EU to invest €13.5 billion in research and innovation for 2023-2024

The Commission has adopted today the main Horizon Europe work programme 2023-24, with around €13.5 billion to support researchers and innovators in Europe to pursue breakthrough solutions for environmental, energy, digital and geopolitical challenges.

As part of the broader EU €95.5 billion research and innovation programme, Horizon Europe, this funding will contribute to the EU reaching its climate goals, increasing energy resilience, and developing core digital technologies. It will also address targeted actions to support Ukraine, boost economic resilience and contribute to a sustainable recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. It will help to achieve a stronger European research and innovation ecosystem, including through wider participation of researchers and innovators across Europe, greater mobility and funding for world class research infrastructures.

Delivering on climate action and digital transformation

€5.67 billion (over 42% of the work programme's budget) is dedicated to reaching key climate action objectives, finding innovative solutions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adapting to climate change. €1.67 billion contributes to supporting biodiversity.

Over €4.5 billion will support the EU digital transition, including for the development of core digital technologies and encouraging their integration in our lives.

Extensive support will also be provided to the New European Bauhaus, which aims to show the benefits of the green transition in people's daily lives and living spaces.

Nearly €970 million will be invested to help speed up the clean energy transition, in line with the REPowerEU Plan, and increase Europe's energy independence from unreliable suppliers and volatile fossil fuels.

In 2023, the work programme will direct investments of more than €1 billion from NextGeneration EU towards Europe's recovery from the economic and social damage caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Moreover, it supports research and innovation with €336 million to enhance pandemic preparedness and to respond to health emergencies. This is in line with the objectives of the European Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority (HERA).

It will also support critical infrastructures against physical and cyber threats to reinforce the EU resilience.

Openness to international cooperation is balanced with the need to safeguard EU interests in strategic areas, in particular to promote the EU's open strategic autonomy and its technological leadership and competitiveness.

Es, the roll-out of soil monitoring programmes or optimise minimally-invasive diagnostic cancer interventions. The Commission expects missions to raise contributions from other funding sources, to reach an overall level of investment at the end of 2023 that surpasses investments made from Horizon Europe.

The 2023-2024 Horizon Europe work programme is based on Horizon Europe's Strategic Plan 2021-2024, adopted in March 2021. It was co-created with stakeholders, Member States and the European Parliament. On 1 December, the Commission launched the largest public consultation ever held on the past, present and future of the EU's Horizon research and innovation programmes 2014-2027. It is open for 12 weeks and contributes to the final evaluation of Horizon 2020, the interim evaluation of Horizon Europe as well as laying the groundwork for the preparations of the Horizon Europe Strategic Plan 2025-2027.