Proposal for a REGULATION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL establishing Horizon Europe, the Framework Programme for Research and Innovation, for the period 2028-2034 laying down its rules for participation and dissemination, and repealing Regulation (EU) 2021/695
Date: 2025-07-16
Institutions: Directorate-General for Research and Innovation, European Commission
Subjects: EU programme, EU research policy, Framework Programme for Research and Development, diffusion of innovations, innovation, research and development, scientific cooperation

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   EUROPEAN COMMISSION  Brussels, 16.7.2025  COM(2025) 543 final 2025/0543 (COD)  Proposal for a REGULATION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL establishing Horizon Europe, the Framework Programme for Research and Innovation, for the period 2028-2034 laying down its rules for participation and dissemination, and repealing Regulation (EU) 2021/695 (Text with EEA relevance) {SEC(2025) 555} - {SWD(2025) 555 556}  
 
 
EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM  

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CONTEXT OF THE PROPOSAL 

Reasons and objectives   

This  proposal  establishes  the  tenth  Framework  Programme  for  Research  and  Innovation, 
Horizon  Europe,  a  key  instrument  for  delivering  the  policy  ambitions  outlined  in  the 
Commission’s  proposal  for  the  next  long-term  EU  budget  (2028–2034)  and  the  political 
priorities  for  2024–2029,  as  set  out  in  President  von  der  Leyen’s  guidelines  -  Europe’s 
Choice.   
Building  on  one  of  Europe’s  strongest  brands  and  biggest  R&I  programme  worldwide,  —
Horizon  Europe,  this  proposal  places  research  and  innovation  at  the  heart  of  the  Union’s 
economy  and investment  strategy. It  promotes simplicity and flexibility, enabling faster and 
more  strategic  EU  spending  through  clearer  rules  and  more  transparent  procedures  for 
applicants and stakeholders.   
The  EU  stands  at  a  critical  crossroads.  Climate  change,  technological  disruption,  shifting 
geopolitics,  and demographic trends  are profoundly  reshaping  our society and economy.  To 
remain  competitive,  resilient,  and  united,  Europe  must  prioritise  research  and  innovation. 
Only  by  investing  in  science,  empowering  our  people  and  entrepreneurs,  and  working 
together, we can build a more sustainable, secure, and competitive Europe for all.  
This  imperative is  underlined in  the Draghi  report on the future of EU  competitiveness  that 
placed innovation at  the core of Europe’s  capacity  to  regain  productivity growth.  The Letta 
report on the future of the single market, and the report of the Commission Expert Group on 
the  interim  evaluation  of  Horizon  Europe  also  highlighted  the  need  for  the  EU  to  increase 
efforts to innovate for its competitiveness, sustainability, and security.  
Europe needs to increase its investments in innovation and address its weaknesses that begin 
with obstacles in the pipeline from innovation to commercialisation. Public sector support for 
R&I  also  needs  to  address  the  shortcomings  of  Europe’s  R&I  ecosystem  and  innovation 
performance both at national and EU levels.   
In  response,  this  proposal  presents  a  simplified  and  refocused  Horizon  Europe  aiming  to 
strengthen the EU’s scientific and technological bases, to boost the circulation and uptake of 
knowledge,  technology  and  innovation,  and  to  leverage  the  EU  funding  instruments  for 
maximum added value, for a catalytic effect on further public and private investments in the 
Member States.   
More specifically, Horizon Europe aims to:  

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promote the core values of scientific freedom and openness;  

increase Europe’s excellent knowledge base by focusing on EU added value;  

improve  research  careers  and  attract  the  best  researchers  in  Europe  and  beyond,  in 
line with the ‘Choose Europe’ approach; 

mobilise  public  and  private  investments  across  the  full  R&I  chain  -  from 
fundamental research to market commercialisation;  

contribute to increase its investments in innovation notably by supporting innovation 
throughout  Europe  and  increasing  coherence  between  EU  funding  schemes  and 
Member States investments;  

harness  the  EU  budget’s  potential  to  reduce  risk  and  unlock  greater  investment 
opportunities. Focus investment  on EU strategic priorities, including  single market, 

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clean  transition,  decarbonisation,  circularity,  digitisation,  security,  resilience  and 
social cohesion; 

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improve  access  to  EU  funding  through  faster,  user-centric,  simplified,  and 
harmonised procedures to broaden participation and accelerate results.  

Following the recommendations of the Draghi report, Horizon Europe will aim to:  

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focus  resources  on  strategic  priorities  while  preserving  the  bottom-up  nature  of 
research;   

increase the potential of public-private partnerships thanks to a simplified landscape;  

increase support for breakthrough innovation; 

simplify access to the programme for beneficiaries.  

The Horizon Europe programme consists of:  

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a  regulation  establishing  the  Framework  Programme  for  Research  and  Innovation 
entitled  ‘Horizon  Europe’  for  the  period  2028-2034  (as  per  Article  182(1)  of  the 
Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union – ‘TFEU’);  

a  Specific  Programme  to  implement  ‘Horizon  Europe’  (as  per  Article  182(3) 
TFEU);  

an associated impact assessment (for the European Competitiveness Fund) and legal 
financial statements.  

Horizon  Europe  will  be  tightly  connected  with  the  regulation  establishing  the  European 
Competitiveness  Fund  (ECF),  to  guarantee  a  seamless  flow  from  fundamental  research  to 
applied research to start-ups to scale-ups, comprising the single rulebook that also applies to 
Horizon Europe. The programme may support dual-use actions. 
A  Specific  Programme  on  defence  research  is  proposed  to  be  established  by  the  regulation 
establishing the European Competitiveness Fund for the period 2028-2034.  
A single act establishing Joint Undertakings will  complement the above proposals, ensuring 
harmonised rules.  
This  proposal  mentions  1  January  2028  as  the  starting  date  of  application  of  the  legislative 
acts.  

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Consistency with existing policy provisions  

‘Horizon Europe’ is consistent with European Union’s existing policy provisions and in line 
with a simpler, more focused and more impactful budget.   
The  Framework  Programme  for  Research  and  Innovation  is  consistent  with  the  European 
Competitiveness Compass, adopted by the Commission in January 2025, which provides a 
roadmap for boosting competitiveness through flagship measures under three transformational 
imperatives:  increase its  investments  in innovation;  a joint roadmap for decarbonisation and 
competitiveness, and reducing excessive dependencies and increasing security.   
Together  with 
the  European  Competitiveness  Fund,  ‘Horizon  Europe’  works  for 
strengthening competitiveness,  resilience, sustainability, technological  leadership, and social 
cohesion.  They  bring  a  major  simplification  both  in  terms  of  number  of  programmes  with 
overlapping  objectives  as  well  as  in  terms  of  simplifying  implementation:  less  red  tape  and 
reporting, more trust, better enforcement and faster permitting. At the same time, the proposed 
architecture  of  the  programme  will  ensure  predictability  and  continuity  in  funding  priorities 

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with  the  necessary  agility  and  flexibility  to  allow  the  Union  to  respond  to  emerging  or 
unforeseen priorities.   
The key role of research and innovation in enhancing competitiveness makes public support 
for  R&I  more  essential  than  ever,  in  particular  at  Union  level  where  its  added  value  is 
undisputed.  EU-wide  collaboration  is  crucial  for  addressing  global  challenges,  especially 
societal and environmental ones. The proposal is fully in line with the Commission’s agenda 
for R&I, and provides incentives to Member States, non-profit sector and the private sector to 
increase  investments  and  join  efforts  to  reach  the  target  of  investing  3%  of  the  Union’s 
GDP on research and development.  
The programme will support the implementation of the Union’s policy objectives, such as the 
Clean Industrial Deal, the AI Continent Action Plan, the Affordable Energy Action Plan, the 
Industrial  Action  Plan  for  the  European  automotive  sector,  the  EU  Startup  and  Scaleup 
Strategy, the Life Science Strategy as well as other ‘Choose Europe’ relevant initiatives.  

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Consistency with other Union policies  

The  proposal  is  fully  consistent  with  the  Union  policies.  In  line  with  the  Commission’s 
priorities, it puts research and innovation at the centre of the economy. It establishes an 
investment capacity to boost new ideas and nurture them to new innovations at the service of 
the European people and beyond.   
R&I  is  critical  to  the  successful  delivery  on  Union  priorities  in  areas  like  health,  digital 
technologies,  clean  industrial  transformation,  circular  economy,  inclusive  and  democratic 
societies,  biodiversity  and  natural  resources,  energy,  mobility,  environment,  food, 
decarbonisation,  preparedness,  space  and  security.  R&I  is  at  the  core  of  enhancing 
productivity and the competitiveness of the Union’s economy.   
R&I  investment  will  be  complementary  and  tightly  connected  with  the  European 
Competitiveness  Fund,  and  in  synergy  with  other  programmes  and  instruments  of  the 
Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF). Complementarity and synergy of R&I support and 
exploitation across the Union's long-term budget and with Member States will be maximised 
through  the  Competitiveness  Coordination  Tool  (CCT)  that  will  align  industrial  and 
research  policies  and  investments  at  EU  and  national  level  around  projects  of  common 
European interest or EU added value.   
Based  on  orientation  of  the  steering  mechanism  for  the  next  MFF  including  the 
Competitiveness  Coordination  Tool,  the  Horizon  Europe  programme  and  the  European 
Competitiveness  Fund  could  finance  a  coherent  sequence  between  research  and  innovation, 
demonstration, development and deployment, focusing efforts and funding, from the EU and 
national, public and private sector of ‘moonshots’ projects with a strong scientific component, 
boosting EU-wide value creation and strategic autonomy (see examples below) .  
Possible ‘moonshots’:  

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Investing  in  the  European  Organization  for  Nuclear  Research’s  (CERN)  Future 
Circular Collider, alongside other CERN’s participating countries. The objective is to 
maintain Europe’s leadership in particle physics research. The funding (up to 20% of 
the overall cost) could come from Horizon Europe.  

Developing  Smart  and  Clean  Aviation  and  European  leadership  in  the  next 
generation CO2-free aircraft and automated air traffic management: It would require 
a  partnership  with  industry,  together  with  a  strong  scientific  and  engineering 
capacity,  supported  by  Horizon  Europe,  but  also  a  robust  industrial  deployment 
component from the Competitiveness Fund.  

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Building the quantum computer for the future: make Europe the first continent with 
quantum  computing  fully  integrated  into  daily  life,  with  applications  from 
personalised  medicine  to  climate  modelling,  and  solving  previously  impossible 
problems for 450 million citizens.  

Developing  and  applying  the  world’s  next  generation  AI.  It  will  be  developed  by, 
with,  and for European scientists  and industry, drawing to  (and keeping  in) Europe 
the world’s best minds. The next generation AI would open scientific and economic 
opportunities well beyond the current AI wave, positioning Europe at the forefront.   

Achieving  critical  research  data  sovereignty  in  Europe:  make  Europe  the  world’s 
most  trusted  home  for  critical  data  for  research,  giving  European  researchers, 
universities, and companies unparalleled competitive advantage in tackling pressing 
global challenges, from climate change to pandemics.  

Developing  automated  transport  and  mobility  in  Europe:  which  will  improve 
transport  safety,  efficiency  of  traffic  flow,  reduce  emissions,  and  allow  for  more 
inclusive transportation.  

Investing  in  innovative  therapies  for  human  regeneration  for  healthier  lives  and  a 
stronger  economy:  capitalise  on  Europe’s  research  excellence  and  expertise  in 
regenerative therapies and substantially strengthen Europe’s health industry, putting 
it in prime position to deliver innovative therapies. These therapies have the potential 
to address diseases that have currently no cure.  

Powering the green transition with fusion energy: the first commercial nuclear fusion 
power  plant,  able  of  generating  safe,  consistent,  and  reliable  electricity  to  power 
homes,  businesses,  and  hard-to-abate  energy  intensive  industries.  Overcome  the 
scientific, engineering and technological challenges necessary for "Europe to be the 
first to put Fusion on the grid by 2034".  

Making  the  Moon  accessible  to  Europeans:  to  achieve  leadership  in  the  space 
economy,  Europe  needs  to  develop  the  next  generation  of  space  transportation  and 
logistics able to deploy and return massive cargo payloads as well as advanced space 
robotics to enable exploration and utilisation of space resources by 2040. 

Towards zero pollution of water in the EU: water resilience calls for building a true 
water-smart  economy  which  secures  sufficient,  clean  and  affordable  water  and 
sanitation to all at all times, including in crises and extreme climate conditions. This 
requires  stimulating  breakthrough  innovation,  market  uptake  and  large-scale  end-
users adoption of e.g. advanced water treatment technologies for removing harmful 
pollutants,  water  efficiency,  technologies  which  enable  sustainable  water  reuse  or 
substitution,  as  well  as  nature-based  solutions  and  desalination  technologies,  to 
ensure  sufficient  and  clean  water  for  industrial  and  domestic  use,  to  protect  and 
restore  good  water  quality  and  availability  to  ecosystems,  and  enhance  the 
competitiveness of EU industries. 

Building a new chapter in the discovery and exploration of our planet’s inner space 
through  developing,  connecting,  governing  and  securing  the  next  generation  of 
European ocean observing technologies and capacities:  from  space and  airborne, to 
floats, vessels and underwater drones and vehicles. Europe needs strategic autonomy 
in all ocean observation infrastructure, data and information services to strengthen its 
leadership in Ocean policies: from protecting and restoring ocean health and boosting 
the  competitiveness  and  sustainability  of  its  blue  economy  to  enhancing  maritime 
security and defence and strengthening EU ocean diplomacy.  

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In  coordination  with  the  European  Competitiveness  Fund,  the  Programme’s  actions  will  be 
used  to  address  market  failures  or  sub-optimal  investment  situations,  in  a  proportionate 
manner,  without  duplicating  or  crowding  out  private  financing  and  have  a  clear  European 
added value. This shall aim at ensuring consistency between the actions of the programme and 
EU State aid rules, avoiding undue distortions of competition in the internal market.  
The  proposal  is  also  fully  consistent  with  the  approach  taken  under  the  European  Semester 
process  of  economic  policy  coordination  in  support  of  structural  reforms  to  improve  the 
quality  and  efficiency  of  national  research  and  innovation  systems  at  three  levels:  firstly, 
through  substantial  investment  in  scientific  and  technological  research  and  innovation; 
secondly, by making the business environment more innovation-friendly and less risk-averse; 
and thirdly, by ensuring that European citizens get supported through what will be a fast and, 
for some, turbulent transition driven by innovation, digitisation and global megatrends such as 
artificial intelligence and the circular economy.   

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LEGAL BASIS, SUBSIDIARITY AND PROPORTIONALITY 

Legal basis  

‘Horizon  Europe’  is  based  on  the  TFEU  Titles  ‘Industry’  and  ‘Research  and  technological 
development and space’ (Articles 173(3) 182(1), 183 and 188, second subparagraph) as well 
as Article 322(1), point (a).  

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Subsidiarity (for non-exclusive competence)  

The Union has a shared (parallel) competence in this area based on Article 4(3) TFEU. First, 
by  enhancing  collaboration  and  integration  across  stakeholders  and  borders,  EU  funding 
breaks  down  national  barriers  and  creates  a  critical  mass  to  address  shared  challenges. 
Second, by addressing market failures and suboptimal investment conditions, and generating 
economic  impact,  the  EU  enhances  economic  resilience,  leverages  private  funds,  attracts 
capital, boosts productivity across the EU, and supports economically beneficial projects that 
might  not  succeed  otherwise.  It  supports  EU-wide  competition,  allowing  to  select  the  best 
scientific  and  innovative  ideas  from  across  the  EU.  Third,  by  strengthening  investment 
directionality  and  pooling  of  resources,  the  EU  can  better  address  EU-wide  challenges  and 
promote shared priorities such as the digital and green transitions.   
This  EU-level  approach  supports  breakthrough  innovations  and  strategic  goals,  overcoming 
coordination  limitations  among  Member  States.  For  example,  ex-post  simulations  estimate 
that, without EU funding for research and infrastructures over decades, essential innovations, 
like  mRNA-based  COVID-19  vaccines,  would  have  been  delayed  by  months,  hindering 
critical rapid market release and subsequently societal benefits.   

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Proportionality  

Actions at Union level will enable transnational collaboration and world-wide competition to 
ensure the best proposals are selected. This raises levels of excellence and provides visibility 
for  leading  R&I,  but  also  supports  trans-national  mobility  and  attracts  the  best  talents 
globally.  A  Union-level  programme  is  best  placed  to  take  on  high-risk  and  long-term  R&I, 
thereby sharing the risk and generating a breadth of scope and economies of scale that could 
not otherwise be achieved. Interlinkages with national initiatives will be sought, in particular 
in the area of innovation.   
It  can  leverage  additional  public  and  private  investments  in  R&I;  contribute  to  further 
strengthening  the  European  R&I  landscape;  and  accelerate  the  commercialisation  and 

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diffusion of innovation. Union-level programmes can also support policy making and policy 
objectives.  
The proposed actions do not go beyond what is required for Union objectives.  

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Choice of the instrument  

Research and innovation, due to its long-term and bottom-up nature, requires an independent, 
integrated  and  predictable  self-standing  programme,  that  ensures  the  right  conditions  for 
spiring  new  ideas  and  bringing  them  to  the  market.  To  enable  disruptive  solutions,  it  is 
imperative  that  research  and  innovation  is  kept  independent  and  that  there  is  continuity  in 
funding. Therefore, while tightly connected to the European Competitiveness Fund, ‘Horizon 
Europe’ has maintained its independent legal base required under Article 182 TFEU and its 
brand  and  positive  international  reputation,  building  on  its  long-term  proven  success  as  a 
trusted framework for excellence, collaboration and impact.  
The legal act creates rights for and obligations on beneficiaries, binding in their entirety and 
directly  applicable  in  all  Union  Member  States  and  countries  associated  to  the  Framework 
Programme for Research and Innovation.  

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RESULTS  OF  RETROSPECTIVE  EVALUATIONS,  STAKEHOLDER 
CONSULTATIONS AND IMPACT ASSESSMENTS  

Retrospective evaluations/fitness checks of existing legislation  

Retrospective evaluations and fitness checks of existing legislation are essential to ensure that 
the next R&I framework programme builds on what works and improves what does  not. By 
assessing the effectiveness, efficiency, and coherence of past measures, these reviews provide 
critical  evidence  to  shape  better  policy  design,  reduce  unnecessary  regulatory  burdens,  and 
align  funding  instruments  with  evolving  scientific,  technological,  and  societal  needs.  This 
contributes  to  a  more  responsive,  impactful,  and  future-ready  research  and  innovation 
ecosystem.  

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Stakeholder consultations  

In the framework of preparing for the next MFF starting in 2028, the European Commission 
conducted a public consultation to gather views on EU funding for competitiveness.   
The  public  consultation,  held  from  12  February  to  7  May  2025,  gathered  2,034  survey 
responses  and  462  position  papers,  with  strong  participation  from  EU  citizens  (26%), 
academia  (22%),  and  public  authorities  (13%),  alongside  businesses,  NGOs,  and  other 
stakeholder networks.  
Most of respondents which had experience of Horizon Europe expressed positive views on the 
funding  process,  from  identifying  funding  opportunities,  to  the  relevance  and  clarity  of  the 
calls. However, they highlighted the application procedure and overall timeline as key weak 
points,  underscoring  the  need  for  simplification,  clarity,  and  better  coherence  to  enhance 
accessibility, especially for SMEs and newcomers. Respondents recognised fragmentation in 
support across the investment journey as a barrier to competitiveness, particularly in relation 
to underinvestment in research and innovation.  
The public consultation was complemented by targeted outreach to key stakeholder groups in 
both  industry,  research  and  innovation.  Research  and  innovation  stakeholders  have  been 
actively  engaged  in  shaping  the  debate  on  the  future  role  of  R&I  in  EU  competitiveness, 
particularly  following  the  launch  of  the  Commission’s  political  guidelines  in  July  2024  and 
the Competitiveness Compass in February 2025.  

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External expertise  

This  initiative  builds  on  three  key  external  reports:  Mario  Draghi  on  EU  competitiveness, 
Enrico  Letta  on  the  future  of  the  single  market,  and  the  Commission  Expert  Group  on  the 
interim evaluation of Horizon Europe.   
All three reports converge in their core message: Europe must innovate, adapt, and lead to 
safeguard  its  competitiveness,  prosperity,  sustainability,  and  security.  Their  combined 
analysis  provides  a  strong  analytical  and  political  foundation  for  the  proposed  R&I 
Framework Programme and the wider strategic orientation of the European Competitiveness 
Fund.   

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Impact assessment  

This  proposal  is  supported  by  a  comprehensive  impact  assessment  for  the  European 
Competitiveness Fund, which included 14 programmes contributing to EU Competitiveness.   
Under  the  Commission’s  Political  Guidelines,  the  next  MFF  sets  out  to  be  more  focused, 
simpler and more impactful. The architecture of the new MFF will therefore be significantly 
different  from  the  current  structure.  Given  this  special  case  of  preparing  a  new  MFF,  the 
impact  assessment  lacked  several  key  elements.  Therefore,  the  Regulatory  Scrutiny  Board 
decided, exceptionally, to issue an Opinion without qualification.  
The Regulatory Scrutiny Board noted that the report contained significant shortcomings such 
as  on  scope,  governance,  coherence  with  other  part  of  the  MFF,  among  others.  These 
shortcomings  have  been  addressed  in  both  the  European  Competitiveness  Fund  and  the 
Horizon Europe legislative proposals.   
In line with the need for ‘simplicity and flexibility, speed and strategic focus’ set out in  the 
Political Guidelines, the impact assessment assessed three options affecting the architecture of 
EU funding ranging from the continuation of the 14 programmes related to competitiveness, 
to their consolidation into a Competitiveness Fund:   

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Business-as-usual-plus: light coordination.  

Enhanced coordination between existing programmes (single rulebook).  

Consolidation  of  programmes  in  a  new  European  Competitiveness  Fund  in  one  or 
two single acts.  

The consolidation of programmes in two single acts, as foreseen in Option C, was considered 
as the best policy option that would keep the brand ‘Horizon Europe’ while fully contributing 
to the objectives of the Competitiveness Fund thanks to the integration in terms of objectives, 
structure, governance and rules of the two  acts.  At the same time, it caters for a standalone 
R&I  framework  programme  to  safeguard  the  integrity  of  research  and  innovation  and  the 
requirements  of  Article  182  TFEU.  This  position  has  been  echoed  by  the  European 
Parliament, the Member States and third countries today associated to Horizon Europe.   

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Simplification  

Simplification is an overarching priority of the Commission with the aim to reduce burden 
and over complexity and favour speed and flexibility.   
Being the largest Union programme implemented under direct management, the Framework 
Programme for research and innovation is an obvious target for simplification. Simplification 
for beneficiaries will be achieved, inter alia, through:   

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Reduced  length  of  the  work  programme  with  less  prescriptive  programming: 
reducing the overall number of topics, shortening topic descriptions and minimising 
single-project topics.    

Open  topics  by  default:  less  prescriptive  with  more  freedom  to  applicants  for 
different pathways towards expected outcomes.    

Continuity and further simplification of the funding landscape: There will be no 
distinction between Research and Innovation Actions (RIA) and Innovation Actions 
(IA)  but  one  single  funding  rate  of  up  to  100%,  except  for  for-profit  entities  other 
than  SMEs,  with  a  funding  rate  of  up  to  70%.  The  funding  rates  will  be  the 
maximum that can be reduced when justified for implementing specific actions.   

Increased  use  of  simplified  cost  options:  Building  on  the  experience  gained  with 
lump  sum  pilots  under  Horizon  2020  and  their  broader  application  in  Horizon 
Europe,  lump  sum  funding  will  become  the  default  form  of  Union  contribution, 
unless otherwise provided. Other simplified forms  of cost,  including  personnel unit 
costs, will be used. These simplification measures aim to foster broader participation, 
particularly  from  newcomers  and  smaller  entities,  while  preserving  sound  financial 
management and control.  

Going  together  with  the  unprecedented  simplification  effort,  a  faster  implementation  of 
Horizon Europe will be achieved with a reduction of the maximum time to grant to 7 months, 
which is one of the fastest time-to grant of the EU programmes and two months  faster than 
the maximum time to grant set out in the Financial Regulation.   
The commitment of both  the European Parliament  and Council to  uphold the simplification 
principle in ordinary legislative procedure will be key.  

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Fundamental rights  

This  Regulation  respects  fundamental  rights  and  observes  the  principles  recognised  in  the 
Charter of  Fundamental  Rights of the European  Union  and other international human rights 
conventions to which Member States and the Union are party to.  

4. 

BUDGETARY IMPLICATIONS 

The budget of all proposals is presented in current prices. The Commission may continue, on 
the  basis  of  a  cost-benefit  analysis,  to  use  executive  agencies  to  implement  of  Horizon 
Europe.  

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OTHER ELEMENTS  

Implementation plans and monitoring, evaluation and reporting arrangements  

This  initiative  will  be  monitored  through  the  performance  framework  for  the  post-2027 
budget, which is covered in a separate proposal. The performance framework provides for an 
implementation  report  during  the  implementation  phase  of  the  programme,  as  well  as  a 
retrospective evaluation to be carried out in accordance with Article 34(3) of Regulation (EU, 
Euratom) 2024/2509. The evaluation shall be conducted in accordance with the Commission's 
Better Regulation Guidelines and will be based on indicators relevant to the objectives of the 
programme.  

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• 

Other horizontal issues applying to the proposal   

Programme  principles:  the  Programme  will  ensure  the  effective  promotion  of  values  and 
principles of the European Research Area and the Pact for Research and Innovation, notably 
ethics and integrity in research and innovation, freedom of scientific research, gender equality 
and  equal  opportunities,  open  science  and  the  promotion  of  attractive  research  careers  and 
mobility. 
International  cooperation  will  be  further  reinforced  with  the  objective  of  contributing 
towards  the  Union’s  competitiveness  and  excellence  in  R&I  and  will  balance  the  risk  and 
benefit in cooperating with third countries and third country entities.   
Valorisation and dissemination: In view of enhancing the Union’s competitiveness and line 
with the Commission’s valorisation strategy, dedicated support instruments and tools will be 
put  in  place  to  facilitate  and  accelerate  the  valorisation  process  and  ensure  that  research 
results  translate  into  real-world  applications.  This  transforms  public  investment  in  R&I  into 
new market opportunities, and tangible value for society and industry.  
Alignment  of  strategic  steer  with  the  Competitiveness  Fund  and  the  Competitiveness 
Coordination Tool.   

• 

Detailed explanation of the specific provisions of the proposal  

Horizon  Europe  builds  on  the  legacy  of  over  40  years  EU  investments  in  research  and 
innovation.   It  is  designed  to  promote  science,  protect  core  values  of  independence  and 
openness and improve Europe’s excellent knowledge base and boost EU competitiveness. Its 
architecture is designed for enhanced coherence and performance.  
It is proposed to use a four-pillar structure.  

• 

• 

Pillar I, ‘Excellent Science’, aims to strengthen the EU's scientific base, attract top 
talent,  promote  excellent  research  in  Europe  and  provide  best  science  for  EU 
policies.  Research excellence and mobility is at the core of Europe’s ambition to be 
the  best  place  in  the  world  to  do  research:  “Choose  Europe”.  Against  this 
background, this pillar includes:  

–  The European Research Council (ERC): The ERC will be expanded to increase its 
ability to support frontier research, with a focus on funding excellent researchers 
and their teams.  

–  Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions  (MSCA):  The  MSCA will continue to  support 

research training and career development.  

–  Science for EU policies: non-nuclear direct  actions of the Joint Research Centre 

(JRC).  

Pillar II, ‘Competitiveness and Society’, aims to support collaborative research and 
innovation in areas of high societal impact, with a focus on tackling global societal 
challenges  and  boosting  EU  competitiveness.  This  pillar  will  be  similar to  the 
structure  of  the  interventions  areas  in  the  European  Competitiveness  Fund  and  its 
four  policy  windows.  This  will  ensure  coherent  support  throughout  the  investment 
journey.  In  addition,  a  policy  window  specific  to  the  new  Horizon  Europe  will 
address  bottom-up  research,  in  particular  in  the  areas  of  global  societal  challenges 
such  as  migration,  disinformation,  and  the  safeguarding,  strengthening  and 
promotion of democracy, as well as social and economic transformations, inclusive 
societies and social cohesion. Strategic programming for collaborative research will 
be  informed  by  an  internal  assessment  capacity,  the  ‘Observatory  of  emerging 
technologies’,  referred  to  in  the  Regulation  (EU)  [XXX]*  of  the  European 

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Parliament and of the Council [European Competitiveness Fund]1. Partnerships will 
remain  a  key  instrument  of  the  programme  and  will  work  synergistically  with  the 
European  Competitiveness  Fund  under  the  relevant  steering  processes.  They  are 
proposed  to  be  radically  simplified  and  streamlined  in  their  operations  and 
organisation.  Partnerships  can  take  various  forms:  public-public-private  to  public-
public or public-private.   

• 

Pillar  III,  ‘Innovation’,  aims  to  support  innovation  in  Europe,  with  a  focus  on 
promoting  the  development  of  new  products,  services,  and  business  models.  This 
pillar includes:  

–  The  European  Innovation  Council  (EIC):  The  EIC  will  support  innovative 
innovation  and 

startups,  SMEs,  with  a  focus  on  promoting  disruptive 
entrepreneurship.  It will be expanded with:  

•  More ‘ARPA’ elements  into its operations, where high  risk projects  are 
supported in stages, or discontinued, based on their potential to deliver on 
disruptive solutions  as assessed by expert Programme Managers.  It  will 
further  develop  pathways  from  ERC  or  collaborative  research  projects 
into  the  EIC  to  commercialise  faster  and  scale  up  breakthrough 
technologies.   

• 

• 

• 

• 

A  ‘DARPA’  approach  dedicated  to  supporting  defence  and  dual  use 
startups  and  their  scaling  up  operating  in  full  complementarity  with  the 
ECF  InvestEU  Instrument  and  the  EU  Defence  Innovation  Scheme 
(EUDIS) and CASSINI (Space entrepreneurship initiative) activities.  

It  will  provide  an  unprecedented  opportunity  to  support  high  tech  dual 
use and defence start-ups and scale-ups, including those deemed strategic 
and  critical  to  the  interests  of  the  Union  and  its  Member  States,  which 
require targeted direct support and are not able to access sufficient capital 
from the market. 

Close coordination and synergy with the European Competitiveness Fund 
policy windows regarding the definition of ‘Challenges’. 

Existing  deeptech  scale  up  financing  under  the  Scaleup  Europe  Fund 
announced in the Startup Scaleup Strategy will be carried out under the 
terms  agreed in  the  current  MFF. All  future scaleup financing  will take 
place under the ECF. 

–  Innovation  Ecosystems,  including  Activities  to  foster  the  integration  of  the 
knowledge  triangle  –  higher  education,  research  and  innovation,  and  business  – 
across the Union.  

Close cooperation between collaborative research under Pillar II and the start-up and scale-up 
support under Pillar III will be foreseen in order to strengthen the demand side for start-ups 
and  scale-ups  by  linking  up  them  to  the  large  corporates  in  Europe  and  by  facilitating 
innovative public procurement measures on EU and national level.  

• 

Pillar IV, ‘European Research Area’, aims to support the development of a unified 
European  Research  Area  (ERA),  with  a  focus  on  promoting  excellence, 
inclusiveness, and impact. This pillar includes:  

1 

OJ C […], […], p. […] 

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–  ERA Policy: This component will support the development of ERA policy, with a 

focus on promoting excellence, inclusiveness, and impact.  

–  Research  and  Technology  Infrastructures:  This  component  will  support  the 
development  and operation of research and  technology infrastructures, including 
for the first time support to capital expenditure.   

–  Widening  Participation  and  Spreading  Excellence:  This  component  will  support 
the development of research and innovation capacities in all regions of Europe.  

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2025/0543 (COD) 

Proposal for a 

REGULATION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL 

establishing Horizon Europe, the Framework Programme for Research and Innovation, 
for the period 2028-2034 laying down its rules for participation and dissemination, and 
repealing Regulation (EU) 2021/695 

(Text with EEA relevance) 

THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, 

Having  regard  to  the  Treaty  on  the  Functioning  of  the  European  Union,  and  in  particular 
Articles 173(3), 182(1), 183, 188, second subparagraph and Article 322(1), point (a), thereof, 

Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission, 

After transmission of the draft legislative act to the national parliaments, 
Having regard to the opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee2,  
Having regard to the opinion of the Committee of the Regions3,  

Having regard to the opinion of the Court of Auditors (1), 

Acting in accordance with the ordinary legislative procedure, 

Whereas: 

(1) 

(2) 

(3) 

(4) 

It  is  an objective of the Union to  strengthen its scientific and technological  bases  by 
strengthening  the  European  research  area  (ERA)  in  which  researchers,  scientific 
knowledge  and  technology  circulate  freely  and  encouraging  it  to  become  more 
competitive,  including  in  its  industry,  while  promoting  all  research  and  innovation 
(R&I) activities to deliver on the Union's strategic priorities and commitments, which 
ultimately aim to promote peace, the Union's values and the well-being of its peoples. 

To deliver scientific, technological, economic, environmental and societal impact and 
to maximise the added value of the Union's R&I investments, the Union should invest 
in research and innovation through Horizon Europe  - the Framework Programme for 
Research and  Innovation  for the period  2028-2034 (the  ‘Programme’),  which should 
strengthen  competitiveness,  resilience,  sustainability,  technological  leadership,  and 
social cohesion. 

The  Programme  should  be  tightly  connected  with  Regulation  (EU)  [XXX]*  of  the 
European Parliament and of the Council [European Competitiveness Fund]4 by placing 
research and innovation at the heart of the Union’s economy and investment strategy.  

The Union should furthermore aim to eliminate inequalities, and to promote equality, 
between  men  and  women,  as  well  as  to  combat  discrimination  in  accordance  with 

2 
3 
4 

OJ C […], […], p. […].  
OJ C […], […], p. […]. 
OJ C […], […], p. […] 

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(5) 

(6) 

(7) 

(8) 

(9) 

Article  8  and  Article  10  of  the  Treaty  on  the  Functioning  of  the  European  Union 
(TFEU) and the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union. 

In  a  rapidly  changing  economic,  social  and  geopolitical  environment,  recent 
experience  has  shown  the  need  for  a  more  flexible  multiannual  financial  framework 
and its Union spending programmes.  To that effect, and in line with the objectives of 
the  Programme,  the  funding  should  duly  consider  the  evolving  policy  needs  and 
Union’s  priorities  as  identified  in  relevant  documents  published  by  the  Commission, 
European Parliament resolutions and in Council conclusions, while ensuring sufficient 
predictability for the budget implementation. 

The rules for participation and dissemination of the Programme are designed to further 
simplify access, enhance openness, and maximize the impact of Union funding.  

The Programme should contribute to increasing public and private investment in R&I 
in Member States, thereby helping to reach an overall investment target of at least 3% 
of  the  Union's  gross  domestic  product  (GDP)  in  research  and  development.  Member 
States’ investment in R&I should be assessed with the help of the  framework for the 
coordination  of  economic,  budgetary,  employment  and  social  policies  within  the 
Union – the European Semester process. Achieving that target would require Member 
States and the private sector to complement the Programme with their own reinforced 
investment  actions  in  research,  development  and  innovation.  The  Union  has  made 
steady  progress  in  increasing  research  and  development  investments  but  is  lagging 
behind other global leaders. The 3% target mentioned above, set over two decades ago 
acknowledged  the  importance  of  research  and  development  as  a  foundation  for  a 
knowledge-based  society.  While  the  target  encouraged  various  Member  States  to  set 
their  own  research  and  development  intensity  goals,  significant  disparities  remain  as 
only a few Member States have reached or exceeded their investment ambition. 

As in Horizon Europe, the OECD definitions regarding technological readiness levels 
(TRLs) should continue to be taken into account in the classification of technological 
research,  product  development  and  demonstration  activities,  and  in  the  definition  of 
types  of  action  available  in  calls  for  proposals.  Grants  should  not  be  awarded  for 
actions  where  activities  go  above  TRL  8.  It  should  be  possible  for  the  work 
programme  to  allow  grants  for  large-scale  product  validation  and  market  replication 
for a given call under the part ‘Competitiveness and Society’. 

It should be possible to implement parts of the budget through European Partnerships 
together  with  other  public  and  private  entities,  where  this  is  the  most  effective 
implementation  form  to  achieve  the  policy  objectives.  European  Partnerships  should 
be established where a close involvement of the Union is required and should ensure 
appropriate  voting  rights  for  the  Union  as  well  as  sufficient  co-investment  by  other 
partners to leverage Union funding. In view of fostering synergies and efficiencies, it 
is necessary to ensure harmonised rules. Therefore, a strategic and coherent portfolio 
of a limited number of European Partnerships should be established.  

(10)  The  European  Partnerships,  including  in  the  form  of  Joint  Undertakings,  as  an 
essential  tool  to  deliver  on  industrial  involvement  and  investment  in  collaborative 
research  and  innovation,  should  contribute  to  the  specific  policy  objectives  of  the 
policy windows of the European Competitiveness Fund, and be supported through it, 
where necessary, to complete these objectives. 

(11)  EU Missions as set up in the Regulation 2021/695 should enable a transformative and 
systemic  impact  for  society,  by  fostering  cross-disciplinary,  cross-sectoral,  cross-

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policy and cross-border collaboration. They should rely on research and innovation to 
develop  the  breakthrough  technologies,  services,  products,  and  social  innovations 
needed to  achieve their  ambitious objectives.  In turn, EU Missions  should accelerate 
the development, scaling, and deployment of innovative solutions and help create lead 
markets for new products and services. The Framework Programme should finance the 
research and innovation  activities of the Missions, while the deployment and scaling 
up should be delivered through other EU programmes and national funding.  

(12)  Anchored  in  the  Horizon  Europe  Strategic  Plan  2025-20275,  the  New  European 
Bauhaus  (NEB)  Facility  is  a  multi-annual  funding  tool  designed  to  accelerate  the 
transformation  of  neighbourhoods  through  sustainable  and  inclusive  design.  Its  R&I 
component should be funded by Horizon Europe while its roll-out component should 
be delivered through other EU programmes and national funding. 

(13)  The European Research Council (ERC) should provide attractive and flexible funding, 
thereby  enabling  talented  and  creative  individual  researchers—with  a  deliberate 
emphasis on nurturing early-stage researchers—to pursue the most promising avenues 
at  the  frontier  of  science.  This  commitment  to  investigator-driven  research,  selected 
through Union-wide competition based solely on the criterion of excellence and open 
to  talent  regardless  of  nationality  or  origin,  is  fundamental  to  attracting  the  world's 
brightest minds and further establishing Europe as a world-leading centre for research 
and innovation. 

(14) 

In  a  knowledge-based  global  economy,  the  Union’s  long-term  competitiveness, 
technological  leadership  and  capacity  to  address  global  challenges  should  depend 
notably on its ability to develop, attract and retain a highly skilled and internationally 
connected  research  workforce.  Strategic  investment  in  excellent  researchers,  in  their 
training,  mobility  and  career  prospects,  within  and  outside  academia,  is  essential  to 
sustain  innovation,  economic  resilience  and  societal  well-being.  In  line  with  the 
principles  of  the  European  Charter  for  researchers,  the  Marie  Skłodowska-Curie 
Actions (MSCA) are instrumental in advancing this objective. The Programme should 
reinforce links between universities and innovation ecosystems, including the private 
sector. It should enable the completion of the European Research Area, including via 
development  of  European  higher  education  sector  capacity  to  compete  with  global 
counterparts through collaboration, nurturing and attracting talent and leveraging more 
private  investments,  including  through  higher  education  initiatives  like  European 
Universities Alliances, in synergy with Erasmus+, and in line with the objectives and 
activities of this Regulation.  

(15)  The  European  Innovation  Council  (EIC)  should  stimulate  deep  tech  market-creating 
innovation. It should identify, develop and deploy these deep tech innovations through 
its  instruments.  Through  coherent  and  streamlined  support,  the  EIC  should  fill  the 
vacuum  in  public  support  and  private  investment  for  breakthrough  technologies  and 
deep tech innovation. The EIC should aim to bridge, integrate and accelerate through 
its instruments the innovator’s journey from research to market and enable the Union 
to  have  leading  companies  in  emerging  areas  of  technology  to  meet  its  social  and 
economic objectives and avoid dependencies on other regions. The EIC should support 
high  risk,  high-potential  innovations  and  companies  presenting  such  technological, 
scientific, financial, management or market risks that they are not yet considered to be 
fully  bankable  and  therefore  cannot  raise  the  necessary  level  of  investments  to  be 

5 

Commission Decision C(2024)1741 of 20.03.2024. 

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globally competitive from the market. This should incorporate both an ‘open’ (bottom-
up)  and  a  ‘challenge’  driven  approach,  in  close  coordination  and  synergy  with  the 
European  Competitiveness  Fund  and  its  policy  windows.  It  should  include  a 
‘DARPA’-like  approach  dedicated  to  supporting  defence  and  dual  use  startups  and 
their scaling up operating in full complementarity with the ECF InvestEU Instrument 
(Space 
and 
entrepreneurship  initiative)  activities.  The  implementation  should  be  done  in  close 
synergy and coordination with the European Competitiveness Fund. 

(EUDIS)  and  CASSINI 

Innovation  Scheme 

the  EU  Defence 

(16)  Deep-tech scale-up financing under the Scaleup Europe Fund announced in the Startup 
Scaleup Strategy, existing at the time of the entry into force of the present Regulation, 
should  be  carried  out  under  the  terms  agreed  in  the  MFF  2021-2027.  All  scaleup 
financing under the MFF 2028-2034 should take place under the ECF. 

(17)  The Joint Research Centre  (‘JRC’)  should continue to  provide independent  scientific 
evidence and technical support for Union policies throughout the whole policy cycle. 
The  direct  actions  of  the  JRC  should  be  implemented  in  a  flexible,  efficient,  and 
transparent  manner, taking into account  the needs of Union policies and the relevant 
needs  of  the  users  of  the  JRC  and  ensuring  the  protection  of  the  Union’s  financial 
interests. The JRC should continue to generate additional resources, which it may use 
to support its scientific and technical activities. 

(18)  The  Programme  should  ensure  the  effective  promotion  and  protection  of  values  and 
principles of the European Research Area and the Pact for Research and Innovation6, 
notably ethics and integrity in research and innovation, freedom of scientific research, 
science for policy, gender equality and equal opportunities,  non-discrimination, open 
science and the promotion of attractive research careers and mobility. In particular, the 
Programme  should  ensure  the  effective  promotion  of  equal  opportunities  for  all  and 
the implementation  of gender mainstreaming, including  the integration of the gender 
dimension  in  R&I  content.  It  should  aim  to  address  the  causes  of  gender  imbalance. 
Particular attention should be paid to ensuring, to the extent possible, gender balance 
in  evaluation  panels  and in  other relevant  advisory bodies such as boards and expert 
groups. 

(19)  The  Programme  should  support  European  research  infrastructures  and  technology 
infrastructures  in  driving  scientific  and  technological  excellence  and  industrial 
competitiveness,  by  supporting  the  continuum  of  the  research  and  innovation  cycle 
from basic to applied research towards societal and market deployment.  

(20)  The Programme should implement concrete measures in support of capacity building 
in  widening  countries  and  strengthening  collaborative  links  across  the  Union 
enhancing  the research and innovation  capacity in  widening  and  transition  countries, 
leading  to  a more cohesive and integrated European R&I system and  contributing  to 
the  target  to  invest  at  least  3%  of  GDP  in  research  and  development.  The  eligible 
Member States from the 2021-2027 period should be divided into two groups for the 
whole  duration  of  the  Programme  ,  on  the  basis  of  the  Innovation  Scoreboard  Index 
and  the  relative  financial  return  per  Gross  National  Income  (GNI),  based  on  the 
following criteria: i) ‘Transition countries’, with both an Innovation Scoreboard Index 
(2023-2025) above 75% of the Union average and positive relative financial return per 
GNI  (2021-2025) under  Horizon Europe; ii) ‘Widening countries’,  all other Member 
States eligible under the 2021-2027 period. 

6 

Council  Recommendation  (EU)  2021/2122  of  26 November  2021  on  a  Pact  for  Research  and 
Innovation in Europe, OJ L 431, 2.12.2021, p. 1, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reco/2021/2122/oj. 

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(21)  Acknowledging the benefit derived from international cooperation towards addressing, 
among  others,  shared  technological,  economic,  environmental  and  societal  concerns, 
the  Programme,  should  promote  cooperation  with  third  countries.  International 
cooperation  should  aim  to  strengthen  the  Union’s  competitiveness  and  excellence  in 
R&I,  including  its  capacity  to  attract  and  retain  the  best  talents  worldwide.  Geo-
political  considerations  including  economic  security  should  be  at  the  centre  of  the 
approach and varying degrees of cooperation should be considered based on an overall 
assessment  of  the  benefit  that  could  be  derived  by  the  Union  towards  addressing  its 
priorities  and  global  challenges  while  safeguarding  the  Union’s  values  and  interests. 
Association to  all or parts of the Programme should remain the  most comprehensive 
form  of  cooperation.  For  EIC  defence  related  activities,  only  entities  established  in 
third  countries  associated  with  the  European  Competitiveness  Fund  for  defence 
activities  should  be  eligible  for  funding.  The  Programme  may  support  activities 
financed  by  the  Global  Europe  programme  provided  they  comply  with  the  rules  and 
objectives of this Regulation in line with the provisions on synergies.  

(22)  To  reinforce  the  Union’s  strategic  autonomy  and  ensure  long-term  sustainable 
economic  growth,  it  is  essential  to  bolster  its  global  competitiveness  while 
safeguarding  its  strategic  assets  and  interests  as  outlined  in  the  European  Economic 
Security  Strategy7.  Article  136  of  Regulation  (EU,  Euratom)  2024/2509  as 
complemented  by  Article  10  of  Regulation  (EU)  XXX  [European  Competitiveness 
Fund]  promote  the  competitiveness  of  the  Union  and  protect  its  economic  security. 
The application of these provisions for the purpose of the Programme should provide 
an  appropriate  legal  framework  to  allow,  where  necessary,  for  the  establishment  of 
specific  conditions  regarding  award  procedures 
that  promote  research-driven 
competitiveness  and  protect  the  interests  and  strategic  autonomy  of  the  Union, 
including measures aimed at restricting participation or protecting results and ensuring 
coherence  and  consistency  with  specific  rules  under  the  European  Competitiveness 
Fund  windows.  Where  necessary,  a  risk-based  approach  should  be  applied  to  ensure 
that  risks  related  to  research  and  innovation  are  identified,  assessed,  and  addressed 
through proportionate and effective measures8. 

(23) 

In light of increasing risks linked to natural hazards, health emergencies, technological 
accidents, evolving security threats, and other disruptions, it is essential to enhance the 
Union’s and Member States’ capability to anticipate, prepare for, and respond to crises 
and disasters. The Programme should support research that strengthen disaster risk and 
crisis  management,  invest  in  climate  resilience,  and  enhance  the  resilience  of  vital 
societal functions, and build a more resilient, secure, and prepared Union, in line with 
the objectives of the EU Preparedness Union Strategy. 

(24)  Activities  should  reflect  the  importance  of  tackling  the  dramatic  loss  of  biodiversity 
and  contribute  to  the  preservation  and  restoration  of  nature,  ecosystems  and  their 
services.  The  integration  of  environmental  science  in  activities  is  necessary  to  avoid 
damage  to  the  environment,  to  maintain  clean  environment  and  to  restore  heathy 
ecosystems. 

(25)  The  Programme  acknowledges  climate  change  as  one  of  the  biggest  global  and 
societal  challenge  and  climate  action  as  a  driver  for  industrial  competitiveness. 

7 

8 

Joint Communication to the European Parliament, the European Council and the Council on “European 
Economic Security Strategy, JOIN(2023) 20 final, Brussels, 20.06.2023. 
Council Recommendation of 23 May 2024 on enhancing research security, C/2024/3510. 

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Activities  should  reflect  the  importance  of  tackling  climate  change  in  line  with  the 
Union’s commitments to implement the Paris Agreement. 

(26)  Simplification  in  the  Programme’s  implementation  is  essential  to  ensure  its 
accessibility  and  efficiency,  particularly  by  reducing  the  administrative  burden  on 
beneficiaries  and  minimising  the  risk  of  errors.  To  this  end,  the  Programme  should 
primarily rely on lump sums as the default form of Union funding. Advancing efforts 
over  the  previous  Framework  Programmes  to  streamline  funding  rules  and  minimise 
errors, the reimbursement of personnel costs should also be further simplified by using 
personnel  unit  costs,  which  reduces  complexity  for  participants  and  facilitates 
reporting.  

(27)  To  accommodate  specific  organisational  set-up,  especially  encountered  in  the 
Research and Innovation activities, it should be possible to declare as eligible costs in-
kind contributions from third parties. To incentivise valorisation of results, it should be 
clarified that this should not be counted as revenues of the action. 

(28) 

In view of strengthening the Union's competitiveness and maximising the uptake and 
deployment of the results in general, beneficiaries owning results should manage their 
results in accordance with their obligations established under this Regulation regarding 
valorisation  and  dissemination.  Those  obligations  may  be  adjusted  in  the  work 
programme,  call  conditions  or  grant  agreement  where  appropriate  based  on  policy 
considerations,  including  related  to  economic  security,  but  should  encompass 
requirements  to  protect,  give  access,  valorise  results  and  make  them  public  as 
appropriate  and  justified,  including  through  open  science  practices.  To  facilitate  and 
accelerate  the  valorisation  process,  support  instruments  and  tools  should  be  put  in 
place  in  line  with  the  Commission’s  valorisation  strategy  as  developed  under  the 
European Competitiveness Fund and any such support and services provided for in its 
Chapter III. 

(29)  Support measures are needed to strengthen and better connect innovation ecosystems. 
Such  measures  should  support  organisations  and  innovators  to  create  competitive, 
robust  and  connected  innovation  ecosystems  and  improve  framework  conditions 
through  cooperation  and  knowledge  exchange.  They  should  help  connect  national, 
regional,  and  local  ecosystems  by  removing  barriers  in  the  single  market  such  as 
market  fragmentation,  limited capital  access and segmented national  capital markets, 
slow innovation uptake and the underutilisation of innovation procurement. 

(30)  The actions supported under this Regulation should accelerate or boost investments by 
addressing  market  failures  or  sub-optimal  investment  situations,  in  a  proportionate 
manner,  avoiding  duplication  or  crowding  out,  and  by  incentivising  private  funding, 
and have Union added-value. Without prejudice to the application of Articles 107 and 
108  TFEU  to  national  resources,  this  should  also  ensure  consistency  between  the 
actions  under  the  Programme  and  the  State  aid  rules,  thereby  avoiding  undue 
distortions of competition in the internal market.  

(31)  This  Regulation  lays  down  an  indicative  financial  envelope  for  Horizon  Europe,  the 
Framework Programme for Research and Innovation for the period 2028-2034.  
(32)  Regulation  (EU,  Euratom)  2024/25099  applies  to  the  Programme.  It  lays  down  the 
rules on the establishment and the implementation of the general budget of the Union, 

9 

Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2024/2509 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 September 
2024 on the financial rules applicable to the general budget of the Union (OJ L, 2024/2509, 26.9.2024, 
ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2024/2509/oj). 

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including  the  rules  on  grants,  prizes,  non-financial  donations,  procurement,  indirect 
management, financial assistance, financial instruments and budgetary guarantees. 

(33) 

In  view  of  ensuring  consistency,  a  budgetary  guarantee  and  financial  instruments, 
including  when  combined  with  non-repayable  support  in  blending  operations,  under 
this  Programme  should  be  implemented  in  accordance  with  Title  X  of  the  Financial 
Regulation  and with  technical  arrangements, terms  and conditions  established by the 
Commission for the purposes of its application. 

(34)  Where  Union  support  under  the  Programme  is  to  be  provided  in  the  form  of  a 
budgetary  guarantee  or  a  financial  instrument,  including  where  combined  with  non-
repayable support in a blending operation, with the exception of financial instruments 
under  the  EIC,  such  support  should  be  provided  exclusively  through  the  ECF 
InvestEU  Instrument  in  accordance  with  the  applicable  rules  of  the  ECF  InvestEU 
Instrument. 

(35) 

In accordance with Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2024/2509, Regulation (EU, Euratom) 
No  883/2013  of  the  European  Parliament  and  of  the  Council10,  Council  Regulation 
(Euratom, EC) No 2988/9511,(Euratom, EC) No 2185/9612 and (EU) 2017/193913, the 
financial  interests  of  the  Union  are  to  be  protected  through  proportionate  measures, 
including  the  prevention,  detection,  correction  and  investigation  of  irregularities  and 
fraud,  the  recovery  of  funds  lost,  wrongly  paid  or  incorrectly  used  and,  where 
appropriate,  the  imposition  of  administrative  sanctions.  In  particular,  in  accordance 
with  Regulation  (EU,  Euratom)  No  883/2013  and  (Euratom,  EC)  No  2185/96  the 
European  Anti-Fraud  Office  (OLAF)  may  carry  out  investigations,  including  on-the-
spot checks and inspections, with a view to establishing whether there has been fraud, 
corruption or any other illegal activity affecting the financial interests of the Union. In 
accordance with Regulation (EU) 2017/1939, the European Public Prosecutor's Office 
(EPPO)  is  competent  to  investigate  and  prosecute  fraud  and  other  criminal  offences 
affecting  the  financial  interests  of  the  Union  as  provided  for  in  Directive  (EU) 
2017/1371  of  the  European  Parliament  and  of  the  Council14.  In  accordance  with 
Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2024/2509, any person or entity receiving Union funds is to 
fully  cooperate  in  the  protection  of  the  Union’s  financial  interests,  to  grant  the 
necessary  rights  and  access  to  the  Commission,  OLAF,  the  European  Court  of 
Auditors  and,  as  appropriate,  to  the  EPPO,  and  to  ensure  that  any  third  parties 
involved in the implementation of Union funds grant equivalent rights. 

(36)  The Programme is to be implemented in accordance with Regulation (EU) XXX of the 
European Parliament and of the Council [Performance Regulation] which establishes 
the rules for the expenditure tracking and the performance framework for the budget, 
including  rules  for  ensuring  a  uniform  application  of  the  principles  of  ‘do  no 

10 

11 

12 

13 

14 

Regulation  (EU,  Euratom)  No  883/2013  of  the  European  Parliament  and  of  the  Council  of  11 
September 2013 concerning investigations conducted by the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) and 
repealing Regulation (EC) No 1073/1999 of the European Parliament and of the Council and Council 
Regulation (Euratom) No 1074/1999,(OJ L248, 18.9.2013, p. 1. 
Council Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 2988/95 of 18 December 1995 on the protection of the European 
Communities financial interests (OJ L 312, 23.12.95, p.1). 
Council  Regulation  (Euratom,  EC)  No  2185/96  of 11  November  1996  concerning on-the-spot  checks 
and inspections carried out by the Commission in order to protect the European Communities' financial 
interests against fraud and other irregularities (OJ L292,15.11.96 , p.2). 
Council  Regulation  (EU)  2017/1939  of  12  October  2017  implementing  enhanced  cooperation  on  the 
establishment of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (‘the EPPO’) (OJ L283, 31.10.2017,, p.1). 
Directive (EU) 2017/1371 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 5 July 2017 on the fight 
against fraud to the Union's financial interests by means of criminal law (OJ L 198, 28.7.2017, p. 29). 

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significant harm’ and gender equality referred to in Article 33(2), points (d) and (f), as 
well as the provisions on accessibility for persons with disabilities reflected in Articles 
17.3, 20.4 and 21.1 of Annex I, of Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2024/2509 respectively 
and  in  line  with  the  accessibility  requirements  of  Annex  I  and  III  of  directive 
2019/882,  rules  for  monitoring  and  reporting  on  the  performance  of  Union 
programmes and activities, rules for establishing a Union funding portal, rules for the 
evaluation of the programmes, as well as other horizontal provisions applicable to all 
Union programmes such as those on information, communication and visibility. 
(37)  Pursuant to Article 85(1) of Council Decision (EU) 2021/176415, persons and entities 
established in overseas countries and territories are eligible for funding subject to the 
rules  and  objectives  of  the  Programme  and  possible  arrangements  applicable  to  the 
Member State to which the relevant overseas country or territory is linked.  

(38)  The  Programme  replaces  the  programme  Horizon  Europe  established  by  Regulation 

(EU) 2021/695. Regulation (EU) 2021/695 should therefore be repealed. 

HAVE ADOPTED THIS REGULATION: 

Title I – The Framework Programme for Research and 
Innovation 

Chapter I 

General Provisions 

Article 1 

Subject matter 

1. 

This  Regulation  establishes  Horizon  Europe  -  the  Framework  Programme  for 
Research  and  Innovation  (the  ‘Programme’)  for  the  period  of  the  Multiannual 
Financial Framework (the ‘MFF’) 2028-2034 and sets out the rules for participation 
and dissemination concerning indirect actions under the Programme and determines 
the  framework  governing  the  Union  support  for  Research  and  Innovation  activities 
for  the  same  duration.  It  also  lays  down  the  objectives  of  the  Programme  and  its 
budget for that period, the forms of Union funding and the rules for providing such 
funding.  

2. 

The Programme shall be implemented through:  

(a) 

the  Specific  Programme  established  by  Council  Decision  XX  including  the 
collaborative  research  activities  of  the  policy  windows  as  set  out  in  the 
European Competitive Fund Regulation. 

15 

Council Decision (EU) 2021/1764 of 5 October 2021 on the association of the Overseas Countries and 
Territories with the European Union including relations between the European Union on the one hand, 
and  Greenland  and  the  Kingdom  of  Denmark  on  the  other  (Decision  on  the  Overseas  Association, 
including Greenland) (OJ L 355, 7.10.2021, p. 6–134). 

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3. 

4. 

(b) 

the  Specific  Programme  on  defence  research  established  by  Regulation 
(EU)[XXX] [European Competitiveness Fund]. 

This  Regulation  shall  not  apply  to  the  Specific  Programme  on  defence  research 
referred to in paragraph 2, point (b). Activities to be carried out under this Specific 
in  Regulation  (EU)[XXX][European 
Programme  and  which  are 
Competitiveness  Fund]  shall  aim  to  foster  the  competitiveness,  efficiency  and 
innovation capacity of the European defence technological and industrial base. 

laid  down 

The terms Horizon Europe, ‘the Programme’ and ‘Specific Programme’ used in this 
Regulation  refer  to  matters  relevant  only  to  the  Specific  Programme  referred  to  in 
paragraph 2, point (a), unless otherwise specified.  

Article 2 

Definitions 

For the purposes of this Regulation, the following definitions apply: 

(1) 

(2) 

(3) 

(4) 

(5) 

(6) 

(7) 

(8) 

(9) 

‘research  infrastructures’  are  facilities  that  provide  resources  and  services  to 
conduct research and foster innovation in their fields; 

‘technology  infrastructures’  are  facilities,  equipment,  capabilities  and  resources 
required  to  develop,  test,  upscale  and  validate  technology  -  from  pre-competitive 
applied research services up to demonstration and validation; 

‘non-bankable’  means  that  the  legal  entity  is  not  yet  able  to  attract  sufficient 
investment to fully implement its business plan and compete internationally; 

‘blended finance’ means financial support provided under the European Innovation 
Council (‘EIC’) consisting of a combination of a grant and an investment; 

‘deep  tech’  means  an  innovation  with  the  potential  to  deliver  transformative 
solutions  and  that  is  based  on  cutting-edge  advances  in  science,  technology  and 
engineering; 

‘European Partnership’ means an initiative, where the Union together  with  private 
and/or public partners commit to jointly supporting the development, implementation 
and evaluation of a programme of activities, and where the costs are shared between 
all partners; 

‘open access’ means online access to results, provided free to the end user; 

‘open science’  means an approach to  the scientific process  that includes  early and 
open  sharing  of  research,  open  access  to  and  responsible  management  of  results, 
reproducibility  measures,  and  involving  citizens  and  end  users  in  research  and 
innovation; 

‘pre-commercial procurement' means the public or private procurement of research 
and  development  services  involving  risk-benefit  sharing  under  market  conditions, 
and  competitive  development  in  phases,  where  there  is  a  clear  separation  of  the 
research  and  development  services  procured  from  the  deployment  of  commercial 
volumes of end-products; 

(10) 

‘procurement  of  innovative  solutions'  means  public  or  private  procurement  where 
procurers act as a launch customer for innovative goods or services which are not 
yet available on a large-scale commercial basis, and may include conformity testing; 

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(11) 

(12) 

(13) 

(14) 

(15) 

(16) 

(17) 

(18) 

(19) 

(20) 

(21) 

(22) 

(23) 

‘background' means any data, knowledge or know how whatever its form or nature, 
tangible or intangible, including any rights such as intellectual property rights, that 
is held prior to the accession to a given action; 

‘valorisation’ means the use of results in further activities other than those covered 
by the action concerned, including commercial deployment; 

‘international European research organisation' means an international organisation, 
the  majority  of  whose  members  are  Member  States  or  associated  countries,  whose 
principal objective is to promote scientific and technological cooperation in Europe; 

‘for  profit  legal  entities’  means  a  legal  entity  which  by  its  legal  form  is  for  profit 
making  or  which  has  a  legal  or  statutory  purpose  to  distribute  profits  to  its 
shareholders or individual members; 

‘small or medium-sized enterprise’ or ‘SME’ means a micro, small or medium-sized 
enterprise  as  defined  in  Article  2  of  the  Annex  to  Commission  Recommendation 
2003/361/EC16; 

‘small mid-cap’ means a small mid-cap enterprise as defined in point 2 of the Annex 
to Commission Recommendation (EU) 2025/109917;  

‘results’ means any tangible or intangible outcome of a given action, such as data, 
knowledge or know-how, whatever its  form or nature and whether or not  it can be 
protected, as well as any rights attached to it, including intellectual property rights; 

‘ERC  frontier  research  action’  means  a  principal  investigator-led  research  action, 
including ERC Proof of Concept, hosted by single or multiple beneficiaries receiving 
funding from the European Research Council (ERC); 

‘research and training action’ means an action geared towards the improvement of 
the  skills,  knowledge  and  career  prospects  of  researchers,  promoting  mobility 
between countries, sectors or disciplines; 

‘coordination and support action’ means an action contributing to the objectives of 
the  Programme,  excluding  research  and  innovation  (R&I)  activities,  except  when 
undertaken under the component  'widening participation  and spreading  excellence' 
of  the  part  IV  ’European  Research  Area’;  and  bottom-up  coordination  without  co-
funding  of  research  activities  from  the  Union  that  allows  for  cooperation  between 
legal entities from Member States and associated countries in order to strengthen the 
ERA; 

‘indirect actions’ means R&I related activities to which the Union provides financial 
support and which are undertaken by participants; 

‘direct actions’ means R&I related activities undertaken by the Commission through 
its JRC; 

‘innovation  ecosystem’  means  an  ecosystem  which  brings  together  at  Union  level 
organisations  whose  functional  goal  is  to  enable  technology  development  and 
innovation  and  which  encompasses  relations  between  material  resources  (such  as 
funds, equipment, and facilities, including research and technology infrastructures), 
institutional  entities  (such  as  higher  education  institutions  and  support  services, 

16 

17 

Commission Recommendation  2003/361/EC of 6 May 2003 concerning the definition of micro, small 
and medium-sized enterprises (OJ L 124, 20.5.2003, p. 36). 
Commission  Recommendation  (EU)  2025/1099  of  21  May  2025  on  the  definition  of  small  mid-cap 
enterprises (OJ L, 28.5.2025, p. 1) 

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research  and  technology  organisations,  companies,  investors  -  including  venture 
capitalists  -  and  financial  intermediaries)  and  national,  regional  and  local  policy-
making and funding entities. 

(24) 

‘knowledge triangle’ means the creation of networks between education institutions, 
research  organisations  and  business  with  the  aim  to  create  innovation  ecosystems 
that cater for the creation of an innovation pipeline from the inception of innovation 
through  entrepreneurial  education  to  the  creation  of  startups  and  the  growth  of 
scale-ups. 

Article 3 

Programme objectives 

1. 

In  line  with  the  general  and  specific  objectives  of  the  European  Competitiveness 
Fund,  the  Programme  shall  strengthen  the  EU’s  competitiveness,  scientific 
technological  base,  and  address  global  challenges  based  on  excellent  research  and 
innovation. 

2. 

The specific objectives of the Programme are: 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

Create high-quality knowledge, skills and attractive careers for researchers and 
support the realisation of the European Research Area (ERA). 

Increase EU-wide and international collaborative research, knowledge sharing 
and valorisation.  

Align  EU,  national  and  regional  priorities  to  create  a  pan-European  research 
and innovation ecosystem.  

Reduce  national  and  regional  disparities  in  research  and  innovation  capacity, 
skills, and talent to strengthen innovation ecosystems.  

Improve the Union’s position in innovation, with a specific focus on  strategic 
technologies  and  disruptive  innovation,  facilitate  the  diffusion  of  innovative 
solutions  through  standardisation  activities  to  foster  competitiveness  and 
address key societal challenges.  

De-risk  and  mobilise  more  private  research  and  innovation  financing, 
particularly for supporting deep tech and the scaling up of innovative startups 
and SMEs.  

Contribute  to  increasing  public  and  private  investment  in  research  and 
innovation  in  Member  States,  thereby  contributing  to  reach  an  overall 
expenditure  of  at  least  3%  of  Union  Gross  Domestic  Product  (‘GDP’)  in 
research and development.  

Article 4 

Programme structure 

3. 

For  the  purposes  of  the  Specific  Programme  referred  to  in  Article  1(2),  the 
Programme  shall  be  structured  in  parts  as  follows,  which  contribute  to  the  general 
and  specific  objectives  set  out  in  Article  3  and  the  policy  windows  of  Regulation 
(EU) XXX [European Competitiveness Fund]: 

(a)  Part I ‘Excellent Science’, with the following components, in particular: 

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(i) 

the European Research Council (ERC); 

(ii)  Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA). 

(iii)  Science  for  Union  policies:  non-nuclear  direct  actions  of  the  Joint 

Research Centre (JRC). 

(b)  Part  II  ‘Competitiveness  and  Society’,  with  the  following  components,  in 

particular: 

i) 

‘Competitiveness’,  including  research  and  innovation  activities  in 
support of policies under the European Competitiveness Fund, such as: 

(1) 

(2) 

(3) 

(4) 

collaborative  research  and  innovation  activities  under  Chapter  IV 
‘Clean Transition and Industrial Decarbonisation’ of the European 
Competitiveness Fund; 

collaborative  research  and  innovation  activities  under  Chapter  V 
‘Health,  Biotech,  Agriculture  and  Bioeconomy’  of  the  European 
Competitiveness Fund;  

collaborative  research  and  innovation  activities  under  Chapter  VI 
‘Digital Leadership’ of the European Competitiveness Fund; 

collaborative research  and innovation  activities under Chapter  VII 
‘Resilience  and  Security,  Defence  Industry  and  Space’  of  the 
European Competitiveness Fund. 

ii) 

‘Society’, including research and innovation activities, such as: 

(1)  global societal challenges; 

(2)  EU Missions; 

(3) 

the New European Bauhaus Facility; 

(c)  Part III ‘Innovation’, with the following components, in particular: 

(i) the European Innovation Council (EIC); 

(ii)  Innovation  ecosystems  including  activities  to  foster  the  integration  of  the 
knowledge  triangle  –  higher  education,  research  and  innovation,  and 
business – across the Union. 

(d)  Part  IV  ‘European  Research  Area’,  with  the  following  components,  in 

particular: 

(i) 

reforming and enhancing the European R&I system; 

(ii) 

research and technology infrastructures;  

(iii)  widening participation and spreading excellence. 

Article 5 

Horizontal principles 

The Programme shall: 

(a) 

ensure  a  multidisciplinary  approach,  where  appropriate,  and  provide  for  the 
integration of social sciences and humanities (SSH) across all components under the 
Programme, including specific calls for proposals on SSH related topics. 

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(b) 

(c) 

4. 

5. 

advance  scientific  knowledge  and  contribute  to  the  creation  of  informed,  effective, 
and  responsive  public  policies  across  the  Union  and  beyond.  The  Programme  shall 
actively promote the use of the results of publicly funded research and of scientific 
evidence  in  policy-making  processes  at  all  levels,  fostering  stronger  links  between 
research, innovation, and the development of evidence-informed public policies. This 
shall include encouraging collaborative mechanisms, R&I initiatives and science-for-
policy interfaces connecting policy makers with the scientific community, as well as 
facilitating the use of research outcomes in shaping future legislative and regulatory 
frameworks at all levels. Special emphasis shall be placed on ensuring that scientific 
insights are accessible and relevant to decision makers and citizens, with instruments 
for the effective use of research results, policy briefs, and recommendations.  

encourage  open  science  practices  including  by  ensuring  open  access  to  peer-
reviewed scientific publications regarding results, as well as open access to research 
data  and  other  results  following  the  principle  ‘as  open  as  possible,  as  closed  as 
necessary’.  

Article 6 

Budget  

The indicative financial envelope of the Programme for the period 1 January 2028 to 
31 December 2034 shall be EUR  175 002 000 000 in current prices.   

The indicative distribution of the amount referred to in paragraph 1 of this Article for 
the Specific Programme referred to in Article 1(2)(a), shall be:   

(a)  EUR 44 079 000 000 for Part I ‘Excellent Science’, of which EUR 2 600 

000 000 for non-nuclear direct actions of Joint Research Centre (JRC). 

(b)  EUR 75 876 000 000 for Part II ‘Competitiveness and Society’, of which: 

i. 

EUR 68 270 000 000 for ‘Competitiveness’ of which: 

EUR 25 331 000 000 for collaborative research and innovation activities 
under  Chapter  IV  ‘Clean  Transition  and  Industrial  Decarbonisation’  of 
the European Competitiveness Fund; 

EUR 19 650 000 000 for collaborative research and innovation activities 
under  Chapter  V  ‘Health,  Biotech,  Agriculture  and  Bioeconomy’  of  the 
European Competitiveness Fund;  

EUR 16 854 000 000 for collaborative research and innovation activities 
under Chapter VI ‘Digital Leadership’ of the European Competitiveness 
Fund; 

EUR  6  435 000 000  for collaborative research and innovation  activities 
under Chapter VII ‘Resilience and Security, Defence Industry and Space’ 
of the European Competitiveness Fund. 

ii. 

EUR 7 606 000 000 for ‘Society. 

(c)  EUR 38 785 000 000 for Part III ‘Innovation’. 

(d)  EUR  16  262  000  000  for  Part  IV  ‘European  Research  Area’,  of  which 
EUR 5 387 000 000 for widening participation and spreading excellence. 

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1. 

2. 

3. 

1. 

2. 

1. 

The amount referred to in paragraph 1 of this Article and the amounts of additional 
resources referred to in  Article 7 may also be used for technical  and administrative 
assistance  for  the  implementation  of  the  Programme,  such  as  preparatory, 
monitoring, control, audit and evaluation activities,  information technology systems 
and  platforms,  information  and  communication  activities,  including  corporate 
communication  on  the  political  priorities  of  the  Union,  and  all  other  technical  and 
administrative  assistance  or  staff-related  expenses  incurred  by  the  Commission  for 
the management of the Programme.   

If  necessary  to  enable  the  management  of  actions  not  completed  by  31  December 
2034, appropriations may be entered in the Union budget beyond 2034 to cover the 
expenses  necessary  and  to  enable  the  management  of  actions  not  completed  by  the 
end of the Programme.   

Budgetary commitments for actions extending over more than one financial year may 
be broken down into annual instalments over several years.  

Article 7 

Additional resources  

Member States, Union institutions, bodies and agencies, third countries, international 
organisations,  international  financial  institutions,  or  other  third  parties,  may  make 
additional  financial  or  non-financial  contributions  to  the  Programme.  Additional 
financial contributions shall constitute external assigned revenue within the meaning 
of Article 21(2), points (a), (d), or (e) or Article 21(5) of Regulation (EU, Euratom) 
2024/2509.   

Resources  allocated  to  Member  States  under  shared  management  may,  at  their 
request,  be  made  available  to  the  Programme.  The  Commission  shall  implement 
those resources directly or indirectly in accordance with Article 62(1), point (a) or (c) 
of  Regulation  (EU,  Euratom)  2024/2509.  They  shall  be  additional  to  the  amount 
referred to  in  Article  6(1) of this Regulation.  Those  resources shall be used for the 
benefit of the Member State concerned. Where the Commission has not entered into 
a legal commitment under direct or indirect management for additional amounts thus 
made available to the Programme, the corresponding uncommitted amounts may, at 
the  request  of  the  Member  State  concerned,  be  transferred  back  to  one  or  more 
respective source programmes or their successors.  

Article 8 

Alternative, combined and cumulative funding 

The Programme shall be implemented in synergy with other Union programmes. An 
action  that  has  received  a  Union  contribution  from  another  programme  may  also 
receive  a  contribution  under  this  Programme.  The  rules  of  the  relevant  Union 
programme shall apply to the corresponding contribution or a single set of rules may 
be applied to all contributions and a single legal commitment may be concluded. If 
the  Union  contribution  is  based  on  eligible  costs,  the  cumulative  support  from  the 
Union  budget  shall  not  exceed  the  total  eligible  costs  of  the  action  and  may  be 
calculated  on  a  pro-rata  basis  in  accordance  with  the  documents  setting  out  the 
conditions for support.  

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2. 

3. 

4. 

1. 

Award  procedures  under  the  Programme  may  be  jointly  conducted  under  direct  or 
indirect  management  with  Member  States,  Union  institutions,  bodies  and  agencies, 
third  countries,  international  organisations,  international  financial  institutions,  or 
other third parties, provided the protection of the financial interests of the Union is 
ensured.  Such  procedures  shall  be  subject  to  a  single  set  of  rules  and  lead  to  the 
conclusion  of  single  legal  commitments.  For  that  purpose,  the  partners  to  the  joint 
award procedure may make resources available to the Programme in accordance with 
Article  7  of  this  Regulation,  or  the  partners  may  be  entrusted  with  the 
implementation of the award procedure, where applicable in accordance with Article 
62(1), point (c), of Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2024/2509. In joint award procedures, 
representatives of the partners to the joint award procedure may also be members of 
the evaluation committee referred to in Article 153(3) of Regulation (EU, Euratom) 
2024/2509, 

Under this programme, in addition to the conditions set out in Article 8(1) and (2) of 
Regulation  (EU)  XXX  [European  Competitiveness  Fund],  a  Competitiveness  Seal 
shall be awarded only to high-quality actions that have not been financed under the 
Programme due to budgetary constraints. 

The  Member  States  may  finance  actions  to  which  a  Competitiveness  Seal  was 
awarded. 

Article 9 

Third countries associated to the Programme 

The Programme may be opened to the participation of the following third countries 
through  full  or  partial  association,  in  accordance  with  the  objectives  laid  down  in 
Article  3  and  in  accordance  with  the  relevant  international  agreements  or  any 
decisions adopted under the framework of those agreements and applicable to:  

(a)  members  of  the  European  Free  Trade  Association  which  are  members  of  the 

European Economic Area, as well as European micro-states;  

(b) 

acceding countries, candidate countries and potential candidates;  

(c)  European Neighbourhood Policy countries;  

(d)  other third countries.  

2. 

The association agreements for participation in the Programme shall:  

(a) 

(b) 

ensure  a  fair  balance  as  regards  the  contributions  and  benefits  of  the  third 
country participating in the Programme;  

lay  down  the  conditions  of  participation  in  Programme,  including  the 
calculation of financial contributions, consisting of an operational contribution 
and a participation fee, to the Programme and its general administrative costs;  

(c)  not confer on the third country any decision-making power in the Programme;  

(d)  guarantee the rights of the Union to ensure sound financial management and to 

protect its financial interests.  

(e)  where relevant,  ensure the protection of security  and public order interests  of 

the Union. 

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3. 

4. 

5. 

6. 

7. 

1. 

2. 

3. 

For the purposes of paragraph 2, point (d), the third country shall grant the necessary 
rights  and  access  required  under  Regulations  (EU,  Euratom)  2024/2509  and  (EU, 
Euratom)  No  883/2013,  and  guarantee  that  enforcement  decisions  imposing  a 
pecuniary  obligation  on  the  basis  of  Article  299  TFEU,  as  well  as  judgments  and 
orders of the Court of Justice of the European Union, are enforceable.  

For the purpose of paragraph 1, point (d), association or partial association with other 
third countries shall only be possible if they fulfil all the following criteria:  

(a) 

(b) 

a good capacity in science, technology and innovation; 

commitment  to  a  rules-based  open  market  economy,  including  fair  and 
equitable  dealing  with  intellectual  property  rights,  respect  of  human  rights, 
backed by democratic institutions; 

(c) 

active promotion of policies to improve the economic and social well-being of 
citizens. 

The  scope  of  association  of  each  third  country  to  the  Programme  shall  take  into 
account  an  analysis  of  the  risks,  notably  those  likely  to  affect  the  Union’s  public 
order and security in relevant policy areas, including economic and research security, 
as  well  as  benefits  and  the  broader  objective  of  driving  economic  growth  and 
competitiveness of the Union through innovation. Accordingly, with the exception of 
EEA  members,  acceding  countries,  candidate  countries  and  potential  candidate 
countries,  third  countries  may  be  excluded  from  parts  of  the  Programme  in 
accordance with this Regulation or the association agreement itself.  

The  association  agreement  setting  out  the  conditions  for  participation  in  the 
Programme, shall, as far as possible, provide for the reciprocal participation of legal 
entities established in the Union in equivalent programmes of associated countries in 
accordance with the conditions laid down in those programmes.  

The  conditions  determining  the  level  of  the  financial  contributions  referred  to  in 
paragraph 2, point (b) shall ensure a regular automatic correction of any significant 
imbalance compared to the amount that entities established in the associated country 
receive through participation in the Programme, taking into account the costs in the 
management,  execution  and  operation  of  the  Programme.  The  allocation  of  the 
financial contributions  shall take into account  the level  of participation  of the legal 
entities of the associated countries in each part of the Programme. 

Article 10 

Implementation and forms of Union funding 

The Programme shall be implemented in accordance with Regulation (EU, Euratom) 
2024/2509,  under  direct  management  or  under  indirect  management  with  bodies 
referred to in Article 62(1), point (c) of that Regulation.  

Union  funding  may  be  provided  in  any  form  in  accordance  with  Regulation  (EU, 
Euratom) 2024/2509, in particular through grants, prizes, procurement, non-financial 
donations, and financial instruments.  

With  the  exception  of  financial  instruments  under  the  EIC  (Fund)  where  Union 
support  is  provided  in  the  form  of  a  budgetary  guarantee  or  a  financial  instrument, 
including  where  combined  with  non-repayable  support  in  a  blending  operation,  it 
shall be exclusively provided through the European Competitiveness Fund InvestEU 

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4. 

5. 

1. 

2. 

3. 

4. 

Instrument and implemented in accordance with the applicable rules of the European 
Competitiveness  Fund  InvestEU  Instrument  through  the  contribution  or  guarantee 
agreements concluded for that purpose. Where the Programme makes use of the ECF 
InvestEU  Instrument,  it  shall  provide  the  provisioning  for  the  budgetary  guarantee 
and  the  financing  to  financial  instruments,  including  when  combined  with  non-
repayable support in the form of a blending operation. 

Where Union funding is provided in the form of a grant, funding shall be provided as 
financing not linked to cost, or as simplified cost options in particular through lump 
sums  as  well  as  unit  costs  for  personnel,  in  accordance  with  Regulation  (EU, 
Euratom)  2024/2509.  Funding  may  be  provided  in  the  form  of  actual  eligible  cost 
reimbursement only where the objectives of an action cannot be achieved otherwise. 
including  co-
Where 
investments with  national  resources  subject  to  State  aid  rules,  funding  shall  be 
provided  in  the  form  of  actual  eligible  cost  reimbursement  or  simplified  cost 
options.  

to  enable  other  sources  of  funding 

is  necessary 

it 

For  the  purposes  of  Article  153(3)  of  Regulation  (EU,  Euratom)  2024/2509,  the 
evaluation  committee  may  be  composed  partially  or  fully  of  independent  external 
experts.  

Article 11 

European Partnerships 

Where necessary to  achieve the objectives set  out  in  Article 3, activities under this 
Regulation may be implemented through European Partnerships, by default through 
the work programmes.   

European  Partnerships  shall  be  based  on  a  Memorandum  of  Understanding,  agreed 
and signed between the partners, stipulating:  

(a) 

the results to be delivered, which shall be clear, measurable, time-bound;  

(b) 

reporting requirements;  

(c) 

the related commitments from all partners;    

(d)  governance arrangements  with  a mechanism for partners to  discuss and agree 

on the partnerships’ programming and activities.   

In  duly  justified  cases  European  Partnerships  will  be  implemented  by  entrusting 
budget  implementation  tasks  from  various  Union  funding  programmes  to  bodies 
established  pursuant  to  Articles  185  and  187  TFEU,  in  accordance  with  Article 
62(1), point (c), of Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2024/2509. 

For European Partnerships established pursuant to paragraphs 2 and 3 of this Article, 
support  from  the  Programme  shall  be  conditional  upon  efficient  use  of  Union 
financing, a proportionate financial contribution from other partners at least matching 
the  Union  contribution  and  voting  rights  for  the  Union  in  the  governing  bodies 
ensuring protection of the interests of the Union in the partnership. For that purpose, 
Joint  Undertakings  shall  be  established  through  a  single  establishing  act  ensuring 
harmonised rules.  

5. 

European Partnerships shall:  

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(a)  be  established  only  in  cases  where  Union  action  alone  or  other  forms  of 

support under the Programme cannot achieve the desired objectives.  

(b)  be  established  for  the  purpose  of  addressing  challenges  that  require  a  critical 
mass  of  resources  and  a  unified  and  coordinated  approach,  both  in  terms  of 
programming and implementation, across actors.  

(c) 

align with and assist in the implementation of major Union policies and policy 
initiatives.  

(d)  be  selected  in  a  competitive  manner  based  on  a  set  of  quantifiable  lifecycle 
criteria  and  a  strong  portfolio  approach,  resulting  in  a  coherent  set  of 
initiatives.  

(e)  be  based  on  ex  ante,  long-term  and  formal  commitments  from  all  partners  to 
contribute financially to the resources of the European Partnership, which shall 
be centrally managed, except in duly justified cases.  

(f) 

require  a  clear  lifecycle  approach,  including  an  upfront  plan  for  the 
implementation  of the initiative with  a strategy for gradually or fully phasing 
out from Union funding.  

6. 

Contributions from Partners other than the Union shall take the following forms: 

(a) 

(b) 

financial contributions to the operational budget of the initiative; 

co-financing  by  the  Partners  of  their  own  participation,  or  that  of  their 
members, in projects funded through the initiative.  

7. 

All  Partners  other  than  the  Union  shall  provide  information  on  the  structure, 
membership  and  activities  developed  within  the  partnership.  In  cases  where 
partnerships  are  concluded  with  representative  organisations  and  associations,  this 
shall include regular information on their membership.  

Chapter II 

Excellent Science 

Article 12 

European Research Council 

1. 

2. 

The  European  Research  Council  shall  provide  attractive  and  flexible  funding  to 
enable talented and creative individual researchers, with an emphasis on early- stage 
researchers, and their teams to pursue the most promising avenues at the frontier of 
science,  regardless  of  their  nationality  and  country  of  origin  and  on  the  basis  of 
competition based solely on the criterion of excellence. 

The  ERC  shall  attract  the  most  talented  researchers  from  all  over  the  world  and 
establish the Union as a world-leading centre for research and innovation. 

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Article 13 

Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions 

The  Marie  Skłodowska-Curie  Actions  shall  support  the  career  at  all  stages,  skills 
development, and mobility of researchers from all over the world subject to security 
considerations.  MSCA  shall  foster  research  excellence,  attract  and  retain  excellent 
research talents, and support sustainable research careers in the Union with the aim 
to increase the Union’s competitiveness in research and innovation. 

The  MSCA  shall  fund  excellent  doctoral  networks,  post-doctoral  fellowships,  R&I 
staff exchanges, as well as support mechanisms to foster sustainable careers in view 
of attracting and retaining the most promising talents. A strong focus shall be put on 
international,  inter-sectoral  and  inter-disciplinary  cooperation  as  well  as  science 
outreach.  The  funding  shall  support  cutting  edge  research  and  focus  on  developing 
research talent, with targeted support for early career researchers.  It shall support to 
establish the Union as a leading destination for researchers. 

Article 14 

Joint Research Centre 

The Joint Research Centre shall provide independent, evidence-based knowledge and 
science, supporting EU policies to positively impact society. This shall be undertaken 
through JRC direct actions and through participation of the JRC in indirect actions. 
Chapter  II  of  Title  II  shall  not  apply  to  direct  actions.  By  way  of  derogation  from 
Article  21(3)  of  Regulation  (EU,  Euratom)  2024/2509,  the  revenues  or  amounts 
resulting  from  the  JRC’s  research  activities  (e.g.  patents,  licenses  etc)  shall  be 
reusable by the JRC. 

Chapter III 

Competitiveness and Society 

Article 15 

Collaborative research 

Collaborative  research  shall  support  the  creation  of  transnational  research  and 
innovation  cooperation  networks,  bringing  together  entities  of  different  disciplines, 
to support the development and swift diffusion of high-quality results in favour of the 
Union’s  industrial  competitiveness,  space,  security,  clean  transition,  preparedness 
and  resilience,  and  addressing  societal  challenges,  including  culture  and  creativity, 
and  to  strengthen  the  impact  of  research  in  developing  and  supporting  Union 
policies. 

Activities  shall  be  carried  out  in  a  balanced  manner  between  lower  and  higher 
Technology Readiness Levels, thereby covering the whole value chain.  

This Programme shall include the collaborative research and innovation activities in 
a specific dedicated part of the work programmes adopted under Chapters IV to VII 

1. 

2. 

1. 

1. 

2. 

3. 

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4. 

5. 

6. 

1. 

of  the  Regulation  (EU)  XXX  European  Competitiveness  Fund.  Those  work 
programmes shall be adopted in accordance with Article 15 of the  Regulation (EU) 
XXX [European Competitiveness Fund Regulation]. 

The  Programme  shall  support  activities  to  tackle  global  societal  challenges  in  the 
areas of strengthening democratic values and tackling disinformation, including rule 
of  law  and  fundamental  rights;  promoting  socio-economic  transformations  that 
contribute  to  inclusion  and  growth,  addressing  demographic  and  intergenerational 
challenges, including from a youth perspective and including migration management 
and integration of migrants. 

The Programme shall contribute to EU Missions notably through the identification of 
priority  actions  for  R&I  funding  for  the  development  of  new  knowledge, 
technologies,  services,  and  products  in  view  of  their  goals. Funding  for  the  EU 
Missions  established  under  Article  8  of  the  Regulation  (EU)  2021/695  shall  be 
awarded on the basis of work programmes covering up to the budgetary year 2030. 

The  Programme  shall  support  the  R&I  component  of  the  New  European  Bauhaus 
Facility. 

Chapter IV 

Innovation 

Article 16 

The European Innovation Council (EIC) 

The  EIC  shall  identify,  develop  and  scale  up  deep  tech  and  disruptive  innovation 
from  research  to  scale-up.  It  shall  be  implemented  mainly  through  open  bottom-up 
calls  for  proposals  while  ensuring  a  balanced  portfolio  of  actions  across  thematic 
areas.  This  shall  be  complemented  by  targeted  thematic  and  ‘Challenge’  calls  in 
areas of potential strategic interest  in  close coordination  and synergy  with the ECF 
policy windows, in particular with the ECF InvestEU Instrument. 

2. 

The EIC may in particular provide the following types of support: 

(a)  Pathfinder  grants  for  high-risk  research,  including  proof  of  concept  and 

prototyping; 

(b)  Transition grants to develop pathways to commercial development for research 

results, including the creation of spin-offs and start-ups; 

(c)  Accelerator blended finance and investment-only support for single companies 

to develop, and bring to market their innovations;  

(d) 

Incentives  to  procurers  to  test  and  provide  first  customers  for  deep  tech  and 
disruptive innovations; 

(e)  Business  Accelerator  Services  to  complement  EIC  funding  by  providing 
access, in complementarity and coordination with the Project Advisory referred 
to 
the  Regulation  (EU)  XXX  [European 
Competitiveness Fund], to deep-tech expertise, coaching and mentoring, match 
making with investors, procurers, corporates and other innovation partners.  

in  Chapter  III  of 

the  of 

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3. 

4. 

5. 

1. 

2. 

1. 

2. 

The  types  of  support  referred  to  in  paragraph  2  shall  be  combined  flexibly  in  EIC 
Challenges developed and overseen by  EIC Programme Managers. EIC  Challenges 
shall be implemented using a portfolio approach where actions are selected based on 
their  complementarities  to  achieve  defined  objectives  and  interact  with  each  other 
under the supervision of EIC Programme Manager. 

All  EIC  investment  support  shall  be  implemented  by  one  or  more  dedicated 
investment  vehicles set  up in  line with  the law  of a Member State (the  EIC  Fund). 
The EIC Fund shall be structured in a way that it can attract other public or private 
investors in order to increase the leverage effect of the Union contribution. 

The  EIC  may  support  innovation  in  critical  technologies  with  focus  on  defence 
applications  in  close  coordination  with  the  ECF  policy  window  ‘Resilience  and 
Security,  Defence  Industry  and  Space’.  In  those  cases,  Articles  51  and  52  of  the 
Regulation (EU) XXX [European Competitiveness Fund] shall apply. 

Article 17 

Innovation Ecosystems 

The  Programme  shall  support  organisations  to  create  competitive,  robust  and 
connected innovation ecosystems and framework conditions. Synergies with Union, 
national and regional programmes shall be pursued to this end. 

The  Programme  shall  support  activities  to  foster  the  integration  of  the  knowledge 
triangle  –  higher  education,  research  and  innovation,  and  business  –  across  the 
Union. 

Chapter V 

European Research Area 

Article 18 

European Research Area and infrastructures 

The  objective  of  the  European  Research  Area  (‘ERA’)  is  to  create  a  single, 
borderless market for research, innovation and technology across the Union, in which 
researchers, scientific knowledge and technology circulate freely. 

The  Programme  shall  ensure  the  effective  promotion  and  protection  of  values  and 
principles  of  the  ERA  and  the  Pact  for  research  and  innovation,  notably ethics  and 
integrity  in  research  and  innovation,  freedom  of  scientific  research  and  gender 
equality and equal opportunities, and the promotion of attractive research careers and 
mobility.  The  funding  of  the  Research  and  Technology  Infrastructures  shall 
contribute  to  equip  the Union  with  a  strong  and  coherent  ecosystem  of  world-class 
sustainable 
services,  building  on  prioritised  pan-European 
infrastructures  and  complementary  state-of-the-art  national  capacities  and  using 
funding  instruments,  including  European  partnerships.  The  Programme  shall 
contribute up to  20% of the building  costs of critical  new world-class capacities of 
European research and technology infrastructures.  

facilities  and 

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3. 

1. 

2. 

3. 

4. 

The Policy Support  Facility shall provide Member States and Associated Countries 
with practical expert support to design, implement and evaluate reforms that enhance 
the quality of their research and innovation investments, policies and systems. It shall 
contribute to  building  stronger  and more effective national  research and innovation 
systems and a more robust European Research Area. 

Article 19 

Widening 

‘Widening  countries’  are  Bulgaria,  Croatia,  Czechia,  Hungary,  Latvia,  Lithuania, 
Poland,  Romania  and  Slovakia  for  the  purposes  of  funding  the  actions  under 
paragraph 5, points a) and b). 

‘Transition countries’ are Cyprus, Estonia, Greece, Malta, Portugal and Slovenia, for 
the purposes of funding the actions under paragraph 5, point b). 

Only legal entities established in widening countries or transition countries shall be 
eligible as coordinators under the ‘widening participation and spreading excellence’ 
component of the ‘Strengthening the ERA’ part of the Programme. 

For  associated  countries,  legal  entities  from  the  list  of  eligible  countries as  defined 
based on an indicator and published in the work programme shall be fully eligible as 
coordinators under this component. Legal entities from outermost regions as defined 
in Article 349 TFEU shall be also eligible as coordinators under this component and 
shall be subject to the same rules applying to widening countries under this Article, 
with the exception of paragraph 7.   

5. 

‘Widening’ includes the following: 

(a) 

capacity building measures;   

6. 

7. 

(b)  measures  supporting  networking,  knowledge  valorisation,  countering  brain 

drain and dedicated National Contact Points (NCP) support. 

The  Programme  shall  assist  widening  and  transition  countries  to  increase  their 
participation and to promote a broad geographical coverage in excellent collaborative 
projects. Those efforts shall be mirrored by proportional measures by Member States. 

From  2030  onwards  access  to  capacity  building  measures  is  restricted  to  those 
widening countries that have increased their real expenditure of public investment in 
research and development in the latest known year compared to the year prior to it. 

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Title II - Rules for participation and dissemination 

Chapter I 

General provisions 

Article 20 

ECF rules 

1. 

1. 

2. 

3. 

4. 

Article  10(2),  10(3)  on  EU  Preference,  Article  13  on  Application  of  the  rules  on 
classified  information  and  sensitive  information  and  Article  20  on  Accelerated  and 
Targeted  Action  for  Competitiveness  of  Regulation  (EU)  XXX  [European 
Competitiveness  Fund]  shall  apply  for  the  purpose  of  this  Regulation,  unless 
otherwise specified. 

Article 21 

Eligibility 

Eligibility  criteria  shall  be  set  to  support  achievement  of  the  general  and  specific 
objectives  laid  down  in  Article  3,  in  accordance  with  Regulation  (EU,  Euratom) 
2024/2509 and apply to all award procedures under the Programme. 

In  award  procedures  under  direct  and  indirect  management  one  or  more  of  the 
following categories of legal entities may be eligible to receive Union support:  

(a) 

(b) 

entities established in a Member State; 

entities established in an associated third country; 

(c)  other  entities  established  in  low  to  middle  income  non-associated  third 
countries or, exceptionally, in  other non-associated third countries if the third 
country is identified in the work programme adopted by the Commission;  

(d)  other entities established in non-associated countries where the funding of such 
entities  is  essential  for  implementing  the  action  and  contributes  to  the 
objectives laid down in Article 3. 

Except when the work programme otherwise provides, to be eligible for participation 
in  grant  actions legal  entities shall form  a consortium  that includes as beneficiaries 
three  legal  entities  independent  of  each  other  and  each  established  in  different 
countries as follows: 

(a) 

(b) 

at least two legal entities established in different Member States; and 

at  least  one  other  legal  entity  established  in  another  Member  State  or  an 
associated country. 

ERC frontier research actions, EIC actions, research and training actions and actions 
that  involve  or  have  as  their  primary  aim  the  implementation  of  pre-commercial 
procurement or procurement of innovative solutions, may be implemented by one or 
more legal entities, provided that one of those legal entities shall be established in a 
Member State or associated country.  

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5. 

6. 

7. 

8. 

Coordination and support actions may be implemented by one or more legal entities, 
which may be  established in  a Member State,  associated country or, in  exceptional 
cases, in another third country. 

International European research organisations and legal entities created under Union 
law shall be deemed to be established in a Member State other than the ones in which 
other legal entities participating in the action are established. 

International  organisations  other  than  international  European  research  organisations 
shall be deemed to be established in a non-associated third country, unless otherwise 
provided for in the work programme or the call for proposals. 

In  addition  to  Article  168(2)  and  (3)  of  Regulation  (EU,  Euratom)  2024/2509, 
associated  third  countries  referred  to  in  Article  9(1)  and  international  organisations 
may,  where  relevant,  participate  in  and  benefit  from  any  procurement  mechanisms 
set  out  in  Article  168(2)  and  (3)  of  Regulation  (EU,  Euratom)  2024/2509.  Rules 
applicable  to  Member  States  shall  be  applied,  mutatis  mutandis,  to  participating 
associated third countries and international organisations. 

9. 

In award procedures, the following activities shall not be eligible for funding: 

(a) 

(b) 

(c) 

(d) 

(e) 

activities that are prohibited by Union law, applicable international law, or by 
national  law  in  all  Member  States;  activities  that  are  already  fully  financed 
from  other  public  or  private  sources,  except  contributions  from  the  Union  in 
the context of  actions referred to in Article 8(1); 

activities aiming at human cloning for reproductive purposes; 

activities intended to modify the genetic heritage of human beings which could 
make such modifications heritable, except research relating to cancer treatment 
of the gonads; 

activities intended to create human embryos solely for the purpose of research, 
technological  development  and  demonstration  activities  or  for  the  purpose  of 
stem cell procurement, including by means of somatic cell nuclear transfer; 

research  on  human  stem  cells,  both  adult  and  embryonic,  may  be  financed 
depending  both  on  the  contents  of  the  scientific  proposal  and  the  legal 
framework of the Member States involved; 

For the purposes of the first subparagraph, point (a), no funding shall be provided in 
a  Member  State  for  a  research,  technological  or  demonstration  activity  which  is 
forbidden in that Member State. 

In  addition  to  the  grounds  set  out  in  Article  132  of  Regulation  (EU,  Euratom) 
2024/2509,  award  procedures  and  resulting  legal  commitments  shall  allow  for 
termination  where  the  objectives  of  the  action  are  unlikely  to  be  achieved  at  all  or 
within the set timelines, or the action has lost its policy relevance. 

The work programme or the documents related to the award procedure may specify 
the eligibility criteria set out in this Regulation or set additional eligibility criteria for 
specific actions including to take into account specific policy requirements. 

10. 

11. 

Article 22 

Ethics and research integrity 

1. 

Actions carried out shall comply with: 

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(a) 

relevant  Union,  national  and  international  law,  including  the  Charter  of 
Fundamental Rights of the European Union and the European Convention for 
the  Protection  of  Human  Rights  and  Fundamental  Freedoms  and  its 
Supplementary Protocols; 

(b) 

ethical principles, including the highest standards of research integrity. 

2. 

For award procedures identified in the work programme, legal entities participating 
in an action shall fulfil all the following requirements: 

(a)  provide an ethics self-assessment relating to the objective, implementation and 
likely  impact  of  the  activities,  including  a  confirmation  and  description  of 
compliance with paragraph 1; 

(b)  provide  a  confirmation  that  the  activities  will  comply  with  (i)  the  European 
Code  of  Conduct  for  Research  Integrity,  (ii)  the  Global  Code  of  Conduct  for 
Equitable  Research  Partnerships  and  that  no  activities  excluded  from  funding 
will be conducted; 

(c)  provide  for  activities  carried  out  outside  the  Union,  a  confirmation  that  the 

same activities would have been allowed in a Member State;  

(d)  provide  for  activities  making  use  of  human  embryonic  stem  cells,  as 
appropriate, details of licensing and control measures that shall be taken by the 
competent authorities of the Member States concerned as well as details of the 
ethics approvals that shall be obtained before the start of the relevant activities;  

(e)  obtain all approvals or other mandatory documents from the relevant national, 
local  ethics  committees  or  other  bodies,  such  as  data  protection  authorities, 
before the start of the relevant activities and keep those documents on file to be 
provided to the Commission or the relevant implementation body upon request. 

Chapter II 

Grants 

Article 23 

Calls for proposals  

1. 

A call for proposals is not required for coordination and support actions which: 

(a) 

are to be carried out by legal entities identified in the work programme; and 

(b)  do not fall within the scope of a call for proposals, in accordance with Article 

198, point (e), of Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2024/2509. 

2. 

The  work  programme  shall  specify  calls  for  proposals  for  which  Competitiveness 
Seals  may  be  awarded.  Information  concerning  the  application  and  the  evaluation 
may  be  shared  with  interested  financing  authorities,  subject  to  the  conclusion  of 
confidentiality agreements unless explicitly objected by the applicant. 

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Article 24 

Financial capacity of applicants 

1. 

2. 

3. 

4. 

5. 

In  addition  to  the  exceptions  mentioned  in  Article  201(5)  of  Regulation  (EU, 
Euratom)  2024/2509,  the  financial  capacity  shall  be  verified  only  if  the  requested 
funding from the Union for the action is equal to or greater than EUR 1.000 000. 

Notwithstanding paragraph 1, if there are grounds to doubt the financial capacity of 
an  applicant,  or  if  there  is  a  higher  risk  due  to  the  participation  in  several  ongoing 
actions funded by Union R&I programmes, the financial capacity of other applicants, 
or of coordinators even where the requested funding is below the threshold referred 
to in paragraph 1 shall also be verified. 

If  the  financial  capacity  is  structurally  guaranteed  by  another  legal  entity,  the 
financial capacity of that other legal entity shall be verified. 

In the case where the financial capacity of an applicant is weak, the participation of 
the  applicant  may  be  made  conditional  on  provision  of  a  declaration  on  joint  and 
several liability by an affiliated entity. 

The contribution  to  the  Mutual  Insurance Mechanism set  out  in  Article 30 shall be 
considered  to  be  a  sufficient  guarantee  under  Article  155  of  Regulation  (EU, 
Euratom)  2024/2509.  No  additional  guarantee  or  security  shall  be  accepted  from 
beneficiaries or imposed upon them. 

Article 25 

Award criteria and selection 

1. 

A proposal shall be evaluated on the basis of the following award criteria: 

(a) 

excellence; 

(b) 

impact; 

(c)  quality and efficiency of the implementation. 

The work programme shall lay down details concerning the application of the award 
criteria referred to in paragraph 1.  

2. 

By derogation from paragraph 1, only the excellence criterion referred to in point (a) 
of that paragraph shall apply for evaluations under ERC frontier research actions and 
research and training actions. 

Article 26 

Time-to-grant 

1. 

By  way  of  derogation  from  the  first  subparagraph  of  Article  197(2)  of  Regulation 
(EU, Euratom) 2024/2509, the following periods shall apply: 

(a) 

for  informing  all  applicants  of  the  outcome  of  the  evaluation  of  their 
application,  a  maximum  period  of  five  months  from  the  final  date  for 
submission of complete proposals; 

(b) 

for  signing  grant  agreements  with  applicants,  a  maximum  period  of  seven 
months from the final date for submission of complete proposals. 

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2. 

3. 

1. 

2. 

1. 

2. 

1. 

2. 

1. 

The  work  programme  may  establish  shorter  periods  than  those  provided  for  in 
paragraph 1. 

In  addition  to  the  exceptions  laid  down  in  Article  197(2),  second  subparagraph,  of 
Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2024/2509, the periods referred to in paragraph 1 of this 
Article  may  be  exceeded  for  ERC  actions,  missions-oriented  approach  and  when 
actions  are  submitted  to  an  ethics  assessment,  security  scrutiny  or  assessments  to 
protect the competitiveness of the Union including its strategic assets and interests. 

Article 27 

Funding rates 

A single funding rate per action shall apply for all activities it funds. The maximum 
rate per action shall be fixed in the work programme. 

Up  to  100 %  of  total  eligible  costs  of  an  action  under  the  Programme  may  be 
reimbursed, except for for-profit legal entities where up to 70% of the total eligible 
costs may be reimbursed. By way of exception, SMEs shall be eligible for a funding 
rate of up to 100% of the total eligible costs. 

Article 28 

Indirect costs 

Indirect eligible costs shall be 25% of the total direct eligible costs, excluding direct 
eligible costs for subcontracting, financial support to third parties and any unit costs 
or  lump  sums  which  include  indirect  costs.  Where  appropriate,  indirect  costs 
included in unit costs or lump sums shall be calculated using the flat rate referred to 
in the previous sentence. 

Notwithstanding paragraph 1, if provided for in the work programme, indirect costs 
may be declared in the form of a lump sum or unit costs. 

Article 29 

Eligible costs 

By way of derogation from Article 193(2) of Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2024/2509, 
costs of resources made available by third parties by means of in-kind contributions 
shall be eligible up to the direct eligible costs of the third party. 

By way of derogation from Article 195(2) of Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2024/2509, 
income  generated  by  the  valorisation  of  the  results  shall  not  be  considered  to  be 
revenues of the action. 

Article 30 

Mutual Insurance Mechanism 

A  Mutual  Insurance  Mechanism  (the  ‘MIM’)  is  hereby  established  which  shall 
replace  and  succeed  the  Mechanism  set  up  in  accordance  with  Article  37  of 
Regulation  (EU)  2021/695.  The  MIM  shall  cover  the  risk  associated  with  non-
recovery of sums due by certain ECF beneficiaries under direct management, as well 

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2. 

3. 

4. 

5. 

1. 

2. 

3. 

4. 

1. 

as  any  preexisting  risks  covered  in  accordance  with  Article  37  of  Regulation  (EU) 
2021/695.   

The MIM shall be managed by the Union, represented by the Commission acting as 
executive agent. Specific rules for the operation of the MIM shall be set out by the 
Commission by means of an implementing act.   

Beneficiaries  shall make a contribution  to  be offset  against the initial  pre-financing 
and paid back to the beneficiaries at the payment of the balance.   

Any  financial  return  generated  by  the  MIM  and  any  recovered  amounts  shall 
constitute  external  assigned  revenue  within  the  meaning  of  Article  21(5)  of 
Regulation  (EU,  Euratom)  2024/2509  for  the  Programme,  or  its  successor.  If  the 
return  is  insufficient,  the  MIM  shall  not  intervene,  and  the  granting  authority  shall 
recover any amount directly.    

Once  all  grants  for  which  the  risk  is  covered  by  the  MIM  are  completed,  any 
amounts held by the MIM may be recovered by the Commission and shall constitute 
external  assigned  revenue  within  the  meaning  of  Article  21(5)  of  Regulation  (EU, 
Euratom) 2024/2509 for the Programme, or its successor.   

Article 31 

Ownership of results 

Beneficiaries shall own the results they generate. 

Two  or  more  beneficiaries  shall  own  results  jointly  if  they  have  jointly  generated 
them and it is not possible to: 

(a) 

(b) 

establish the respective contribution of each beneficiary; or 

separate the results when applying for their protection. 

They  shall  agree  in  writing  on  the  allocation  and  terms  of  exercise  of  their  joint 
ownership.  Unless  otherwise  agreed,  each  joint  owner  may  grant  non-exclusive 
licences  to  third  parties  to  valorise  the  jointly  owned  results  (without  any  right  to 
sub-licence),  if  the  other  joint  owners  are  given  advance  notice  and  fair  and 
reasonable  compensation.  The  joint  owners  may  agree  in  writing  to  apply  another 
regime than joint ownership. 

If third parties involved in the action (including personnel) have rights to the results, 
the  beneficiaries  shall  ensure  that  those  rights  can  be  exercised  in  a  manner 
compatible with their obligations regarding those results. 

Transfer  of  ownership  may  be  subject  to  conditions  as  set  out  in  the  work 
programme,  call  conditions  or  grant  agreement,  including  a  requirement  to  pass  on 
any obligations regarding the results. 

Article 32 

Valorisation and dissemination 

Beneficiaries shall manage their results in accordance with the obligations set out in 
the  work  programme,  call  conditions  or  grant  agreement.  As  part  thereof, 
beneficiaries shall: 

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(a)  protect  their  results  if  justified,  in  particular  if  the  results  have  commercial 

potential; 

(b)  grant access to their results and background if needed for implementing action 

tasks or for valorising results, including for commercial deployment; 

(c)  undertake  best  efforts  to  valorise  their  results,  either  directly  or  indirectly, 
including  through  transfer  or  licensing;  if  results  are  not  valorised  within  a 
given  period,  the  Commission  may  identify  instruments  and  tools,  such  as 
those serving the valorisation strategy set out in Chapter III of Regulation (EU) 
XXX [European Competitiveness Fund], that the beneficiaries concerned shall 
use to facilitate the valorisation of those results; 

(d) 

 make  the  results  public  in  an  appropriate  manner  as  soon  as  feasible,  while 
keeping  results  confidential  if  needed  due  to  the  protection  of  intellectual 
assets, security concerns or legitimate interests; 

(e) 

 adhere to open science practices, including by:  

(i) 

ensuring  open  access  to  all  peer-reviewed  scientific  publications 
regarding the results;  

(ii)  managing responsibly the research data in the action and other results in 
line with the principles ‘findability’, ‘accessibility’, ‘interoperability’ and 
‘reusability’  (the  FAIR  principles)  as  well  as  ensuring  open  access 
thereto  unless  doing  so  would  be  against  legitimate  interests,  including 
commercial interests, or other constraints. 

(f) 

unless  otherwise  provided  for  in  the  work  programme  or  call  conditions, 
develop and regularly update a plan to manage their results, including data; 

(g)  grant free access to their results for developing, implementing and monitoring 

their policies or programmes to the following entities: 

(i) 

to Union institutions, bodies, offices or agencies; 

(ii) 

to  Member  States’  national  authorities,  where  provided  in  the  work 
programme, call conditions or grant agreement.  

Article 33 

Pre-commercial procurement and public procurement of innovative solutions 

1. 

Grant  actions  may  involve  or  have  as  their  primary  aim  the  pre-commercial 
procurement  or  procurement  of  innovative  solutions.  These  procurements  are  to  be 
carried out by beneficiaries which are public procurers or private procurers.   

2. 

The procurement procedures:  

(a)  when carried out by public procurers: shall comply with competition rules and 
with the principles of transparency, non-discrimination, equal treatment, sound 
financial  management,  proportionality,  applicable  EU  rules  for  strengthening 
resilience in supply chains and sector specific regulatory requirements;  

(b)  when carried out by private procurers: shall comply with the TFEU principles, 
competition  rules  and  applicable  contract  law,  EU  rules  for  strengthening 
resilience in supply chains and sector specific regulatory requirements 

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(c)  may  authorise  the  award  of  multiple  contracts  within  the  same  procedure 

(multiple sourcing);  

(d) 

shall provide for the award of the contracts  to  the tenders offering best  value 
for money while ensuring absence of conflicts of interest.  

In  the  case  of  pre-commercial  procurement,  the  procurement  procedure  may  be 
conducted with two instead of three phases and may include the purchase of first-of-
a-kind solutions to simplify and accelerate implementation.   

Specific  conditions  may  apply  including  regarding  the  place  of  performance  of  the 
procured  services,  goods  or  works  and  the  ownership  of  the  results  and  access 
thereto. As part thereof, for pre-commercial procurement:  

(a) 

(b) 

the contractors shall own at least the intellectual property rights  to the results 
they  generated,  while  the  procurers  shall  obtain  at  least  free  access  to  the 
results for their own use  as  well  as  free access  to the results for their current 
and future contractors to use the results for the procurers. 

in case of supply chain overdependencies or security of supply issues with the 
contractors,  or  in  emergency  situations  where  the  contractors  cannot  supply 
sufficient  solutions  to  satisfy  wider  demand  on  the  EU  market,  the  procurers 
shall have the right to give, or require the contractors to give the right to third 
parties to commercially use the results for the procurer and for wider markets 
on a non-exclusive basis and under fair and reasonable conditions;  

(c) 

if  contractors  fail  to  commercially  use  their  results  within  a  given  period  or 
abuse their results against the public interest, they may be required to transfer 
their ownership of results to the procurers. 

Procurement  actions carried out  by the Commission or implementation  bodies  may 
take  the  form  of  pre-commercial  procurement  or  public  procurement  of  innovative 
solutions. These procurements shall be carried out by the Commission or the relevant 
implementation  body  on  its  own  behalf  or  jointly  with  contracting  authorities  from 
Member States and associated countries.  

Chapter III 

European Innovation Council 

Article 34 

European Innovation Council specific rules  

In  accordance  with  Article  20(2)(a)(i)  of  Regulation  (EU)  XXX  [European 
Competitiveness  Fund],  EIC  Transition  grants  may  be  awarded  without  calls  for 
proposals  for  the  purpose  of  follow  up  funding  for  results  generated  by  actions 
funded by the Programme and Horizon Europe Regulation No 695/2021.  

The EIC Accelerator shall support only single beneficiaries and single investees who 
are SMEs, including startups, and small mid-caps. 

Proposals for EIC Accelerator actions may be submitted by one or more legal entities 
intending  to  establish  or  support  a  potential  recipient,  with  the  prior  agreement  of 

3. 

4. 

5. 

1. 

2. 

3. 

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4. 

5. 

6. 

7. 

8. 

9. 

that recipient. If the selected for funding, the grant and investment agreement shall be 
signed only with that recipient. 

In the case of blended finance actions, the beneficiary and the investee may differ in 
the  sense  that  the  investee  may  be  the  holding  or  the  parent  company  of  the 
beneficiary. 

Funding  bodies 
implementing  Union  Programmes,  or  national  or  regional 
programmes certified by the Commission, may directly submit a proposal for a EIC 
Transition or EIC Accelerator call, where such proposals stem from a project review 
of an action funded by the certified programme and subject to conditions set out in 
the EIC work programme (EIC Plug in). 

For the EIC Accelerator, the third evaluation criteria set out in Article 25(1) shall be 
replaced  by  the  level  of  risk  of  the  action,  the  quality  and  efficiency  of  the 
implementation, and the need for Union support. 

Investments shall be made in non-bankable investees and jointly with co-investments 
by other private investors. However, where such support is not provided fully under 
the  European  Competitiveness  Fund,  support  to  bankable  investees  or  without 
participation  of  other  investors,  may  be  provided  in  order  to  protect  the  Union’s 
strategic interests. 

By  way  of  derogation  from  Article  212(2)(a)  of  Regulation  (EU,  Euratom) 
2024/2509,  the  conditions  concerning  economic  viability,  shall  not  apply  to  EIC 
Accelerator investment actions. 

Blended finance actions shall be suspended, amended or, if duly justified, terminated 
if measurable milestones are not reached or if the beneficiary refuses the investment 
support without a duly justified reason.  

10. 

The EIC Fund may award follow-on investments: 

(a) 

(b) 

if  needed  to  protect  the  Union's  strategic  assets,  interests,  autonomy  or 
security; or 

if  subsequent  funding  rounds  would  not  proceed  or  would  proceed  at 
significantly less favourable terms without EIC follow-on investment. 

11. 

The EIC work programme may set out additional limitations regarding the award of 
follow-on support. 

Regulation (EU) 695/2021 is repealed with effect from 1 January 2028. 

Article 35 

Repeal  

Article 36 

Transitional provisions  

1. 

This  Regulation  shall  not  affect  the  continuation  or  modification  of  the  actions 
concerned, until their closure, under Regulation (EU) 695/2021, which shall continue 
to apply to the actions concerned until their closure. 

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2. 

The  financial  envelope  for  the  Programme  may  also  cover  technical  and 
administrative  assistance  expenses  necessary  to  ensure  the  transition  between  the 
Programme  and  the  measures  adopted  under  its  predecessor,  Regulation  (EU) 
695/2021. 

Article 37 

Entry into force and application 

This Regulation shall enter into force on the twentieth day following that of its publication in 
the Official Journal of the European Union. 

It shall apply from 1 January 2028. 

This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.  

Done at Brussels, 

For the European Parliament 
The President 

For the Council 
The President 

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LEGISLATIVE FINANCIAL AND DIGITAL STATEMENT 

1. 

1.1. 

1.2. 

1.3. 

FRAMEWORK OF THE PROPOSAL/INITIATIVE ................................................. 3 

Title of the proposal/initiative ...................................................................................... 3 

Policy area(s) concerned .............................................................................................. 3 

Objective(s) .................................................................................................................. 3 

1.3.1.  General objective(s) ..................................................................................................... 3 

1.3.2.  Specific objective(s) ..................................................................................................... 3 

1.3.3.  Expected result(s) and impact ...................................................................................... 3 

1.3.4. 

Indicators of performance ............................................................................................ 3 

1.4. 

1.5. 

The proposal/initiative relates to: ................................................................................. 4 

Grounds for the proposal/initiative .............................................................................. 4 

1.5.1.  Requirement(s) to be met in the short or long term including a detailed timeline for 

roll-out of the implementation of the initiative ............................................................ 4 

1.5.2.  Added value of EU involvement (it may result from different factors, e.g. 

coordination gains, legal certainty, greater effectiveness or complementarities). For 
the purposes of this section 'added value of EU involvement' is the value resulting 
from EU action, that is additional to the value that would have been otherwise 
created by Member States alone. ................................................................................. 4 

1.5.3.  Lessons learned from similar experiences in the past .................................................. 4 

1.5.4.  Compatibility with the multiannual financial framework and possible synergies with 
other appropriate instruments ....................................................................................... 5 

1.5.5.  Assessment of the different available financing options, including scope for 

redeployment ................................................................................................................ 5 

1.6. 

1.7. 

2. 

2.1. 

2.2. 

2.2.1. 

2.2.2. 

Duration of the proposal/initiative and of its financial impact .................................... 6 

Method(s) of budget implementation planned ............................................................. 6 

MANAGEMENT MEASURES................................................................................... 8 

Monitoring and reporting rules .................................................................................... 8 

Management and control system(s) ............................................................................. 8 

Justification of the budget implementation method(s), the funding implementation 
mechanism(s), the payment modalities and the control strategy proposed .................. 8 

Information concerning the risks identified and the internal control system(s) set up 
to mitigate them............................................................................................................ 8 

2.2.3.  Estimation and justification of the cost-effectiveness of the controls (ratio between 

the control costs  and the value of the related funds managed), and assessment of the 
expected levels of risk of error (at payment & at closure) ........................................... 8 

2.3. 

3. 

3.1. 

Measures to prevent fraud and irregularities ................................................................ 9 

ESTIMATED FINANCIAL IMPACT OF THE PROPOSAL/INITIATIVE ............ 10 

Heading(s) of the multiannual financial framework and expenditure budget line(s) 
affected ....................................................................................................................... 10 

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3.2. 

Estimated financial impact of the proposal on appropriations ................................... 12 

3.2.1.  Summary of estimated impact on operational appropriations.................................... 12 

3.2.1.1.  Appropriations from voted budget ............................................................................. 12 

3.2.1.2.  Appropriations from external assigned revenues ....................................................... 17 

3.2.2.  Estimated output funded from operational appropriations......................................... 22 

3.2.3.  Summary of estimated impact on administrative appropriations ............................... 24 

3.2.3.1. Appropriations from voted budget .............................................................................. 24 

3.2.3.2.  Appropriations from external assigned revenues ....................................................... 24 

3.2.3.3.  Total appropriations ................................................................................................... 24 

3.2.4.  Estimated requirements of human resources.............................................................. 25 

3.2.4.1.  Financed from voted budget....................................................................................... 25 

3.2.4.2.  Financed from external assigned revenues ................................................................ 26 

3.2.4.3.  Total requirements of human resources ..................................................................... 26 

3.2.5.  Overview of estimated impact on digital technology-related investments ................ 28 

3.2.6.  Compatibility with the current multiannual financial framework.............................. 28 

3.2.7.  Third-party contributions ........................................................................................... 28 

3.3. 

4. 

4.1. 

4.2. 

4.3. 

4.4. 

4.5. 

Estimated impact on revenue ..................................................................................... 29 

DIGITAL DIMENSIONS .......................................................................................... 29 

Requirements of digital relevance .............................................................................. 30 

Data ............................................................................................................................ 30 

Digital solutions ......................................................................................................... 31 

Interoperability assessment ........................................................................................ 31 

Measures to support digital implementation .............................................................. 32 

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1. 

FRAMEWORK OF THE PROPOSAL/INITIATIVE  

1.1. 

Title of the proposal/initiative 

Framework programme for research adn innovation (Horizon Europe) 

1.2. 

Policy area(s) concerned  

Research and Innovation 

1.3. 

Objective(s) 

1.3.1.  General objective(s) 

In  line  with  the  general  and  specific  objectives  of  the  European  Competitiveness 
Fund,  Horizon  Europe  shall  strengthen  the  EU’s  competitiveness,  scientific 
technological  base,  and  address  global  challenges  based  on  excellent  research  and 
innovation. 

1.3.2. 

Specific objective(s) 

The specific objectives of the Programme are:  

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

 Create high-quality knowledge, skills and attractive careers for researchers and 
support the realisation of the European Research Area (ERA).  

 Increase EU-wide and international collaborative research, knowledge sharing 
and valorisation.   

 Align  EU,  national  and  regional  priorities  to  create  a  pan-European  research 
and innovation ecosystem.   

 Reduce  national  and  regional  disparities  in  research  and  innovation  capacity, 
skills, and talent to strengthen innovation ecosystems.   

 Improve the Union’s position in innovation, with a specific focus on strategic 
technologies and disruptive innovation, strengthen deployment and valorisation 
of  innovative  solutions  to  foster  competitiveness  and  address  key  societal 
challenges.   

 De-risk  and  mobilise  more  private  research  and  innovation  financing, 
particularly for supporting deep tech and the scaling up of innovative startups 
and SMEs.   

 Contribute  to  increasing  public  and  private  investment  in  research  and 
innovation  in  Member  States,  thereby  contributing  to  reach  an  overall 
expenditure  of  at  least  3  %  of  Union  Gross  Domestic  Product  (‘GDP’)  in 
research and development.   

.3.3. 

Expected result(s) and impact 

Specify the effects which the proposal/initiative should have on the beneficiaries/groups targeted. 

– 

– 

– 

Promote the core values of scientific freedom and openness.  

Increase Europe’s excellent knowledge base by focusing on EU added value.  

Attract the best researchers in Europe and beyond through a ‘Choose Europe’ 
approach.  

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–  Mobilise  public  and  private  investments  across  the  full  R&I  chain  -  from 

fundamental research to market deployment.  

– 

– 

– 

– 

Contribute  to  closing  the  innovation  gap  notably  by  supporting  innovation 
throughout Europe and increasing coherence between EU funding schemes and 
Member States investments. 

Unlock the de-risking potential of the EU budget.  

Focus  investment  on  EU  strategic  priorities,  including  decarbonisation, 
digitisation, security, resilience and social cohesion.  

Improve  access  to  EU  funding  through  faster,  user-centric,  simplified,  and 
harmonised procedures to broaden participation and accelerate results. 

1.3.4. 

Indicators of performance 

Specify the indicators for monitoring progress and achievements. 

This  initiative  will  be  monitored  through  the  performance  framework  for  the  post-
2027 budget,  which is  covered in  a separate proposal.  The performance  framework 
provides  for  an  implementation  report  during  the  implementation  phase  of  the 
programme, as well as a retrospective evaluation to be carried out in accordance with 
Article  34(3)  of  Regulation  (EU,  Euratom)  2024/2509.  The  evaluation  shall  be 
conducted  in  accordance  with  the  Commission's  Better  Regulation  Guidelines  and 
will  be  based  on  indicators  relevant  to  the  objectives  of  the  programme.  The  latter 
shall comprise SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound) 
output, outcome and impact indicators to capture the progress towards achieving the 
Fund’s specific and general objectives along impact pathways in the short-, medium- 
and long-term respectively. 

Impact indicators shall be monitored on the long-term, indicatively starting from year 
5  after  the  start  of  the  programme.  They  shall  comprise,  but  not  be  limited  to:  1) 
Share  of  publications  among  the  top  cited  at  global  level;  2)  Causal  effect  on 
improvement  of  working  conditions  of  researchers,  including  salaries,  3)  Causal 
effect  of  participation  on  turnover  growth  in  funded  private  companies;  4)  Causal 
effect  of  participation  on  employment  growth  in  funded  private  companies;  5) 
Estimated  net  effect  of  EU  funding  on  GDP  growth  in  the  EU;  6)  Estimated  net 
effect  of  EU  (R&I)  funding  on  total  employment  in  the  EU;  7)  Estimated 
contribution to 3% target of EU R&D expenditures 

1.4. 

The proposal/initiative relates to:  

 a new action  
 a new action following a pilot project / preparatory action18  

 the extension of an existing action  

 a merger or redirection of one or more actions towards another/a new action 

18 

As referred to in Article 58(2), point (a) or (b) of the Financial Regulation. 

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1.5. 

Grounds for the proposal/initiative  

1.5.1.  Requirement(s) to be met in the short or long term including a detailed timeline for 

roll-out of the implementation of the initiative 

The  EU  stands  at  a  critical  crossroad.  Climate  change,  technological  disruption, 
shifting  geopolitics,  and  demographic  trends  are  profoundly  reshaping  our  society 
and  economy.  To  remain  competitive,  resilient,  secure  and  united,  Europe  must 
prioritise  research  and  innovation.  Only  by  investing  in  science,  empowering  our 
people  and  entrepreneurs,  and  working  together,  we  can  build  a  more  sustainable, 
secure, and competitive Europe for all. 

This  imperative  is  underlined  in  the  Draghi  report  on  the  future  of  EU 
competitiveness  that  placed  innovation  at  the  core  of  Europe’s  capacity  to  regain 
productivity  growth.  The  Letta  report  on  the  future  of  the  Single  Market,  and  the 
Heitor report on the future of EU R&I policy also highlighted the need for the EU to 
increase efforts to innovate for its competitiveness, sustainability, and security. 

Europe needs to close its innovation gap and address its weaknesses that begin with 
obstacles in the pipeline from innovation to commercialisation. Public sector support 
for  R&I  also  needs  to  address  the  shortcomings  of  Europe’s  R&I  ecosystem  and 
innovation performance both at national and EU levels.  

In  response,  this  proposal  presents  a  simplified  and  refocused  Framework 
Programme for Research and Innovation - Horizon Europe aiming to strengthen the 
EU’s  scientific  and  technological  bases,  boost  the  circulation  and  uptake  of 
knowledge,  technology  and  innovation,  leverage  EU  funding  instruments  for 
maximum added value, hence having a catalytic effect on further public and private 
investments in the Member States. 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

Following the recommendations of the Draghi report, Horizon Europe will aim 
to: 

Focus resources on strategic priorities,  

Seize  the  potential  of  public-private  partnerships  thanks  to  a  simplified 
landscape, 

Increase support for breakthrough innovation,  

Simplify access to the programme for beneficiaries. 

1.5.2.  Added  value  of  EU  involvement  (it  may  result  from  different  factors,  e.g. 
coordination gains, legal certainty, greater effectiveness or complementarities). For 
the  purposes  of  this  section  'added  value  of  EU  involvement'  is  the  value  resulting 
from  EU  action,  that  is  additional  to  the  value  that  would  have  been  otherwise 
created by Member States alone. 

The specific benefits of EU investments in the area of R&I are:  

– 

– 

boosting the EU’s economy growth and competitiveness (e.g. every euro EU-
funding - through the Framework Programme Horizon Europe - is estimated to 
generate up to €11 in GDP gains by 204519); 

creation  of  trans-national  and  cross-sectoral  networks  and  new  markets,  with 
positive knowledge spillovers,  dissemination and technology  transfers  across 

19 

COM(2025) 189 final, 2025, Interim evaluation of Horizon Europe 

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– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

the  Union  to  speed-up  and  enhance  the  deployment  of  new  products  and 
services  (e.g.    European  Partnerships  create  and  foster  networks  in  essential 
domains across EU, national and regional institutions and between industry and 
academia, exemplified in the hydrogen sector20); 

pooling  public  and  private  resources,  including  capital,  talent,  infrastructures, 
to achieve the critical mass (scale and complexity) to fund more ambitious and 
innovative  projects  –  also  by  risk-sharing  -  essential  for  taking  leadership  in 
emerging markets and tackling global challenges (e.g. only EU-level action can 
overcome the thin distribution of patients affected by rare disease and the lack 
of standardisation and data21);   

strengthening  scientific  excellence 
through  EU-wide  competition  and 
cooperation,  achieving  impacts  that  extend  far  beyond  what  could  have  been 
achieved at national or regional level, increasing efficiency and minimising the 
risk  of  duplication  of  research  efforts  within  the  EU  (e.g.  EU-funded  peer-
reviewed publications are cited more than twice the world average22);  

strengthening  support  and  leveraging  private  investments  for  the  emergence 
and  scale-up  of  breakthrough  market  creating  innovations  (e.g.  the  EIC  Fund 
has  crowded  in  over  EUR  2.6  billion  of  additional  investment  into  EIC-
supported companies, with a leverage effect of over EUR 3 for every euro of 
equity 
the  economic  progress  and 
competitiveness  of  European  business  (e.g.  firms  receiving  EU-grants  grow 
faster than comparable non-EU funded: evidence showing an increase of 20% 
in employment and about 30% in total assets and revenues24);   

the  EU23;  and  drive 

invested  by 

providing  a  sound  knowledge  base  for  policy-making  (e.g.  the  work  of  the 
UN’s IPCC on climate change relied extensively on EU-funded research25). 

increasing the EU's attractiveness as a place for education, research, innovation 
and business (e.g. EU-funding facilitates researchers mobility and help creating 
a more  attractive perspective for top researchers from other parts of the world 
who want to move to the EU26);  

having  a  positive  structuring  effect  on  national  R&I  ecosystems  and  the 
implementation of national R&I reforms; (e.g. the European Research Council 
has become a global beacon of excellence, inducing national and institutional 
changes  to  support  and  attract  its  grantees),  and  facilitating  the  setting  of 
unified standards  and regulations across Member States crucial for  fields like 
healthcare,  environmental  protection,  and  digital  technologies,  helping  to 
spread the benefits of R&I more widely (e.g. exemplified by several European 
Partnerships27). 

20 
21 
22 
23 
24 
25 
26 
27 

Idem. 
Idem.  
COM(2024) 49 final, 2024, Ex-post evaluation of Horizon 2020 
COM(2025) 189 final, 2025, Interim evaluation of Horizon Europe 
COM(2024) 49 final, 2024, Ex post evaluation of Horizon 2020 
Idem. 
COM(2025) 189 final, 2025, Interim evaluation of Horizon Europe 
Idem.  

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1.5.3.  Lessons learned from similar experiences in the past 

 EU Framework Programmes have generated significant and long-lasting impacts , as 
shown  by  successive  evaluations  since  the  EU  started  investing  in  R&I  in  1984. 
While European research and innovation programmes have been successful, there are 
important lessons to be learned from the past, from stakeholder feedback, and from 
analytical studies. Research, innovation and education should be addressed in a more 
coordinated  manner  and  coherent  with  other  policies  and  research  results  better 
disseminated  and  valorised  into  new  products,  processes  and  services.  Monitoring 
and  evaluation  need  to  be  further  strengthened,  including  for  the  integration  of  all 
programme parts into the central monitoring system. For final evaluation, strengthen 
focus on medium- and long-term indicators of results and impacts, as well as long-
term impacts of previous FPs. 

The Communication on the interim evaluation of Horizon Europe identified several 
areas for improvement.  Findings of the interim  evaluation  of Horizon Europe were 
based  on  extensive  stakeholder  feedback  and  the  strategic  recommendations  of  the 
Commission expert group on the interim evaluation. 

They could be summarised as follows:  

a. Support breakthrough innovation 

b. Continue simplification, piloting any new changes through policy experiments.  

c.  Continue  international  cooperation,  targeting  efforts  at  specific  countries  (world 
leaders).  

d. Increase the partnerships’ leverage effect.  

e.  Increase  synergies  with  other  EU  funding  programmes  and  EU  policies  for 
deployment and dissemination of innovation.  

f. Simplify complex governance arrangements and increase flexibility to respond to 
emergencies.  

g. Continue to support women in research and innovation.  

h.  Rationalise  the  funding  landscape,  avoiding  overlap  between  programme  parts.1.5.4.
Compatibility with the multiannual financial framework and possible synergies 

with other appropriate instruments 

Through its interaction in the Competitiveness Fund, it can leverage additional public 
and  private  investments  in  R&I;  contribute  to  further  strengthening  the  European 
R&I  landscape;  and  accelerate  the  commercialisation  and  diffusion  of  innovation. 
Union-level programmes can also support policy making and policy objectives. 

Research  and  innovation,  due  to  its  long-term  and  bottom-up  nature,  requires  an 
independent,  integrated  and  predictable  self-standing  programme,  that  ensures  the 
right  conditions  for  spiring  new  ideas  and  bringing  them  to  the  market.  To  enable 
disruptive solutions, it is imperative that research and innovation is kept independent 
and  that  there  is  continuity  in  funding.  Therefore,  while  tightly  connected  to  the 
Competitiveness  Fund, ‘Horizon Europe’ has maintained its independent  legal  base 
required under TFEU article 182 and its brand and positive international reputation, 
building  on  its  long-term  proven  success  as  a  trusted  framework  for  excellence, 
collaboration and impact. 

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The legal act creates rights for and obligations on beneficiaries, binding in their entirety and 
Assessment of the different 

directly applicable in all Union Member States. 1.5.5. 
available financing options, including scope for redeployment 

[TBD] 

[…] 

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1.6. 

Duration of the proposal/initiative and of its financial impact 

 limited duration  

•    in effect from 01/01/2028 to 01/01/2034  

•    financial impact  from  2028 to  2034 for commitment  appropriations and from 

2028 to 2040 for payment appropriations.  

 unlimited duration 

–  Implementation with a start-up period from YYYY to YYYY, 

–  followed by full-scale operation. 

1.7.  Method(s) of budget implementation planned28  

 Direct management by the Commission 

•   by its departments, including by its staff in the Union delegations;  

•    by the executive agencies  

 Shared management with the Member States  

 Indirect management by entrusting budget implementation tasks to: 

•   third countries or the bodies they have designated 

•   international organisations and their agencies (to be specified) 

•   the European Investment Bank and the European Investment Fund 

•   bodies referred to in Articles 70 and 71 of the Financial Regulation 

•   public law bodies 

•   bodies governed by private law with a public service mission to the extent that 

they are provided with adequate financial guarantees 

•   bodies governed by the private law of a Member State that are entrusted with 
the  implementation  of  a  public-private  partnership  and  that  are  provided  with 
adequate financial guarantees 

•   bodies or persons entrusted with the implementation of specific actions in the 
common  foreign  and  security  policy  pursuant  to  Title  V  of  the  Treaty  on 
European Union, and identified in the relevant basic act 

•  bodies  established  in  a  Member  State,  governed  by  the  private  law  of  a 
Member  State  or  Union  law  and  eligible  to  be  entrusted,  in  accordance  with 
sector-specific  rules,  with  the  implementation  of  Union  funds  or  budgetary 
guarantees,  to  the extent that such bodies are controlled by public law bodies or 
by bodies governed by private law with a public service mission, and are provided 
with adequate financial guarantees in the form of joint and several liability by the 
controlling bodies or equivalent financial guarantees and which may be, for each 
action, limited to the maximum amount of the Union support. 

Comments  

28 

Details of budget implementation methods and references to the Financial Regulation may be found on 
the BUDGpedia site: https://myintracomm.ec.europa.eu/corp/budget/financial-rules/budget-
implementation/Pages/implementation-methods.aspx. 

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[…] 

[…] 

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2. 

MANAGEMENT MEASURES   

2.1.  Monitoring and reporting rules  

The monitoring and reporting rules for this programme will follow the requirements 
laid down in Regulation xxx [Performance Regulation]. 

The progress of the programme towards its objectives will be measured in the short-, 
medium- and longer-term  along  a number of impact  pathways. Common indicators 
from  the  Regulation  on  Performance  monitoring  of  the  MFF  will  be  used  where 
relevant,  particularly  those  indicators  that  were  measured  also  in  previous 
Framework  Programmes.  Reporting  rules  for  participants  have  been  designed  with 
these  indicators  in  mind,  but  also  with  a  conscious  intention  to  limit  the 
administrative burden for participants. Wherever possible data will be collected from 
open  sources.  All  data  on  the  management  processes  (applications,  success  rates, 
time  to  grant,  type  of  beneficiaries,  etc.)  will  be  collected  and  stored,  and  made 
available  in  real  time  via  a  dedicated  data  storage.  Today,  the  reference  system 
(CORDA)  works  well,  and  is  available  for  Member  States  and  other  interested 
bodies. Report will be produced giving information on management processes (from 
year  one)  and,  progressively,  information  on  outputs  and  results.  Programme 
evaluations and implementation reports are planned and will be published according 
to common provisions. Programme impacts - following the longer-term indicators – 
will be assessed only in evaluations. In addition, the JRC's direct actions are assessed 
internally  by  means  of  an  annual  internal  evaluation  and  externally  through  peer 
review  by  a  number  of  top-level  experts  selected  in  consultation  with  the  JRC's 
Board of Governors. 

2.2.  Management and control system(s)  

2.2.1. 

Justification  of  the  budget  implementation  method(s),  the  funding  implementation 
mechanism(s), the payment modalities and the control strategy proposed 

The Framework Progamme for Research & Innovation will be implemented through 
direct and indirect Management. In terms of broad lines of implementation, there are 
no  fundamental  changes  from  the  Horizon  Europe.  Simplification  measures 
introduced  under  Horizon  Europe  will  be  further  extended.  Lump  sum  project 
funding  will  become  the  standard  model.  For  the  remaining  exceptional  cases  of 
funding  based  on  actual  costs,  the  personnel  costs  will  be  defined  by  a  unit  cost 
system.  These  two  measures  will  contribute  to  minimising  the  vulnerability  to 
financial errors. 

The general maximum time to grant will be reduced from 8 months to 7 months.. The 
Common  Implementation  Centre  continues  providing  cost  effective  services  to  all 
Commission  services  responsible  for  the  implementation  of  the    Framework 
Programmes. Validation of Legal Entities and management of evaluation experts will 
stay  centralised in the Research Executive Agency, giving economies of scale, and 
ensuring efficient organisation of evaluations. The control strategy is based on: 

-  procedures  for  selecting  the  best  projects  and  translating  them  into  legal 
instruments;  

- project and contract management throughout the lifetime of every project; -ex-ante 
checks on 100 % of claims,  

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11 

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- certificates  on the financial statements above a certain  threshold, and certification 
on  methodologies  to  calculate  unit  costs  or  ex-ante  assessment  on  Large  Research 
Infrastructure on a voluntary basis;  

- ex post audits (representative and risk-based) on a sample of paid claims for grants 
under actual costs;  

-   regular project reviews on the technical implementation and results for all grants 

- ex-post technical reviews on a sample of grants .  

In  indirect  management,  the  Commission  will  make  use  of  the  following  bodies  to 
implement  the  budget  where  this  is  appropriate  and  cost-effective  and  provides 
strong  leverage  effect:  -  Institutionalised  European  Partnerships  (Article  185  or 
Article  187  TFEU).  These  bodies  are  subject  to  regular  evaluations  to  ensure  that 
they  remain  pertinent  to  achieving  the  objectives  of  the  Programme.  Control 
strategies  for  the  supervision  of  bodies  operating  under  indirect  management  have 
been, or will be, developed. In direct management, the Commission will continue to 
rely  to  a  large  extent  on  Executive  Agencies,  established  in  accordance  with  the 
Council Regulation 58/2003. The delegation of activities to the Executive Agencies 
is  subject  to  a  mandatory  independent  ex-ante  Cost-Benefit  Analysis  and  the 
Executive Agencies undergo regular evaluations performed by external experts. The 
above  mentioned  CostBenefit  Analysis  will  also  consider  the  costs  of  control  and 
supervision.  Interim  evaluations  conducted  in  2012  and  in  2015  confirm  the  high 
efficiency and added value of the Executive Agencies in programme implementation. 

2.2.2. 

Information concerning the risks identified and the internal control system(s) set up 
to mitigate them 

The basic funding model in Horizon Europe  of reimbursement of acual eligible costs 
was  gradually  replaced  by  an  increased  use  of  lump  sum  project  funding,  with  a 
target  of  50%  of  the  budget  for  the  last  year  of  Horizon  Europe.  This  follows  the  
European  Court  of  Auditors  statements,  e.g.    in  its  2016  Annual  Report,  that  'the 
principal risk to the regularity of transactions is that beneficiaries declare ineligible 
costs  which  are  neither  detected  nor  corrected  before 
[reimbursement]. 
recommending  the  wider  use  of  Simplified  Cost  Options  (SCOs).    For  grants,  the 
estimated representative rate of error for H2020 is -3.86 %, with a 'residual' error rate 
of -1.92 %, after taking account  of all recoveries and corrections  that have been or 
will  be  implemented.  However,  the  error  rates  were  lower  in  those  parts  of  the 
programme  where  it  was  possible  to  use  Simplified  Cost  Options  (SCOs)  more 
widely  and/or  where  a  small  and  stable  group  of  beneficiaries  were  involved.  This 
included the European Research Council grants and Marie Curie Actions.  

2.2.3.  Estimation  and  justification  of  the  cost-effectiveness  of  the  controls  (ratio  between 
the control costs  and the value of the related funds managed), and assessment of the 
expected levels of risk of error (at payment & at closure)  

The  narrower  estimate  of  the  costs  of  the  control  system  (evaluation,  selection, 
project  management,  ex-ante  and  ex-post  control)  are  in  the  range  of  2-4  %  across 
the  Commission  services  responsible  for  the  implementation  of  the  previous 
Framework  Programmes  for  2024  (including  costs  for  the  management  of  Horizon 
2020 and Horizon Europe). This is considered to be a reasonable cost in the light of 
the  efforts  needed  to  ensure  that  objectives  are  achieved  and  the  number  of 
transactions  involved.  The  expected  risk  of  error  at  payment  for  grants  with  a 

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funding model based on the reimbursement of ineligible costs is 2.5-3.5 %. The risk 
of  error  at  closure  (after  the  effect  of  controls  and  corrections)  is  around  (but  not 
necessarily  below)  2  %  for  Horizon  2020,  and  below  2%  for  Horizon  Europe.  The 
expected risk of error for grants with a funding model based on lump sum funding is 
close to 0 % (at payment and at closure). The overall expectation for error rates will 
depend  on  the  balance  between  the  two  methods  of  funding  (reimbursement  of 
eligible costs and lump sums). The Commission aims to apply the lump sum funding 
model  where  appropriate,  planning  to  reach  50%  of  the  call  budget  by  2027. 
However,  the  main  driver  to  adopt  lump  sum  funding  will  not  be  reduction  of  the 
error rate, but the achievement of all the objectives of the programme. 

This  scenario  assumes  that  the  measures  of  simplification  are  not  subject  to 
substantial  modifications  in  the  decision  making  process.  Note:  this  section  only 
concerns the process of grant management (in the different management modes), for 
administrative and operational expenditure implemented through public procurement 
processes the risk of error at payment and closure should be below 2 % 

2.3.  Measures to prevent fraud and irregularities  

The services charged with the implementation of the research and innovation budget 
are determined to fight against fraud at all stages of the grant management process. 
They  have  developed,  and  are  implementing,  common  and  sectorial  anti-fraud 
strategies,  including  an  enhanced  use  of  intelligence,  especially  using  advanced  IT 
tools,  training and information for staff, and awareness-raising presentations towards 
grant beneficiaries and National Contact Points. These efforts will continue and anti-
fraud  and  risk  assessment  activities  will  be  further  enhanced  thanks  to  the  current 
development  by  central  services  of  the  corporate  ARACHNE  risk-scoring  tool. 
Overall the measures proposed should continue to have a positive impact on the fight 
against  fraud,  especially  the  greater  emphasis  on  risk  based  controls  since  Horizon 
Europe,  that  will  continue  under  the  new  Programme,  and  reinforced  scientific 
evaluation and control. The research and innovation common Anti-Fraud Strategy of 
the Commission services, Executive Agencies and Joint Undertakings responsible for 
the  implementation  of  the  R&I  Framework  Programmes,  covering  grants,  has  been 
updated to cover risks related to simplified cost options and will be further updated 
based on lessons learnt and closed OLAF cases. It should be underlined that detected 
fraud  has  continuously  been  very  low  in  proportion  to  the  total  research  and 
innovation expenditure, nevertheless the services charged with the implementation of 
the  research  and  innovation  budget  remain  fully  committed  to  combat  it.  The 
legislation will ensure that audits, reviews, and investigations can be carried out by 
the Commission services, including the European Anti-Fraud office (OLAF), as well 
as  the  European  Public  Prosecutor  Office  (EPPO),  using  the  standard  provisions 
already in use under Horizon Europe.  

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3. 

ESTIMATED FINANCIAL IMPACT OF THE PROPOSAL/INITIATIVE  

3.1. 

Heading(s) of the multiannual financial framework and expenditure budget line(s) affected  

•  New budget lines requested  

In order of multiannual financial framework headings and budget lines. 

Budget line 

Type of 
expenditure 

Heading of 
multiannual 
financial 
framework 

Number  

Diff./Non-
diff. 

from 
EFTA 
countries 

Contribution  

from 
candidate 
countries 
and 
potential 
candidates 

from 
other 
third 
countries 

other assigned 
revenue  

2 

2 

2 

2 

2 

[04  01  02]  -  Support  expenditure  for 
Horizon Europe 

[04 03 01] - Excellent Science 

[04  03  02]  -  Competitiveness  and 
Society 

[04 03 03] - Innovation 

[04 03 04] - European Research Area 

Non-
diff. 

Diff 

Diff. 

Diff. 

Diff. 

YES 

YES 

YES 

YES 

YES 

YES 

YES 

YES 

YES 

YES 

YES 

YES 

YES 

YES 

YES 

NO 

NO 

NO 

NO 

NO 

3.2. 

Estimated financial impact of the proposal on appropriations  

3.2.1. 

Summary of estimated impact on operational appropriations  

–    The proposal/initiative does not require the use of operational appropriations  

–   The proposal/initiative requires the use of operational appropriations, as explained below 

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3.2.1.1.  Appropriations from voted budget 

Heading of multiannual financial framework   Number  2 

EUR million (to three decimal places) 

[04 03 01] - Excellent Science 

[04 03 02] - Competitiveness and Society 

[04 03 03] - Innovation 

[04 03 04] - European Research Area 

Operational appropriations  

Commitments 

Payments 

Commitments 

Payments 

Commitments 

Payments 

Commitments 

(1a) 

(2a) 

(1b) 

(2b) 

(1a) 

(2a) 

(1b) 

Year 

Year 

Year 

Year 

Year 

Year 

Year 

2028 

2029 

2030 

2031 

2032 

2033 

2034 

TOTAL 
MFF 
2028-
2034 

4,093 

pm  

7,042 

pm  

3,600 

pm  

6,343 

pm  

10,918  
pm  

5,581 

pm  

6,616 

pm  

6,773 

pm 

6,701 

pm 

6,812 

pm 

6,741 

44,079 

pm  

pm 

11,387 

11,659 

11,537 

11,729 

11,604 

75,876 

pm  

5,821 

pm  

pm 

pm 

pm 

pm  

pm 

5,960 

5,897 

5,994 

5,932 

38,785 

pm 

pm 

pm 

pm  

pm 

Payments 
Appropriations of an administrative nature financed from the envelope of Specific Programmes29 

(2b) 

2,341 
pm  

2,441 
pm  

2,499 
pm 

2,472 
pm 

2,513 
pm 

2,488 
pm  

16,262 
pm 

1,508 
pm  

[04  01  02]  -  Support  expenditure  for 
Horizon Europe 

TOTAL appropriations 

(3) 

pm  

pm  

pm  

pm 

pm 

pm 

Commitments 

=1a+1b+3 

16,243 

25,183 

26,265 

Payments 

=2a+2b+3 

pm 

pm 

pm 

26,891 
pm 

26,607 
pm 

27,048 
pm 

pm  

pm 

26,765 

175,002 

pm 

pm 

TOTAL 

operational  Commitments 

(4) 

0.000 

0.000 

0.000 

0.000 

0.000 

Year 

2028 

Year 

2029 

Year 

2030 

Year 

2031 

Year 

2032 

Year 

2033 

Year 

2034 

TOTAL 
MFF 2028-
2034 

29 

Technical and/or administrative assistance and expenditure in support of the implementation of EU programmes and/or actions (former ‘BA’ lines), indirect research, direct research. 

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appropriations  

Payments 

TOTAL  appropriations  of  an  administrative 
nature  financed  from  the  envelope  for  Specific 
Programmes  

(5) 

(6) 

0.000 

0.000 

0.000 

0.000 

0.000 

0.000 

0.000 

0.000 

0.000 

0.000 

TOTAL appropriations 
under Heading 2 
of the multiannual financial 
framework 

Commitments 

=4+6 

0.000 

0.000 

0.000 

Payments 

=5+6 

0.000 

0.000 

0.000 

•  TOTAL  operational  appropriations 
(all operational headings) 

Commitments 

Payments 

• TOTAL appropriations of an administrative nature 
financed 
for  Specific 
Programmes (all operational headings) 

envelope 

from 

the 

TOTAL appropriations Under          

Commitments 

Heading 1 to 3 

of the multiannual financial framework 
(Reference amount) 

Payments 

(4) 

(5) 

(6) 

=4+6 

=5+6 

Year 

2028 

Year 

2029 

Year 

2030 

Year 

2031 

Year 

2032 

Year 

2033 

0.000 

0.000 

0.000 

0.000 

0.000 

0.000 

0.000 

0.000 

0.000 

0.000 

0.000 

0.000 

0.000 

0.000 

0.000 

0.000 

0.000 

0.000 

0.000 

0.000 

0.000 

0.000 

0.000 

0.000 

0.000 

Year 

2034 

0.000 

0.000 

TOTAL 
MFF 
2028-2034 
0.000 

0.000 

Heading of multiannual financial framework  

7 

‘Administrative expenditure’ [The necessary appropriations should be determined 
using the annual average cost figures available on the appropriate BUDGpedia 
webpage.] 

EN 

16 

EN 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
DG: <…….> 

 Human resources  
 Other administrative expenditure  

TOTAL DG 
<…….> 

Appropriations  

DG: <…….> 

 Human resources  
 Other administrative expenditure  

TOTAL DG 
<…….> 

Appropriations  

TOTAL appropriations under HEADING 4 
of the multiannual financial framework  

(Total 
commitments 
= Total 
payments) 

Year 

Year 

Year 

Year 

Year 

Year 

Year 

2028 

2029 

2030 

2031 

2032 

2033 

2034 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

Year 

Year 

Year 

Year 

Year 

Year 

Year 

2028 

2029 

2030 

2031 

2032 

2033 

2034 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

TOTAL 
MFF 
2028-
2034 

0 

0 

0 

TOTAL 
MFF 
2028-
2034 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

Year 

2028 

Year 

2029 

Year 

2030 

Year 

2031 

Year 

2032 

Year 

2033 

Year 

2034 

TOTAL 
MFF 2028-
2034 

EUR million (to three decimal places) 

TOTAL 
appropriations under 
HEADINGS 1 to 4 
of the multiannual 

Commitments 

Payments 

0 

0 

0 

0 

EN 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

17 

EN 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
financial framework  

============= 

TOTAL appropriations under 
HEADINGS 1 to 4 

Commitments 

of the multiannual financial framework  

Payments 

TOTAL 
appropriations  

operational 

Commitments 

Payments 

TOTAL  appropriations  of  an  administrative 
nature  financed  from  the  envelope  for  specific 
programmes  

(4) 

(5) 

(6) 

TOTAL appropriations 
under HEADING <….> 
of the multiannual financial 
framework 

Commitments 

=4+6 

Payments 

=5+6 

Year 

2028 

Year 

2029 

Year 

2030 

Year 

2031 

Year 

2032 

Year 

2033 

Year 

2034 

TOTAL 
MFF 2028-
2034 

EUR million (to three decimal places) 

Year 

2028 

Year 

2029 

Year 

2030 

Year 

2031 

Year 

2032 

Year 

2033 

Year 

2034 

TOTAL 
MFF 2028-
2034 

Year 

2028 

Year 

2029 

Year 

2030 

Year 

2031 

Year 

2032 

Year 

2033 

Year 

2034 

TOTAL 
MFF 2028-
2034 

EN 

18 

EN 

 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
TOTAL 
appropriations  

operational 

Commitments 

Payments 

TOTAL  appropriations  of  an  administrative 
nature  financed  from  the  envelope  for  Specific 
Programmes  

(4) 

(5) 

(6) 

TOTAL appropriations 
under HEADING <….> 
of the multiannual financial 
framework 

Commitments 

=4+6 

Payments 

=5+6 

•  TOTAL  operational  appropriations 
(all operational headings) 

Commitments 

Payments 

• TOTAL appropriations of an administrative nature 
financed from the envelope for specific programmes 
(all operational headings) 

(4) 

(5) 

(6) 

TOTAL appropriations under 
Headings 1 to 6 

of the multiannual financial framework 
(Reference amount) 

Commitments 

=4+6 

Payments 

=5+6 

Year 

2028 

Year 

2029 

Year 

2030 

Year 

2031 

Year 

2032 

Year 

2033 

Year 

2034 

TOTAL 
MFF 
2028-2034 

Heading of multiannual financial framework  

7 

‘Administrative expenditure’30 

DG: <…….> 

Year 

Year 

Year 

Year 

Year 

Year  Year 

TOTAL 

EUR million (to three decimal places) 

30 

The necessary appropriations should be determined using the annual average cost figures available on the appropriate BUDGpedia webpage. 

EN 

19 

EN 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Human resources  
 Other administrative expenditure  

TOTAL DG <…….> 

Appropriations  

2028 

2029 

2030 

2031 

2032 

2033 

2034 

MFF 2028-
2034 

DG: <…….> 

Year 

2028 

Year 

2029 

Year 

2030 

Year 

2031 

Year 

Year  Year 

2032 

2033 

2034 

TOTAL 
MFF 2028-
2034 

 Human resources  
 Other administrative expenditure  

TOTAL DG <…….> 

Appropriations  

TOTAL appropriations under HEADING 7 of the 
multiannual financial framework  

(Total 
commitments 
= Total 
payments) 

Year 

2028 

Year 

2029 

Year 

2030 

Year 

2031 

Year 

2032 

Year 

2033 

Year 

2034 

TOTAL 
MFF 2028-
2034 

EUR million (to three decimal places) 

TOTAL appropriations under 
HEADINGS 1 to 7 

Commitments 

of the multiannual financial framework   Payments 

3.2.2.  Estimated output funded from operational appropriations (not to be completed for decentralised agencies) 

Indicate 
objectives and 
outputs  

Year  
2028 

Year  
2029 

Year  
2030 

Year  
2031 

OUTPUTS 

20 

EN 

Commitment appropriations in EUR million (to three decimal places) 

Enter as many years as necessary to show the 
duration of the impact (see Section1.6) 

TOTAL 

EN 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
o
N

Cost 

o
N

Cost 

o
N

Cost 

o
N

Cost 

o
N

Cost  N

o

Cost 

o
N

Cost 

Total 
No 

Total 
cost 

 

Type31 

Avera
ge 
cost 

SPECIFIC OBJECTIVE No 132… 

- Output 

- Output 

- Output 

Subtotal for specific objective No 1 

SPECIFIC OBJECTIVE No 2 ... 

- Output 

Subtotal for specific objective No 2 

TOTALS 

The  output  and  result  indicators  for  the  purpose  of  monitoring  progress  and  achievements  of  this  programme  will  correspond  to  the  common 
indicators provided under Regulation xxx [Performance Regulation]. 

31 
32 

Outputs are products and services to be supplied (e.g. number of student exchanges financed, number of km of roads built, etc.). 
As described in Section 1.3.2. ‘Specific objective(s)’  

EN 

21 

EN 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
3.2.3. 

Summary of estimated impact on administrative appropriations  

–    The  proposal/initiative  does  not  require  the  use  of  appropriations  of  an 

administrative nature  

–   The proposal/initiative requires the use of appropriations of an administrative 

nature, as explained below 

3.2.3.1. Appropriations from voted budget 

VOTED 
APPROPRIATIONS 

Year 

2028 

Year 

2029 

Year 

2030 

Year 

2031 

Year 

2032 

Year 

2033 

HEADING 7 

Human resources  

Other administrative 
expenditure  

Subtotal HEADING  

0.000 

0.000 

0.000 

0.000 

0.000 

0.000 

0.000 

0.000 

0.000 

Outside HEADING 7 

Year 

2034 

TOTAL 
2028 - 
2034 

0.000 

0.000 

0.000 

0.000 

0.000 

0.000 

Human resources  

625.906 

653.293 

682.926 

714.991 

749.687 

787.229 

827.851 

5041.883 

Other expenditure of an 
administrative nature 
Subtotal outside 
HEADING 7 

421.944 

506.573 

602.561 

711.464 

835.052 

975.331 

1047.851 

1159.866 

1285.487 

1426.455 

1584.738 

1762.560 

1134.583 

5187.508 

1962.435 

10229.391 

TOTAL 

1047.851 

1159.866 

1285.487 

1426.455 

1584.738 

1762.560 

1962.435 

10229.391 

=================================================================== 

3.2.4.  Estimated requirements of human resources  

–    The proposal/initiative does not require the use of human resources  

–    The  proposal/initiative  requires  the  use  of  human  resources,  as  explained 

below 

3.2.4.1.  Financed from voted budget 

Estimate to be expressed in full-time equivalent units (FTEs)33 

VOTED 
APPROPRIATIONS 

Year 

Year 

Year 

Year 

2031 
2029 
   Establishment plan posts (officials and temporary staff) 34 

2030 

2028 

Year 

2032 

Year 

2033 

Year 

2034 

20 01 02 01 (Headquarters and 

Commission’s Representation 
Offices) 

20 01 02 03 (EU Delegations) 
01 01 01 01 (Indirect research) 

35 

01 01 01 11 (Direct research) 36 

0 

0 

1439 

1261 

0 

0 

1557 

1261 

0 

0 

1684 

1261 

1823 

1261 

1972. 

1261 

2134 

1261 

0 

0 

2309 

1261 

33  Please  specify  below  the  table  how  many  FTEs  within  the  number  indicated  are  already  assigned  to  the 

management of the action and/or can be redeployed within your DG and what are your net needs. 

34  These figures include only the necessary staff in Directorates-General and not the one that will be needed for 
executive agencies, Joint Undertakings, and other decentralised bodies, as well as the additional staff paid 
from the contributions of the future associated countries. 

35  The baseline is the number of FTEs in 2027 increased each year proportionally to the level of the budget for 
Horizon Europe 2028-2034 for the given year, capped to 75% of the increase to take into account expected 
efficiency gains. 

36  The baseline is the number of FTEs in 2027, stable over the period. 

EN 

22 

  EN 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Other budget lines (specify) 

0 

• External staff (inFTEs) 

20 02 01 (AC, END from the 

‘global envelope’) 

20 02 03 (AC, AL, END and 

JPD in the EU Delegations) 

Admin. Support 
line 
[XX.01.YY.YY] 

- at 

Headquarters 
- in EU 
Delegations  

01 01 01 02 (AC, END - 

Indirect research) 37 

 01 01 01 12 (AC, END - 

Direct research) 38 

Other budget lines (specify) - 

Heading 7 

Other budget lines (specify) - 

Outside Heading 7 

TOTAL 

0 

0 

0 

0 

627 

545 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

679 

545 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

734 

545 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

1006 

545 

0 

0 

0 

794 

545 

860 

545 

930 

545 

The  human  resources  required  will  be  met  by  staff  who  are  already  assigned  to  the 
management of the action, together if necessary with any additional allocation which may be 
granted  to  the  managing  DGs,  considering  the  increased  envelope  of  the  programme,  under 
the annual  allocation procedure and in  the light  of budgetary constraints. This  level  of staff 
does  not  include  nor  prejudge  the  level  of  staff  needed  for  executive  agencies  or 
implementing bodies. 

3.2.4.3.  Total requirements of human resources 

TOTAL VOTED 

APPROPRIATIONS                                                   

+                                                                                               

Year 

Year 

Year 

Year 

Year 

Year 

Year 

EXTERNAL ASSIGNED 
REVENUES 

2028 

2029 

2030 

2031 

2032 

2033 

2034 

 Establishment plan posts (officials and temporary staff) 

20 01 02 01 (Headquarters and 

Commission’s Representation 
Offices) 

20 01 02 03 (EU Delegations) 

01 01 01 01 (Indirect research) 

01 01 01 11 (Direct research) 

Other budget lines (specify) 

20 02 01 (AC, END from the 

‘global envelope’) 

20 02 03 (AC, AL, END and JPD 

in the EU Delegations) 
Admin. Support 
line 

- at 

[XX.01.YY.YY] 

Headquarters 
- in EU 
Delegations  

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

• External staff (in full time equivalent units) 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

37  The baseline is the number of FTEs in 2027 increased each year proportionally to the level of the budget for 
Horizon Europe 2028-2034 for the given year, capped to 75% of the increase to take into account expected 
efficiency gains. 

38 

The baseline is the number of FTEs in 2027, stable over the period. 

EN 

23 

  EN 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
01 01 01 02 (AC, END - Indirect 

research) 

 01 01 01 12 (AC, END - Direct 

research) 

Other budget lines (specify) - 

Heading 7 

Other budget lines (specify) - 

Outside Heading 7 

TOTAL 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

3.2.5.  Overview of estimated impact on digital technology-related investments 

Compulsory: the best estimate of the digital technology-related investments entailed 
by the proposal/initiative should be included in the table below.  

Exceptionally,  when  required  for  the  implementation  of  the  proposal/initiative,  the 
appropriations under Heading 7 should be presented in the designated line.  

The appropriations under Headings 1-6 should be reflected as “Policy IT expenditure 
on operational programmes”. This expenditure refers to the operational budget to be 
used to re-use/ buy/ develop IT platforms/ tools directly linked to the implementation 
of the initiative and their associated investments (e.g. licences, studies, data storage 
etc).  The  information  provided  in  this  table  should  be  consistent  with  details 
presented under Section 4 “Digital dimensions”. 

TOTAL Digital 
and IT 
appropriations 

HEADING 7 

IT expenditure 
(corporate)  
Subtotal 
HEADING 7 

Outside HEADING 7 

Policy IT 
expenditure on 
operational 
programmes 
Subtotal outside 
HEADING 7 

Year 

2028 

Year 

2029 

Year 

2030 

Year 

2031 

Year 

2032 

Year 

2033 

Year 

2034 

TOTAL 
MFF 
2028 - 
2034 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

83.688 

94.699 

107.160 

121.261 

137.217 

155.272 

175.703 

875.000 

83.688 

94.699 

107.160 

121.261 

137.217 

155.272 

175.703 

875.000 

TOTAL 

83.688 

94.699 

107.160 

121.261 

137.217 

155.272 

175.703 

875.000 

Policy  IT  expenditure  should  represent  0,5%  of  the  total  expenditure  of  the 
programme. 

TOTAL Digital and IT appropriations 

Year 

Year 

Year 

Year 

2024 

2025 

2026 

2027 

TOTAL 
MFF 
2021 - 
2027 

HEADING 7 

IT expenditure (corporate)  

Subtotal HEADING 7 

Outside HEADING 7 

0.000 

0.000 

0.000 

0.000 

0.000 

0.000 

0.000 

0.000 

0.000 

0.000 

Policy IT expenditure on operational 

0.000 

0.000 

0.000 

0.000 

0.000 

EN 

24 

  EN 

 
  
  
programmes 

Subtotal outside HEADING 7 

0.000 

0.000 

0.000 

0.000 

0.000 

TOTAL 

0.000 

0.000 

0.000 

0.000 

0.000 

3.2.6.  Compatibility with the current multiannual financial framework  

The proposal/initiative: 

–    can be fully financed through redeployment within the relevant heading of the 

multiannual financial framework (MFF) 

–    requires use of the unallocated margin under the relevant heading of the MFF 

and/or use of the special instruments as defined in the MFF Regulation 

–    requires a revision of the MFF 

3.2.7.  Third-party contributions  

The proposal/initiative: 

–    does not provide for co-financing by third parties 

–   provides for the co-financing by third parties estimated below: 

Appropriations in EUR million (to three decimal places) 

Year  
2028 

Year  
2029 

Year  
2030 

Year  
2031 

Year  
2032 

Year  
2033 

Year  
2034 

Total 

Specify 
the 
financing body  

co-

TOTAL appropriations 
co-financed 39 

p.m. 

p.m. 

p.m. 

p.m. 

p.m. 

p.m. 

p.m. 

p.m. 

3.3. 

Estimated impact on revenue  

–    The proposal/initiative has no financial impact on revenue. 

–    The proposal/initiative has the following financial impact: 

–   on own resources  

–   on other revenue 

–   please indicate, if the revenue is assigned to expenditure lines 

Appropriations 
available for the 
current financial 
year 

     EUR million (to three decimal places) 

Impact of the proposal/initiative40 

Year 2028 

Year 2029  Year 2030 

Year 2034 

Budget revenue line: 

Article …………. 

39 

40 

EN 

Bilateral Association Agreements are not fixed yet. Contributions from associated countries will come 
on top of the amounts presented in this Legislative Financial Statement. 

As regards traditional own resources (customs duties, sugar levies), the amounts indicated must be net 
amounts, i.e. gross amounts after deduction of 20% for collection costs. 

25 

  EN 

 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Budget revenue line: 

2028 

2029 

2030 

2031 

2032 

2033 

2034 

Impact of the proposal/initiative 

Item  

p.m. 

p.m. 

p.m. 

p.m. 

p.m. 

p.m. 

p.m. 

For assigned revenue, specify the budget expenditure line(s) affected. 

01.02XX Appropriations accruing from contributions from third parties 

Other  remarks  (e.g.  method/formula  used  for  calculating  the  impact  on  revenue  or 
any other information). 

Third  countries  may  contribute  to  the  Programme  through  association  agreements. 
The  conditions  determining  the  level  of  financial  contribution  will  be  laid  down  in 
association agreements with each country and shall ensure an automatic correction of 
any  significant  imbalance  compared  to  the  amount  that  entities  established  in  the 
associated  country  receive  through  participation  in  the  programme,  taking  into 
account the costs in managing the programme. 

EN 

26 

  EN 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
4. 

DIGITAL DIMENSIONS 

Horizon Europe uses the corporate tools described in the Legal, Financial and Digital 
Statement of the European Competitiveness  Fund, which is  cross-referenced for all 
the digital dimensions. 

EN 

1 

  EN