European Commission proposes stand-alone FP10 with a volume of €175 billion
Budget
With funding for the implementation of the next Horizon Europe programme amounting to €175 billion (in current prices), the Commission’s plan provides for a significant budget increase for the period 2028-2034. The current programme period (2021-2027) started with €95.5 billion (in the meantime reduced to €93.5 billion), €5.4 billion of which was a top-up from the NextGenerationEU coronavirus recovery fund.
Programme structure
The Commission plans to replace the current programme architecture in FP10 with a new structure based on four pillars:
| Horizon Europe 2021-2027 | Horizon Europe 2028-2034 |
| Three Programme Pillars:
1. Excellent Science 2. Global Challenges and European Industrial Competitiveness 3. Innovative Europe
Separate funding part: “Widening participation and strengthening the European Research Area”. |
Four Programme Pillars
1. Excellent Science 2. Competitiveness and Society 3. Innovation and 4. European Research Area (ERA) |
The horizontal principles of the new programme include:
- Multidisciplinary approach, where appropriate
- Integration of social sciences and humanities (SSH) across all components under the Programme
- Specific calls for proposals on SSH related topics
- Fostering stronger links between research, innovation, and the development of evidence-informed public policies.
Horizon Europe in the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF)
The close integration with the ECF is also reflected in the structure of the proposed MFF, in which the new Horizon programme – like Erasmus+ – is classified under heading II (Competitiveness) and is explicitly mentioned there:
- National and Regional Partnership Plans (NRPP)
- European Competitiveness Fund and Horizon Europe
- Global Europe, Common Foreign and Security Policy and Overseas Countries and Territories (including Greenland)
- European Public Administration
In addition to these four headings, the Commission’s MFF proposal includes a special reserve to support Ukraine, as well as a flexibility instrument.
Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions
The MSCA will remain anchored in Pillar I (Excellent Science) and will continue to promote the career development, skills enhancement, and international mobility of researchers at all stages of their careers worldwide during the programme period from 2028 to 2034.
Attracting and retaining scientific talent to Europe will be emphasised more strongly, particularly through the “Choose Europe” approach. While the MSCA will remain open across all disciplines, it will be specifically targeted where necessary as regards:
- Thematic focus areas
- Research organisations or innovation drivers
- Geographical regions
to meet the changing demands and needs of the Union in terms of skills, research training, career development and knowledge exchange, and to promote the Union’s strategic autonomy.
What happens next
The Commission proposal currently contains incomplete information on the funding of the Horizon Europe programme regarding the concrete allocation of funds to the individual programme components within the pillars. A detailed plan is expected to be published in September.
The European Parliament and the Council of the EU will examine the proposal and enter trialogue negotiations to reach agreement. Once an agreement is reached, the legal acts are formally adopted.
In parallel, budgetary negotiations are ongoing to determine and approve the Horizon Europe financial envelope (2028-2034) within the overall EU budget.
