Horizon Europe

Key points

The EESC:

• supports the approach of bringing citizens closer to the activities and achievements of the programme;
• supports the design of R&I missions which should focus on a specific, quantifiable and achievable target and should take into account the high importance of low Technological Readiness Level;
• highlights the EIC as an important instrument to support breakthrough innovation and boost entrepreneurship and competitiveness at EU level and thinks it should particularly focus on very innovative SMEs and start-ups;
• supports the "open science" policy approach but stresses one should consider introducing a certain timeframe for publishing all the scientific results;
• agrees that the redesigned pillar structure will improve internal coherence, in particular through the integration of industrial technologies into Pillar 2 and proposes to favour consortiums that close the innovation cycle;
• welcomes the aim of further simplifying state aid rules to facilitate the combination of different funds that can be instrumental in overcoming the major disparities between Member States and regions in terms of the number of successful R&I projects.

For more information please contact the INT Section Secretariat.