European Partnerships are initiatives where the EU together with private and/or public partners commit to jointly support the development and implementation of a programme of research and innovation activities.

They play an important role in achieving the Commission’s strategic objectives of accelerating the twin transitions towards a green, climate neutral, and digital Europe, while strengthening the resilience and competitiveness of European industry. Partnerships are also in a unique position to address complex challenges that require an integrated approach, since they allow bringing together a broad range of actors across the value chain and countries to work on the basis of a common vision and a roadmap that is shared and committed to by all partners.

Horizon Europe introduces a more strategic, coherent and impact-driven approach to European Partnerships. European Partnerships will be established only in cases where they will achieve objectives of Horizon Europe more effectively than what can be achieved by other activities of the Framework programme.

Partnership types and their relevance for individual clusters are listed on the EC web - Partnerships. A graphical overview of all European Partnerships, their implementation types and relevance to individual parts of HE is available here.  

Included in the second Horizon Europe Strategic Plan 2025-2027 are the nine new European partnerships

Co-funded partnerships                                                           Co-programmed partnerships

Brain Health                                                                                 Innovative Materials for EU

Forests and Forestry for a Sustainable Future                      Solar Photovoltaics

Raw Materials for the Green and Digital Transition              Textiles of the Future

Resilient Cultural Heritage                                                        Virtual Worlds

Social Transformations and Resilience