Horizon Europe will run for seven years and the priorities already seem to meet the needs and preferences of Europe. The programme has a purpose. To deliver solutions to some of the greatest challenges our world is facing.
These solutions will be an integral part of the Horizon Europe programme that will begin in 2021. As a result, the missions of Horizon Europe will act as mandates to solve pressing challenges in society using specific parts of the budget.
What will these missions be?
Regarding these missions, we can only characterize them based on the solutions they will bring to the table. These missions will be inspirational, bold, and relevant to society and its problems. They will be framed, targeted measurable, and time-bound. They will aim at establishing impact-driven but realistic goals and mobilize specific sources.
It will be important for them to link activities across different disciplines and different types of research and innovation. Moreover, they will drive systematic changes and transform landscapes rather than simply fix existing problems. Last but not least they will make it easier for citizens to understand the value of investments in research and innovation which is a concept that seems to not receive enough attention.
The missions will appear in these very important areas:
- Cancer
- Adaptation to climate change including societal transformation
- Healthy oceans, seas coastal and inland waters
- Climate-neutral and smart cities
- Soil Health and food
Commission approach on the missions
The Commission will make sure to engage along with the citizens in a continuous process for the design assessment and monitoring of the course of the missions. Listening to the priorities as set by the people and defining them in concrete angles and options to tackle the missions will be the technique followed.
For this technique to be successful, the commission has created 5 mission boards. These boards will help specify design as well as implement missions for Horizon Europe. It is interesting to notice that the formation of these boards was the result of an open call for interest.
Each one of the mission boards consists of fifteen members who are experts from various fields. Innovation research, policymaking, civil society, and relevant organizations. Apart from the members of the board, the mission will also assemble teams of high-level experts that will provide additional pools of ideas, knowledge, expertise and will be actively called to contribute to the success of the missions.
5 proposed missions so far
An interim report was created by each mission board and the end in June 2020, that proposes concrete targets and timelines for possible missions. These reports will act as a base for further discussion and engagement with European until September. The aim will be to make sure that they are relevant for them and that the missions will make a real difference.
Do you want to get involved?
The Commission wants to co-create missions and Horizon Europe initiatives with citizens and stakeholders.
We need broad participation from the public to make sure missions are relevant and make a real difference. This feedback will affect how missions are designed and implemented.
People will be invited to
- participate in online discussions and polls on social media
- attend citizen events and specialized conferences to discuss the focus of missions
- participate in a range of other activities as the missions evolve
Follow the official European pages to stay up-to-date and find opportunities to participate as missions evolve over 2020. You can also stay tuned with the IED website for more information to come.
