European funding

European collaborative grants (2021 – 2027)

Horizon Europe
Horizon Europe, the 9th European Research and Innovation Framework programme (successor to Horizon2020), is the EU’s key funding programme for research and innovation with a budget of €95.5 billion for the period 2021 – 2027. It is one of the key instruments of the Union to steer and accelerate Europe’s recovery, preparedness and resilience. In the context of a new European Research Area  for research and  innovation, it will strengthen Europe’s knowledge base through frontier research, spur breakthrough innovation and support the development and demonstration of innovative solutions, and it will help restore Europe’s industrial leadership and open strategic autonomy. Citizens and businesses expect the Union to lead on the transformation pathways in a transparent, effective and inclusive way. This journey will take place within Horizon Europe and its Strategic Plan will be the map for it.

Digital Europe
The Digital Europe Programme is a new EU funding programme focused on bringing digital technology to businesses, citizens and public administrations. Digital Europe has a budget of € 7.59 billion (current prices) and runs from 2021 – 2027. It provides funding for projects in five crucial areas:

  • supercomputing
  • artificial intelligence
  • cybersecurity
  • advanced digital skills
  • ensuring the wide use of digital technologies across the economy and society

The programme is designed to bridge the gap between digital technology research and market deployment. It will benefit Europe's citizens and businesses, especially SMEs. Investment under the Digital Europe Programme supports the European Union’s twin objectives of a green transition and digital transformation while strengthening the Union’s resilience and digital sovereignty.

EU4Health
EU4Health is the 4th EU health programme, running from 2021-2027. It is the EU's health response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the EUs overall health challenges, with a total budget of € 5.1 Billion. Priority areas include:

  • supporting health promotion and disease prevention
  • contributing to the protection of people in the Union from serious cross-border threats to health
  • increasing the use of digital tools and services in the health area, including by contributing to the establishment of a European Health Data Space

More info can be found here.

European Defence Fund
The European Defence Fund (EDF) is the Commission's initiative to support collaborative defence research and development, and to foster an innovative and competitive defence industrial base. The EDF has a budget of close to €8 billion for 2021-2027: €2.7 billion to fund collaborative defence research and €5.3 billion to fund collaborative capability development projects complementing national contributions. Of the total budget, 8% will be allocated to the development of disruptive technologies with both military and civilian applications.

Under the EDF, the EU is providing support all along the lifecycle, from research to prototype development up to certification. Only collaborative projects are eligible. Research actions can receive up to 100% of EU funding of the eligible costs, mainly in grants, while development actions are co-funded.

Calls and other information
Information on calls is available at the European Commissions’ Funding & Tenders portal, THE site for all kinds of relevant documents, submission and project management.

More information at TU/e can be obtained from the project officer(s) working in your department or institute, or from Wilfried Reincke from the central Research Support Office. 


ERA-NET

The ERA-NET instrument under Horizon 2020 is designed to support public-public partnerships in their preparation, establishment of networking structures, design, implementation and coordination of joint activities as well as topping up of single joint calls and of actions of a transnational nature.

The ERA-NET under Horizon 2020 merges the former ERA-NET and ERA-NET Plus into a single instrument with the central and compulsory element of implementing one substantial call with top-up funding from the Commission. The focus of ERA-NETs is therefore shifting from the funding of networks to the top-up funding of single joint calls for transnational research and innovation in selected areas with high European added value and relevance for Horizon 2020. This aims at increasing substantially the share of funding that Member States dedicate jointly to challenge driven research and innovation agendas.

All information about the ERA-NET instrument and the status of open calls can be found at the call calendar on the website of ERA-LEARN: https://www.era-learn.eu/network-information/call-calendar

Always check if there is budget available for participants from the Netherlands and what the specific criteria for Dutch participants are. Dutch funding organizations might have specific rules for participation and  are not involved in every ERA-NET call for proposals.

ERA-NET

The ERA-NET instrument under Horizon 2020 is designed to support public-public partnerships in their preparation, establishment of networking structures, design, implementation and coordination of joint activities as well as topping up of single joint calls and of actions of a transnational nature.

The ERA-NET under Horizon 2020 merges the former ERA-NET and ERA-NET Plus into a single instrument with the central and compulsory element of implementing one substantial call with top-up funding from the Commission. The focus of ERA-NETs is therefore shifting from the funding of networks to the top-up funding of single joint calls for transnational research and innovation in selected areas with high European added value and relevance for Horizon 2020. This aims at increasing substantially the share of funding that Member States dedicate jointly to challenge driven research and innovation agendas.

All information about the ERA-NET instrument and the status of open calls can be found at the call calendar on the website of ERA-LEARN: https://www.era-learn.eu/network-information/call-calendar

Always check if there is budget available for participants from the Netherlands and what the specific criteria for Dutch participants are. Dutch funding organizations might have specific rules for participation and  are not involved in every ERA-NET call for proposals.