Horizon 2020 kicks off

The European Commission has published the first calls for proposals under Horizon 2020, the main EU research and innovation programme, which has recently been agreed by the European Parliament and EU member states.

Under the agreement, which covers 2014-2020, EU research and innovation funding will be significantly increased compared to Horizon 2020’s predecessor, the Seventh Framework Programme (FP7, 2007-2013).

Overall funding* will rise from about €50 billion under FP7 to €78.6 billion (current prices) for Horizon 2020. In environmental terms, the emphasis in Horizon 2020 is on finding the technologies that will help society to decouple its economic well-being from current levels of unsustainable consumption of resources, and from environmental collateral damage.

The EU Council decision establishing Horizon 2020 notes that this decoupling will require “structural changes in how such resources are used, re-used and managed.”

European Commissioner for Research, Innovation and Science Máire Geoghegan-Quinn said “these calls will be a huge opportunity for scientists and businesses across the EU and beyond and are not to be missed.”

Horizon 2020 aims to streamline the process of accessing funds for viable projects, with a single set of participation rules and simpler administrative procedures.

For R&D projects, Horizon 2020 can cover up to 100% of the costs, while for innovation projects, the funding level is 70%, or 100% for non-profit legal entities. Projects will have to be carried out by partnerships of at least three organisation from different countries.

Potential participants can find information about Horizon 2020 calls at:

http://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/portal/desktop/en/opportunities/index.html