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EU Strategy on Research and Innovation
The European Commission’s Research & Innovation (R&I) Strategy frames how EU policy and funding support competitiveness, the green and digital transitions, resilience, and European values. It connects political priorities to concrete delivery through Horizon Europe, the European Research Area (ERA), and implementing bodies that manage calls, grants, and instruments.
- Strategy hub: https://research-and-innovation.ec.europa.eu/strategy/strategy-research-and-innovation_en
- Commission R&I overview: https://commission.europa.eu/research-and-innovation_en
Strategy themes
These six themes organise the Commission’s strategic narrative and the main policy strands:
- Democracy and rights
- Environment and climate
- Europe in the world
- Jobs and economy
- Our digital future
- Protecting our citizens and our values
How the strategy is delivered: programmes and planning
Horizon Europe (2021–2027)
Horizon Europe is the EU’s main funding programme for research and innovation. It translates strategy into work programmes, calls, and funded actions across pillars and clusters.
- Horizon Europe Strategic Plan 2025–2027
https://research-and-innovation.ec.europa.eu/document/download/d5f326da-aa32-4753-a901-54d3148001b6_en - Horizon Europe overview: https://research-and-innovation.ec.europa.eu/funding/funding-opportunities/funding-programmes-and-open-calls/horizon-europe_en
- Work Programmes hub: https://research-and-innovation.ec.europa.eu/funding/funding-opportunities/funding-programmes-and-open-calls/horizon-europe/horizon-europe-work-programmes_en
- EU Startup and Scaleup Strategy
https://research-and-innovation.ec.europa.eu/strategy/strategy-research-and-innovation/jobs-and-economy/eu-startup-and-scaleup-strategy_en
Horizon Europe Strategic Plan 2025–2027
The Strategic Plan sets strategic orientations for the final years of Horizon Europe and guides work programme priorities.
Horizon Europe 2028-2034: The Commission proposal for the new framework
On 16 July 2025, the European Commission put forward its proposal for the Horizon Europe Framework Programme (2028–2034). With a proposed € 175 billion budget, the programme will boost Europe’s productivity and competitiveness, while also improving the well-being of millions of people across the continent. Next steps: Interinstitutional negotiations between the European Parliament, Council and Commission will now take place on the proposal.
European Research Area (ERA): coordination with Member States
The ERA is the policy coordination framework aligning national and EU-level reforms and investments in research and innovation. A key “operational layer” is the ERA Policy Agenda 2025–2027, which sets priority actions and activities.
- ERA Policy Agenda 2025–2027 (ERA platform): https://european-research-area.ec.europa.eu/era-policy-agenda-2025-2027
EU legislation (EUR-Lex): core legal bases
These acts anchor the strategy in EU law:
- Regulation (EU) 2021/695 — Horizon Europe (establishes the programme)
https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2021/695/oj/eng - Council Recommendation (EU) 2021/2122 — Pact for Research and Innovation (ERA principles and priorities)
https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reco/2021/2122/oj/eng - Regulation (EU) 2021/819 — European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) (recast)
https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2021/819/oj/eng
Agencies and key implementing bodies (who does what)
Policy lead (European Commission)
Excellence and innovation instruments
Executive agencies (operational programme management)
- DG RTD – Directorate-General for Research and Innovation (policy lead and strategy)
https://commission.europa.eu/about/departments-and-executive-agencies/research-and-innovation_en
Excellence and innovation instruments
- European Innovation Council (EIC) (deep tech, breakthrough innovation, scale-up instruments)
https://eic.ec.europa.eu/index_en - European Institute of Innovation & Technology (EIT) (innovation ecosystems and KICs; education–research–business integration)
https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2021/819/oj/eng
(Legal base above; you can also add the EIT corporate site if you wish.)
Executive agencies (operational programme management)
- EISMEA — European Innovation Council and SMEs Executive Agency
https://eismea.ec.europa.eu/index_en - HaDEA — European Health and Digital Executive Agency
https://hadea.ec.europa.eu/index_en
