Horizon Europe
Horizon Europe is the EU’s funding programme for research and innovation, with a total budget of €95.5 billion.
Horizon Europe builds upon previous European research frameworks, most recently Horizon 2020.
The UK has formally associated with Horizon Europe. This allows UK researchers to regain leadership roles in Horizon Europe projects and have confidence in future funding.
UK researchers can participate fully in the Horizon Europe programme on the same terms as researchers from Member States and other Associated Countries, including leading consortia, from the 2024 Work Programmes and onwards – including any 2024 calls which opened in 2023.
The joint statement from the European Commission and the UK government summarises the effect of this long-awaited outcome from negotiations.
Horizon structure
Horizon Europe comprises three Pillars and a cross-cutting programme to widen participation and strengthen the wider European research area. The pillars each contain a variety of different funding schemes. Horizon Europe also includes the Missions Work Programme - portfolios of ambitious projects addressing global challenges.
- Pillar 1
- Pillar 2
- Pillar 3
- Missions
- Widening Participation and Strengthening the European Research Area (WIDERA)
Horizon Europe isn’t limited to European and Associated Countries - there are opportunities for Low and Middle-Income countries to participate with funding, including the Africa Initiative.
Visit our dedicated Horizon Europe events page to learn more about the available opportunities.
Funding arrangements
For calls between 2021-2023, the UK introduced measures to protect the UK's involvement until formal association took place. A guarantee of UK funding is in place for all successful applications submitted (to 2021, 2022 and 2023 calls) involving the UK. Faculty research support teams can help with arrangements for drawing down this funding.
- The UK's guarantee scheme
- Horizon Europe: help for UK applicants (ukri.org)
- Details of the guarantee and how to apply for UK funding (ukri.org)
| Successful applicants to calls by year | Funding provider |
|---|---|
| 2021, 2022 or 2023 calls | UK participation is funded by the UK Government Guarantee for the project/fellowship duration |
| 2024 calls and later | Projects will be funded by the European Commission |
You can check which set of rules your project falls under by looking at the call identification (ID) number. If the ID includes “2023”, the call is part of the 2023 Work Programme and will be covered by the UK Government Guarantee. If the call ID includes “2024”, the call will be part of the 2024 Work Programme funded by the European Commission.
The Government explains the arrangements and regularly provides updates on the UK Association to Horizon Europe and Copernicus programmes guidance page.
Formal association to Horizon Europe provides the certainty that the higher education sector (in the UK and overseas) has been seeking and provides confidence that funding is available for the remainder of Horizon Europe.
The UK is now in a stronger position within consortia as UK researchers can lead projects. The arrangements support greater researcher mobility. The UK now counts towards the minimum number of countries required to meet eligibility rules for consortium-based projects. Contracting and reporting are simplified because the UK is now participating on the same terms as other Associated Countries.
The UK’s association applies to all three Pillars of Horizon Europe, plus research infrastructures and to Copernicus - the Earth observation programme. Association does not apply to Euratom.
The UK's association does not extend to Euratom. Instead, £650m of UK funding will be used to support UK research, including international collaborations.
There are a very small number of calls with restrictions on which countries can participate. The UK will work collaboratively with the EU on determining the UK’s role (if any) in these. For example, some calls with significant security/defence issues and for a limited part of the European Innovation Council's investment portfolio.
Update on Open and New Calls in 2024
With a recent €1.4bn increase to the 2024 budget, and the UK's association to Horizon Europe secured, the latest plans have been published by amendments to the 2023-24 Work Programme.
Further information
- Introducing Horizon Europe.
- Full information about calls is available in the Work Programmes for each area of Horizon Europe and via the portal.
- UKRO’s digest emails are a valuable and accessible resource containing the latest news and events.
- EC Q&A on the UK’s association to Horizon Europe and Copernicus.