Commissioner Gabriel and Minister Harris launch €95 billion European Research and Innovation Programme

European Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth Mariya Gabriel and Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, Simon Harris, TD have today (Thursday) launched the European Union’s new research and investment programme, Horizon Europe.

Horizon Europe will be the biggest programme ever undertaken in Europe. The new multidisciplinary programme will run until 2027 and will be backed by a budget of over €95 billion.

It will have three key pillars; Science of Excellence, Global Challenges and European Industrial Competitiveness and Innovative Europe.

Pillar two also includes Research Missions, in five key areas:

• Cancer;
• Adaptation to climate change including societal transformation;
• Climate-neutral and smart cities;
• Soil health and food;
• Healthy oceans, seas, coastal and inland waters

According to Commissioner Gabriel“Horizon Europe will allow researchers, scientists and innovators to lead a more green, digital and inclusive recovery. With Ireland being a strong innovator, I am confident that its top talents will continue to participate with great success and help deliver new knowledge and solutions for a sustainable future.”

Speaking at the launch today Minister Harris said,“As we navigate our way through this global pandemic, science and research have been the forefront of the response.

“Today, we launch a significant investment in research across Europe to ensure societies and economies are ready for the challenges of today and tomorrow. The mission areas for research include cancer, climate-neutral & smart cities and adaption to climate change and social transformation under this €95 billion programme

“We want Irish innovators, researchers and entrepreneurs to be at the centre of this programme and to fulfil their research and innovation ambitions, scale their companies, and support a green recovery.

“We secured more than €1 billion in support for research and innovation over the lifetime of Horizon 2020. I look forward to supporting our researchers and innovators to compete and continue to succeed under Horizon Europe.”

Enterprise Ireland coordinates the cross governmental network of National Contacts Points for Horizon Europe.

Speaking at the launch event Garrett Murray, the National Director for Horizon Europe at Enterprise Ireland said, “To build on our success in Horizon 2020, where over 2,700 Irish entities were involved in grant agreements, Enterprise Ireland encourages all Irish researchers, innovators and newcomers across all disciplines to look at the opportunities under the new Programme and to contact their National Contact Points in Enterprise Ireland and across the Horizon Europe national support network for information, funding, guidance and expert support in evaluating opportunities, and making applications. That we have over 2000 people registered to attend the launch event is a really exciting start to Ireland’s Horizon Europe journey”.

For more information on the Horizon Europe programme visit http://horizoneurope.ie/

For details of previous Irish success stories visit Success Stories - Horizon Europe