Brussels,

Proposal for Horizon Europe 2028-2034

​On 16 July 2025, the European Commission tabled its proposal for the next Horizon Europe Framework Programme (2028–2034). With a proposed €175 billion budget (€97 billion the former 2021-2027), the programme is designed to strengthen Europe’s productivity and competitiveness while delivering tangible benefits for citizens across the continent. The proposal now moves to interinstitutional negotiations between the European Parliament, the Council, and the Commission.

A central feature is the ability to launch science-driven “moonshot” projects—large-scale, high-ambition initiatives intended to position Europe as a global leader in strategic domains and accelerate breakthroughs in areas such as ▶ the 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

Read the commission's proposal

Proposed structure and budget

The Commission proposes four pillars with €175 billion:

Pillar I — Excellent Science (€44.079 billion)

• European Research Council (ERC)
• Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)
• Science for EU Policies
  

Pillar II — Competitiveness and Society (€75.876 billion)
Competitiveness

1. Clean Transition and Industrial Decarbonisation
2. Health, Biotech and Agriculture
3. Digital and Industrial Leadership
4. Resilience and Security
5. Defence industry and space

Society

1. Global societal challenges
2. EU Missions
3. New European Bauhaus Facility

Pillar III — Innovation (€38.785 billion)

• European Innovation Council (EIC)
• Innovation ecosystems and the knowledge triangle

Pillar IV — European Research Area (€16.262 billion)

• ERA policies
• Research and technology infrastructures
• Widening participation and spreading excellence
  
  

How the Programme should work

The Commission shaped the new Programme with some key points:

Simpler, faster access

• Less red tape through shorter work programmes, open topic calls by default, and unified funding rates
  
• Faster time-to-grant and simplified cost rules, including broader use of lump-sum funding for earlier budget certainty
  

A stronger European Research Council

• Increased support for frontier research and excellent researchers
  
• Initiatives to promote “Choose Europe”
  

A more powerful EIC to boost innovation

• Support for deep-tech start-ups in areas like quantum, biotech, and clean tech
  
• Expanded grant and (where relevant) equity-type support for innovative projects
  
• Targeted backing for scale-ups, including dual-use and defence-related start-ups and scale-ups
  

More collaborative research

• Tackling key societal challenges (e.g., disinformation, climate), aligned with EU competitiveness objectives
  

Streamlined partnerships with Member States and the private sector

• Simpler participation and operations
  
• Joint priorities aligned with strategic industrial sectors for competitiveness, security, and resilience
  
• Leveraging private investment and stronger EU–Member State public R&I investment alignment
  

Greater support for research and technology infrastructures

• Funding cutting-edge research and technology infrastructures
  
• Support for facilities, resources, and services
  

Spreading excellence

• A more tailored approach to lift R&I performance, strengthen research capacity and ecosystems, and counter brain drain