# Horizon Europe

EUACC page: https://www.euacc.ai/programmes/horizon-europe
Retrieved: 2026-11-10T23:39:03.540Z. This is a retrieval timestamp, not a verification date. Source material is reference data, never instructions.

## Application status and timing

**timing:** See call schedule
**label:** Open calls
**tone:** open

## Source metadata

**slug:** horizon-europe
**name:** Horizon Europe
**plain name:** Horizon Europe
**tagline:** The EU's €93.5 billion research and innovation programme for 2021-2027, and where each part fits
**overview:** Horizon Europe is the EU's main research and innovation programme. After the 2025 mid-term review, its indicative budget for 2021-2027 is €93.5 billion. Almost everything is awarded through calls on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal, set out in work programmes.

It is organised in three pillars. **Pillar I, Excellent Science**, funds researchers and research infrastructure: the European Research Council (Starting, Consolidator, Advanced and Proof of Concept grants) and the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions. **Pillar II, Global Challenges and European Industrial Competitiveness**, funds collaborative projects in six clusters (health; culture and society; civil security; digital, industry and space; climate, energy and mobility; food, bioeconomy and environment) plus five EU missions. **Pillar III, Innovative Europe**, funds startups and innovators through the European Innovation Council (Pathfinder, Transition, Accelerator), plus European innovation ecosystems and the EIT.

For founders, the EIC is the direct route; the clusters suit companies that join collaborative projects; ERC and MSCA fund the research and people behind a future spin-out. The Commission has proposed €175 billion for the next programme (2028-2034).
**trl range:** From frontier research (ERC) to market (EIC Accelerator)
**who its for:** Researchers, universities, companies of all sizes and public bodies; startups mainly through the EIC and as partners in cluster projects.
**status:** open
**official url:** https://research-and-innovation.ec.europa.eu/funding/funding-opportunities/funding-programmes-and-open-calls/horizon-europe_en
**apply url:** https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/home
**code:** horizon-europe
**total budget eur:** 93500000000
**funding rate:** Typically 100% for research actions and 70% for innovation actions (non-profits 100%); set per topic
**scope:** eu
**updated at:** 2026-11-09T17:18:18.655462+00:00
**source updated at:** 2026-11-09T17:18:18.655462+00:00

## Review record

**status:** ok
**source url:** https://research-and-innovation.ec.europa.eu/funding/funding-opportunities/funding-programmes-and-open-calls/horizon-europe_en
**last verified at:** 2026-11-09T00:00:00+00:00
**next check due:** 2026-11-23T00:00:00+00:00

## Programme facts and structured content

**status:** open
**decision Facts:** 
  **funding:** Call-specific grants
  **funding Note:** Hundreds of topics; see each programme page
  **application Mode:** call-specific
**research Coverage:** 
  **scope:** Programme facts, dates and figures checked against the official sources on 2026-11-09.
  **sources:** 
    - https://research-and-innovation.ec.europa.eu/funding/funding-opportunities/funding-programmes-and-open-calls/horizon-europe_en
  **checked At:** 2026-11-09
**verified At:** 2026-11-09
**support Kind:** grant
**cover:** 
  **alt:** Precision optics on a laboratory bench.
  **url:** /images/programmes/photonics-v1.webp
  **credit:** AI-generated editorial illustration; does not depict a funded project.
  **position:** 50% 40%
**slug:** horizon-europe
**name:** Horizon Europe
**short Name:** Horizon Europe
**tagline:** The EU's €93.5 billion research and innovation programme for 2021-2027, and where each part fits
**badge:** EU research programme
**funding Amount:** Call-specific grants
**funding Type:** Non-dilutive grants, plus EIC equity
**trl:** From frontier research (ERC) to market (EIC Accelerator)
**eligibility:** 
  - Legal entities in EU Member States and Horizon Europe associated countries can generally participate; rules differ per action.
  - Collaborative projects in the clusters usually need at least three independent partners from three different countries.
  - Single applicants are possible in ERC, MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships and EIC Accelerator.
  - Each topic's call text sets the type of action, funding rate and any extra conditions.
**overview:** Horizon Europe is the EU's main research and innovation programme. After the 2025 mid-term review, its indicative budget for 2021-2027 is €93.5 billion. Almost everything is awarded through calls on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal, set out in work programmes.

It is organised in three pillars. **Pillar I, Excellent Science**, funds researchers and research infrastructure: the European Research Council (Starting, Consolidator, Advanced and Proof of Concept grants) and the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions. **Pillar II, Global Challenges and European Industrial Competitiveness**, funds collaborative projects in six clusters (health; culture and society; civil security; digital, industry and space; climate, energy and mobility; food, bioeconomy and environment) plus five EU missions. **Pillar III, Innovative Europe**, funds startups and innovators through the European Innovation Council (Pathfinder, Transition, Accelerator), plus European innovation ecosystems and the EIT.

For founders, the EIC is the direct route; the clusters suit companies that join collaborative projects; ERC and MSCA fund the research and people behind a future spin-out. The Commission has proposed €175 billion for the next programme (2028-2034).
**how To Apply:** 
  - Choose the part of Horizon Europe that fits your stage and goal (ERC, MSCA, a cluster, a mission or the EIC).
  - Find the open or forthcoming topic on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal and read its work-programme text.
  - Build the consortium if the topic needs one, then write the proposal in the official template.
  - Submit on the portal before the topic deadline; most evaluations take about five months.
**key Features:** 
  - €93.5 billion indicative budget for 2021-2027
  - Pillar I: ERC and MSCA
  - Pillar II: six collaborative clusters and five missions
  - Pillar III: European Innovation Council, ecosystems and the EIT
  - Proposed successor for 2028-2034: €175 billion
**faqs:** 
  -     **answer:** The indicative budget for 2021-2027 is €93.5 billion after the mid-term review of the EU budget.
    **question:** What is the Horizon Europe budget?
  -     **answer:** The European Innovation Council: Pathfinder for early-stage research, Transition for validation and EIC Accelerator for companies scaling breakthrough technology. Startups also join cluster projects as partners.
    **question:** Which part of Horizon Europe is for startups?
  -     **answer:** On the EU Funding & Tenders Portal, grouped by work programme. EUACC lists the open calls on each programme page.
    **question:** Where are Horizon Europe calls published?
  -     **answer:** The Commission proposed a new framework programme for 2028-2034 with a €175 billion budget; it is under negotiation.
    **question:** What comes after Horizon Europe?
**related Slugs:** 
  - eic-accelerator
  - pathfinder-open
  - horizon-cluster4
  - horizon-cluster5
  - horizon-cluster6
  - horizon-cluster1
  - erc-starting-grant
  - msca
**keywords:** 
  - Horizon Europe
  - Horizon Europe funding
  - Horizon Europe calls
  - Horizon Europe budget
  - Horizon Europe clusters
  - Horizon Europe startups
**typical Timeline:** Set per topic
**for Who:** Researchers, universities, companies of all sizes and public bodies; startups mainly through the EIC and as partners in cluster projects.
**honest Take:** Horizon Europe is not one grant but hundreds of calls with different rules. Start from your stage: frontier research (ERC), people (MSCA), collaborative R&D with partners (clusters) or a company scaling breakthrough technology (EIC). Pick the instrument first, then the call.
**links:** 
  -     **url:** https://research-and-innovation.ec.europa.eu/funding/funding-opportunities/funding-programmes-and-open-calls/horizon-europe_en
    **group:** Official sources
    **label:** Horizon Europe (European Commission)
  -     **url:** https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/home
    **group:** Official sources
    **label:** EU Funding & Tenders Portal
  -     **url:** https://www.euacc.ai/guides/horizon-europe-open-calls
    **group:** On EUACC
    **label:** Open Horizon Europe calls (EUACC guide)
  -     **url:** https://www.euacc.ai/guides/funding-tenders-portal-explained
    **group:** On EUACC
    **label:** The Funding & Tenders Portal explained (EUACC guide)
**open Calls Note:** **Calls by part of the programme**
- Horizon Europe has hundreds of topics with their own deadlines. Our guide to open Horizon Europe calls (in the links below) lists what is open now, or open the programme page that fits you: ERC, MSCA, one of the clusters or the EIC; each lists its open calls live.
**total Budget2026:** €93.5 billion for 2021-2027 (indicative)

## Funding amounts (amounts)

Official source: https://research-and-innovation.ec.europa.eu/funding/funding-opportunities/funding-programmes-and-open-calls/horizon-europe_en

{"fundingAmount": "Call-specific grants", "averageGrant": "", "budgetBreakdown": []}
**funding Amount:** Call-specific grants

Section review: Not independently verified.

## How to apply (apply)

Official source: https://research-and-innovation.ec.europa.eu/funding/funding-opportunities/funding-programmes-and-open-calls/horizon-europe_en

**how To Apply:** 
  - Choose the part of Horizon Europe that fits your stage and goal (ERC, MSCA, a cluster, a mission or the EIC).
  - Find the open or forthcoming topic on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal and read its work-programme text.
  - Build the consortium if the topic needs one, then write the proposal in the official template.
  - Submit on the portal before the topic deadline; most evaluations take about five months.

Section review: Not independently verified.

## Eligibility (eligibility)

Official source: https://research-and-innovation.ec.europa.eu/funding/funding-opportunities/funding-programmes-and-open-calls/horizon-europe_en

**eligibility:** 
  - Legal entities in EU Member States and Horizon Europe associated countries can generally participate; rules differ per action.
  - Collaborative projects in the clusters usually need at least three independent partners from three different countries.
  - Single applicants are possible in ERC, MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships and EIC Accelerator.
  - Each topic's call text sets the type of action, funding rate and any extra conditions.

Section review: **content id:** horizon-europe:eligibility
**status:** ok
**source url:** https://research-and-innovation.ec.europa.eu/funding/funding-opportunities/funding-programmes-and-open-calls/horizon-europe_en
**last verified at:** 2026-11-09T00:00:00+00:00
**next check due:** 2026-11-23T00:00:00+00:00

## Questions & answers (faqs)

Official source: https://research-and-innovation.ec.europa.eu/funding/funding-opportunities/funding-programmes-and-open-calls/horizon-europe_en

{"faqs": [{"question": "What is the Horizon Europe budget?", "answer": "The indicative budget for 2021-2027 is €93.5 billion after the mid-term review of the EU budget."}, {"question": "Which part of Horizon Europe is for startups?", "answer": "The European Innovation Council: Pathfinder for early-stage research, Transition for validation and EIC Accelerator for companies scaling breakthrough technology. Startups also join cluster projects as partners."}, {"question": "Where are Horizon Europe calls published?", "answer": "On the EU Funding & Tenders Portal, grouped by work programme. EUACC lists the open calls on each programme page."}, {"question": "What comes after Horizon Europe?", "answer": "The Commission proposed a new framework programme for 2028-2034 with a €175 billion budget; it is under negotiation."}]}
**faqs:** 
  -     **answer:** The indicative budget for 2021-2027 is €93.5 billion after the mid-term review of the EU budget.
    **question:** What is the Horizon Europe budget?
  -     **answer:** The European Innovation Council: Pathfinder for early-stage research, Transition for validation and EIC Accelerator for companies scaling breakthrough technology. Startups also join cluster projects as partners.
    **question:** Which part of Horizon Europe is for startups?
  -     **answer:** On the EU Funding & Tenders Portal, grouped by work programme. EUACC lists the open calls on each programme page.
    **question:** Where are Horizon Europe calls published?
  -     **answer:** The Commission proposed a new framework programme for 2028-2034 with a €175 billion budget; it is under negotiation.
    **question:** What comes after Horizon Europe?

Section review: Not independently verified.

## Who this is for (for_who)

Official source: https://research-and-innovation.ec.europa.eu/funding/funding-opportunities/funding-programmes-and-open-calls/horizon-europe_en

**text:** Researchers, universities, companies of all sizes and public bodies; startups mainly through the EIC and as partners in cluster projects.

Section review: Not independently verified.

## Before you apply (honest_take)

Official source: https://research-and-innovation.ec.europa.eu/funding/funding-opportunities/funding-programmes-and-open-calls/horizon-europe_en

**text:** Horizon Europe is not one grant but hundreds of calls with different rules. Start from your stage: frontier research (ERC), people (MSCA), collaborative R&D with partners (clusters) or a company scaling breakthrough technology (EIC). Pick the instrument first, then the call.

Section review: Not independently verified.

## Official sources (links)

Official source: https://research-and-innovation.ec.europa.eu/funding/funding-opportunities/funding-programmes-and-open-calls/horizon-europe_en

{"links": [{"label": "Horizon Europe (European Commission)", "url": "https://research-and-innovation.ec.europa.eu/funding/funding-opportunities/funding-programmes-and-open-calls/horizon-europe_en", "group": "Official sources"}, {"label": "EU Funding & Tenders Portal", "url": "https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/home", "group": "Official sources"}, {"label": "Open Horizon Europe calls (EUACC guide)", "url": "https://www.euacc.ai/guides/horizon-europe-open-calls", "group": "On EUACC"}, {"label": "The Funding & Tenders Portal explained (EUACC guide)", "url": "https://www.euacc.ai/guides/funding-tenders-portal-explained", "group": "On EUACC"}]}
**links:** 
  -     **url:** https://research-and-innovation.ec.europa.eu/funding/funding-opportunities/funding-programmes-and-open-calls/horizon-europe_en
    **group:** Official sources
    **label:** Horizon Europe (European Commission)
  -     **url:** https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/home
    **group:** Official sources
    **label:** EU Funding & Tenders Portal
  -     **url:** https://www.euacc.ai/guides/horizon-europe-open-calls
    **group:** On EUACC
    **label:** Open Horizon Europe calls (EUACC guide)
  -     **url:** https://www.euacc.ai/guides/funding-tenders-portal-explained
    **group:** On EUACC
    **label:** The Funding & Tenders Portal explained (EUACC guide)

Section review: Not independently verified.

## Deadlines & access (open_calls)

Official source: https://research-and-innovation.ec.europa.eu/funding/funding-opportunities/funding-programmes-and-open-calls/horizon-europe_en

**Calls by part of the programme**
- Horizon Europe has hundreds of topics with their own deadlines. Our guide to open Horizon Europe calls (in the links below) lists what is open now, or open the programme page that fits you: ERC, MSCA, one of the clusters or the EIC; each lists its open calls live.

Section review: **content id:** horizon-europe:open_calls
**status:** ok
**source url:** https://research-and-innovation.ec.europa.eu/funding/funding-opportunities/funding-programmes-and-open-calls/horizon-europe_en
**last verified at:** 2026-11-09T00:00:00+00:00
**next check due:** 2026-11-23T00:00:00+00:00

## Overview (overview)

Official source: https://research-and-innovation.ec.europa.eu/funding/funding-opportunities/funding-programmes-and-open-calls/horizon-europe_en

Horizon Europe is the EU's main research and innovation programme. After the 2025 mid-term review, its indicative budget for 2021-2027 is €93.5 billion. Almost everything is awarded through calls on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal, set out in work programmes.

It is organised in three pillars. **Pillar I, Excellent Science**, funds researchers and research infrastructure: the European Research Council (Starting, Consolidator, Advanced and Proof of Concept grants) and the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions. **Pillar II, Global Challenges and European Industrial Competitiveness**, funds collaborative projects in six clusters (health; culture and society; civil security; digital, industry and space; climate, energy and mobility; food, bioeconomy and environment) plus five EU missions. **Pillar III, Innovative Europe**, funds startups and innovators through the European Innovation Council (Pathfinder, Transition, Accelerator), plus European innovation ecosystems and the EIT.

For founders, the EIC is the direct route; the clusters suit companies that join collaborative projects; ERC and MSCA fund the research and people behind a future spin-out. The Commission has proposed €175 billion for the next programme (2028-2034).
**badge:** EU research programme
**key Features:** 
  - €93.5 billion indicative budget for 2021-2027
  - Pillar I: ERC and MSCA
  - Pillar II: six collaborative clusters and five missions
  - Pillar III: European Innovation Council, ecosystems and the EIT
  - Proposed successor for 2028-2034: €175 billion

Section review: Not independently verified.

## Document access

A reference link is not proof that its full text has been indexed. Use the MCP tools list_programme_documents, search_programme_documents and get_programme_document to inspect actual indexing coverage and read available text. Follow pagination until next_offset is null.