The second Horizon Europe strategic plan 2025-2027

The Horizon Europe strategic plan 2025-2027 steers research and innovation funding  2025-2027, addressing the key global challenges such as climate change, loss of biodiversity, the digital transition and an ageing population.

The strategic plan sets out 3 strategic orientations for research and innovation investment under Horizon Europe for the years 2025-2027:

  • Green transition
  • Digital transition
  • A more resilient, competitive, inclusive and democratic Europe

Open strategic autonomy and securing Europe’s leading role in developing and deploying critical technologies are overarching principles that apply across all 3 key strategic orientations.

The strategic plan raises the ambition of Horizon Europe on biodiversity and commits to a target of 10% of Horizon Europe’s total budget 2025-2027 being dedicated to biodiversity-related topics. This new commitment complements existing targets for climate expenditure (35% over the lifetime of Horizon Europe) and main digital activities (€13 billion over the same period).

Key elements

  • 3 key strategic orientations for Horizon Europe research and innovation activities in 2025-2027
  • 32 expected impacts distributed across clusters
  • 9 new co-programmed and co-funded European Partnerships
  • EU Missions and an overview on their achievements of the first years
  • New European Bauhaus Facility

Background

The Horizon Europe strategic plan for 2025-2027 builds on an extensive analysis conducted by the Commission services, the Horizon Europe strategic plan 2025–2027 analysis.

The strategic plan was co-created by Commission services and co-designed with Member States and Associated Countries, the European Parliament and more than 2000 stakeholders and citizens, who have contributed at various stages of the strategic planning process for Horizon Europe, such as the largest ever public consultation on European Research and Innovation Framework Programmes and a dedicated citizens’ engagement event.