EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation (2014-2020)

Since 2014, the research funding of the European Union has been largely grouped into Horizon 2020, the new EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation covering the period 2014-2020. Horizon 2020, as a tool to support and boost the EU’s overall innovative capacity, aims at encouraging research cooperation with third countries and reinforcing the European Research Area.

Horizon 2020 provides a plethora of funding opportunities to multiple R&D actors, ranging from universities and research institutions to industry, SMEs and other non-academic organisations. It offers a wide range of financing programmes and is structured around three main pillars. Funds can be applied for in each of these pillars by both individual researchers and research groups. The choice for a pillar or specific funding programme depends, inter alia, on the size of the project, the nature of the research (basic or applied) and the researcher’s choice to work abroad or not.

All Horizon 2020 programmes are based on biannual work programmes providing details on the content of upcoming calls.