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DRAFT REPORT (COM(2025)0543 – C100164/2025 – 2025/0543(COD))

On the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing Horizon Europe, the Framework Programme for Research and Innovation, for the period 2028-2034 laying down its rules for participation and dissemination, and repealing Regulation (EU) 2021/695

ITRE-PR-785237

Committee on Industry, Research and Energy · Rapporteur: Christian Ehler

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This is the rapporteur's draft report on the proposed Horizon Europe regulation for 2028-2034, which sets rules for participation and dissemination and repeals Regulation (EU) 2021/695. It proposes amendments to make Horizon Europe a self-standing programme with its own objectives, separate from the European Competitiveness Fund. It raises the indicative financial envelope to EUR 220 000 000 000 and sets amounts for each pillar, with separate budget lines. It adds new instruments: Fast Track to Excellence, Fast Track to Innovation, European Demonstrator Scheme, and support for Researchers at Risk. It restructures Pillar II into five windows mirroring the European Competitiveness Fund, and creates Councils of experts and expert teams to guide and draft calls. It strengthens the autonomy of the European Research Council and the European Innovation Council. It sets rules on research security, gender equality, climate spending, standardisation, lump sums, time-to-grant, and evaluation review. It also moves several provisions from the Specific Programme into the regulation.

Committee position. The rapporteur proposes to amend the Commission proposal to make Horizon Europe self-standing, raise its budget to EUR 220 billion, restructure Pillar II, add new instruments, and strengthen the autonomy of the ERC and EIC.

Key points

  1. The draft report amends the Commission proposal to make Horizon Europe a self-standing programme with its own objectives, no longer subordinated to the European Competitiveness Fund.
  2. It raises the indicative financial envelope for 2028-2034 to EUR 220 000 000 000 in current prices.
  3. It allocates EUR 55 413 000 000 to Pillar I 'Excellent Science', EUR 95 386 000 000 to Pillar II 'Competitiveness and Society', EUR 48 757 000 000 to Pillar III 'Innovation', and EUR 20 443 000 000 to Pillar IV 'European Research Area'.
  4. It requires each pillar to form a chapter in the annual budget and each part of a pillar to have its own budget line.
  5. It restructures Pillar II into five windows: Competitiveness Window I 'Energy Infrastructure; Decarbonisation & Clean Technology', Window II 'Biotechnology, Health, and Sustainable Prosperity', Window III 'Digital Leadership and Infrastructure', Window IV 'Space, Critical Raw Materials, Security', and a Global Societal Challenges Window.
  6. It creates two Councils of at least 15 prominent experts to guide the Competitiveness Windows and the Global Societal Challenges Window, and expert teams led by lead experts to draft calls.
  7. It adds new instruments: Fast Track to Excellence for small blue-sky collaborative research, Fast Track to Innovation for small collaborative innovation, and a European Demonstrator Scheme for large-scale demonstrator projects.
  8. It adds a European Fellowship Scheme for Researchers at Risk, offering country-agnostic support, a crisis response mechanism, and non-financial support for national schemes.
  9. It strengthens the autonomy of the European Research Council and the European Innovation Council, including term limits for their chairs and dedicated implementation structures.
  10. It requires the programme to be implemented in accordance with the Council Recommendation of 23 May 2024 on enhancing research security.
  11. It sets a target to spend 40% of the budget, excluding defence and security, on climate action and environmental objectives, and requires gender equality plans for funded public bodies and research organisations.
  12. It shortens time-to-grant to 18 weeks for informing applicants and 30 weeks for signing grant agreements, and introduces an evaluation review procedure.

Who is affected

  • Researchers and innovators: new funding instruments and faster procedures.
  • Research organisations and universities: must have gender equality plans and follow research security rules.
  • Member States: contribute to the 3% GDP research spending target and may host demonstrator sites.
  • European Research Council and European Innovation Council: strengthened autonomy and governance.
  • Third countries: association agreements require Parliament consent and must list all programmes.

Figures and deadlines

  • EUR 220 000 000 000: indicative financial envelope for 2028-2034.
  • EUR 55 413 000 000: for Pillar I 'Excellent Science'.
  • EUR 95 386 000 000: for Pillar II 'Competitiveness and Society'.
  • EUR 48 757 000 000: for Pillar III 'Innovation'.
  • EUR 20 443 000 000: for Pillar IV 'European Research Area'.
  • EUR 7 260 000 000: for widening participation and spreading excellence.
  • EUR 2 000 000: maximum budget for Fast Track to Excellence and Fast Track to Innovation projects.
  • 18 weeks and 30 weeks: maximum periods for informing applicants and signing grant agreements.

Legal basis: Article 294(2) and Articles 173(3), 182(1), 183, 188, second subparagraph and Article 322(1), point (a) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union.