EU Framework Programmes

Horizon 2020 was the European Union's eighth framework programme for research and innovation. It had a running period of seven years (2014–2020) and a budget of around €75 billion.

Horizon 2020 was dominated by European collaborative research, which enables collaboration across a wide range of partners from all sectors (science, business and society).

Basic and applied research
Thematic focus with a varying degree of specifications
Funding of 100% of direct costs plus 25% overhead for indirect costs
As a rule, at least three legal entities from three different EU member states or associated countries

In addition, there is funding for individual researchers, in which the European Research Council (ERC) and the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) play a central role.

European Research Council

Promotion of pioneering “frontier research”
Scientific excellence as the sole selection criterion
Open topic
Funding of 100% of direct costs plus 25% overhead for indirect costs
Submission as sole applicant, except for Synergy Grants: groups of 2 to 4 researchers

Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions

Promoting transnational and cross-sector mobility
Promoting the career development of internationally mobile early career researchers
Basic research through to market development
Open topic
Promotion through flat-rate grants (unit costs)
Both joint and individual support

After a political agreement on Horizon Europe was reached on 11 December 2020, the EU's ninth framework programme was launched in 2021.

With a budget of €95.5 billion, it has been increased again compared to Horizon 2020. The first calls for proposals in the new framework programme already started in June 2021.

Key facts:

Horizon Europe is essentially a continuation of Horizon 2020, with only a few innovations. Compared to Horizon 2020, the two pillars "Industrial Leadership" and "Societal Challenges" have been combined into the current Pillar II "Global Challenges and European Industrial Competitiveness" and streamlined to a total of six clusters. Here you will find the classic collaborative projects again.

The EIC:

In addition, the EIC (European Innovation Council) was institutionalised. The European Innovation Council will promote innovation according to high risk – high gain and open up new markets. The former FET (Future and Emerging Technologies) programmes from Horizon 2020 have been incorporated into the EIC.

The strategic plan:

The ninth framework programme also operates under a strategic plan, which links directly to the EU's policy priorities, and also sets out the desired impact of these. The main priorities are a greener and more digital Europe. The current strategic plan covers the first four years of the programme (2021–2024), and there will be a new strategic plan for the second programme period (2025–2027).

The missions:

Completely new in the framework programme are the so-called missions. These missions are defined as ambitious but realistic goals within a set timeframe on tangible, socially very relevant topics. They are intended to additionally strengthen the effectiveness of EU funding by forming a portfolio of sorts and thus achieving goals that would not be feasible in individual projects. The five topics of the missions are:

Adaptation to climate change, including societal change
Cancer
Healthy oceans, seas, coastal and inland waters
Climate-neutral smart cities
Soil health and nutrition

Additional information can be found here:

European Commission website

German Federal Ministry of Education and Research website [German content]

If you have any questions regarding the application process or administrative support, please get in touch with your contact person in Section III/1 European Research Programmes.

The respective framework programme is implemented through work programmes in which the research topics to be worked on are published. These work programmes, which are normally published every two years, include the calls forproposals. Current, future and closed calls for proposals are published online in the European Commission's Funding & Tenders Portal.

From the time of publication, the call for proposals is usually open for at least three months until the submission deadline. The preparation of an application in the framework programme should ideally begin before the call for proposals is published, e.g. on the basis of the two-year work programmes.

Owing to the cross-disciplinary nature of research areas and research topics in the framework programme, applicants are also advised to take a closer look at calls for proposals in the work programmes that initially seem to lie outside their own subject area.

Extensive information on Horizon Europe is available on the website of the Federal Ministry of Education and Research [German content].

In addition, the following websites provide further information about Horizon Europe:

Important information for the application

Short name of the University of Passau: UNI PASSAU
Participant Identification Code (PIC) of the University of Passau: 999878523

Political agreement on UK participation in Horizon Europe and Copernicus

On September 7, the European Commission and the United Kingdom have reached a political agreement on the UK's participation in Horizon Europe. From 1 January 2024, UK researchers and organizations whose funding to date has been provided by a national grant will be eligible to participate in the 2024 work programme calls as "normal partners" from an associated country rather than as "associated partners".

For more information, see the EC press release.

Gender Equality Plan (GEP)

To enable the further possibility of participation in Horizon Europe projects, the University Executive and the Extendet University Executive adopted a Gender Equality Plan (GEP) for the University of Passau. As of 2022, a GEP is a requirement by the European Commission.

Please find the GEP here.