EU Commission: four priorities for research and innovation “for a sustainable future”. €95 billion funding

The European Commission has today adopted the first “strategic plan for Horizon Europe”, the new EU research and innovation programme worth €95.5 billion.
The strategic plan is a novelty in Horizon Europe and “sets the strategic orientations for the targeting of investments in the programme’s first four years”. A statement explains that, during the implementation of the programme, the EU research and innovation actions will “contribute to EU priorities, including a climate-neutral and green Europe, a Europe fit for the digital age, and an economy that works for people”. European Commission Vice-President Margrethe Vestager said the plan “provides a frame for top quality, excellence-based research and innovation. With this strategic orientation we ensure that research and innovation investments can contribute to a recovery process based on the twin green and digital transition, resilience and open strategic autonomy”. The strategic plan sets out four strategic orientations for investments: “promoting an open strategic autonomy by leading the development of key digital, enabling and emerging technologies, sectors and value chains”; “restoring Europe’s ecosystems and biodiversity, and managing natural resources sustainably”; “making Europe the first digitally enabled circular, climate-neutral and sustainable economy”; and “creating a more resilient, inclusive and democratic European society”. The first calls for proposals will be published in the spring of 2021 and will be presented at the European Research and Innovation Days on 23-24 June.
Valentina Bombelli