Launched the first Calls of Horizon 2020

The first Calls of the new European Framework Programme for Research and Innovation were launched this week, outlining funding opportunities for 2014 and 2015.

The funding opportunities for the first two years (2014-15) of Horizon 2020 are described in the Participant Portal. The work plan provides a total of €15 billion of funding over two years, and reflects the new challenge-responsive approach of the Horizon 2020 program, organized around its three pillars: Excellent Science, Industrial Leadership, and Societal Challenges.

12 focus areas have been identified in this first Horizon 2020 work plan, each foreseen in one Call. They represent about 15% of the total number of Calls in these two years, and total about €2 billion. They are: Health and personalised care; Sustainable food security; Blue growth: unlocking the potential of the oceans; Digital security; Smart cities and communities; Competitive low carbon energy; Energy efficiency; Mobility for growth; Waste: a resource to recycle, reuse and raw materials recovery; Water resources: fostering their value for Europe; Overcoming the crisis: new ideas, strategies and governance structures for Europe; Disaster resilience: ensuring the security of societies, including adaptation to climate change.

Several cross-cutting themes have been incorporated into the work plan, ensuring a more integrated approach. These include Innovation; Spreading excellence and widening participation; Information and Communication Technologies (ICT); Social Sciences and Humanities; Gender; International cooperation; Climate and sustainable development.

Excellent, frontier science research will be ensured in Horizon 2020, through the European Research Council (ERC). During 2014, through its well-established instruments, the ERC will invest in about 1000 researchers, young or established, who want to settle in Europe.

For more information about Portugal's participation in Horizon 2020, and news about events and new Calls, see the GPPQ - Gabinete de Promoção do Programa Quadro website.