The EU Council is making progress in defining the next Horizon Europe 2028-2034

The future of European funding for research and innovation is beginning to take shape. The Council of the European Union has reached an agreement on its partial negotiating position regarding the next round of funding. Horizon Europe 2028-2034, which will be the EU's tenth Framework Programme for research and innovation.

This progress comes within the framework of negotiations for the next Multiannual Financial FrameworkThe European Union's long-term budget for the period 2028-2034. Although it does not yet constitute final approval, it does allow us to anticipate some of the major guidelines that will shape European R&D&I policy in the coming years.

The Council's position addresses both the regulation that will establish the new framework program and the decision concerning the specific program that will implement it. However, it concerns a partial positionsince financial issues and other horizontal aspects remain pending the global negotiations of the European budget.

A key program for European competitiveness

Horizon Europe will continue to be one of the European Union's main instruments for promoting scientific excellence, strengthening economic competitiveness and responding to major social, industrial and technological challenges.

The guidance provided by the Council confirms that the Research and innovation will continue to play a central role in the European strategyThis approach takes on special relevance in a context marked by strategic autonomy, economic security, digital transformation, the green transition and the need to strengthen the European industrial base.

One of the most notable elements is the closer connection between Horizon Europe and the future European Competitiveness FundThe goal is to move towards a more integrated support pathway, capable of better connecting research, technological development, innovation, industrialization and market entry.

For European companies, technology centers, universities, and consortia, this approach can have a significant impact. Everything points to greater continuity between knowledge generation, the development of innovative solutions, and their industrial scaling.

Greater strategic weight for member states

The Council's position also reinforces the participation of Member States in defining the strategic priorities of the programThis point can directly influence the configuration of future calls for proposals, European partnerships, and priority investment areas.

The approach maintains a balance between open research, European political priorities, and societal needs. Pillar I, dedicated to scientific excellence, introduces adjustments to the governance of the European Research Council and gives greater attention to researchers in the early stages of their careers.

In Pillar II, focused on competitiveness and societyMore detail is provided on the social dimension of the program and the balance between bottom-up research and the strategic priorities of the European Union is preserved.

Partnerships, research security, and dual applications

The European partnerships They will remain a key tool within the future Framework Programme. The Council's position points to a more structured and strategic approach to their identification, implementation, monitoring, and eventual completion.

Another relevant aspect is the inclusion of references to research security and support for innovation with potential dual-use and defense applications. This orientation reflects an increasingly visible trend in European policy: Connecting R&D&I with resilience, technological autonomy, security and strategic capabilities of Europe.

For companies, this approach can open up new opportunities in areas such as advanced digital technologies, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, space, defense, critical materials, energy, health, biotechnology, sustainable mobility, or industrial solutions with strategic impact.

Simplification and greater focus on the beneficiary

La simplification This will be another aspect to watch closely in the coming months. The Council's position mentions measures aimed at facilitating the participation of beneficiaries, along with horizontal principles such as gender equality and broad and diversified collaboration across the European Union.

For many companies, especially innovative SMEs and mid-caps, the administrative complexity It remains one of the main barriers to accessing European programs. A clearer, more agile, and beneficiary-oriented framework could encourage greater business participation, both in collaborative projects and innovation instruments.

What does this development mean for businesses?

Although the final budget and rules will depend on the negotiations of the Multiannual Financial Framework 2028-2034, the Council's position allows us to identify some key points:

Europe wants to strengthen research and innovation as a driver of competitiveness. The next Horizon Europe program will be more closely linked to industrialization, strategic autonomy, and technology scaling. European partnerships will continue to play a key role. Research security, dual-use technologies, and defense-related applications will gain importance. And companies will need to develop their R&D&I strategies with a more European, collaborative, and impact-oriented approach.

In this context, It is essential that organizations begin to analyze their technological capabilities, their lines of innovation, and their potential international alliances.Anticipating the new framework will allow for a better position in future calls for proposals and the development of more robust projects, aligned with European priorities.

An opportunity to prepare the R&D&I strategy 2028-2034

The Council's agreement does not finalize the design of the future program, but Yes, it sets a clear direction.The European Union wants a more ambitious research and innovation program, more connected with competitiveness and more focused on transforming knowledge into economic, social and industrial impact.

For innovative companies, the period 2028-2034 may to represent a new stage of opportunitiesThe key will be to prepare a coherent European funding strategy now, identify R&D&I lines with potential, strengthen consortia, and connect projects with major EU priorities.

Oscar Salazar, 

Managing Director European Funds of Euro-Funding