Stakeholders think that climate change, energy supply, and biodiversity are the most important societal challenges that should be addressed by Horizon Europe.
On 19 April, the European Commission (EC) published the results of the public consultation on the past, present, and future of the framework programmes for research and innovation, covering the years 2014-2027. Interested stakeholders were able to submit their opinions and inputs between 1 December 2022 and 23 February 2023. The results of this triple public consultation will feed into the ongoing evaluation of Horizon 2020 and the mid-term evaluation of Horizon Europe. The respective reports are foreseen to be published in late 2023 in the case of Horizon 2020 and in late 2024 for Horizon Europe. In addition, the public consultation results will also be used in the current strategic planning process for the second Horizon Europe Strategic Plan 2025–2027 as well as for the preparation of the 10th Framework Programme for R&I (2028-2034).
Overall, 2’788 responses and 265 position papers were submitted during the triple public consultation. 64 responses were submitted by Swiss stakeholders, 2.3% of the overall participants. 3 position papers on either Horizon 2020 or Horizon Europe came from Switzerland. The EC published statistical information about the participants in the public consultation as well as lists of the contributions concerning Horizon 2020 and Horizon Europe.
A dedicated ‘Synopsis Report’ on the consultation outlines the priorities that were identified in the contributions of stakeholders for the second half of the current 9th Framework Programme – the period covered by the second Strategic Plan 2025-2027 for Horizon Europe. This report includes feedback and inputs on societal challenges that should shape future EU research and innovation activities, the strengths and weaknesses of the European R&I system, EU Missions, European Partnerships, as well as synergies with other EU programmes. Respondents think that climate change, energy supply, and loss of biodiversity are the three most important societal challenges that the EU’s research and innovation investments should focus on in the coming 10 years. Additional societal challenges that should receive priority were strained healthcare systems and ageing population, global competition for technological leadership, and global instability and EU societal preparedness for large-scale disruptions. Stakeholders were also asked to identify the most important R&I solutions over the next 10 years. The respective replies focused mainly on the following thematic areas: Health, energy, climate, sustainability and digitalisation. The report lists for each of the six thematic Clusters of Horizon Europe’s pillar II the research topics that should be prioritised according to the inputs from stakeholders.
When it comes to the different instruments under Horizon Europe, the EC acknowledges that the “Mission instrument is still unclear to many stakeholders”. In addition, respondents think that better collaboration is needed between academia, public sector, and industry. In the case of European Partnerships, more than two thirds of the participants did not provide any opinion on new areas for which a partnership could be beneficial. Only 19% of respondents think that a partnership approach could deliver more impact in other areas. Mentioned areas included nevertheless a broad list of topics, including advanced materials, quantum technology, thermal energy storage, raw materials, or crop improvement and plant breeding (see Annex 4 of the report for a full list).
The EC specifically asked respondents about scientific areas that should be prioritised to keep Europe at the forefront of international competition. Answers showed a similar picture as was the case for the replies about the most important R&I solutions. The highest number of respondents mentioned topics in Cluster 4 and Cluster 5. There were also respondents indicating that the current Strategic Plan (2021-2024) is too complex, difficult to understand, and should be simplified in the future, i.e. in case of the next Strategic Plan 2025-2027. More than 40% of the respondents found it either ‘difficult’ or ‘very difficult’ to understand the first Strategic Plan’s (2021-2024) structure. The majority of the respondents thinks that the next Strategic Plan should further elaborate some specific themes: Room for improvement was identified for international cooperation (70%; 1’367 respondents), key enabling technologies (69%; 1’362), and dissemination and exploitation (62%; 1’209).
On the occasion of the publication of the report, the EU Commissioner in charge of R&I, Mariya Gabriel, addressed the R&I community in a Science Business article, setting out highlights of the public consultation results. Gabriel underlines a broadly shared view among stakeholders that Horizon 2020 supported the European Research Area (ERA) by allowing research and knowledge to move freely across Europe. She points out that most respondents believe that H2020 and Horizon Europe succeed in promoting scientific excellence. On the other hand, some participants in the consultation think that Horizon Europe could do better in bringing innovation to the market, a finding that supports in Gabriel’s view the launch of the New European Innovation Agenda.
Gabriel is replying also to another important concern brought forward by R&I stakeholders: That the EU Framework Programmes are set up in a way that requires more effort for researchers and innovators to participate than is the case in other international programmes. The Commissioner acknowledges that this means a potential loss of excellent projects – and she thinks that “we need to reflect on how to simplify European research and innovation programmes and how to attract more excellent proposals. If we do this, Europe could leverage the full potential of its researchers and innovators.” Finally, Gabriel sees a need to deliver greater impact by strengthening synergies between different EU programmes, especially Erasmus+, the Digital Europe Programme, and LIFE.