On December 11, the European Commission formally adopted the Horizon Europe work programme for 2026-2027, providing €14 billion to meet the EU’s policy priorities. Pillars of the work programme include the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions; research infrastructure; health; digital, industry and space; European innovation ecosystems; and EU missions such as cancer and climate neutrality. Overall, these measures signify that research and innovation, science and technology will remain the engine of the European economy while boosting global competitiveness and cementing Europe’s leadership in the clean and digital transitions. The largest European programme for research and innovation, the programme is open to all EU Member States and 22 associated countries.
This work programme is also intended to simplify processes while enhancing transparency and inclusiveness. Researchers should note topic descriptions are less prescriptive to allow more flexibility, 50% of funding will be handled through lump sums particularly for grants <€10 million, added measures to attract SMEs and startups, increased use of 2-stage calls and a simplified proposal template. Horizontal calls are also introduced, aiming to improve multidisciplinary collaboration and better align the work programme with EU policy objectives. Therefore, the initial horizontal calls will support the Clean Industrial Deal, AI in Science and Choose Europe for Science initiatives.
The Health cluster aims to focus on healthcare resilience, biotechnology and AI toward key public health needs such as disease prevention, climate-related health response, enhanced interventional techniques, broader accessibility, and the development of new digital tools and critical medicines. The mental health of children and young adults in an increasingly digitalised world is also a strong component. More than €1.3 million is expected to be allocated to improve health outcomes and make the EU the most attractive place for life sciences by 2030.
Six calls, totalling more than €115 million, supporting the four objectives of the EU Cancer Mission and in alignment with Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan are expected to be announced in 2027. The funding addresses understanding of cancer and processes, preventative measures, diagnosis and treatment optimisation and supporting quality of life of cancer patients.
👉Click here to read an introduction to the programme or full description of each of the pillars, and check EIBIR’s Open Funding Calls page to check for great opportunities to fund your research interests!