Horizon Europe

Horizon Europe is the European Union’s (EU) key funding framework for research and innovation, tackling climate change, helping to achieve the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals and boosting the EU’s competitiveness and growth. Between 2021 and 2027, the European Union has earmarked €95.5B for its work programmes, which are grouped under three pillars:

Pillar 1: Excellent science – supports advanced research training, breakthrough innovations and research infrastructure. For Western researchers, funding from this pillar will be primarily involve research fellowships at European institutions.
Pillar 2: Global challenges and European industrial competitiveness – includes six thematic clusters, each tackling a specific and broad societal issue and strengthening Europe's industrial competitiveness. The vast majority of Western researchers will apply to funding opportunities under the second pillar.
Pillar 3: Innovative Europe – supports breakthrough innovations and collaboration between industry, academia and the public sector. Western researchers planning on entering into enterprise in the EU can look to funding opportunities under this pillar.

The Government of Canada completed substantive negotiations with the European Commission to join Horizon Europe as an associated country under Pillar 2. Associated country membership allows researchers at Canadian institutions to participate in applications to Pillar 2 calls for proposals and receive funding from Horizon Europe if the applications are successful. See the useful Horizon Europe Support Document from ISED (February 2025).

All grants under Pillar 2 are international, consortium-based grants, requiring a minimum of three international partner institutions, one of which must be from a EU member state.