Horizon Europe mission-orientation to tackle main global challenges

The European Commission, in its evolution to an impact-driven framework programme, launched on Wednesday, 29 September 2021, the €1.9 billion plan for the first two-year phase of five Missions, a new-style approach to Research and Innovation in Horizon Europe (HE). 

Beyond accumulating new knowledge, developing new technologies or increasing European competitiveness, Horizon Europe aims to achieve tangible benefits for European citizens related to the main challenges addressed by the programme, such as Digital transition, Ecological transition (Green Deal), Health resilience, Economic resilience and recovery. 

In this regard, EU Missions are a novelty of the Horizon Europe Research & Innovation programme for the years 2021-2027 and have been introduced for maximising impact at the level of the programme. 
 
Tackling societal challenges

Rooted in Research and Innovation, the missions aim to tackle societal challenges with systemic solutions, leading to societal transformations and social impact. 
They support Commission priorities, such as the European Green Deal, Europe fit for the Digital Age, Beating Cancer, NextGenerationEU, the EU Industrial Strategy and the New European Bauhaus. Mission Climate is already a concrete element of the new Climate Adaptation Strategy; Mission Cancer of the Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan and the Mission Soil is a flagship initiative of the Long-term Vision for the EU’s Rural Areas.
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5 Missions were defined :
- Adaptation to climate change
- Cancer
- Restore our oceans and waters
- Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities
- A Soil Deal for Europe  
 
Operating as a portfolio of actions

Each mission will operate as a portfolio of actions to achieve a measurable goal. These actions will act as innovation vehicles for delivering policy. The role of education and training institutions in developing the talents, knowledge and skills of citizens will also be key elements of the missions. Importantly, missions will implement the reuse and reproducibility of research results such as FAIR research data and open access to scientific publications. Finally, the extent of wide engagement across the EU and Associated Countries and beyond, will also be critical to the success of the missions.

The missions will fund different types of actions : Coordination and Support Action (CSA), Research and Innovation actions (RIA), Innovation actions (IA), Framework Partnership Agreements (FPA).

A synergy between different funding programmes

For their successful implementation, Missions will work in synergy and coordination with other missions, financial instruments of Horizon Europe, in particular with European Partnerships and Clusters, as well as with other EU funding instruments and policies. Furthermore, they will need to be implemented in close synergy with funding programmes and strategies both at national and regional level, as well as with civil society and the private sector.

Engaging citizens

A critical element of the Missions will be to engage with citizens to boost societal uptake of new solutions and approaches, also showcasing the added value of the EU.

For example, the Missions will involve people in online discussions and polls on social media such as the Conference on the Future of Europe, citizen events and specialised conferences to discuss the focus of Missions.

The work programme for the missions has been published.

Each of the five identified missions is now in a preparatory phase until at least November 2021 and Implementation plans are under development. At the end of the preparatory phase, the Commission will assess the missions against a set of criteria. This assessment will form the basis for a decision on which missions will enter full implementation. 
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The actions included in the work programme are to establish foundations for the missions’ implementation phase. Once updated with the full R&I agenda when the implementation phase is launched, the work programme will include a more detailed presentation of the relationship between missions and the expected impacts of the Strategic Plan. 

​Article courtesy of EAIC Member, benkei