ITRE Draft Report: Evaluation of Horizon Europe and Recommendations for FP10

The European Parliament's Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE) has published a draft report evaluating the implementation of the Horizon Europe programme and providing recommendations for the upcoming 10th Framework Programme (FP10).

The report highlights the following key points:

• Simpler and more efficient implementation: The second pillar of Horizon Europe remains overly complex, discouraging potential applicants, especially newcomers. Simplification and improvement are recommended.
• Budget for FP10: The report recommends increasing the budget to €220 billion, with half allocated to support the activities of the European Research Council (ERC) and the European Innovation Council (EIC).
• Support for excellent science and innovation: FP10 should remain an independent EU programme, focused on research excellence and strategic innovation, with less emphasis on excessive political objectives.

The report also addresses the implementation of the remaining part of Horizon Europe, proposing changes to funding approaches, including limiting lump-sum funding until its benefits are fully proven.

The full ITRE draft report is available on the European Parliament website.

Members of the ITRE committee responded with mixed reactions, with some expressing concerns about the balance between basic research and innovation. More details here.