  during  the 
Horizon 2020 implementation period but still trails behind its main international competitors 
on  this  aspect.  Horizon  Europe,  particularly  through  the  EIC,  renewed  the  effort  to  bring 
innovations to the market.  

3.  WHO HAS BENEFITED FROM PROGRAMME FUNDING? 

Horizon 2020 has had a significant impact on the research and innovation landscape, benefiting 
a diverse range of participants, from scientists and researchers working in higher education 
institutions  to  research  organisations  and  private-for-profit  entities  such  as  small  and  large 
businesses. 

The  programme  launched  over  1 000  calls  for  proposals,  attracting  over  285 000  eligible 
project proposals – double the number received by the predecessor programme, FP7. This surge 
in interest highlights the programme’s appeal and relevance. However, only 35 426 projects 
were funded, resulting in a 12% overall success rate. Notably, 74% of proposals assessed as 
high quality by independent experts could not be funded due to budget constraints. Horizon 
2020, with a budget of EUR 75.6 billion, would have needed an additional EUR 159 billion 
to fund all high-quality proposals. 

To  give  the  excellent  unfunded  proposals  a  greater  chance  to  secure  support  at  national  or 
regional levels, 20 890 of almost 100 000 high quality proposals not selected for funding 
received a Seal of Excellence certificate. Initially applicable only to MSCA or EIC proposals, 
this EU quality label was later extended under Horizon Europe to other programme parts. An 
analysis  from  the  European  Court  of  Auditors  revealed  that  in  three  countries,  26%  SME 
Instrument  proposals  that  received  this  Seal  secured  subsequent  funding  under  European 
Structural  Funds.  However,  Member  States’  lack  of  access  to  information  on  proposals 
awarded with Seals of Excellence was identified as a barrier to maximising their impact.  

In  terms  of  funding  distribution,  collaborative  projects  accounted  for  78%  of  the  funding, 
involving an average of 11 participants in nearly 15 000 projects. Single beneficiary grants 
accounted for 22% of the funding but 59% of all grants, primarily for ERC, MSCA and SME 
instrument. The average grant size under Horizon 2020 increased to EUR 2.3 million from 
EUR 1.8 million under FP7, which constitutes an increase also in real terms. 

Regarding types of beneficiaries, higher education institutions received the largest share of 
funding (40%), followed by private-for-profit organisations (28%) and research organisations 
(25%). SMEs received 17% of the funding, amounting to EUR 11.4 billion. Well-established 
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higher  education  institutions  and  research  organisations  received  a  high  share  of  the 
funding,  showing  a  degree  of  concentration,  but  less  than  under  FP7.  The  top  100 
beneficiaries received 32% of funds (compared to 34% under FP7). However, the programme 
also  attracted  newcomers  (organisations  that  had  not  participated  in  FP7),  in  particular 
smaller private-for-profit entities. Newcomers received 19% of Horizon 2020 funds, rising to 
50% when considering only funding for private companies across the programme. For joint 
undertakings, 19% of all funding went to newcomers. 

Gender equality improved under Horizon 2020, with the share of women in evaluation panels 
reaching 42%, above the 40% target. However, the share of women in scientific advisory panels 
and as researchers in projects remained below the 50% target, at 43% and 23% respectively. In 
response,  Horizon  Europe  was  adjusted  to  integrate  the  gender  dimension  across  the  entire 
programme. 

The programme’s global appeal is evident from the spread of applications from 177 countries. 
Half of all funding went to just four countries (Germany, UK, France and Spain). However, 
smaller countries such as Estonia, Greece, Cyprus, and Latvia saw an impressive performance 
when comparing Horizon 2020 funding to their gross domestic expenditure on R&D. 

Widening countries received an 8% share of the total EU contribution, up slightly from FP7. 
Although  this  may  seem  moderate,  all  these  countries  except  two  have  increased  their 
participation  in  the  programme.  The  evaluation  identified  several  challenges  for  these 
countries, including limited capacity to manage international R&I projects, brain drain, weak 
national support systems and the availability of funding alternatives. In response, the Horizon 
Europe budget for extending country participation tripled to reach 3% and brought in several 
measures  to  enhance  their  involvement,  including  strengthening  the  National  Contact  Point 
system and offering proposal pre-checks and 'brain circulation' grants. 

4.  WHAT WAS THE VALUE OF THE PROGRAMME FOR THE EU? 

Horizon  2020  significantly  enhanced  the  scope  and  quality  of  research  and  innovation  in 
Europe,  achieving  impacts  that  extend  far  beyond  what  could  have  been  achieved  at 
national or regional level. It supported larger-scale, more complex and more ambitious R&I 
activities than would have been possible without EU support. It accelerated the development 
of solutions to pressing global challenges by pooling efforts and resources from across Europe. 
This was evident in the difficulty faced by unsuccessful applicants, many of whom were unable 
to implement their projects or had to make significant modifications, primarily due to the lack 
of alternative funding sources at national or regional level. 

A key strength of Horizon 2020 was its multidisciplinary collaboration and pan-European 
cooperation  on  R&I.  This  approach  proved  effective  in  consolidating  expertise,  skills  and 
resources from multiple countries, creating a critical mass to raise the quality of research 
and  innovation  outputs.  The  competitive  nature  of  the  EU-wide  funding  process  further 
enhanced  quality,  ensuring  that  research  was  conducted  in  areas  of  significant  relevance  to 
European society. 

As detailed in  the section on economic impact,  the programme successfully  leveraged  both 
private and public funding for R&I. It is estimated that every euro invested in Horizon 2020 
will yield five euro of benefits for EU citizens by 2040. This investment contributed to an 
increase  in  the  percentage  of  GDP  allocated  to  R&D,  further  consolidating  the  European 
Research Area. 

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The long-term value of investing in research and innovation through an EU-level framework 
programme  is  clear in  setting  the scientific  and  technological  foundations necessary for the 
EU’s future preparedness and strategic autonomy in responding to crises. This was particularly 
evident  in  the  programme’s  fast  and  effective  response  to  the  COVID-19  outbreak, 
underpinned by long-standing investments in mRNA research. 

5.  HOW EFFICIENT WAS HORIZON 2020? 

Horizon 2020 has demonstrated substantial value-for-money to European society. In terms 
of economic impact, for every euro spent on the programme (in programme costs and costs to 
applicants),  it  is  estimated  to  yield  approximately  five  euro  in  benefits  to  EU  citizens,  as 
measured through its impact on GDP, up to the year 2040. 

A number of simplification measures were effective in reducing the administrative burden 
for  applicants  and  beneficiaries.  Notable  improvements  include  the  use  of  electronic 
signatures  and  the  annotated  model  grant  agreement.  These  changes  helped  accelerate  the 
process to award grants, improved error rates and administrative expenditure that performed 
well  against  benchmarks.  Key  supporting  factors  mentioned  were  the  new  electronic  grant 
management workflow and the elimination of the negotiation stage. However, the evaluation 
suggests  that  further  tightening  the  time-to-grant  target  might  not  be  necessary  as  it  could 
inadvertently increase financial error risks. 

Horizon  2020  marked  a  significant  improvement  in  the  efficiency  of  grant  processing 
compared to its predecessor, FP7: 

• 90% of grants were signed on time, a substantial increase from the 41% rate under FP7. 

• the average time-to-grant period fell to 187 days (excluding ERC grants) from 313 days 
under FP7. This represents a considerable time cost saving for the EU administration and it 
benefited applicants, who were informed earlier and could start their projects at an earlier date.  

Despite  these  advancements,  the  evaluation  does  not  present  an  overall  positive  picture 
regarding  the  programme’s  error  rate.  The  European  Court  of  Auditors  pointed  out  that, 
particularly in operational expenditure and personnel costs, the level of error remains high and 
often avoidable.  

Looking ahead, there is scope to improve the efficiency of the EU framework programme. 
Many stakeholders have indicated that participating in Horizon 2020 requires more effort than 
for  other  research  and  innovation  funding  programmes.  This  is  significant  given  the 
programme’s relatively low success rate, as it means that a considerable share of the application 
cost represents a net loss to EU society. Any effective measure that reduces these costs has a 
strong potential to improve programme efficiency. 

6.  CONCLUSIONS AND LESSONS LEARNED 

The  evaluation  concludes  that  Horizon  2020  significantly  contributed  to  building  an  EU 
society and economy rooted in knowledge and innovation. By leveraging additional R&I 
funding, it supported not only the implementation of other EU policies but also played a crucial 
role in achieving and maintaining the European Research Area. Horizon 2020’s relevance to 
societal needs was evident in its rapid and flexible response to emergency situations such 
as the Ebola and COVID-19 outbreaks, and its influential role in global efforts to tackle climate 

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change.  The  evaluation  underscores  the  need  to  sustain  action  across  multiple  framework 
programmes to achieve these outcomes. 

While  Horizon  2020  met  some  of  its  targets  or  key  performance  indicators,  it  did  not 
achieve  all  of  them.  This  partial  success  can  be  attributed  to  the  inherent  nature  of  R&I 
investments, which often require a lengthy period to yield usable results. Many projects are 
still  ongoing  and  there  were  also  shortcomings  in  the  initial  setup  of  the  programme’s 
indicators. Despite these challenges, the evaluation confirms that the results produced with 
Horizon 2020 funding are of high value. 

The interim evaluation of Horizon 2020 led to some significant adjustments in the latter half 
of the programme. New measures to increase open science have borne fruit and the level of 
international participation was maintained. Further improvements, such as promoting women’s 
participation, better integrating social sciences and humanities and reducing the administrative 
burden  have  been  carried  forward  and  reinforced  under  Horizon  Europe.  In  addition,  the 
monitoring and evaluation framework has been revised to better track impact over time. The 
effectiveness of these measures will be closely examined in the interim evaluation of Horizon 
Europe. 

This final evaluation of Horizon 2020 highlighted several key areas for further improvement, 
providing insights that will feed into future enhancements. 

•  Broadening participation. There is scope to broaden participation in the programme. It 
would  involve  engaging  with  non-traditional  players  from  multiple  sectors,  scientific 
disciplines and countries. While national reforms of R&I systems can influence readiness 
for European-level project participation, the programme itself can be improved by greater 
simplification, visibility and accessibility. 

•  Further simplification needed. The programme can benefit from a targeted use of the 
two-stage application process, especially in areas with low success rates and a high volume 
of  unsuccessful  applicants.  Extending  the  use  of  the  Seal  of  Excellence  certification 
scheme could also enable more applications to be reused for other programmes, reducing 
wasted effort. There is also further potential for simplification in extending the monitored 
use of lump-sum funding, as well as in improving outreach, information dissemination, 
and the user experience of programme tools. 

•  Dissemination, exploitation and deployment of results. The process of disseminating, 
exploiting  and  deploying  project  results  has  been  uneven  and  requires  more  attention. 
Horizon Europe encourages applicants to give greater thought to the pathway to impact in 
their  applications.  Improvements  are  also  needed  to  ensure  the  visibility,  spread  and 
practical use of project results to unlock broader economic and societal benefits. 

•  Supporting women in research and innovation. Despite efforts, it remains a challenge 
to achieve gender balance in research, entrepreneurship and innovation. Stronger measures 
are needed to support women researchers, entrepreneurs and innovators both Europe-wide 
or within the framework programme. 

•  Unlocking more synergies with other initiatives. Synergies with other EU, national and 
regional initiatives could be strengthened, particularly to support the uptake and use of 
project results. This includes better alignment to ensure the smooth operation of research 
infrastructures. 

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7.  NEXT STEPS 

The insights and key conclusions drawn from this final evaluation of Horizon 2020 are set to 
play a crucial role not only in shaping the ongoing implementation of Horizon Europe, but also 
in  influencing  policy  development  for  future  research  and  innovation  initiatives.  This  will 
ensure that the lessons learned from Horizon 2020 are effectively integrated into current and 
future programmes to further improve their efficiency, relevance and impact on Europeans. 

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