A Doubling of Ambition
On 16 July 2025, the European Commission unveiled its proposal for the next iteration of the EU's flagship research and innovation programme. Horizon Europe 2028–2034 would receive a budget of €175 billion — double the €95.5 billion allocated to the current 2021–2027 cycle — making it the largest transnational research funding programme in the world.
The announcement came as part of the Commission's broader package for the next long-term EU budget (Multiannual Financial Framework) covering 2028–2034. Commissioner for Startups, Research and Innovation Ekaterina Zaharieva framed the proposal as a direct response to the strategic challenges outlined in the Draghi and Letta reports on European competitiveness.
"As one of Europe's strongest brands, Horizon Europe will place research and innovation at the heart of the EU economy and investment strategy. We will attract and retain talents through 'Choose Europe', de-risk and mobilise private research and innovation financing, empowering innovative startups and work together with Member States to reach the 3% investment target."
— Ekaterina Zaharieva, Commissioner for Startups, Research and Innovation
Four Pillars of Restructured Ambition
The proposed programme is organised around four pillars, representing a structural evolution from the current framework:
| Pillar | Focus | Key Instruments |
|---|---|---|
| I — Excellent Science | Strengthening the EU's scientific base, attracting top talent | European Research Council (ERC), Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions, Joint Research Centre |
| II — Competitiveness and Society | Collaborative R&I in high-impact areas | Clean transition, digital leadership, defence, industry, space, EU Missions, New European Bauhaus |
| III — Innovation | Supporting new products, services, and business models | European Innovation Council (EIC), defence and dual-use startups |
| IV — European Research Area | Unified ERA with reformed widening component | Research and technology infrastructures |
Moonshot Projects: From Research to Deployment
A headline novelty of the proposal is the introduction of moonshot projects — large-scale initiatives designed to move from research through demonstration to real-world deployment. These would be funded through pooled resources from Horizon Europe, the European Competitiveness Fund, national governments, and private investors.
The Commission has identified eleven candidate areas for moonshot investment:
- Future circular collider
- Clean aviation
- Quantum computing
- Next-generation AI
- Data sovereignty
- Automated transport and mobility
- Regenerative therapies
- Fusion energy
- Space economy
- Zero water pollution
- Ocean observation
Simplification and Speed
A recurring criticism of the current Horizon Europe programme has been its administrative complexity. The Commission's proposal directly addresses this with commitments to:
- Reduce the number of topics across calls, consolidating fragmented funding lines
- Shorten the time from call closure to grant signature, a pain point repeatedly raised by the research community
- Streamline support mechanisms, particularly for smaller grants and collaborative projects
The ERC, under Pillar I, will be expanded with a focus on the 'Choose Europe' approach — an initiative to attract and retain top global research talent by offering long-term, stable funding conditions.
The Policy Context
The proposal does not emerge in isolation. It builds on three landmark reports that shaped the EU's R&I discourse over the preceding year:
- Mario Draghi's Report on the Future of European Competitiveness (September 2024) underscored the importance of embedding R&I at the core of the EU economy to drive sustainable growth.
- Enrico Letta's 'Much More than a Market' report advocated for a 'fifth freedom' — the free movement of knowledge — to enhance research, innovation, and education within the single market.
- The independent expert group chaired by Manuel Heitor on Horizon Europe's interim evaluation ('Align, Act, Accelerate') provided specific recommendations for aligning R&I with Europe's strategic goals.
Next Steps and Uncertainties
The proposal now enters interinstitutional negotiations between the European Parliament, the Council of the EU, and the Commission. These trilogue negotiations will determine the final budget, structure, and strategic priorities — a process that typically takes 12–18 months.
The doubling of the budget, if sustained through negotiations, would represent the most significant expansion of EU research funding in history. For the global research community — including partner institutions in Africa, Asia, and Latin America that participate through Horizon Europe's international association agreements — the proposal signals continued European commitment to collaborative, challenge-driven research at a time when other major science funders face budget pressures.
Sources:
- European Commission, Directorate-General for Research and Innovation, "Horizon Europe 2028–2034: twice bigger, simpler, faster and more impactful," 16 July 2025
- European Commission press release IP/25/1115 on Horizon Europe interim evaluation
- Draghi Report on the Future of European Competitiveness (September 2024)
- Letta Report, 'Much More than a Market' (2024)
- Heitor et al., 'Align, Act, Accelerate: Report of the Independent High Level Expert Group on the Interim Evaluation of Horizon Europe' (2024)
FIRAT Editorial Board
Institutional Research Desk · Foresight Institute of Research and Translation
The collective editorial and research translation board of FIRAT, synthesising peer-reviewed evidence, policy briefs, and division milestones across our seven foundational research pillars.
