First Horizon 2020 calls now open
This is the largest European framework program to date, with €15,000 millions for the first two years
By Biocat
The European Commission has published the first calls for proposals under the new research and innovation framework program Horizon 2020, which are available on their website. The program, which has a budget of €15,000 millions for the first two years (with a total of €80,000 through 2020), is structured around three main focal points: Excellent science, Industrial leadership and Societal challenges.
This is the first time the Commission has established detailed priorities for its investment in research for a two-year period. The aim is to give researchers and businesspeople a clearer idea of funding options for their projects. A joint total of €7,800 millions has been earmarked for the calls that have just been opened for 2014. The majority of this money (€3,000 M) will go towards the “Excellent science” area, with €1,700 millions in grants from the European Research Council (ERC). A total of €1,800 millions from this call will go to Industrial leadership, funding projects in areas like biotechnology, robotics, space, ICT and nanotechnology.
Finally, €2,800 millions will go to projects addressing the seven great social challenges identified under Horizon 2020: 1) Health, demographic change and wellbeing; 2) Food security, sustainable agriculture and forestry, marine and maritime and inland water research; 3) Secure, clean and efficient energy; 4) Smart, green and integrated transport; 5) Climate action, environment, resource efficiency and raw materials; 6) Inclusive, innovative and reflective societies; and 7) Secure societies.
European Commissioner for Research, Innovation and Science Máire Geoghegan-Quinn has affirmed this project is key to the future of research and innovation in Europe and will contribute to growth, employment and better quality of life. The European site has been redesigned to make online processing faster and more efficient, and the program structure has been simplified to reduce financial controls and audits. Once published, the results of the projects will be made available publicly under “open access” policies.
More information is available on the Horizon 2020 website and in the press release.