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EU Parl Watch

opinion parliamentary committee, 7 April 2026

On the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing Horizon Europe, the Framework Programme for Research and Innovation, for the period 2028-2034 laying down its rules for participation and dissemination, and repealing Regulation (EU) 2021/695

Document REGI-AD-782392 · (COM(2025)0543 – C100164/2025 – 2025/0543(COD))

Committee on Regional Development · Rapporteur: Şerban Dimitrie Sturdza

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1. Context and objectives

The REGI Committee welcomes the Commission proposal establishing Horizon Europe 2028–2034 as the tenth EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation.

Drawing on the 2021–2027 experience, the REGI Committee considers that the framework should better integrate the territorial dimension, reinforce synergies with Cohesion Policy and ensure that excellence-based funding supports balanced innovation capacity across the Union, contributing to cohesion, upward convergence and stronger overall competitiveness.

2. Lessons learned

Horizon Europe has proven effective in supporting excellence, frontier research and breakthrough innovation, notably through the ERC, MSCA and EIC.

However, participation remains uneven across Member States and regions, with funding concentrated in a limited number of hubs. While excellence must remain central, a geographically balanced European Research Area is a condition for sustaining excellence. REGI positions have consistently highlighted the need to strengthen regional innovation ecosystems, smart specialisation and place-based approaches, while supporting less-experienced beneficiaries and emerging regional innovation ecosystems.

3. Territorial dimension and synergies with Cohesion Policy

Regional innovation ecosystems, operating through partnerships that involve industry, academia, public authorities and civil society, contribute not only to capacity building but also to faster time to market and better diffusion of innovation outcomes. In this context, Cohesion Policy investments in research and innovation act as a key driver of economic transformation and convergence, enabling regions to build functioning innovation ecosystems, upgrade industrial value chains and translate research outcomes into productivity, quality jobs and sustainable growth.

The REGI committee therefore considers it essential that the new Horizon Europe programme reinforces complementarities with smart specialisation strategies at national and regional level. Such alignment does not undermine excellence based selection, but rather enhances the overall Union capacity for innovation by ensuring that research results can be effectively absorbed, scaled up and deployed across diverse territorial contexts.

In this regard, stronger coordination and complementarity between Horizon Europe and Cohesion Policy should be prioritised in the next Multiannual Financial Framework in order to avoid fragmentation, duplication or sub-optimal use of public resources, while maximising the territorial impact of Union research and innovation investments. The REGI proposal supports clearer and more operational synergies between Horizon Europe, the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+) and other relevant Union programmes. Furthermore, the experience of instruments such as the Seal of Excellence and the Stairway to Excellence demonstrates the potential of better coordination between Horizon Europe and Cohesion Policy funds, as well as their role in enabling follow-up funding and regional deployment of high-quality projects beyond leading innovation hubs.

4. Partnerships and governance

European Partnerships remain key for industrial involvement and co-investment. REGI supports a more strategic portfolio while ensuring balanced stakeholder representation, including regional and local authorities. Partnerships should reflect territorial diversity and support place-based ecosystems and value chains.

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5. Excellence, inclusiveness and societal impact

The REGI committee reaffirms its strong commitment to the principle of excellence as the primary criterion for the allocation of Horizon Europe funding. At the same time, excellence should be understood in a dynamic and inclusive manner, recognising the need to nurture emerging centres of excellence and new actors, including SMEs, start-ups and research organisations in widening countries and regions, and to promote brain circulation rather than one-way mobility of talent.

Universities play a central role, including regional institutions closely linked to their territories. Simplification, smaller and more flexible consortia and modular participation should improve equitable access to the Programme. Furthermore, citizen engagement, open science and stronger links between science and society are essential for impact.

6. Conclusions

The REGI Committee aims to reinforce the territorial dimension of R&I, by improving synergies between the tenth EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation and Cohesion Policy, while ensuring that excellence-driven research and innovation can emerge, be absorbed and be deployed across all regions of the Union. It is only by integrating excellence with inclusiveness and by better aligning European, national and regional innovation efforts, Horizon Europe can fully realise its potential as a cornerstone of Europe’s knowledge based economy and strategic autonomy.

AMENDMENT

The Committee on Regional Development submits the following to the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy, as the committee responsible:

Amendment 1

Proposal for a regulation

Citation 1

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular Articles 173(3), 182(1), 183, 188, second subparagraph and Article 322(1), point (a), thereof,Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular Articles 173(3), 182(1), 183, 188, second subparagraph, Article 322(1), point (a), and Article 349 thereof,

Amendment 2

Proposal for a regulation

Recital 1

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
(1) It is an objective of the Union to strengthen its scientific and technological bases by strengthening the European research area (ERA) in which researchers, scientific knowledge and technology circulate freely and encouraging it to become more competitive, including in its industry, while promoting all research and innovation (R&I) activities to deliver on the Union's strategic priorities and commitments, which ultimately aim to promote peace, the Union's values and the well-being of its peoples.(1) It is an objective of the Union to strengthen its scientific and technological bases by strengthening the European research area (ERA) and the overall European research and innovation ecosystem ensuring geographical balance across the Union territories and regions, and strengthened European single market for R&I in which researchers, scientific knowledge and technology circulate freely enhancing EU competitiveness, and encouraging it to become more resilient, including in its industry, food and agriculture while promoting all research and innovation (R&I) activities to deliver on the Union's strategic priorities and commitments and ensuring food security, water resilience, the protection of public and animal health, the prevention and control of transmissible animal diseases and the One Health approach, which ultimately aim to promote security and peace, long-term productivity, sustainable growth, the well-being of its peoples, democracy) and the Union's values. The Union must foster the proper conditions for excellence-driven R&I to emerge across all its territories and regions, including less developed, rural, peripheral or border regions, which would contribute to economic, social and territorial cohesion, so that no people, communities or regions are left behind.

Amendment 3

Proposal for a regulation

Recital 2

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
(2) To deliver scientific, technological, economic, environmental and societal impact and to maximise the added value of the Union's R&I investments, the Union should invest in research and innovation through Horizon Europe - the Framework Programme for Research and Innovation for the period 2028-2034 (the ‘Programme’), which should strengthen competitiveness, resilience, sustainability, technological leadership, and social cohesion.(2) To deliver scientific, technological, economic, environmental and societal impact and to maximise the added value of the Union's R&I investments, the Union should invest in research and innovation through Horizon Europe - the autonomous Framework Programme for Research and Innovation for the period 2028-2034 (the ‘Programme’), which should strengthen research and innovation capacities of the Union, competitiveness, security, resilience, sustainability, technological leadership, and social and territorial cohesion across all the Member States and regions in accordance to Article 174 of TFEU , as well as promote broader participation especially in Member States with a lower research and innovation performance level and ensure the effective exploitation, dissemination and uptake of research and innovation results, including by supporting knowledge and technology transfer, so that the Union’s investments in R&I generate concrete, measurable and lasting impact on the economy and society.

Amendment 4

Proposal for a regulation

Recital 2 a (new)

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
(2a) The programme will be implemented through work programmes adopted by the Commission through implementing acts. In this context, it is necessary to 'facilitate the participation of Member States and regions as well as other relevant stakeholders in the development and implementation of the work programmes. Furthermore, it is necessary to establish instruments enabling Member States to monitor the implementation of the work programmes, which would contribute to greater transparency and allow for a higher alignment of the programme with the actual needs and challenges faced by Member States and regions, securing a higher thematic balance and effective alignment with national and regional investment, initiatives and capacities.

Amendment 5

Proposal for a regulation

Recital 3

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
(3) The Programme should be tightly connected with Regulation (EU) [XXX]* of the European Parliament and of the Council [European Competitiveness Fund]3 by placing research and innovation at the heart of the Union’s economy and investment strategy.(3) The Programme should be tightly connected with Regulation (EU) [XXX]* of the European Parliament and of the Council [European Competitiveness Fund]3 by placing research and innovation at the heart of the Union’s economy and investment strategy ensuring coherence and complementarity with other Union initiatives, including the National and Regional Partnership Plans established by Regulation (EU) [XXX]. This linkage should ensure that research and innovation results effectively translate into deployment and uptake in strategic value chains. The Programme must promote the simplification and predictability of funding rules, in particular for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), ensure an appropriate geographical balance in the distribution of funds, guaranteeing a truly European impact, and be based on a clear and transparent governance framework that provides legal certainty for beneficiaries and stable and effective programming.
3 OJ C […], […], p. […]3 OJ C […], […], p. […]

Amendment 6

Proposal for a regulation

Recital 3 a (new)

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
(3a) The importance of a sound and future-oriented financial architecture, as well as its complementarity with the European Competitiveness Fund, requires that it be clearly structured, guaranteeing the independence and mission of Horizon Europe as a driver of knowledge generation and disruptive innovation, central elements of European identity and competitive strength, while ensuring a stable and articulated investment path, with the involvement of the various Member States and regions.

Amendment 7

Proposal for a regulation

Recital 3 b (new)

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
(3b) The collaborative research should be strengthened in the next framework programme beyond the topics identified in the policy windows of the European Competitiveness Fund. In order to enable critical mass around the most promising R&I concepts and to counterbalance fragmentation of the European science, the new instrument should be considered in the second pillar of Horizon Europe to support bottom-up researcher-driven projects, involving entities from geographically diverse Member States.

Amendment 8

Proposal for a regulation

Recital 3 c (new)

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
(3c) The Programme should be implemented in synergy with Cohesion Policy funds, in particular the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+), to build on current expertise towards future excellence-driven research and innovation. In particular, activities under the Programme should build on Smart Specialisation Strategies (S3) to enhance place-based innovation and support regional value chains in all regions.

Amendment 9

Proposal for a regulation

Recital 3 d (new)

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
(3d) A genuine Single Market for research and innovation requires stronger integration of regional ecosystems, ensuring that knowledge, talent and capital can move freely across Member States and regions.

Amendment 10

Proposal for a regulation

Recital 4

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
(4) The Union should furthermore aim to eliminate inequalities, and to promote equality, between men and women, as well as to combat discrimination in accordance with Article 8 and Article 10 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU) and the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union.(4) The Union should furthermore aim to eliminate inequalities, and to promote equality, between men and women, as well as to combat any form of discrimination in accordance with Article 8 and Article 10 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU) and the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union.

Amendment 11

Proposal for a regulation

Recital 5

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
(5) In a rapidly changing economic, social and geopolitical environment, recent experience has shown the need for a more flexible multiannual financial framework and its Union spending programmes. To that effect, and in line with the objectives of the Programme, the funding should duly consider the evolving policy needs and Union’s priorities as identified in relevant documents published by the Commission, European Parliament resolutions and in Council conclusions, while ensuring sufficient predictability for the budget implementation.(5) In a rapidly changing economic, social, territorial, and geopolitical environment, recent experience has shown the need for a more flexible multiannual financial framework and its Union spending programmes. To that effect, and in line with the objectives of the Programme, the funding should duly consider the evolving policy needs and Union’s priorities as identified in relevant documents published by the Commission, European Parliament resolutions and in Council conclusions, while ensuring coherence with traditional Union policies and priorities, including food security, the Common Agricultural Policy, the Common Fisheries Policy, Cohesion Policy, as well as taking into account priorities and needs in individual Member States and regions, while ensuring sufficient predictability for beneficiaries in order to enable effective budget implementation while maintaining its coherence to avoid jeopardising financial programming, in particular considering that many actions will require co-financing from Member States’ national and regional funds.

Amendment 12

Proposal for a regulation

Recital 6

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
(6) The rules for participation and dissemination of the Programme are designed to further simplify access, enhance openness, and maximize the impact of Union funding.(6) The rules for participation and dissemination of the Programme are designed to further simplify access, enhance openness, secure effectiveness, and maximize the impact of Union funding in all its regions. The Commission should cooperate closely with Member States for the dissemination of the information related to the Programme to make sure that the information reaches the possible applicants, whether legal entities, multiple partnerships or individual researchers and innovators.

Amendment 13

Proposal for a regulation

Recital 7

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
(7) The Programme should contribute to increasing public and private investment in R&I in Member States, thereby helping to reach an overall investment target of at least 3% of the Union's gross domestic product (GDP) in research and development. Member States’ investment in R&I should be assessed with the help of the framework for the coordination of economic, budgetary, employment and social policies within the Union – the European Semester process. Achieving that target would require Member States and the private sector to complement the Programme with their own reinforced investment actions in research, development and innovation. The Union has made steady progress in increasing research and development investments but is lagging behind other global leaders. The 3% target mentioned above, set over two decades ago acknowledged the importance of research and development as a foundation for a knowledge-based society. While the target encouraged various Member States to set their own research and development intensity goals, significant disparities remain as only a few Member States have reached or exceeded their investment ambition.(7) The Programme should contribute to increasing public and private investment in R&I in the Member States, thereby helping to achieve an overall investment target of at least 3 % of the Union's gross domestic product (GDP) in research and development. Member States’ investment in R&I should be assessed with the help of the framework for the coordination of economic, budgetary, employment and social policies within the Union – the European Semester process. Achieving that target will require Member States and the private sector to complement the Programme with their own enhanced investment actions in research, development and innovation, and should provide for an appropriate involvement of Member States where they contribute additional funding or provide co-financing for specific actions. The Union has made steady progress in increasing research and development investments but is lagging behind other global leaders. The 3% target mentioned above, set over two decades ago, acknowledged the importance of research and development as a foundation for a knowledge-based society. While the target encouraged various Member States to set their own research and development intensity goals, significant disparities remain as only a few Member States have reached or exceeded their investment ambition.

Amendment 14

Proposal for a regulation

Recital 7 a (new)

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
(7a) Strengthening the Union’s competitiveness and long-term resilience should prioritise excellence in R&I together with boosting territorial capacity to generate, absorb and deploy innovation across the Union. In this regard, Cohesion Policy investments in research and innovation represent a core driver of economic transformation and convergence, enabling regions to build functioning innovation ecosystems, upgrade industrial value chains and translate research outcomes into productivity, quality jobs and long-term productivity growth. Therefore, in the next Multiannual Financial Framework, a particular emphasis should be given to a stronger coordination and complementarity between Horizon Europe and Cohesion Policy to avoid fragmentation, duplication or sub-optimal use of public resources.

Amendment 15

Proposal for a regulation

Recital 7 b (new)

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
(7b) The Union is one of the world's most advanced research and innovation spaces, with a strong scientific base, high-level research infrastructures and skilled human capital; stresses, in this context, the importance of making full use of this potential across the continent so that the Union strengthens its collective strength, global competitiveness and technological leadership capacity as a whole.

Amendment 16

Proposal for a regulation

Recital 8

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
(8) As in Horizon Europe, the OECD definitions regarding technological readiness levels (TRLs) should continue to be taken into account in the classification of technological research, product development and demonstration activities, and in the definition of types of action available in calls for proposals. Grants should not be awarded for actions where activities go above TRL 8. It should be possible for the work programme to allow grants for large-scale product validation and market replication for a given call under the part ‘Competitiveness and Society’.(8) As in Horizon Europe, the OECD definitions regarding technological readiness levels (TRLs) should continue to be taken into account in the classification of technological research, product development and demonstration activities, and in the definition of types of action available in calls for proposals. Grants should not be awarded for actions where activities go above TRL 8. It should be possible for the work programme to allow grants for large-scale product validation and market replication for a given call under the part ‘Competitiveness and Society’. In order to maximise the impact of Union investments and ensure an efficient use of public resources, the Programme should also facilitate operational synergies with cohesion policy funds, including through the use of the ‘Seal of Excellence’ mechanism, cumulative funding and simplified mechanisms for combining support, in accordance with the applicable rules.

Amendment 17

Proposal for a regulation

Recital 8 a (new)

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
(8a) In the context of the new European security reality and the Union's efforts to strengthen its defence capabilities, Horizon Europe should more ambitiously support defence research and innovation, including the development of military and dual-use technologies, as an essential element of the Union's strategic autonomy, European industrial capacity and resilience.

Amendment 18

Proposal for a regulation

Recital 9

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
(9) It should be possible to implement parts of the budget through European Partnerships together with other public and private entities, where this is the most effective implementation form to achieve the policy objectives. European Partnerships should be established where a close involvement of the Union is required and should ensure appropriate voting rights for the Union as well as sufficient co-investment by other partners to leverage Union funding. In view of fostering synergies and efficiencies, it is necessary to ensure harmonised rules. Therefore, a strategic and coherent portfolio of a limited number of European Partnerships should be established.(9) It should be possible to implement parts of the budget through European Partnerships together with other public and private entities and partners, including industry, research organization, local and regional authorities, where this is the most effective implementation form to achieve the policy objectives. European Partnerships should be established where a close involvement of the Union is required and should ensure appropriate voting rights for the Union as well as sufficient co-investment by other partners to leverage Union funding. Furthermore, in the case of participation of Member States or regions, such as the outermost regions, in European Partnerships, they should be ensured an appropriate level of involvement, commensurate with their contribution and the role played. In view of fostering synergies and efficiencies, it is necessary to ensure harmonised rules. Therefore, a strategic and coherent portfolio of a limited number of European Partnerships should be established. Coordination with Member States, and where possible with the Representations of the Regions, in the selection of this portfolio is also essential, as the implementation of many actions will require the mobilisation of co-financing at national and regional level. In addition, such partnerships shall ensure a majority participation of entities established within the Union and shall guarantee a proportionate industrial return on European investments.

Amendment 19

Proposal for a regulation

Recital 10

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
(10) The European Partnerships, including in the form of Joint Undertakings, as an essential tool to deliver on industrial involvement and investment in collaborative research and innovation, should contribute to the specific policy objectives of the policy windows of the European Competitiveness Fund, and be supported through it, where necessary, to complete these objectives.(10) The European Partnerships, including in the form of Joint Undertakings, as an essential tool to deliver on industrial and private sector’s involvement and investment in collaborative research and innovation, should contribute to the specific policy objectives of all policy windows of Horizon Europe and the European Competitiveness Fund, and be supported through it, where necessary, to complete these objectives.

Amendment 20

Proposal for a regulation

Recital 11

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
(11) EU Missions as set up in the Regulation 2021/695 should enable a transformative and systemic impact for society, by fostering cross-disciplinary, cross-sectoral, cross-policy and cross-border collaboration. They should rely on research and innovation to develop the breakthrough technologies, services, products, and social innovations needed to achieve their ambitious objectives. In turn, EU Missions should accelerate the development, scaling, and deployment of innovative solutions and help create lead markets for new products and services. The Framework Programme should finance the research and innovation activities of the Missions, while the deployment and scaling up should be delivered through other EU programmes and national funding.(11) EU Missions as set up in the Regulation 2021/695 should enable with the direct involvement of regional authorities in the governance and implementation thereof, a transformative and systemic impact for society, by fostering cross-disciplinary, cross-sectoral, cross-policy and cross-border collaboration as well as promoting the Union’s health-related research and innovation, including our leading role in cancer research. They should rely on research and innovation to develop the breakthrough technologies, services, products, and social innovations needed to achieve their ambitious objectives. In turn, EU Missions should accelerate the development, scaling, and deployment of innovative solutions and contribute to the creation of lead markets with provision also made for the establishment of new EU Missions such as an animal health mission focused on the prevention early detection and control of animal diseases, boosting the resilience of livestock production systems and promoting a One Health approach, with research and innovation activities to be funded under the Framework Programme and deployment and scaling up should be delivered through synergies and support by other Union programmes and instruments, notably by the NRPP and additional national funding.

Amendment 21

Proposal for a regulation

Recital 11 a (new)

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
(11a) Cross-border cooperation is essential to overcoming persistent fragmentation in Europe’s research and innovation landscape. The Programme should therefore reinforce integration between neighbouring regions, by developing operational synergies with European Territorial Cooperation programmes, for example Interreg, to support joint cross-border research and innovation projects. Regulation (EU) 2025/925 on a Border Regions’ instrument for development and growth (BRIDGEforEU) should be used to remove legal and administrative obstacles and barriers that hinder cross-border research and innovation activities.

Amendment 22

Proposal for a regulation

Recital 12

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
(12) Anchored in the Horizon Europe Strategic Plan 2025-20274 , the New European Bauhaus (NEB) Facility is a multi-annual funding tool designed to accelerate the transformation of neighbourhoods through sustainable and inclusive design. Its R&I component should be funded by Horizon Europe while its roll-out component should be delivered through other EU programmes and national funding.(12) Anchored in the Horizon Europe Strategic Plan 2025-2027 4, the New European Bauhaus (NEB) Facility is a multi-annual funding tool designed to accelerate the transformation of neighbourhoods through sustainable and inclusive design. Its R&I component should be funded by Horizon Europe. In order to maximise impact, coherence and added value at Union level, the New European Bauhaus (NEB) Facility should ensure consistency and complementarity with the priorities and investment frameworks established under the National and Regional Partnership Plans and the European Competitiveness Fund. While its research and innovation component should continue to be supported by Horizon Europe, the roll-out component should facilitate the deployment, scaling-up and territorial integration of innovative solutions through coordinated use of Union programmes and national and regional funding sources, in particular those contributing to economic, social and territorial cohesion.
4 Commission Decision C(2024)1741 of 20.03.2024.4 Commission Decision C(2024)1741 of 20.03.2024.

Amendment 23

Proposal for a regulation

Recital 13

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
(13) The European Research Council (ERC) should provide attractive and flexible funding, thereby enabling talented and creative individual researchers—with a deliberate emphasis on nurturing early-stage researchers—to pursue the most promising avenues at the frontier of science. This commitment to investigator-driven research, selected through Union-wide competition based solely on the criterion of excellence and open to talent regardless of nationality or origin, is fundamental to attracting the world's brightest minds and further establishing Europe as a world-leading centre for research and innovation.(13) The European Research Council (ERC) should provide attractive and flexible funding, thereby enabling talented and creative individual researchers—with a deliberate emphasis on nurturing early-stage researchers—to pursue the most promising avenues at the frontier of science. This commitment to investigator-driven research, selected through Union-wide competition based on the criterion of excellence and open to talent, is fundamental to attracting the world's brightest minds and further establishing Europe as a world-leading centre for research and innovation. In this regard, a special focus should be given to the territorial dimension as well, which requires proper investments targeted at strengthening R&I ecosystems across several regions of the Union. This would enable a wider range of actors to contribute to the European research and innovation, thus enhancing the Union’s overall competitiveness capacity. The ERC should play an active role in widening participation by bridging the R&I performance gap across the EU, specifically targeting regions with lower success rates and strengthening the participation of researchers stemming from these territories. In this respect, the ERC outreach, mentoring and assistance targeting research communities in the less performing countries should be strengthened and structured. The ERC fellowships for researchers from widening countries should be established.

Amendment 24

Proposal for a regulation

Recital 14

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
(14) In a knowledge-based global economy, the Union’s long-term competitiveness, technological leadership and capacity to address global challenges should depend notably on its ability to develop, attract and retain a highly skilled and internationally connected research workforce. Strategic investment in excellent researchers, in their training, mobility and career prospects, within and outside academia, is essential to sustain innovation, economic resilience and societal well-being. In line with the principles of the European Charter for researchers, the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) are instrumental in advancing this objective. The Programme should reinforce links between universities and innovation ecosystems, including the private sector. It should enable the completion of the European Research Area, including via development of European higher education sector capacity to compete with global counterparts through collaboration, nurturing and attracting talent and leveraging more private investments, including through higher education initiatives like European Universities Alliances, in synergy with Erasmus+, and in line with the objectives and activities of this Regulation.(14) In a knowledge-based global economy, the Union’s long-term competitiveness, technological leadership and capacity to address global challenges should depend notably on its ability to develop, attract and retain a highly skilled and internationally connected scientific community and research and innovation workforce. One of the Union’s challenges is represented by brain drain and by the one-way mobility of researchers which undermine economic, social and territorial cohesion and, ultimately, weaken the European Research Area by concentrating excellence in a limited number of centres across the Union. In the long term, such concentration risks undermining the Union’s overall competitiveness and resilience. Strategic investment in excellent researchers, in their training, mobility and career prospects, within and outside academia, is essential to sustain innovation, economic resilience and societal well-being. In line with the principles of the European Charter for researchers, the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) are instrumental in advancing this objective and have an immense potential in strengthening the research base in less research-performing Member States and regions due to their strong training dimension. Furthermore, in synergy with the Framework Programme, investments under Cohesion Policy in research and innovation should be strengthened and better coordinated in order to build attractive place-based innovation ecosystems across all regions, support the ‘right to stay’ and reduce one-way mobility of researchers The Programme should reinforce links between universities and innovation ecosystems at national, regional and local level , including between high-performance research entities and less research-performing entities, as well as, including the private sector, in particular SMEs and innovative start-ups) which would promote genuine brain circulation by combining mobility opportunities with measures that strengthen regional innovation ecosystems and their capacity to absorb and deploy R&I results. It should enable the completion of the European Research Area, including via development of European higher education sector capacity across all Union’s regions to compete with global counterparts through collaboration, nurturing and attracting talent and leveraging more private investments, including through higher education initiatives like European Universities Alliances, in synergy with Erasmus+, and in line with the objectives and activities of this Regulation. The projects of the individual researcher and highly skilled university professionals working with the help of teams of experts should be enabled to continue or finish the work even in the event of the retirement or change of the main grant beneficiary, in well justified situations, in order to make sure the objective of the project was reached.

Amendment 25

Proposal for a regulation

Recital 15

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
(15) The European Innovation Council (EIC) should stimulate deep tech market-creating innovation. It should identify, develop and deploy these deep tech innovations through its instruments. Through coherent and streamlined support, the EIC should fill the vacuum in public support and private investment for breakthrough technologies and deep tech innovation. The EIC should aim to bridge, integrate and accelerate through its instruments the innovator’s journey from research to market and enable the Union to have leading companies in emerging areas of technology to meet its social and economic objectives and avoid dependencies on other regions. The EIC should support high risk, high-potential innovations and companies presenting such technological, scientific, financial, management or market risks that they are not yet considered to be fully bankable and therefore cannot raise the necessary level of investments to be globally competitive from the market. This should incorporate both an ‘open’ (bottom-up) and a ‘challenge’ driven approach, in close coordination and synergy with the European Competitiveness Fund and its policy windows. It should include a ‘DARPA’-like approach dedicated to supporting defence and dual use startups and their scaling up operating in full complementarity with the ECF InvestEU Instrument and the EU Defence Innovation Scheme (EUDIS) and CASSINI (Space entrepreneurship initiative) activities. The implementation should be done in close synergy and coordination with the European Competitiveness Fund.(15) The European Innovation Council (EIC) should stimulate deep tech market-creating innovation. It should identify, develop and deploy these deep tech innovations through its instruments. The EIC should continuously contribute to closing innovation gap within the EU and preventing innovation drain, including through its pre-Accelerator and strengthened opportunities of risk financing targeting emerging innovation hubs. Through coherent and streamlined support, the EIC should fill the vacuum in public support and private investment for breakthrough technologies and deep tech innovation. The EIC should aim to bridge, integrate and accelerate through its instruments the innovator’s journey from research to market and enable the Union to have leading companies in emerging areas of technology to meet its economic, social territorial and environmental objectives and avoid dependencies on other regions, with special focus on innovative startups, including the one stemming from academia, and SMEs. The EIC should support high risk, high-potential innovations and companies presenting such technological, scientific, financial, management or market risks that they are not yet considered to be fully bankable and therefore cannot raise the necessary level of investments to be globally competitive from the market. This should incorporate both an ‘open’ (bottom-up) and a ‘challenge’ driven approach, in close coordination and synergy with the European Competitiveness Fund and its policy windows. Particular attention should be paid to facilitating access for SMEs and start-ups established in less developed regions and regions in transition, through dedicated capacity-building measures, mentoring services and tailored support for access to investment, with a view to ensuring a more balanced territorial participation in the Programme It should include a ‘DARPA’-like approach dedicated to supporting defence and dual use startups and their scaling up operating in full complementarity with the ECF InvestEU Instrument and the EU Defence Innovation Scheme (EUDIS) and CASSINI (Space entrepreneurship initiative) activities. The implementation should be done in close synergy and coordination with the European Competitiveness Fund ensuring that innovation results in products and solutions with an impact on the European market and citizens.

Amendment 26

Proposal for a regulation

Recital 17

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
(17) The Joint Research Centre (‘JRC’) should continue to provide independent scientific evidence and technical support for Union policies throughout the whole policy cycle. The direct actions of the JRC should be implemented in a flexible, efficient, and transparent manner, taking into account the needs of Union policies and the relevant needs of the users of the JRC and ensuring the protection of the Union’s financial interests. The JRC should continue to generate additional resources, which it may use to support its scientific and technical activities.(17) The Joint Research Centre (‘JRC’) should continue to provide independent scientific evidence and technical support for Union policies throughout the whole policy cycle. The direct actions of the JRC should be implemented in a flexible, efficient, and transparent manner, taking into account the needs of Union policies, Union regions and the relevant needs of the users of the JRC and ensuring the protection of the Union’s financial interests. The JRC should continue to generate additional resources, which it may use to support its scientific and technical activities including, where appropriate, through scientific cooperation with higher education institutions, research organisations and industry. The JRC should continue to support regional authorities through training, knowledge and data sharing, analysis, modelling, and by broader opening its research infrastructures to researchers and industries.

Amendment 27

Proposal for a regulation

Recital 18

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
(18) The Programme should ensure the effective promotion and protection of values and principles of the European Research Area and the Pact for Research and Innovation5 , notably ethics and integrity in research and innovation, freedom of scientific research, science for policy, gender equality and equal opportunities, non-discrimination, open science and the promotion of attractive research careers and mobility. In particular, the Programme should ensure the effective promotion of equal opportunities for all and the implementation of gender mainstreaming, including the integration of the gender dimension in R&I content. It should aim to address the causes of gender imbalance. Particular attention should be paid to ensuring, to the extent possible, gender balance in evaluation panels and in other relevant advisory bodies such as boards and expert groups.(18) The Programme should ensure the effective promotion and protection of values and principles of the European Research Area and the Pact for Research and Innovation5, notably ethics and integrity in research and innovation, freedom of scientific research, science for policy, gender equality and equal opportunities, non-discrimination, open science and the promotion of attractive research careers and mobility. In particular, the Programme should ensure the effective promotion of equal opportunities for all and the implementation of gender mainstreaming, including the integration of the gender dimension in R&I content. It should aim to address the causes of gender imbalance. Particular attention should be paid to ensuring, to the extent possible, gender balance in evaluation panels and in other relevant advisory bodies such as boards and expert groups. In addition, the Programme should contribute to reducing regional disparities in research and innovation and, in particular, support regions undergoing economic and industrial change (transitional regions) in strengthening their research and innovation capacities and fostering social cohesion.
5 Council Recommendation (EU) 2021/2122 of 26 November 2021 on a Pact for Research and Innovation in Europe, OJ L 431, 2.12.2021, p. 1, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reco/2021/2122/oj.5 Council Recommendation (EU) 2021/2122 of 26 November 2021 on a Pact for Research and Innovation in Europe, OJ L 431, 2.12.2021, p. 1, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reco/2021/2122/oj.

Amendment 28

Proposal for a regulation

Recital 19

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
(19) The Programme should support European research infrastructures and technology infrastructures in driving scientific and technological excellence and industrial competitiveness, by supporting the continuum of the research and innovation cycle from basic to applied research towards societal and market deployment.(19) The Programme should strongly support European research infrastructures and technology infrastructures in driving scientific and technological excellence and industrial competitiveness, while ensuring broad and balanced territorial access, by supporting the continuum of the research and innovation cycle from basic to applied research and facilitating the effective dissemination of results at national and regional level, towards societal and market deployment., ensuring balanced and inclusive performance of the R&T infrastructures and its broader cooperation with partners from business and academia. In this light, the limitations related to state aid should be reconsidered.

Amendment 29

Proposal for a regulation

Recital 19 a (new)

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
(19a) In order to ensure the dissemination of best practices within the Union, the Programme should ensure the networking between highly competitive and high-performance innovation clusters and entities with lower research and innovation performance level to further strengthen competitiveness of the Union as a whole.

Amendment 30

Proposal for a regulation

Recital 20

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
(20) The Programme should implement concrete measures in support of capacity building in widening countries and strengthening collaborative links across the Union enhancing the research and innovation capacity in widening and transition countries, leading to a more cohesive and integrated European R&I system and contributing to the target to invest at least 3% of GDP in research and development. The eligible Member States from the 2021-2027 period should be divided into two groups for the whole duration of the Programme , on the basis of the Innovation Scoreboard Index and the relative financial return per Gross National Income (GNI), based on the following criteria: i) ‘Transition countries’, with both an Innovation Scoreboard Index (2023-2025) above 75% of the Union average and positive relative financial return per GNI (2021-2025) under Horizon Europe; ii) ‘Widening countries’, all other Member States eligible under the 2021-2027 period.(20) In order to avoid counterbalance concentration of research and innovation in the high-performance Member States and entities, Considering persistent R&I gap within Europe, that weakens the European Research Area (ERA), disturbs the single market for R&I and negatively affects the EU global competitiveness, the Programme should implement concrete measures to prevent this negative outcomes, to establish new R&I collaborations across Europe and fully use the R&I potential and talents of the entire Union. The programme should secure a stable and sufficient budget to support capacity building in widening countries and strengthening collaborative links across the Union, enhancing the research and innovation capacity in widening and transition countries, leading to a more cohesive and integrated European R&I system and contributing to the target to invest at least 3% of GDP in research and development. Such concrete measures should include establishment of specific goals, for instance in relation to a number of projects coordinated by entities from widening countries, ensuring access to research infrastructures, including of JRC, simplification of rules and procedures with special focus on smaller actors and first-time applicants. The eligible Member States from the 2021-2027 period should be divided into two groups, widening and transition, on the basis of transparent and stable measures. Such criteria should be based on transparent methodology and objective indicators, in consultation with the Member States. Notwithstanding these criteria, at the mid-point of the programming period, the Commission should check the validity of categorisation of Member States into Widening and Transition categories and make corresponding adjustments if justified. Nevertheless, regional disparities in these Member States should also be considered, including specific challenges faced by certain regions, for example eastern external border regions. Conditionality of access to widening instruments based on public investment in R&D, as proposed by the Commission, is not acceptable in a current geopolitical landscape where Member States must deal with extraordinary budgetary pressures. In order to boost effectiveness of the Widening approach, new solutions should be considered, including: a) top-up support to collaborative projects coordinated by a participants from Widening or Transition MS; b) experience sharing between transition and widening countries; c) strengthened and structured outreach to the widening countries, aimed at increased participation in ERC and EIC calls, d) setting up pathways to scale up the mature widening R&I initiatives enabling financing from other parts of Horizon Europe. Existing schemes with a strong widening dimension, such as, but not limited to, the EIC pre-accelerator and the EIT RIS should be maintained and strengthened.

Amendment 31

Proposal for a regulation

Recital 20 a (new)

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
(20a) To strengthen the European Research Area and enhance the Union’s overall competitiveness and resilience, research and innovation capacity should be reinforced across all Member States, including in widening and transition countries. Broad participation of higher education institutions, research organisations and other legal entities in collaborative projects contributes to improving the quality, impact and diffusion of research and innovation results across the Union. The Programme should therefore support appropriate measures to address persistent participation and capacity gaps, while fully respecting the principle of excellence-based evaluation.

Amendment 32

Proposal for a regulation

Recital 20 b (new)

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
(20b) Commission should closely monitor participation levels in widening countries and, if continuous imbalances emerge, introduce additional measures to tackle them and achieve a wider pattern of participation.

Amendment 33

Proposal for a regulation

Recital 20 c (new)

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
(20c) Persistent disparities in participation and funding distribution across Member States may limit the full potential of the Union’s research and innovation system. The Programme should therefore contribute to addressing such disparities and to strengthening the overall competitiveness, resilience and cohesion of the European Research Area and the integration of research and innovation actors across all Member States, while fully respecting the principle of excellence-based evaluation.

Amendment 34

Proposal for a regulation

Recital 21

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
(21) Acknowledging the benefit derived from international cooperation towards addressing, among others, shared technological, economic, environmental and societal concerns, the Programme, should promote cooperation with third countries. International cooperation should aim to strengthen the Union’s competitiveness and excellence in R&I, including its capacity to attract and retain the best talents worldwide. Geo-political considerations including economic security should be at the centre of the approach and varying degrees of cooperation should be considered based on an overall assessment of the benefit that could be derived by the Union towards addressing its priorities and global challenges while safeguarding the Union’s values and interests. Association to all or parts of the Programme should remain the most comprehensive form of cooperation. For EIC defence related activities, only entities established in third countries associated with the European Competitiveness Fund for defence activities should be eligible for funding. The Programme may support activities financed by the Global Europe programme provided they comply with the rules and objectives of this Regulation in line with the provisions on synergies.(21) Acknowledging the benefit derived from international cooperation towards addressing, among others, shared technological, economic, environmental, territorial and societal concerns, the Programme, should promote cooperation with third countries. International cooperation should aim to strengthen the Union’s competitiveness and excellence in R&I, including its capacity to attract and retain the best talents worldwide. Geo-political considerations including economic security should be at the centre of the approach and varying degrees of cooperation should be considered based on an overall assessment of the benefit that could be derived by the Union towards addressing its priorities and global challenges while safeguarding the Union’s values and interests. Association to all or parts of the Programme should remain the most comprehensive form of cooperation. For EIC defence related activities, only entities established in third countries associated with the European Competitiveness Fund for defence activities should be eligible for funding. The Programme may support activities financed by the Global Europe programme provided they comply with the rules and objectives of this Regulation in line with the provisions on synergies.

Amendment 35

Proposal for a regulation

Recital 21 a (new)

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
(21a) Cooperation in the field of research and innovation with the Union’s neighbourhood is of key importance as a strategic tool for strengthening regional stability, economic security and progressive alignment with EU standards and priorities, especially in areas of common interest with a direct impact on the development, resilience and innovation capacity of the EU’s border regions.

Amendment 36

Proposal for a regulation

Recital 22 a (new)

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
(22a) In order to bridge the gap between research results and applicable solutions for end-users, the Programme should ensure a multi-actor approach in which practitioners and end-users should be involved throughout the research and innovation cycle. The Programme should also ensure that practitioners and end-users’ contributions are appropriately supported and that the conditions for data use are transparent and fair, strengthen trust, improve data quality and encourage sustained engagement over time.

Amendment 37

Proposal for a regulation

Recital 23

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
(23) In light of increasing risks linked to natural hazards, health emergencies, technological accidents, evolving security threats, and other disruptions, it is essential to enhance the Union’s and Member States’ capability to anticipate, prepare for, and respond to crises and disasters. The Programme should support research that strengthen disaster risk and crisis management, invest in climate resilience, and enhance the resilience of vital societal functions, and build a more resilient, secure, and prepared Union, in line with the objectives of the EU Preparedness Union Strategy.(23) In light of increasing risks linked to natural hazards, health emergencies, technological accidents, evolving security threats, and other disruptions such as those affecting food security, including those directly affecting agricultural, agri-food and animal health systems, as well as issues related to water availability , it is essential to enhance the Union’s and Member States’ capability to anticipate, prepare for, and respond to crises and disasters paying particular attention to areas at increased risk of climate natural disasters, as well as in the area of water resilience, agriculture and animal health, prevention, early detection and control of animal diseases . The Programme should support research that strengthens disaster risk and crisis management, invest in climate resilience, and enhance the resilience of vital societal functions, and build a more resilient, secure, and prepared Union, in line with the objectives of the EU Preparedness Union Strategy. In this context, any funding streams dedicated to research and innovation in relation to disaster risk, preparedness and response should be clearly defined and separate from the crisis reserve mechanisms already foreseen under the National and Regional Partnership Plans envisaged by the next Multiannual Financial Framework.

Amendment 38

Proposal for a regulation

Recital 23 a (new)

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
(23a) Agriculture, food and water resilience are key pillars for deepening the Union's strategic autonomy. The Programme should reflect the central role of a competitive and resilient agri-food system for the Union’s food security and sovereignty, in line with the Commission’s Vision for Agriculture and Food, supporting innovation that strengthens the position of farmers in the food chain, reduces critical import dependencies and increases resilience to geopolitical shocks, market disturbances and climate-related risks. The Programme should promote a robust and future-oriented agri-food, forestry, fisheries and biomass sector that is able to withstand global competition and rising input costs, while maintaining high Union standards. To this end, continuity, stability and adequacy of research and innovation funding in agriculture, food security and water resilience should be ensured in the long term to enable the development, testing and deployment of solutions that increase productivity, resource efficiency and sustainability, protect the interests of European farmers and rural communities and ensure reliable access to safe and high-quality food for all citizens, both in normal times and in crisis situations.

Amendment 39

Proposal for a regulation

Recital 23 b (new)

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
(23b) Plant health threats, including vector-borne diseases and pests affecting crops, pose significant risks to rural employment, territorial cohesion, agricultural productivity and regional economic resilience. These threats particularly affect rural areas and local communities dependent on sustainable agricultural value chains. The Programme should therefore support research and innovation to prevent and mitigate such plant health threats, contributing to rural development, regional balance and economic sustainability.

Amendment 40

Proposal for a regulation

Recital 23 c (new)

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
(23c) Research and development of vaccines for animal diseases should also be one of the priorities under the Horizon Europe Programme, recognising the interconnection between human health, animal health and one health, and as such the effective, equitable and timely availability of such vaccines to all farmers should be ensured.

Amendment 41

Proposal for a regulation

Recital 23 d (new)

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
(23d) Water resilience is a structuring element of territorial cohesion and its economic and social viability. Efficient, sustainable and integrated management of water resources is a prerequisite for strengthening the competitiveness of all regions, including urban ones, for adapting to climate change and for ensuring the Union’s food security, while ensuring the protection of ecosystems and a balance between different water uses.

Amendment 42

Proposal for a regulation

Recital 23 e (new)

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
(23e) In order to bridge the persistent gap between research and innovation results and their translation into solutions applicable to farmers and other primary producers, the Horizon Europe Programme should ensure a multi-actor approach that ensures the active, continuous and balanced involvement of relevant knowledge holders, practitioners, end-users and decision-makers in all sectors and at all levels throughout the research and innovation cycle. Such involvement should cover all stages, from co-creation of objectives and planning of experimental activities to implementation, real-world testing, validation, dissemination and uptake of results in practice. Collaborative research in agriculture and food systems increasingly depends on such an approach, where on-farm testing, data availability and validation are key elements in producing reliable, relevant and user-driven results. Such participation entails costs, time commitments, mobilisation of specific skills and operational risk-taking by the farmers and primary producers involved. Horizon Europe should therefore ensure that professionals’ contributions are adequately recognised and supported, including through compensation mechanisms for time spent and specialisation mobilised, as well as ensure that the conditions for access, use and sharing of data are transparent, proportionate and fair, thereby enhancing trust, improving data quality, promoting sustainable engagement of actors and ultimately accelerating acceptability, co-responsibility and uptake of innovative solutions on the ground.

Amendment 43

Proposal for a regulation

Recital 24 a (new)

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
(24a) The Programme should contribute to strengthening the competitiveness of the Union through the development and deployment of advanced technologies, supporting the creation of sustainable and highly skilled jobs, the strengthening of regional innovation ecosystems and the exploitation of research results at territorial level, with a view to reducing regional disparities and stimulating economic growth.

Amendment 44

Proposal for a regulation

Recital 24 b (new)

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
(24b) The Programme should support skills development and talent mobility, including by facilitating cooperation between academia, industry and public authorities, with a view to ensuring smart, balanced and sustainable growth across the Union.

Amendment 45

Proposal for a regulation

Recital 25

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
(25) The Programme acknowledges climate change as one of the biggest global and societal challenge and climate action as a driver for industrial competitiveness. Activities should reflect the importance of tackling climate change in line with the Union’s commitments to implement the Paris Agreement.(25) The Programme acknowledges climate change as one of the biggest global and societal challenge and climate action as a driver for industrial competitiveness. Activities should reflect the importance of tackling climate change in line with the Union’s commitments to implement the Paris Agreement, alongside other societal challenges such as the loss of biodiversity, while taking into account the new geopolitical realities, the intensification of global competition and the need to strengthen the Union’s economic, industrial and energy security. Therefore, the Programme should respond to the needs of the European industry in the area of transformation, including support for a wide range of solutions reducing carbon footprint, managing of natural sources or/and improving circularity. The Programme should also support climate adaptation and resilience, including the prevention and management of climate-related risks. Particular attention should be given to sectors and territories highly exposed to climate variability and extreme weather events, by promoting risk prevention tools, resilience-building measures, climate-smart solutions and innovative approaches aimed at strengthening the capacity of economic actors to anticipate, withstand and recover from climate-related shocks, including in agriculture and food.

Amendment 46

Proposal for a regulation

Recital 25 a (new)

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
(25a) The programme should respond loss of competitiveness of the European Union vis-à-vis other global players and highlights the need to accelerate innovation and industrialisation efforts in order to strengthen strategic autonomy, economic competitiveness.

Amendment 47

Proposal for a regulation

Recital 26

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
(26) Simplification in the Programme’s implementation is essential to ensure its accessibility and efficiency, particularly by reducing the administrative burden on beneficiaries and minimising the risk of errors. To this end, the Programme should primarily rely on lump sums as the default form of Union funding. Advancing efforts over the previous Framework Programmes to streamline funding rules and minimise errors, the reimbursement of personnel costs should also be further simplified by using personnel unit costs, which reduces complexity for participants and facilitates reporting.(26) Simplification in the Programme’s implementation is essential to ensure its accessibility and efficiency, to improve accessibility for a broad range of participants, particularly by reducing the administrative burden on beneficiaries and minimising the risk of errors. To this end, the Programme should primarily rely on lump sums as the default form of Union funding while ensuring sufficient flexibility to apply, where appropriate, other simplified forms of funding in order to take into account the specific characteristics, size and administrative capacity of beneficiaries. At the same time the administrative focus of the Programme should be on the project, rather than on the experts allowing the experts rotation or change in case of need, enabling the full implementation of projects. Advancing efforts over the previous Framework Programmes to streamline funding rules and minimise errors, the reimbursement of personnel costs should also be further simplified by using personnel unit costs, which reduces complexity for participants and facilitates reporting. Excessive administrative complexity disproportionately excludes actors and regions that have less resources, and therefore, simplification is a key prerequisite for equitable access to the Programme in order to render a wider pool of actors across the Union to become more competitive in R&I. In this regard, simplification measures should be designed in a way to benefit first-time applicants, SMEs and universities with regional and local dimension. The Programme should also promote smaller and more flexible consortia, modular project structures and staged participation in order to facilitate broader participation and effective inclusion across all territories of the Union. The Commission shall cooperate with Member States to reduce administrative burden and avoid gold plating.

Amendment 48

Proposal for a regulation

Recital 26 a (new)

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
(26a) The funds made available under Horizon Europe are characterised by complex application procedures, which have led to an asymmetric distribution of support, reducing democratic access, benefiting certain Member States to the detriment of others. The Commission should maintain technical support tools and promote de-bureaucratisation, simplification of application procedures, dissemination actions, specific and appropriate training on them, as well as consider establishing a minimum amount of funding to be allocated to each Member State with a view to ensuring a more balanced and equitable participation.

Amendment 49

Proposal for a regulation

Recital 26 b (new)

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
(26b) As in the efforts to simplify Horizon Europe, certain rules have been limited or ceased to apply, which could have an unintended effect of creating legal uncertainty for applicants. In the cases where such uncertainty exists, any disputes or doubts arising from audits should be resolved in favour of the applicants.

Amendment 50

Proposal for a regulation

Recital 28

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
(28) In view of strengthening the Union's competitiveness and maximising the uptake and deployment of the results in general, beneficiaries owning results should manage their results in accordance with their obligations established under this Regulation regarding valorisation and dissemination. Those obligations may be adjusted in the work programme, call conditions or grant agreement where appropriate based on policy considerations, including related to economic security, but should encompass requirements to protect, give access, valorise results and make them public as appropriate and justified, including through open science practices. To facilitate and accelerate the valorisation process, support instruments and tools should be put in place in line with the Commission’s valorisation strategy as developed under the European Competitiveness Fund and any such support and services provided for in its Chapter III.(28) In view of strengthening the Union's competitiveness and maximising the uptake and deployment of the results in general, beneficiaries owning results should manage their results in accordance with their obligations established under this Regulation regarding valorisation and dissemination. Those obligations may be adjusted in the work programme, call conditions or grant agreement where appropriate based on policy considerations, including related to economic security, but should encompass requirements to protect, give access, valorise results and make them public as appropriate and justified, including through open science practices. To facilitate and accelerate the valorisation process, support instruments and tools should be put in place in line with the Commission’s valorisation strategy as developed under the European Competitiveness Fund and any such support and services provided for in its Chapter III. However, in several Member States academic incentive systems still primarily reward scientific publications, while providing insufficient incentives for patenting, licensing, spin-offs and structured cooperation with industry, which limits technology transfer and the uptake of research results. The Programme should therefore encourage reforms and support mechanisms that strengthen university-business collaboration and the valorisation capacity of higher education institutions across all regions.

Amendment 51

Proposal for a regulation

Recital 29

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
(29) Support measures are needed to strengthen and better connect innovation ecosystems. Such measures should support organisations and innovators to create competitive, robust and connected innovation ecosystems and improve framework conditions through cooperation and knowledge exchange. They should help connect national, regional, and local ecosystems by removing barriers in the single market such as market fragmentation, limited capital access and segmented national capital markets, slow innovation uptake and the underutilisation of innovation procurement.(29) Europe’s innovation performance is often hindered by fragmentation between national, regional and local ecosystems. Support measures are needed to strengthen and better connect innovation ecosystems. Such measures should support SMEs, research organisations and innovators to create competitive, robust and connected innovation ecosystems and improve framework conditions through cooperation and knowledge exchange. They should help connect national, regional, and local ecosystems by removing barriers in the single market such as market fragmentation, limited capital access and segmented national capital markets, slow innovation uptake and the underutilisation of innovation procurement including through support for ecosystem-building activities such as large-scale innovation events, meetups, co-working and incubation spaces, and structured cooperation between higher education institutions and start-up communities. The Programme should ensure the continuation and strengthening of Regional Innovation Valleys (RIVs), as well as synergies with Interreg, the Seal of Excellence, Digital Innovation Hubs and European Digital Innovation Hubs (DIHs/EDIHs), and relevant European Missions, as instruments promoting stronger integration , structured networking and cooperation among national, regional and local innovation ecosystems. Special attention should be paid to these ecosystems in the outermost regions. The Programme should also encourage twinning and peer-learning between established innovation hubs and emerging ecosystems in widening and transition countries, including through “sister” editions of major European start-up events and cross-border ecosystem partnerships.

Amendment 52

Proposal for a regulation

Recital 29 a (new)

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
(29a) Research and innovation investments should contribute to sustainable economic development, including through the creation of high-quality employment and the development of skills and lifelong learning opportunities. In this context, they should support workers, enterprises and regions in adapting to green and digital transitions and strengthen the Union’s long-term economic and societal resilience.

Amendment 53

Proposal for a regulation

Recital 29 b (new)

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
(29b) Industrial and technological capabilities, which are key to Europe's competitiveness, are territorially embedded, and Europe’s strength lies in the coordination of its diverse regional specialisations. Smart Specialisation Strategies (S3) provide the only EU-wide methodology capable of aligning regional strengths with EU strategic priorities, supporting diversification into related technologies, and enabling structured interregional cooperation based on complementarity rather than duplication. Therefore, S3 priorities should be systematically recognised and mobilised across EU funding instruments, including Horizon Europe, to improve coherence along the full innovation and industrial value chain.

Amendment 54

Proposal for a regulation

Recital 30

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
(30) The actions supported under this Regulation should accelerate or boost investments by addressing market failures or sub-optimal investment situations, in a proportionate manner, avoiding duplication or crowding out, and by incentivising private funding, and have Union added-value. Without prejudice to the application of Articles 107 and 108 TFEU to national resources, this should also ensure consistency between the actions under the Programme and the State aid rules, thereby avoiding undue distortions of competition in the internal market.(30) The actions supported under this Regulation should accelerate or boost investments by addressing market failures or sub-optimal investment situations, in a proportionate manner, avoiding duplication or crowding out, and by incentivising private funding, and have Union added-value. Without prejudice to the application of Articles 107 and 108 TFEU to national resources, this should also ensure consistency between the actions under the Programme and the State aid rules, thereby avoiding undue distortions of competition in the internal market. In practice, rigid eligibility conditions and State aid constraints under shared-management innovation schemes might prevent high-risk, research-based and deep-tech start-ups (often operating in long pre-revenue phases) from accessing support, which undermines the objective of building a Union-wide pipeline of innovative companies. The Programme should therefore promote better alignment and complementarity between Horizon support and shared-management instruments, so that disruptive innovation with longer time-to-market horizons is not structurally excluded.

Amendment 55

Proposal for a regulation

Recital 35

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
(35) In accordance with Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2024/2509, Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 883/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council9 , Council Regulation (Euratom, EC) No 2988/9510 ,(Euratom, EC) No 2185/9611 and (EU) 2017/193912 , the financial interests of the Union are to be protected through proportionate measures, including the prevention, detection, correction and investigation of irregularities and fraud, the recovery of funds lost, wrongly paid or incorrectly used and, where appropriate, the imposition of administrative sanctions. In particular, in accordance with Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 883/2013 and (Euratom, EC) No 2185/96 the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) may carry out investigations, including on-the-spot checks and inspections, with a view to establishing whether there has been fraud, corruption or any other illegal activity affecting the financial interests of the Union. In accordance with Regulation (EU) 2017/1939, the European Public Prosecutor's Office (EPPO) is competent to investigate and prosecute fraud and other criminal offences affecting the financial interests of the Union as provided for in Directive (EU) 2017/1371 of the European Parliament and of the Council13 . In accordance with Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2024/2509, any person or entity receiving Union funds is to fully cooperate in the protection of the Union’s financial interests, to grant the necessary rights and access to the Commission, OLAF, the European Court of Auditors and, as appropriate, to the EPPO, and to ensure that any third parties involved in the implementation of Union funds grant equivalent rights.(35) In accordance with Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2024/2509, Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 883/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council9 , Council Regulation (Euratom, EC) No 2988/9510 ,(Euratom, EC) No 2185/9611 and (EU) 2017/193912 , the financial interests of the Union are to be protected through proportionate measures, including the prevention, detection, correction and investigation of irregularities and fraud, the recovery of funds lost, wrongly paid or incorrectly used and, where appropriate, the imposition of administrative sanctions. In particular, in accordance with Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 883/2013 and (Euratom, EC) No 2185/96 the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) may carry out investigations, including on-the-spot checks and inspections, with a view to establishing whether there has been fraud, corruption or any other illegal activity affecting the financial interests of the Union. There should be a clear differentiation between error and fraud and when errors are detected the Commission should be imediately informed and together with the beneficiary shall try to find the best possible solution to solve the error and apply financial corrections as a last resort. In accordance with Regulation (EU) 2017/1939, the European Public Prosecutor's Office (EPPO) is competent to investigate and prosecute fraud and other criminal offences affecting the financial interests of the Union as provided for in Directive (EU) 2017/1371 of the European Parliament and of the Council13. In accordance with Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2024/2509, any person or entity receiving Union funds is to fully cooperate in the protection of the Union’s financial interests, to grant the necessary rights and access to the Commission, OLAF, the European Court of Auditors and, as appropriate, to the EPPO, and to ensure that any third parties involved in the implementation of Union funds grant equivalent rights.
9 Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 883/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 September 2013 concerning investigations conducted by the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) and repealing Regulation (EC) No 1073/1999 of the European Parliament and of the Council and Council Regulation (Euratom) No 1074/1999,(OJ L248, 18.9.2013, p. 1.9 Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 883/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 September 2013 concerning investigations conducted by the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) and repealing Regulation (EC) No 1073/1999 of the European Parliament and of the Council and Council Regulation (Euratom) No 1074/1999,(OJ L248, 18.9.2013, p. 1.
10 Council Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 2988/95 of 18 December 1995 on the protection of the European Communities financial interests (OJ L 312, 23.12.95, p.1).10 Council Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 2988/95 of 18 December 1995 on the protection of the European Communities financial interests (OJ L 312, 23.12.95, p.1).
11 Council Regulation (Euratom, EC) No 2185/96 of 11 November 1996 concerning on-the-spot checks and inspections carried out by the Commission in order to protect the European Communities' financial interests against fraud and other irregularities (OJ L292,15.11.96 , p.2).11 Council Regulation (Euratom, EC) No 2185/96 of 11 November 1996 concerning on-the-spot checks and inspections carried out by the Commission in order to protect the European Communities' financial interests against fraud and other irregularities (OJ L292,15.11.96 , p.2).
12 Council Regulation (EU) 2017/1939 of 12 October 2017 implementing enhanced cooperation on the establishment of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (‘the EPPO’) (OJ L283, 31.10.2017,, p.1).12 Council Regulation (EU) 2017/1939 of 12 October 2017 implementing enhanced cooperation on the establishment of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (‘the EPPO’) (OJ L283, 31.10.2017,, p.1).
13 Directive (EU) 2017/1371 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 5 July 2017 on the fight against fraud to the Union's financial interests by means of criminal law (OJ L 198, 28.7.2017, p. 29).13 Directive (EU) 2017/1371 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 5 July 2017 on the fight against fraud to the Union's financial interests by means of criminal law (OJ L 198, 28.7.2017, p. 29).

Amendment 56

Proposal for a regulation

Recital 36

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
(36) The Programme is to be implemented in accordance with Regulation (EU) XXX of the European Parliament and of the Council [Performance Regulation] which establishes the rules for the expenditure tracking and the performance framework for the budget, including rules for ensuring a uniform application of the principles of ‘do no significant harm’ and gender equality referred to in Article 33(2), points (d) and (f), as well as the provisions on accessibility for persons with disabilities reflected in Articles 17.3, 20.4 and 21.1 of Annex I, of Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2024/2509 respectively and in line with the accessibility requirements of Annex I and III of directive 2019/882, rules for monitoring and reporting on the performance of Union programmes and activities, rules for establishing a Union funding portal, rules for the evaluation of the programmes, as well as other horizontal provisions applicable to all Union programmes such as those on information, communication and visibility.(36) The Programme is to be implemented in accordance with Regulation (EU) XXX of the European Parliament and of the Council [Performance Regulation] which establishes the rules for the expenditure tracking and the performance framework for the budget, including rules for ensuring a uniform application of the principles of ‘do no significant harm’, including in the context of regional cohesion, and gender equality referred to in Article 33(2), points (d) and (f), as well as the provisions on accessibility for persons with disabilities reflected in Articles 17.3, 20.4 and 21.1 of Annex I, of Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2024/2509 respectively and in line with the accessibility requirements of Annex I and III of directive 2019/882, rules for monitoring and reporting on the performance of Union programmes and activities, rules for establishing a Union funding portal, rules for the evaluation of the programmes, as well as other horizontal provisions applicable to all Union programmes such as those on information, communication and visibility.

Amendment 57

Proposal for a regulation

Article 1 – paragraph 2 a (new)

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
2a. The rules governing the relationship with Regulation (EU) [XXX] [European Competitiveness Fund] must be clear and transparent, so as to uphold the autonomy of Horizon Europe as an instrument for knowledge creation and innovation, while also ensuring investment continuity.

Amendment 58

Proposal for a regulation

Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 1

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
(1) ‘research infrastructures’ are facilities that provide resources and services to conduct research and foster innovation in their fields;(1) 'research infrastructures' are facilities that provide equipment, capabilities, collections, archives, data infrastructures and resources and services to conduct research and stimulate innovation in their fields;

Amendment 59

Proposal for a regulation

Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 6

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
(6) ‘European Partnership’ means an initiative, where the Union together with private and/or public partners commit to jointly supporting the development, implementation and evaluation of a programme of activities, and where the costs are shared between all partners;(6) ‘European Partnership’ means an initiative where the Union, together with private and/or public partners — such as industry, research organisations, academia and university alliances, clusters and research centres, and local and regional authorities — commit to jointly supporting the development, implementation and evaluation of a programme of activities, and where the costs are shared between all partners;

Amendment 60

Proposal for a regulation

Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 6 a (new)

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
(6a) 'smart specialisation strategy' means the national or regional innovation strategy which sets priorities in order to build competitive advantage by developing and matching research and innovation own strengths to business and stakeholders’ needs, including regional, local authorities, and universities with regional and local dimension in order to address emerging opportunities and market developments in a coherent manner, while avoiding duplication and fragmentation of efforts;

Amendment 61

Proposal for a regulation

Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 6 b (new)

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
(6b) ‘regional innovation ecosystem’ means a territorially based network of actors, including enterprises, research organisations, including those at regional level, higher education institutions, public authorities and civil society, which interact to foster research, innovation, skills development and the uptake and scaling-up of innovative solutions;

Amendment 62

Proposal for a regulation

Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 6 c (new)

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
(6c) 'Urban ecosystem’ means a territorially anchored concentration of public and private actors in an urban area cooperating to develop, test and deploy innovative solutions, including local and regional authorities, public service providers, universities, research organisations, start-ups, SMEs, industry, investors and civil society;

Amendment 63

Proposal for a regulation

Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 6 d (new)

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
(6d) Place-based innovation’ means innovation based on the local and regional context and aims to drive economic growth, improve quality of life, and contribute to sustainable development at regional and local level, while also having strong potential to contribute to the realisation of Union’s competitiveness and innovation agendas;

Amendment 64

Proposal for a regulation

Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 7

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
(7) ‘open access’ means online access to results, provided free to the end user;(7) ‘open access’ means the practice of granting universal and online access, free of charge, to results and research findings, ensuring that both producers and users can participate in a system without barriers to access or re-use;

Amendment 65

Proposal for a regulation

Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 11

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
(11) ‘background' means any data, knowledge or know how whatever its form or nature, tangible or intangible, including any rights such as intellectual property rights, that is held prior to the accession to a given action;(11) ‘background' means any data, knowledge or know how whatever its form or nature, tangible or intangible, including any rights such as intellectual property rights, that is held prior to the accession to a given action; access to the background is subject to identification by the written agreement of the parties respectively granting and providing this access, as is also necessary, between respective parties, for the implementation of the action or for exploitation of its results;

Amendment 66

Proposal for a regulation

Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 12

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
(12) ‘valorisation’ means the use of results in further activities other than those covered by the action concerned, including commercial deployment;(12) ‘Valorisation’ means the use of results in activities other than those covered by the action concerned, including commercial use, as well as the generation, sharing and application of knowledge by connecting different fields and sectors;

Amendment 67

Proposal for a regulation

Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 22 a (new)

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
(22a) ‘Seal of Excellence’ means a quality label indicating that a proposal submitted under a call for proposals has passed all the evaluation thresholds set out in the work programme but could not be funded due to a lack of available budget for that call in the work programme, and may receive support from other Union or national funding sources;

Amendment 68

Proposal for a regulation

Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 22 b (new)

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
(22b) ‘non for profit entities’ means a legal entity which operates to serve a public, social, or charitable purpose rather than to generate profit for owners or stakeholders;

Amendment 69

Proposal for a regulation

Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 24

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
(24) ‘knowledge triangle’ means the creation of networks between education institutions, research organisations and business with the aim to create innovation ecosystems that cater for the creation of an innovation pipeline from the inception of innovation through entrepreneurial education to the creation of startups and the growth of scale-ups.(24) ‘knowledge triangle’ means networks between education institutions, research organisations and business with the aim to create innovation ecosystems that cater for the creation of an innovation pipeline from the inception of innovation through entrepreneurial education to the creation of startups and the growth of scale-ups;

Amendment 70

Proposal for a regulation

Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 24 a (new)

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
(24a) ‘multi-actor approach’ means an R&I approach that delivers active, continuous and balanced involvement by a wide range of relevant knowledge-holders, practitioners, end-users and decision-makers, from all sectors and at all levels, throughout the R&I process, from the joint setting of objectives through to the implementation, validation, publication and uptake of results.

Amendment 71

Proposal for a regulation

Article 3 – paragraph 1

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
1. In line with the general and specific objectives of the European Competitiveness Fund, the Programme shall strengthen the EU’s competitiveness, scientific technological base, and address global challenges based on excellent research and innovation.1. In line with the general and specific objectives of the European Competitiveness Fund, the Programme shall strengthen the Union’s competitiveness, scientific excellence and scientific and technological base, and address global challenges and contribute to resilience and risk-preparedness through excellent research and innovation. It shall contribute to mobilising and reinforcing research and innovation capacities and actors across the Union, with a strong emphasis on collaborative research as a core instrument, fostering cooperation between academia, research organisations, business and industry, with particular attention to SMEs scale-up and innovative start-ups, ensure an appropriate thematic and geographical balance, support the development of the Union’s industrial bases and the effective translation of research results into practice, while enhancing the Union’s ability to deliver on its strategic priorities, promote long-term competitiveness and contribute to social development.

Amendment 72

Proposal for a regulation

Article 3 – paragraph 2 – indent 1

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
– Create high-quality knowledge, skills and attractive careers for researchers and support the realisation of the European Research Area (ERA).– Create high-quality knowledge, scientific skills and attractive careers for researchers, and support the realisation of a strong and cohesive European Research Area (ERA), including by fostering balanced territorial development of research and innovation capacities across the Union instead of concentrating excellence in a limited number of centres across the Union and by supporting brain circulation rather than one-way mobility, thereby strengthening the Union as a leading destination for researchers.

Amendment 73

Proposal for a regulation

Article 3 – paragraph 2 – indent 1 a (new)

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
– Unlock Union’s full potential as a global leader in innovation by enabling participation of high-quality actors in R&I ecosystems.

Amendment 74

Proposal for a regulation

Article 3 – paragraph 2 – indent 2

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
– Increase EU-wide and international collaborative research, knowledge sharing and valorisation.– Increase EU-wide and international collaborative research, knowledge sharing and valorisation, while ensuring the effective diffusion, uptake and deployment of research and innovation projects and results across regions with different levels of research and innovation capacity.

Amendment 75

Proposal for a regulation

Article 3 – paragraph 2 – indent 2 a (new)

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
– Contributes to addressing persistent disparities in participation and funding outcomes across Member States, with a view to strengthening the overall performance, competitiveness and integration of the European Research Area.

Amendment 76

Proposal for a regulation

Article 3 – paragraph 2 – indent 2 b (new)

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
– Foster EU-wide and collaborative research, at Union, national and regional level to prevent brain-drain in demographic decline areas and regions in transition.

Amendment 77

Proposal for a regulation

Article 3 – paragraph 2 – indent 3

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
– Align EU, national and regional priorities to create a pan-European research and innovation ecosystem.– Align EU, national and regional priorities to create a pan-European research and innovation ecosystem, building upon the capacities, resilience and competitiveness of national, regional and local innovation ecosystems, while fully reflecting territorial specificities and strengthening place-based approaches, in particular through the effective implementation of Smart Specialisation Strategies, in order to reinforce regional innovation ecosystems.

Amendment 78

Proposal for a regulation

Article 3 – paragraph 2 – indent 4

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
– Reduce national and regional disparities in research and innovation capacity, skills, and talent to strengthen innovation ecosystems.– Reduce national, regional and local disparities in research and innovation capacity, skills and talent in order to strengthen innovation ecosystems and innovation performance across the Union including in less-developed, rural and industrial transition regions, as well as in areas facing natural or demographic challenges such as outermost northernmost, island, cross-border and mountain regions. This shall be achieved in particular by facilitating the effective participation of regions and relevant actors within the multi-level governance framework of Member States, strengthening the role of regional and local authorities and taking into account different levels of institutional capacity and development, including smaller, universities with regional and local dimension, smaller academic and research entities with limited experience at European level, SMEs and local innovators. The Programme shall promote European added value and scientific and technological excellence, ensure fair access to funding opportunities for entities located in less-developed and transition regions, without prejudice to excellence-based selection , and support alignment with smart specialisation strategies thereby enhancing the capacity of these actors to absorb, deploy, valorise and scale up research and innovation results, boosting Union’s competitiveness and contributing to reducing the innovation divide between Member States and regions.

Amendment 79

Proposal for a regulation

Article 3 – paragraph 2 – indent 4 a (new)

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
– Strengthen the territorial dimension of research and innovation by promoting alignment with regional and local development strategies and enhancing multi-level governance to ensure effective uptake of results across all Member States.

Amendment 80

Proposal for a regulation

Article 3 – paragraph 2 – indent 4 b (new)

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
– Strengthen the competitiveness, resilience and innovation capacity of the Outermost Regions by promoting the development and consolidation of local scientific and technological ecosystems through dedicated support for research and innovation and taking into account the specific structural, geographical and climatic constraints of these regions. This aims to reduce regional disparities, valorise endogenous resources, attract and retain scientific talent, reinforce the participation of entities from these regions in the European Research Area (ERA), and ensure a balanced economic, social and territorial impact across the Union.

Amendment 81

Proposal for a regulation

Article 3 – paragraph 2 – indent 5

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
– Improve the Union’s position in innovation, with a specific focus on strategic technologies and disruptive innovation, facilitate the diffusion of innovative solutions through standardisation activities to foster competitiveness and address key societal challenges.– Improve the long-term Union’s position in innovation, with a society drive approach and a specific focus on but not limited to strategic technologies, disruptive and incremental innovation, facilitate the diffusion of innovative solutions through standardisation activities to foster competitiveness and address key societal challenges.

Amendment 82

Proposal for a regulation

Article 3 – paragraph 2 – indent 5 a (new)

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
– Ensure the effective diffusion and deployment of research and innovation results across regions with different levels of research and innovation capacity, in order to strengthen the Union’s overall competitiveness and long-term resilience.

Amendment 83

Proposal for a regulation

Article 3 – paragraph 2 – indent 6

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
– De-risk and mobilise more private research and innovation financing, particularly for supporting deep tech and the scaling up of innovative startups and SMEs.– De-risk and mobilise more private research and innovation financing, particularly for supporting deep tech and the scaling up of innovative startups and SMEs, including by strengthening wider regional innovation ecosystems, improving synergies with Cohesion Policy and other relevant Union instruments in order to boost private investment for R&I beyond already well-known leading innovation hubs and integrating innovative SMEs into Union’s industrial and technological value chains, in order to make them stronger and more independent.

Amendment 84

Proposal for a regulation

Article 3 – paragraph 2 – indent 6 a (new)

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
– Supporting the development and valorisation of research on strategic technologies, including dual-use technologies and, where appropriate, security and defence technologies, by strengthening industrial capacities and innovation ecosystems at regional and local level.

Amendment 85

Proposal for a regulation

Article 3 – paragraph 2 – indent 6 b (new)

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
– Supporting strategic research on energy technologies by strengthening regional capacities and infrastructures in order to enhance the Union’s energy security and competitiveness.

Amendment 86

Proposal for a regulation

Article 3 – paragraph 2 – indent 7

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
– Contribute to increasing public and private investment in research and innovation in Member States, thereby contributing to reach an overall expenditure of at least 3% of Union Gross Domestic Product (‘GDP’) in research and development.– Contribute to increasing public and private investment in research and innovation in Member States, thereby contributing to reach an overall expenditure of at least 3 % of Union Gross Domestic Product (‘GDP’) in research and development, while ensuring that investment efforts also support capacity-building and convergence in less-performing regions in order to foster performant R&I ecosystems across all the Union.

Amendment 87

Proposal for a regulation

Article 3 – paragraph 2 – indent 7 a (new)

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
– Promoting and strengthening research and innovation in the fields of agriculture, sustainable agri-food production, animal health, precision agriculture and water resilience as strategic pillars for food security, the protection of public and animal health, and the resilience of Union’s agricultural systems.

Amendment 88

Proposal for a regulation

Article 4 – paragraph 1 – point b – point i – point 2

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
(2) collaborative research and innovation activities under Chapter V ‘Health, Biotech, Agriculture and Bioeconomy’ of the European Competitiveness Fund;(2) collaborative research and innovation activities under Chapter V ‘Health, Biotechnology, Food Security, Agriculture and Bioeconomy’ of the European Competitiveness Fund;

Amendment 89

Proposal for a regulation

Article 4 – paragraph 1 – point c – point ii

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
(ii) Innovation ecosystems including activities to foster the integration of the knowledge triangle – higher education, research and innovation, and business – across the Union.(ii) Innovation ecosystems including activities to foster the integration of the knowledge triangle – higher education, research and innovation, and business – across the Union, including support for emerging and less-resourced innovation ecosystems, first-time applicants, universities with regional and local dimension, SMEs and local innovators and aimed at strengthening interconnected innovation capacities and supporting the effective scaling-up of innovation outcomes, including in ecosystems with emerging innovation potential.

Amendment 90

Proposal for a regulation

Article 4 – paragraph 1 – point d – point iii

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
(iii) widening participation and spreading excellence.(iii) widening participation and spreading excellence, while ensuring that persistent territorial disparities in research and innovation capacity at regional level are addressed.

Amendment 91

Proposal for a regulation

Article 5 – paragraph 1 – point a

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
(a) ensure a multidisciplinary approach, where appropriate, and provide for the integration of social sciences and humanities (SSH) across all components under the Programme, including specific calls for proposals on SSH related topics.(a) ensure a multidisciplinary approach, where appropriate, and provide for the integration of social sciences and humanities (SSH) across all components under the Programme, including specific calls for proposals on SSH related topics, while promoting multi-actor, place-based and practice-oriented research approaches that combine scientific excellence with operational, economic and territorial knowledge and encourage cooperation between research actors and regional and local authorities, recognising territorial diversity as a driver of innovation, development and resilience and ensuring that funding instruments are accessible to regional ecosystems with different innovation capacities and realities.

Amendment 92

Proposal for a regulation

Article 5 – paragraph 1 – point b

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
(b) advance scientific knowledge and contribute to the creation of informed, effective, and responsive public policies across the Union and beyond. The Programme shall actively promote the use of the results of publicly funded research and of scientific evidence in policy-making processes at all levels, fostering stronger links between research, innovation, and the development of evidence-informed public policies. This shall include encouraging collaborative mechanisms, R&I initiatives and science-for-policy interfaces connecting policy makers with the scientific community, as well as facilitating the use of research outcomes in shaping future legislative and regulatory frameworks at all levels. Special emphasis shall be placed on ensuring that scientific insights are accessible and relevant to decision makers and citizens, with instruments for the effective use of research results, policy briefs, and recommendations.(b) advance scientific knowledge and more balanced engagement of research and innovation, and contribute to the creation of informed, effective, and responsive public policies across the Union and beyond. The Programme shall actively promote the use of the results of publicly funded research and of scientific evidence in policy-making processes at all levels, fostering stronger links between research, innovation, and the development of evidence-informed public policies. This shall include encouraging collaborative mechanisms, R&I initiatives and science-for-policy interfaces connecting policy makers with the scientific community, as well as facilitating the use of research outcomes in shaping future legislative and regulatory frameworks at all levels. Special emphasis shall be placed on ensuring that scientific insights are accessible and relevant to decision makers and citizens, with instruments for the effective use of research results, policy briefs, and recommendations, including at national, regional and local level, in order to strengthen the effective territorial dissemination and implementation of research and innovation results.

Amendment 93

Proposal for a regulation

Article 5 – paragraph 1 – point b a (new)

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
(ba) adopt an inclusive, predictable and transparent programming process facilitating the participation of Member States and regions as well as all relevant stakeholders, including the research community, clusters and research transfer centres, thematic platforms, non-for-profit and civil society organisations.

Amendment 94

Proposal for a regulation

Article 5 – paragraph 1 – point c

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
(c) encourage open science practices including by ensuring open access to peer-reviewed scientific publications regarding results, as well as open access to research data and other results following the principle ‘as open as possible, as closed as necessary’.(c) encourage open science practices including by ensuring open access to peer-reviewed scientific publications regarding results, as well as open access to research data and other results following the principle ‘as open as possible, as closed as necessary’ and by ensuring that research data and results are effectively valorised translated, disseminated and embedded within regional and local innovation systems, notably through accessible communication formats, strengthened regional knowledge networks and cooperation with smart specialisation communities and territorial innovation partners.

Amendment 95

Proposal for a regulation

Article 5 – paragraph 1 – point c a (new)

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
(ca) contribute to economic, social and territorial cohesion in accordance with Article 174 TFEU by promoting balanced geographical participation and addressing persistent regional disparities in research and innovation capacities. The Programme shall strengthen links between research and territorial development, foster cooperation with regional and local authorities, including managing authorities of cohesion policy programmes, and facilitate the uptake of research and innovation results in the design and implementation, guided by the predictability of priorities so as to facilitate timely planning and the mobilisation of co-financing resources, of cohesion policy and territorial strategies. The Commission shall monitor and report to the European Parliament on the territorial distribution of participation and funding under the Programme.

Amendment 96

Proposal for a regulation

Article 6 – paragraph 2 – point b – point i – paragraph 2

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
EUR 19 650 000 000 for collaborative research and innovation activities under Chapter V ‘Health, Biotech, Agriculture and Bioeconomy’ of the European Competitiveness Fund;EUR 37 000 000 000 for collaborative research and innovation activities under Chapter V ‘Health, Biotech, Agriculture and Bioeconomy’ of the European Competitiveness Fund, with a minimum percentage to be allocated to animal health matters;

Amendment 97

Proposal for a regulation

Article 6 – paragraph 2 – point d

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
(d) EUR 16 262 000 000 for Part IV ‘European Research Area’, of which EUR 5 387 000 000 for widening participation and spreading excellence.(d) EUR 16 262 000 000 for Part IV ‘European Research Area’, of which EUR 5 387 000 000 for widening participation and spreading excellence. A suitable proportion of the allocation shall be devoted to regional capacity building and the participation of less-developed regions.

Amendment 98

Proposal for a regulation

Article 7 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1 (new)

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
Where Member States or regional or local authorities in the Union make a financial or non-financial contribution, their participation shall be significant and commensurate with the nature and amount of their respective contribution, as well as the role played in designing, managing and implementing joint actions.

Amendment 99

Proposal for a regulation

Article 8 – paragraph 1

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
1. The Programme shall be implemented in synergy with other Union programmes. An action that has received a Union contribution from another programme may also receive a contribution under this Programme. The rules of the relevant Union programme shall apply to the corresponding contribution or a single set of rules may be applied to all contributions and a single legal commitment may be concluded. If the Union contribution is based on eligible costs, the cumulative support from the Union budget shall not exceed the total eligible costs of the action and may be calculated on a pro-rata basis in accordance with the documents setting out the conditions for support.1. The Programme shall be implemented in synergy with other Union programmes, including the Cohesion Policy in full respect of their respective legal bases and objectives, even through coordination mechanisms such as National and Regional Partnership Plans, in order to effectively reduce regional disparities in the area of research and innovation , to facilitate the deployment and scaling-up of research and innovation results in regional economies and to finance actions to which a Seal of Excellence was awarded by this programme. An action that has received a Union contribution from another programme may also receive a contribution under this Programme. The rules of the relevant Union programme shall apply to the corresponding contribution, or a single set of rules may be applied to all contributions and a single legal commitment may be concluded. If the Union contribution is based on eligible costs, the cumulative support from the Union budget shall not exceed the total eligible costs of the action and may be calculated on a pro-rata basis in accordance with the documents setting out the conditions for support.

Amendment 100

Proposal for a regulation

Article 8 – paragraph 2

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
2. Award procedures under the Programme may be jointly conducted under direct or indirect management with Member States, Union institutions, bodies and agencies, third countries, international organisations, international financial institutions, or other third parties, provided the protection of the financial interests of the Union is ensured. Such procedures shall be subject to a single set of rules and lead to the conclusion of single legal commitments. For that purpose, the partners to the joint award procedure may make resources available to the Programme in accordance with Article 7 of this Regulation, or the partners may be entrusted with the implementation of the award procedure, where applicable in accordance with Article 62(1), point (c), of Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2024/2509. In joint award procedures, representatives of the partners to the joint award procedure may also be members of the evaluation committee referred to in Article 153(3) of Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2024/2509,2. Award procedures under the Programme may be jointly conducted under direct or indirect management with Member States, Union institutions, bodies and agencies, third countries, international organisations, international financial institutions, or other third parties, including local and regional authorities, provided the protection of the financial interests of the Union is ensured. Such procedures shall be subject to a single set of rules and lead to the conclusion of single legal commitments. For that purpose, the partners to the joint award procedure may make resources available to the Programme in accordance with Article 7 of this Regulation, or the partners may be entrusted with the implementation of the award procedure, where applicable in accordance with Article 62(1), point (c), of Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2024/2509. In joint award procedures, representatives of the partners to the joint award procedure may also be members of the evaluation committee referred to in Article 153(3) of Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2024/2509.

Amendment 101

Proposal for a regulation

Article 8 – paragraph 2 a (new)

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
2a. Where actions are supported in combination with funding under shared management, the Commission and Member States shall, where appropriate, promote practical arrangements facilitating access for innovative SMEs and start-ups, including by addressing cash-flow constraints and disproportionate requirements for financial guarantees at early stages, while ensuring sound financial management.

Amendment 102

Proposal for a regulation

Article 8 – paragraph 3

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
3. Under this programme, in addition to the conditions set out in Article 8(1) and (2) of Regulation (EU) XXX [European Competitiveness Fund], a Competitiveness Seal shall be awarded only to high-quality actions that have not been financed under the Programme due to budgetary constraints.3. A Seal of Excellence shall be awarded to excellent actions that have not been funded under the Programme due to budgetary constraints. These actions shall meet the following conditions: (i) have been evaluated in a call for proposals under the Programme; and (ii) comply with the minimum quality requirements of that call for proposals.

Amendment 103

Proposal for a regulation

Article 8 – paragraph 4

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
4. The Member States may finance actions to which a Competitiveness Seal was awarded.4. The Member States as well as regional and local authorities may finance actions to which a Competitiveness Seal was awarded and use the synergies with other European and regional programmes, including those under the Cohesion Policy, among public and private stakeholders, to ensure the effective deployment and scaling-up of research and innovation actions and results, thereby strengthening regional innovation ecosystems. These actions may be supported by shared management funds without the need for a new technical evaluation, thereby ensuring legal certainty and efficiency in the use of funds.

Amendment 104

Proposal for a regulation

Article 9 – paragraph 2 a (new)

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
2a. The Programme may be opened to the participation of the following third countries through full or partial association, in accordance with the objectives laid down in Article 3 and in accordance with the relevant international agreements, The Programme shall suspend or withhold funding in specific cases, to ensure it is not contrary to the interest of the Union, and does not incur contractual liability or violate international treaties.

Amendment 105

Proposal for a regulation

Article 9 – paragraph 5 a (new)

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
5a. Where the scope of the Programme pertains to security-sensitive matters such as matters relating to national and European security or poses risk to the Union's defence capacity or strategic technological independence, third country participation may be limited or excluded from these parts of the Programme in accordance with this Regulation or the association agreement itself.

Amendment 106

Proposal for a regulation

Article 9 – paragraph 5 b (new)

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
5b. Research security aspects shall be strengthened across the programme. Researchers and innovators shall be provided with guidance, training and targeted support from the Commission when it comes to the security, security screening and research security matters.

Amendment 107

Proposal for a regulation

Article 10 – paragraph 1 a (new)

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
1a. The Programme shall be implemented through work programmes to be adopted by the Commission by means of implementing acts. This model shall facilitate the participation of Member States and regions as well as other relevant stakeholders in the development and implementation of work programmes, as well as monitoring of programme implementation by Member States.

Amendment 108

Proposal for a regulation

Article 10 – paragraph 3

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
3. With the exception of financial instruments under the EIC (Fund) where Union support is provided in the form of a budgetary guarantee or a financial instrument, including where combined with non-repayable support in a blending operation, it shall be exclusively provided through the European Competitiveness Fund InvestEU Instrument and implemented in accordance with the applicable rules of the European Competitiveness Fund InvestEU Instrument through the contribution or guarantee agreements concluded for that purpose. Where the Programme makes use of the ECF InvestEU Instrument, it shall provide the provisioning for the budgetary guarantee and the financing to financial instruments, including when combined with non-repayable support in the form of a blending operation.3. With the exception of financial instruments under the EIC (Fund) where Union support is provided in the form of a budgetary guarantee or a financial instrument, including where combined with non-repayable support in a blending operation, it shall be exclusively provided through the European Competitiveness Fund InvestEU Instrument and implemented in accordance with the applicable rules of the European Competitiveness Fund InvestEU Instrument through the contribution or guarantee agreements concluded for that purpose. Where the Programme makes use of the ECF InvestEU Instrument, it shall ensure that the design and implementation of financial instruments are proportionate and accessible to different categories of beneficiaries, taking into account the diversity of sectors, business models and investment capacities. It shall provide the provisioning for the budgetary guarantee and the financing to financial instruments, including when combined with non-repayable support in the form of a blending operation.

Amendment 109

Proposal for a regulation

Article 10 – paragraph 4

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
4. Where Union funding is provided in the form of a grant, funding shall be provided as financing not linked to cost, or as simplified cost options in particular through lump sums as well as unit costs for personnel, in accordance with Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2024/2509. Funding may be provided in the form of actual eligible cost reimbursement only where the objectives of an action cannot be achieved otherwise. Where it is necessary to enable other sources of funding including co-investments with national resources subject to State aid rules, funding shall be provided in the form of actual eligible cost reimbursement or simplified cost options.4. Where Union funding is provided in the form of a grant, funding shall be provided as financing not linked to cost, or as simplified cost options in particular through lump sums as well as unit costs for personnel, in accordance with Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2024/2509. Funding may be provided in the form of actual eligible cost reimbursement only where the objectives of an action cannot be achieved otherwise. Where it is necessary to enable other sources of funding including co-investments with national resources subject to State aid rules, funding shall be provided in the form of actual eligible cost reimbursement or simplified cost options. Funding shall be connected to the project allowing for change of the personnel involved when the case.

Amendment 110

Proposal for a regulation

Article 10 – paragraph 5 a (new)

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
5a. The work programme shall include specific calls or categories within the Programme where projects with participants from widening countries are prioritized for funding. These calls may include measures to support collaboration, capacity building, and ensure that widening countries are adequately represented in large-scale, high-impact projects, thereby addressing structural inequalities in the distribution of Horizon Europe funds.

Amendment 111

Proposal for a regulation

Article 11 – paragraph 4

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
4. For European Partnerships established pursuant to paragraphs 2 and 3 of this Article, support from the Programme shall be conditional upon efficient use of Union financing, a proportionate financial contribution from other partners at least matching the Union contribution and voting rights for the Union in the governing bodies ensuring protection of the interests of the Union in the partnership. For that purpose, Joint Undertakings shall be established through a single establishing act ensuring harmonised rules.4. In the case of European Partnerships established pursuant to paragraphs 2 and 3 of this Article, support from the Programme shall be conditional on the efficient use of Union funding, on a proportionate financial contribution from other partners at least equivalent to the Union’s contribution, and on the Union’s voting rights in the governing bodies ensuring the protection of the Union’s interests in the partnership. For this purpose, Joint Undertakings shall be established through a single founding act ensuring harmonised rules. Appropriate coordination between Union funds shall also be ensured to maximise synergies, avoid duplication, and guarantee complementarity between financial instruments and programmes.

Amendment 112

Proposal for a regulation

Article 11 – paragraph 4 a (new)

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
4a. In the case of European Partnerships involving a financial contribution from Member States or from regional or local authorities of the Union, a structured and proportionate level of participation shall be ensured, commensurate with their respective financial contribution and with the role they play in the design, governance and implementation of the joint actions, as well as predictability of priorities and sufficient programming to guarantee legal certainty and stability in the mobilisation of national and regional resources.

Amendment 113

Proposal for a regulation

Article 11 – paragraph 5 – point d

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
(d) be selected in a competitive manner based on a set of quantifiable lifecycle criteria and a strong portfolio approach, resulting in a coherent set of initiatives.(d) be selected in a competitive manner, taking into consideration a balanced geographical approach, based on a set of quantifiable lifecycle criteria and a strong portfolio approach, resulting in a coherent set of initiatives and ensuring coordination with the Member States, including national, regional and local authorities, in defining and selecting the partnership portfolio. Such participation shall constitute an essential principle and shall be particularly relevant in cases where it is necessary to mobilise national, regional or private sector co-financing.

Amendment 114

Proposal for a regulation

Article 12 – paragraph 1

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
1. The European Research Council shall provide attractive and flexible funding to enable talented and creative individual researchers, with an emphasis on early- stage researchers, and their teams to pursue the most promising avenues at the frontier of science, regardless of their nationality and country of origin and on the basis of competition based solely on the criterion of excellence.1. The European Research Council shall provide attractive and flexible funding to enable talented and creative individual researchers, with an emphasis on early- stage researchers, and their teams to pursue the most promising avenues at the frontier of science, regardless of their nationality and country of origin and on the basis of competition based solely on the criterion of excellence. ERC grants shall be implemented in accordance with simple and transparent procedures and structural barriers to participation by researchers from Widening Countries shall be actively removed.

Amendment 115

Proposal for a regulation

Article 13 – paragraph 1

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
1. The Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions shall support the career at all stages, skills development, and mobility of researchers from all over the world subject to security considerations. MSCA shall foster research excellence, attract and retain excellent research talents, and support sustainable research careers in the Union with the aim to increase the Union’s competitiveness in research and innovation.1. The Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions shall support the career at all stages, skills development, and mobility of researchers from the Union in particular and all over the world subject to security considerations with a specific focus on early career researchers to prevent brain-drain. MSCA shall foster research excellence in a bottom-up manner, attract and retain excellent research talents, and support sustainable research careers in the Union with the aim to increase the Union’s competitiveness in research and innovation, while promoting balanced brain circulation and strengthening research and innovation capacities across regions with different levels of development. MSCA have an immense potential in strengthening the research base in less research-performing regions due to their strong training dimension. To this end, a strong emphasis shall be placed on increasing the participation of research entities across the Union, from various territories and regions. The MSCA shall reinforce links between universities and innovation ecosystems, including between high-performance research entities and less research-performing entities, as well as the private sector, with specific focus on SMEs.

Amendment 116

Proposal for a regulation

Article 13 – paragraph 2

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
2. The MSCA shall fund excellent doctoral networks, post-doctoral fellowships, R&I staff exchanges, as well as support mechanisms to foster sustainable careers in view of attracting and retaining the most promising talents. A strong focus shall be put on international, inter-sectoral and inter-disciplinary cooperation as well as science outreach. The funding shall support cutting edge research and focus on developing research talent, with targeted support for early career researchers. It shall support to establish the Union as a leading destination for researchers.2. The MSCA shall fund excellent doctoral networks, post-doctoral fellowships, R&I staff exchanges, as well as support mechanisms to foster sustainable careers in view of attracting and retaining the most promising talents. A strong focus shall be put on international, inter-sectoral and inter-disciplinary cooperation across all research fields as well as science outreach. The funding shall support cutting edge research and focus on developing research talent, with targeted support for early career researchers. It shall support the establishment of the Union as a leading destination for researchers, including by enabling researchers to build long-term careers within diverse regional research and innovation ecosystems across the Union. A strong focus within MSCA shall be also put on reintegration of Union researchers based in third countries back into the European Research Area.

Amendment 117

Proposal for a regulation

Article 13 a (new)

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
Article 13a
The New European Bauhaus (NEB) Facility
1. The New European Bauhaus (NEB) shall be understood as a multi-annual funding and policy initiative aimed at fostering the transformation of the Union’s built environment, urban and rural spaces, and local communities through sustainable, inclusive, and aesthetically appealing design. The NEB shall support the development, demonstration and deployment of innovative solutions that combine research and innovation with social, cultural and territorial dimensions. The NEB shall consist of two complementary components:
a) The NEB Facility: A Research and Innovation component, primarily funded under Horizon Europe, focusing on the generation of new knowledge, technologies, materials and methodologies; and
b) A Roll-out component, delivered through coordinated use of Union programmes and national and regional funding, aimed at the large-scale implementation, scaling-up and territorial integration of innovative solutions, including the active engagement of regional and local authorities, communities and relevant stakeholders.
2. The NEB shall promote cross-sectoral, multidisciplinary collaboration, and contribute to the economic, social and territorial cohesion of the Union, in line with Article 174 TFEU.
3. Financial allocations to the New European Bauhaus (NEB) Facility shall ensure consistency and complementarity with the investments and financial instruments provided for in the National and Regional Partnership Plans and in the European Competitiveness Fund. They shall be directed primarily towards a roll-out component facilitating the implementation, scaling-up and territorial uptake of results generated under the Programme.

Amendment 118

Proposal for a regulation

Article 14 – paragraph 1

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
1. The Joint Research Centre shall provide independent, evidence-based knowledge and science, supporting EU policies to positively impact society. This shall be undertaken through JRC direct actions and through participation of the JRC in indirect actions. Chapter II of Title II shall not apply to direct actions. By way of derogation from Article 21(3) of Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2024/2509, the revenues or amounts resulting from the JRC’s research activities (e.g. patents, licenses etc) shall be reusable by the JRC.1. The Joint Research Centre shall provide independent, evidence-based knowledge and science, supporting EU policies, as well as national and regional authorities through training, knowledge and data sharing, analysis, modelling, and by opening its research infrastructures to researchers and industries, to positively impact society. This shall be undertaken through JRC direct actions and through participation of the JRC in indirect actions including, where appropriate, cooperation with national and regional authorities to support the territorial uptake of scientific evidence in policy-making. Chapter II of Title II shall not apply to direct actions. By way of derogation from Article 21(3) of Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2024/2509, the revenues or amounts resulting from the JRC’s research activities (e.g. patents, licenses etc) shall be reusable by the JRC.

Amendment 119

Proposal for a regulation

Article 15 – paragraph 1

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
1. Collaborative research shall support the creation of transnational research and innovation cooperation networks, bringing together entities of different disciplines, to support the development and swift diffusion of high-quality results in favour of the Union’s industrial competitiveness, space, security, clean transition, preparedness and resilience, and addressing societal challenges, including culture and creativity, and to strengthen the impact of research in developing and supporting Union policies.1. Collaborative research shall support the creation of transnational and cross-border research and innovation cooperation networks building on current cross-border cooperation in the field of research and innovation, bringing together entities of different disciplines, stemming from geographically diverse Union regions, including from less R&I performing ones, to support the development and swift diffusion of high-quality results in favour of the Union’s overall industrial competitiveness, space, security, including the development of military technologies, clean transition, preparedness and resilience, and addressing societal challenges, including culture and creativity, and to strengthen the impact of research in developing and supporting Union policies, including by promoting cooperation models that, incentivise cross-border cooperation, taking into account the territorial dimension of innovation and the role of regions in the implementation and exploitation of research results, facilitate the participation of a diverse range of actors, particularly involving entities from widening countries, such as emerging research institutions, universities with regional dimension, SMEs and innovation intermediaries, in transnational research and innovation networks to ensure the dissemination of best practices within the Union.

Amendment 120

Proposal for a regulation

Article 15 – paragraph 1 a (new)

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
1a. The Programme shall contribute to advancing research and innovation addressing persistent territorial disparities within the Union, including the challenges faced by lagging regions, rural-urban divides, brain-drain, demographic decline and depopulation. It shall support interdisciplinary research, policy experimentation and innovation actions aimed at strengthening place-based development, enhancing talent retention and circulation, and fostering inclusive and resilient regional innovation ecosystems. Particular attention shall be given to improving the evidence base for territorial cohesion, promoting the effective valorisation of research results in less-developed regions, and reinforcing synergies with Cohesion policy and Smart Specialisation Strategies.

Amendment 121

Proposal for a regulation

Article 15 – paragraph 2

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
2. Activities shall be carried out in a balanced manner between lower and higher Technology Readiness Levels, thereby covering the whole value chain.2. Activities shall be carried out in a balanced manner between lower and higher Technology Readiness Levels, thereby covering the whole value chain, allowing for differentiated forms of contribution along the innovation cycle, in particular at demonstration, testing and disseminations stages, where regional innovation ecosystems can add value.

Amendment 122

Proposal for a regulation

Article 15 – paragraph 4

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
4. The Programme shall support activities to tackle global societal challenges in the areas of strengthening democratic values and tackling disinformation, including rule of law and fundamental rights; promoting socio-economic transformations that contribute to inclusion and growth, addressing demographic and intergenerational challenges, including from a youth perspective and including migration management and integration of migrants.4. The Programme shall support activities to tackle global societal challenges in the areas of strengthening democratic values and tackling disinformation, through research and innovation in political education, media and information literacy, trustworthy science communication, including rule of law and fundamental rights; fostering socio-economic development that contribute to inclusion and growth, addressing demographic and intergenerational challenges, including from a youth perspective and including social, economic and cultural integration of migrants.

Amendment 123

Proposal for a regulation

Article 15 – paragraph 4 a (new)

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
4a. Cooperation in transnational networks shall be designed in such a way that all research and innovation centres can assume a coordinating role.

Amendment 124

Proposal for a regulation

Article 15 – paragraph 4 b (new)

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
4b. In assessing the quality of the implementation, the evaluation shall take into account the capacity of the consortium to strengthen participation of entities with persistently low participation levels under the Programme.

Amendment 125

Proposal for a regulation

Article 15 – paragraph 5

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
5. The Programme shall contribute to EU Missions notably through the identification of priority actions for R&I funding for the development of new knowledge, technologies, services, and products in view of their goals. Funding for the EU Missions established under Article 8 of the Regulation (EU) 2021/695 shall be awarded on the basis of work programmes covering up to the budgetary year 2030.5. The Programme shall contribute to EU Missions notably through the identification of priority actions for R&I funding for the development of new knowledge, technologies, services, and products in view of their goals, taking into account specific needs of Union regions ensuring their involvement in the definition and implementation of the priority actions and their industrial base and citizens needs. Funding for the EU Missions established under Article 8 of the Regulation (EU) 2021/695 shall be awarded on the basis of work programmes covering up to the budgetary year beyond 2034. The financing of the EU Missions beyond their R&I aspects shall be provided under the under the Regulation (EU) 202X/XXXX [European Competitiveness Fund ('ECF’) regulation].

Amendment 126

Proposal for a regulation

Article 16 – paragraph 1

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
1. The EIC shall identify, develop and scale up deep tech and disruptive innovation from research to scale-up. It shall be implemented mainly through open bottom-up calls for proposals while ensuring a balanced portfolio of actions across thematic areas. This shall be complemented by targeted thematic and ‘Challenge’ calls in areas of potential strategic interest in close coordination and synergy with the ECF policy windows, in particular with the ECF InvestEU Instrument.1. The EIC shall identify, develop and scale up deep tech and disruptive innovation from research to scale-up. It shall be implemented mainly through open bottom-up calls for proposals while ensuring a balanced portfolio of actions across thematic areas taking into account specific needs of Union regions, citizens and industries. This shall be complemented by targeted thematic and ‘Challenge’ calls in areas of potential strategic interest in close coordination and synergy with the ECF policy windows, in particular with the ECF InvestEU Instrument. The targeted EIC outreach to widening countries shall be strengthened. The synergies between the EIC and the ScaleUp Europe Fund shall be enabled.

Amendment 127

Proposal for a regulation

Article 16 – paragraph 5 a (new)

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
5a. While regional programmes may be supported through the European Innovation Council (EIC) “Plug-in” approach, the Programme shall ensure that access to this mechanism is effectively facilitated for local and regional authorities and managing bodies. In particular, the Commission shall put in place clear, transparent and proportionate procedures enabling regional programmes, including those implemented under shared management, to connect to the EIC. Appropriate guidance, coordination mechanisms and technical assistance shall be provided to ensure that regional innovation ecosystems, including those in less developed or transition regions, can fully benefit from the EIC Plug-in scheme.

Amendment 128

Proposal for a regulation

Article 16 – paragraph 5 b (new)

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
5b. For the purpose of the certification process referred to in paragraph 5, the Commission shall adopt an implementing act specifying the criteria and conditions that a programme must comply with, in order to be part of the EIC Plug-in.

Amendment 129

Proposal for a regulation

Article 16 – paragraph 5 c (new)

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
5c. Through its work programmes, the EIC shall ensure specific measures to facilitate access for SMEs and start-ups established in less developed regions and in transition regions, including through tailored acceleration services, mentoring, capacity-building and facilitating access to private investment, with the aim of reducing territorial disparities in innovation.

Amendment 130

Proposal for a regulation

Article 17 – paragraph 1

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
1. The Programme shall support organisations to create competitive, robust and connected innovation ecosystems and framework conditions. Synergies with Union, national and regional programmes shall be pursued to this end.1. The Programme shall support organisations and relevant stakeholders such as academia, public and private partners to create competitive, robust and connected national and regional innovation ecosystems such as through Regional Innovation Valleys (RIVs), and to improve framework conditions. Such support should promote place-based approaches, interregional cooperation and efficient coordination with Cohesion Policy instruments, in order to improve the capacity of ecosystems to absorb, deploy and scale up innovation outcomes beyond already well-known leading innovation hubs. It may support ecosystem-building actions, including cross-border networking formats, start-up ecosystem twinning, and activities strengthening university-based entrepreneurship and incubation, particularly in widening and transition countries. Synergies with Union, national and regional programmes and strategies shall be pursued to this end, with particular attention to strengthening innovation capacity in order to avoid duplication of funding as well as to enabling less-resourced and emerging innovation ecosystems at regional level to develop, strengthen institutional capacity and participate effectively in the Union’s research and innovation activities. These synergies with other programmes shall be designed in such a way that the impact of high-performing, well-established innovation leading hubs is optimally leveraged in order to strengthen their achieved capacity, efficiency and competitiveness as a driving force for the entire Union.

Amendment 131

Proposal for a regulation

Article 17 – paragraph 2

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
2. The Programme shall support activities to foster the integration of the knowledge triangle – higher education, research and innovation, and business – across the Union.2. The Programme shall support activities to foster the integration of the knowledge triangle – higher education, research and innovation, and business – across the Union further facilitating the cooperation between universities, research organisations, such as the European Institute of Innovation and Technology and its Knowledge and Innovation Communities, SMEs , private sector and public authorities at national, regional and local level and shall include, where appropriate, cascade funding mechanisms and other tailored support formats enabling early-stage, student-led and innovative and university-based start-ups to access seed support and to connect to wider European innovation networks, particularly in widening and transition countries, in outermost regions and in regions facing demographic decline.

Amendment 132

Proposal for a regulation

Article 18 – paragraph 2

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
2. The Programme shall ensure the effective promotion and protection of values and principles of the ERA and the Pact for research and innovation, notably ethics and integrity in research and innovation, freedom of scientific research and gender equality and equal opportunities, and the promotion of attractive research careers and mobility. The funding of the Research and Technology Infrastructures shall contribute to equip the Union with a strong and coherent ecosystem of world-class sustainable facilities and services, building on prioritised pan-European infrastructures and complementary state-of-the-art national capacities and using funding instruments, including European partnerships. The Programme shall contribute up to 20% of the building costs of critical new world-class capacities of European research and technology infrastructures.2. The Programme shall ensure the effective promotion and protection of values and principles of the ERA and the Pact for research and innovation, notably ethics and integrity in research and innovation, research security, freedom of scientific research and gender equality and equal opportunities, and the promotion of attractive research careers and mobility. The funding of the Research and Technology Infrastructures shall contribute to equip the Union with a strong and coherent ecosystem of world-class sustainable facilities and services, building on prioritised pan-European infrastructures and complementary state-of-the-art national and regional capacities and using funding instruments, including European partnerships. The Programme shall contribute up to 20% of the building costs of critical new world-class capacities, as well as upgrading or modernisation of the existing European research and technology infrastructures, including those requested or initiated by LRAs.

Amendment 133

Proposal for a regulation

Article 18 – paragraph 3

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
3. The Policy Support Facility shall provide Member States and Associated Countries with practical expert support to design, implement and evaluate reforms that enhance the quality of their research and innovation investments, policies and systems. It shall contribute to building stronger and more effective national research and innovation systems and a more robust European Research Area.3. The Policy Support Facility shall provide Member States, regional and local authorities and Associated Countries with practical expert support to design, implement and evaluate reforms that enhance the quality of their research and innovation investments, policies and systems. It shall contribute to building stronger and more effective national and regional and local research and innovation systems and a more robust European Research Area. This support may also cover guidance and expert assistance to national and regional authorities, particularly in widening and transition countries, to design innovation support schemes that are better adapted to the needs of high-risk, research-based start-ups and to strengthen the pipeline from research results to market uptake, in complementarity with the Programme.

Amendment 134

Proposal for a regulation

Article 18 – paragraph 3 a (new)

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
3a. The Commission shall monitor and periodically report on the geographical and territorial distribution of the funding awarded under the programme, including the participation of less developed regions and transition regions, to assess the programme’s contribution to economic, social and territorial cohesion, in accordance with Article 174 of the TFEU.

Amendment 135

Proposal for a regulation

Article 19 – paragraph 1

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
1. ‘Widening countries’ are Bulgaria, Croatia, Czechia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania and Slovakia for the purposes of funding the actions under paragraph 5, points a) and b).1. ‘Widening countries’ are Bulgaria, Croatia, Czechia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania and Slovakia for the purposes of funding the actions under paragraph 5, points a) and b), while acknowledging the existence of significant internal regional disparities in the field of research and innovation capacity within those Member States.

Amendment 136

Proposal for a regulation

Article 19 – paragraph 3

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
3. Only legal entities established in widening countries or transition countries shall be eligible as coordinators under the ‘widening participation and spreading excellence’ component of the ‘Strengthening the ERA’ part of the Programme.3. Only legal entities, including where relevant local and regional authorities, established in widening countries or transition countries shall be eligible as coordinators under the ‘widening participation and spreading excellence’ component of the ‘Strengthening the ERA’ part of the Programme.

Amendment 137

Proposal for a regulation

Article 19 – paragraph 4

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
4. For associated countries, legal entities from the list of eligible countries as defined based on an indicator and published in the work programme shall be fully eligible as coordinators under this component. Legal entities from outermost regions as defined in Article 349 TFEU shall be also eligible as coordinators under this component and shall be subject to the same rules applying to widening countries under this Article, with the exception of paragraph 7.4. For associated countries, legal entities from the list of eligible countries as defined based on an indicator and published in the work programme shall be fully eligible as coordinators under this component. Legal entities from outermost regions as defined in Article 349 TFEU shall be also eligible as coordinators under this component and shall be subject to the same rules applying to widening countries under this Article, with the exception of paragraph 7. The Commission shall ensure that the level of financial support and participation opportunities for entities in outermost regions is aligned with the participation gaps they face, as well as their structural and geographical constraints, while fully respecting the principle of excellence-based evaluation. The Commission shall take measures to enhance the accessibility and effective participation of these entities in collaborative actions under the Programme, ensuring they can compete on equal footing with other regions.

Amendment 138

Proposal for a regulation

Article 19 – paragraph 5 – point b

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
(b) measures supporting networking, knowledge valorisation, countering brain drain and dedicated National Contact Points (NCP) support.(b) measures supporting networking, knowledge valorisation, consortium building, mentoring, experience sharing, countering brain drain, support talent retention, with particular attention to early-career and female researchers and dedicated support for National Contact Points (NCP) including strengthened outreach and advisory services at national, regional and local level, as well as research support offices in research institutions;

Amendment 139

Proposal for a regulation

Article 19 – paragraph 5 – point b a (new)

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
(ba) establishment of specific goals in relation to a number of projects coordinated by entities from widening countries, as well as establishment of specific incentives for consortia to include entities from widening countries and for projects to be coordinated by such entities, such as bonus points in the evaluation process;

Amendment 140

Proposal for a regulation

Article 19 – paragraph 5 – point b b (new)

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
(bb) measures strengthening regional innovation ecosystems to build a sustainable pipeline of innovative SMEs and start-ups, including deep-tech ventures, enabling their effective participation in collaborative research and innovation projects and supporting the scaling of innovation across the Union;

Amendment 141

Proposal for a regulation

Article 19 – paragraph 5 – point b c (new)

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
(bc) measures supporting talent attraction in less developed regions;

Amendment 142

Proposal for a regulation

Article 19 – paragraph 5 – point b d (new)

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
(bd) fostering access of entities from widening countries to participate in high-value collaborative projects under Pillar II and Pillar III and to research infrastructures, including of JRC;

Amendment 143

Proposal for a regulation

Article 19 – paragraph 5 – point b e (new)

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
(be) simplification of rules and procedures with special focus on smaller actors and first-time applicants;

Amendment 144

Proposal for a regulation

Article 19 – paragraph 5 – point b f (new)

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
(bf) introduction of so-called preparatory grants constituting support for entities from widening countries at the stage of application preparation and consortium building.

Amendment 145

Proposal for a regulation

Article 19 – paragraph 6

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
6. The Programme shall assist widening and transition countries to increase their participation and to promote a broad geographical coverage in excellent collaborative projects. Those efforts shall be mirrored by proportional measures by Member States.6. The Programme shall support widening and transition countries to increase their participation in excellent projects, ensuring the pan-European added value necessary to reduce the ‘innovation divide and to improve their success rates in collaborative projects under the Programme, and to promote a broad and balanced geographical coverage in excellent collaborative projects. Such assistance shall include structured measures supporting proposal development, partner search and integration into collaborative projects. Those efforts shall be mirrored by proportional measures by Member States and regions, and contribute to addressing persistent disparities in participation and funding outcomes across all Member States.

Amendment 146

Proposal for a regulation

Article 19 – paragraph 6 a (new)

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
6a. The Commission shall regularly monitor the distribution of Programme funding across Member States, including participation rates, success rates and shares of allocated funding. Where persistent disparities between Member States are identified, the Commission may introduce targeted measures in the work programme aimed at improving participation and funding outcomes for underrepresented Member States and regions while fully respecting the principle of excellence-based evaluation.

Amendment 147

Proposal for a regulation

Article 19 – paragraph 6 b (new)

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
6b. Commission shall closely monitor participation levels in widening countries and, if continuous imbalances emerge, introduce additional measures to tackle them and achieve a wider pattern of participation.

Amendment 148

Proposal for a regulation

Article 21 – paragraph 2 a (new)

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
2a. Regional and local authorities, regional development agencies, and other territorial public bodies shall be eligible to participate in and coordinate actions under the Programme, on equal terms with other eligible legal entities.

Amendment 149

Proposal for a regulation

Article 21 – paragraph 3 – point b

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
(b) at least one other legal entity established in another Member State or an associated country.(b) at least one other legal entity established in another Member State or an associated country, while allowing, where appropriate and without prejudice to excellence, for smaller and more flexible consortia or alternative collaborative configurations, in order to facilitate access for regional actors and emerging innovation ecosystems.

Amendment 150

Proposal for a regulation

Article 21 – paragraph 9 – subparagraph 1 – point a a (new)

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
(aa) activities which have been recognized by a large scientific consensus as posing significant risks for the environment, human or animal health;

Amendment 151

Proposal for a regulation

Article 21 – paragraph 12

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
12. The work programme or the documents related to the award procedure may specify the eligibility criteria set out in this Regulation or set additional eligibility criteria for specific actions including to take into account specific policy requirements.12. The work programme or the documents related to the award procedure may specify the eligibility criteria set out in this Regulation or set additional eligibility criteria for specific actions including to take into account specific policy requirements including prioritising the equal participation of legal entities from widening countries to address persistent disparities in participation and funding allocation. Such criteria shall be considered when developing the work programme and its eligibility conditions, ensuring that excellence-based evaluation remains the central principle for award decisions, while promoting more equitable participation across the Union. The award procedure shall consider the inclusion of modular approaches and smaller or more flexible consortia considering that this enhances accessibility and effective participation to research and innovation across all territories of the Union.

Amendment 152

Proposal for a regulation

Article 22 – paragraph 2 – point e

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
(e) obtain all approvals or other mandatory documents from the relevant national, local ethics committees or other bodies, such as data protection authorities, before the start of the relevant activities and keep those documents on file to be provided to the Commission or the relevant implementation body upon request.(e) obtain all approvals or other mandatory documents from the relevant national, regional and local ethics committees or other bodies, such as data protection authorities, before the start of the relevant activities and keep those documents on file to be provided to the Commission or the relevant implementation body upon request.

Amendment 153

Proposal for a regulation

Article 23 – paragraph 2

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
2. The work programme shall specify calls for proposals for which Competitiveness Seals may be awarded. Information concerning the application and the evaluation may be shared with interested financing authorities, subject to the conclusion of confidentiality agreements unless explicitly objected by the applicant.2. Proposals may be awarded a Seal of Excellence in accordance with Article 8(3). Information concerning the application, and its evaluation may be communicated to the relevant funding authorities, subject to the conclusion of confidentiality agreements, unless the applicant explicitly objects.

Amendment 154

Proposal for a regulation

Article 25 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1 – introductory part

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
A proposal shall be evaluated on the basis of the following award criteria:A proposal shall be evaluated on the basis of the following award criteria, while taking into account the need to ensure a more geographically balanced access:

Amendment 155

Proposal for a regulation

Article 26 – paragraph 2 a (new)

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
2a. In order to lower the administrative pressure both for applicants and Union institutions, as well as reduce financial risk for applicants, the evaluation shall be conducted in two-stage procedure, with the first stage comprising of a shorter concept application, and a second stage with a complete application for the short-listed entities.

Amendment 156

Proposal for a regulation

Article 27 – paragraph 1 a (new)

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
1a. In accordance with Article 349 of the TFEU, transnational cooperation networks in the field of research and innovation, bringing together higher education and research entities from the Outermost Regions, shall benefit from grants and prizes with up to 100% Union funding rate, taking into account the permanent structural constraints of those regions, the need to strengthen their effective integration into the European Research Area, and the objective of promoting scientific excellence, the attraction and retention of talent, and territorial competitiveness, while ensuring equitable conditions for participation and a balanced European impact.

Amendment 157

Proposal for a regulation

Article 27 – paragraph 2

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
2. Up to 100 % of total eligible costs of an action under the Programme may be reimbursed, except for for-profit legal entities where up to 70% of the total eligible costs may be reimbursed. By way of exception, SMEs shall be eligible for a funding rate of up to 100% of the total eligible costs.2. Up to 100% of the total eligible costs of an action under the Programme may be reimbursed, except for legal entities with a profit-making purpose, for which up to 70% of the total eligible costs may be reimbursed. By way of exception, SMEs shall be eligible for a funding rate of up to 100% of the total eligible costs. For SMEs established in less developed regions or in transition regions, the work programme may provide for simplified procedures, additional support mechanisms, and dedicated services to facilitate access to funding.

Amendment 158

Proposal for a regulation

Article 32 – paragraph 1 – point c

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
(c) undertake best efforts to valorise their results, either directly or indirectly, including through transfer or licensing; if results are not valorised within a given period, the Commission may identify instruments and tools, such as those serving the valorisation strategy set out in Chapter III of Regulation (EU) XXX [European Competitiveness Fund], that the beneficiaries concerned shall use to facilitate the valorisation of those results;(c) undertake best efforts to valorise their results, either directly or indirectly, including through transfer or licensing; if results are not valorised within a given period, the Commission may identify instruments and tools, such as those serving the valorisation strategy set out in Chapter III of Regulation (EU) XXX [European Competitiveness Fund], that the beneficiaries concerned shall use to facilitate the valorisation of those results, including instruments supporting regional and local deployment and the involvement of innovation ecosystems beyond leading hubs, and, where appropriate, support for university technology transfer structures and incentives for patenting, licensing and spin-offs;

Amendment 159

Proposal for a regulation

Article 32 – paragraph 1 – point g – point ii

Text proposed by the CommissionAmendment
(ii) to Member States’ national authorities, where provided in the work programme, call conditions or grant agreement.(ii) to Member States’ national, regional and local authorities, where provided in the work programme, call conditions or grant agreement.
Annex: declaration of input 1 paragraph

The rapporteur for opinion declares under his exclusive responsibility that he did not include in his opinion input from interest representatives falling within the scope of the Interinstitutional Agreement on a mandatory transparency register, or from representatives of public authorities of third countries, including their diplomatic missions and embassies, to be listed in this Annex pursuant to Article 8 of Annex I to the Rules of Procedure.

Procedure pages

How the committees handled the text, and how their members voted on it.

Procedure – committee asked for opinion 1 paragraph
TitleEstablishing Horizon Europe, the Framework Programme for Research and Innovation, for the period 2028-2034 laying down its rules for participation and dissemination, and repealing Regulation (EU) 2021/695
ReferencesCOM(2025)0543 – C10-0164/2025 – 2025/0543(COD)
Committee(s) responsible Date announced in plenaryITRE 23.10.2025
Opinion by Date announced in plenaryREGI 23.10.2025
Rapporteur for opinion Date appointedŞerban Dimitrie Sturdza 26.1.2026
Discussed in committee26.2.2026
Date adopted25.3.2026
Result of final vote+: –: 0:19 2 15
Final vote by roll call by the committee asked for opinion 3 paragraphs

19 · For

ECR
Antonella Sberna, Şerban Dimitrie Sturdza, Waldemar Tomaszewski, Francesco Ventola
No group
Fidias Panayiotou
EPP
Fredis Beleris, Daniel Buda, Christian Doleschal, Krzysztof Hetman, Isabelle Le Callennec, Alexandra Mehnert, Dan-Ştefan Motreanu, Elena Nevado del Campo, Andrey Novakov, Jacek Protas, Marta Wcisło
Patriots
Marie-Luce Brasier-Clain, Catherine Griset, Rody Tolassy

2 · Against

The Left
Sebastian Everding, Valentina Palmisano

15 · Abstained

Patriots
Tamás Deutsch
Renew
Elsi Katainen, Ciaran Mullooly, Brigitte van den Berg, Michal Wiezik
S&D
Sakis Arnaoutoglou, Andi Cristea, Sérgio Gonçalves, Nora Mebarek, Sabrina Repp, Marcos Ros Sempere, Raffaele Topo
Greens
Cristina Guarda, Vladimir Prebilič, Mārtiņš Staķis