The European Commission has started the process of planning the implementation of Horizon Europe, the R&I framework program for the period 2021-2027.
In fact, the first meeting of the shadow committee to draw up the official plan was called.
Member State governments should receive exclusive access to the preliminary draft of the plan in the coming days. Later, between June and October, three successive revised versions will be published on which the opinion of the academic, industrial and other interested parties will be asked.
Member States will negotiate the final version between the end of 2019 and the beginning of 2020.
The plan will define the research missions, partnerships and objectives of Horizon Europe and will clarify how the various parts of the program will be linked to each other on a practical level.
In addition, it will establish how Horizon Europe will function in relation to other funding programs including InvestEU and the defense research and development program.
Shadow planning
The drafting process is led by 31 experts appointed by each EU and EEA member. The committee was formed before the final budget was approved to ensure that the plans are ready when Horizon Europe legislation is approved next year.
The first public draft of the plan, which will be published in mid-June, will form the basis of the public consultation. This will include a conference in Brussels on 24-26 September, in which the Commission will present a second consultation document and host seminars focusing on different industrial sectors.
A third consultation document, to be published online in October, will be opened for comment by various international organizations and actors.
An official draft of the strategic plan must be approved by the program committee before the commission can adopt it. In order for Horizon Europe to start in time, Member States must agree and formally adopt the EU budget, Horizon Europe legislation and the strategic plan – in that order – by the end of 2020.