Horizon 2020 is the successor research and innovation funding programme to Framework Programme 7.  Horizon 2020 will operate from 2014-2020 with a proposed overall budget of €80 billion. This programme will support three pillars of activity – Excellent Science, Industrial Leadership and Societal Challenges. 

Each legislative part of Horizon 2020 implementation must be approved by the European Parliament, Council and Commission.  These discussions are scheduled  to be completed by summer 2013, before the end of the Irish presidency.  Current issues to be resolved include the rules and rates for cost reimbursement, the detailed structured for the societal challenges pillar and widening the participation potential across all member states.  Once these issues have been resolved the first calls are expected in early 2014.

This all depends on the budget negotiations, which are part of the overall EU budget for 2014-2020 (the Multi-Annual Financial Framework), subject for the summit meetings this week.  Our UKRO annual visit on 13th February will provide more detailed information following on from these budget discussions. To register for this event contact externalprojects@staffs.ac.uk.