European Research Council (ERC)
The first Work Programme (WP) to be officially published is the European Research Council WP. It includes three main calls for proposals for frontier research actions for a total amount of €1.9 billion.
The European Research Council (ERC) offers grants to top researchers from anywhere in the world who are ready to come or to stay in Europe to pursue their breakthrough scientific and technological discoveries that can form the basis of new industries, markets and social innovations of the future.
Open calls:
- ERC Starting Grants: call deadline is 8 April 2021 17:00:00 Brussels time
- ERC Consolidator Grants: call deadline is 20 April 2021 17:00:00 Brussels time
European Innovation Council (EIC)
The second Work Programme to be published is the European Innovation Council WP, with a budget of over €10 billion for 2021-2027 for the EIC to develop and expand breakthrough innovations. The EIC combines research on emerging technologies with an accelerator programme and a dedicated equity fund, the European Innovation Council Fund, to scale up innovative start-ups and small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs). Around €3 billion of the EIC’s budget will go towards the EIC Fund.
Open calls:
- EIC Accelerator Open: multiple cut-off dates
- Green Deal innovations for the Economic Recovery, EIC Accelerator Challenges: multiple cut-off dates
- EIC Pathfinder Open: call deadline is 19 May 2021 17:00:00 Brussels time
Strategic Plan 2021-2024 adopted
The European Commission has adopted the first strategic plan for Horizon Europe. The strategic plan is a novelty in Horizon Europe and sets the strategic orientations for the targeting of investments in the programme’s first four years. It ensures that EU research and innovation actions contribute to EU priorities, including a climate-neutral and green Europe, a Europe fit for the digital age, and an economy that works for people.