The European Commission and the Portuguese presidency of the EU Council hosted the launch event for Horizon Europe on 2 February 2021. Horizon Europe services as the EU’s research and innovation framework between 2021 and 2027. The budget is set at a whopping €95b and will also support cultural projects.
Horizon Europe is the ninth European Programme for research and innovation, and the successor of Horizon 2020 (2014-2020). By renewing the Horizon project, the European Commission aims to increase private and public investment in research and development. The programme is part of the Multiannual Financial Framework, which plans EU spending over the next seven years.
The new framework will operate on three reference points: the development of scientific excellence, tackling global and industrial challenges and supporting innovation and inclusivity across Europe.
Supporting Pillars
Apart from these reference points, Horizon Europe will focus on four so-called pillars.
The first one includes the support of research infrastructure and human recourses.
Pillar 2 concentrates on a cluster of industries such as Health; Civil Security for Society; Digital, Industry and Space; Climate, Energy and Mobility; and Food, Bioeconomy, Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment.
Cultural heritage
Culture, Creativity and Inclusive Society can also be addressed in Horizon Europe, in Pillar 2.
Under the last research and innovation funding programme, Horizon 2020, more than €500m has been invested on actions that
- develop tools and methodologies for preserving tangible and intangible cultural heritage
- protect endangered heritage from illicit trafficking
- foster access to cultural heritage through digital means
- promote cultural tourism for regional socio-economic development
- strengthen cooperation between museums and heritage sites
The third pillar will be concerned with the support of innovative technological and ecosystem projects. Pillar 4 focusses on the European Research Area, through several funding instruments.
The European Commission’s Directorate-General for Research will coordinate the Horizon Europe project’s implementation in the upcoming years.
You watch the highlights of the Launch Conference of the Horizon Europe programme in the video below.
Source: 2021Portugal, Horizon2020, European Commission and Wikipedia
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