Widening Participation and Strengthening the European Research Area

The Horizon Europe Programme is to encourage greater participation, reduce the research and innovation gap and strengthen the European Research Area through the Widening participation and strengthening the European Research Area component. It is divided into two areas:

  • Ensuring wider participation and spreading excellence;
  • Reform and enhance the European research and innovation system.

The essence of this component is the full use of Europe’s scientific potential and ensuring that the benefits of an economy based on knowledge and innovation are widely spread in all countries of our continent. This is important because the uneven level of scientific excellence in individual countries is holding back the European Union’s development towards becoming a world leader in research and innovation. The financial instruments envisaged by the European Commission in the area of ​​Wider participation and Strengthening of the European Research Area are intended to counteract the further deepening of these inequalities.

The funds are intended primarily for the development of scientific excellence of research and development institutions and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which base their activities on research and development. A number of financial instruments will be available to applicants, including as part of the Teaming, ERA Chairs, Twinning, COST, and new Excellence Initiatives and Brain Circulations competitions. Actions to support the development and cooperation of European Centers of Excellence will contribute to the strengthening of the European Research Area (ERA).