Lead Summary
The European research funding landscape is evolving with key initiatives aimed at increasing researcher influence, safeguarding the independence of the European Research Council (ERC), and directing substantial investment into cross-cutting policy areas. These changes are set to shape the Horizon Europe programme’s next phase and impact innovation and scientific research across the EU.
Key Developments
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The European Parliament’s research and industry committee is advocating for reforms to make Horizon Europe more bottom-up. This approach seeks to reduce the European Commission’s role in designing specific research funding calls, thereby giving researchers and Members of the European Parliament greater influence over call topics and priorities1.
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In parallel, the Parliament is preparing to defend the ERC’s independence in upcoming negotiations. Draft reports emphasize maintaining the ERC’s researcher-driven mandate and ensuring it operates with autonomy from the European Commission’s direct control2.
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A leaked internal memo reveals that the European Commission plans to update the Horizon Europe 2026-27 work programme in September. This update will introduce two large “horizontal” calls, each with dedicated work programmes and hundreds of millions of euros in funding. These calls aim to channel targeted investment across cross-cutting topics, building on this year’s initial horizontal calls focused on AI in science and decarbonising energy-intensive industries3.
What to Watch Next
Stakeholders will be closely monitoring the negotiations between the European Parliament and the European Commission regarding the governance and independence of the ERC, as well as the final design and thematic focus of the new horizontal calls. These decisions will influence the strategic direction and funding priorities of European research and innovation efforts in the coming years.
[1] https://sciencebusiness.net/news/planning-fp10/qa-ehler-calls-bottom-horizon-europe
