Work Programme 2018-20 – published

Work Programme 2018 – 2020

The current main Horizon 2020 work programme comprises an introduction,17 thematic sections and the general annexes describing general rules such as standard admissibility conditions and eligibility criteria, selection and award criteria, etc.

Each thematic section is self-contained, and describes the overall objectives, the respective calls for proposals, and the topics within each call. You can find more detailed information including budget allocation here or in the programme sections.

A novelty in this work programme are the four mutually reinforcing Focus Areas that cut across the programme boundaries and are aligned to major policy priorities: ‘Building a low-carbon, climate resilient future’ (LC); ‘Connecting economic and environmental gains – the Circular Economy’ (CE); ‘Digitising and transforming European industry and services‘ (DT); and ‘Boosting the effectiveness of the Security Union‘ (SU). Together these Focus Areas give a combined budget of over €7 billion EURO (2018-2020). An overview is provided in the introduction.

This is the last work programme for Horizon 2020 and it puts in place a bridge to enable a smooth transition to any successor. This includes piloting new approaches, in particular the European Innovation Council pilot and lump sum pilot.

Preparations for the work programme 2018-2020 began in 2016 with stakeholder consultations and discussions with Member States on priorities, which have been outlined in informal working documents, namely 17 thematic scoping papers and one overarching document

Each thematic section organised the stakeholder consultations in the way that has been best suited to the respective subject and the respective target groups. More detailed information on the consultations and the preparation of the current and the past work programmes can be found for the following topics.

• Excellent Science

  • Future and Emerging Technologies,

  • Research Infrastructures, including e-Infrastructures

• Leadership in Enabling and Industrial Technologies

  • Nanotechnologies, Advanced Materials, Biotechnology, and Advanced Manufacturing and Processing (NMBP),

  • Information and Communication Technologies,

• Innovation in SMEs

• Access to Risk Finance

• Societal Challenges

  • Societal Challenge 1, (Health, demographic change and wellbeing)

  • Societal Challenge 2, (Food Security, Sustainable Agriculture and Forestry, Marine, Maritime and Inland Water Research and the Bioeconomy)

  • Societal Challenge 4, (Smart, Green and Integrated Transport)

  • Societal Challenge 5, (Climate Action, Environment, Resource Efficiency and Raw Materials)

• Spreading Excellence and Widening Participation

DISCLAIMER

Please note that this is a draft work programme that has not been adopted or endorsed by the European Commission. Any views expressed are the views of the Commission services and may not in any circumstances be regarded as stating an official position of the Commission.

This draft is made public before the adoption of the work programme 2018-2020 to provide potential participants with the currently expected main lines of this work programme. Only the adopted work programme will have legal value.

The adoption of the work programme will be announced on the Horizon 2020 website and on the Participant Portal.

Information and topic descriptions indicated in this draft may not appear in the final work programme; and likewise, new elements may be introduced at a later stage. Any information disclosed by any other party shall not be construed as having been endorsed by or affiliated to the Commission.

The Commission expressly disclaims liability for any future changes of the content of this document.