Horizon Europe: Mission Overview
Horizon Europe is the 9th Framework Program from the European Commission and will run from 2021-2027, with a total budget of €95.5 billion. There are five different Horizon Europe missions proposed across five mission-areas. These are defined as key focus areas, important for furthering the goals of the European Green Deal, Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan, and the Sustainable Development Goals.
Horizon Europe mission areas and proposed missions
The Horizon Europe program aims to implement mission-driven research focusing on five different missions. A mission is a set of actions across multiple disciplines with the aim of reaching a bold and inspirational goal with high impact on society, within a pre-set timeframe. It is expected that these missions will be addressed within the Global Challenges and European Industrial Competitiveness pillar.
Read Horizon Europe Mission Work Programme.
Below we present the five mission-areas with the proposed Horizon Europe missions:
Mission Area: Cancer
Proposed Mission: ‘Conquering Cancer: Mission Possible’
About this mission: Through specific complimentary actions, the EU aims to save over 3 million lives and ensure that more people live longer and better by 2030. To reach this ambitious target, the EU has identified five areas of action under the Conquering Cancer: Mission Possible mission.
Mission Area: Climate-neutral and smart cities
Proposed Mission: ‘100 Climate-neutral Cities by 2030 – by and for the Citizens’
About this mission: With the Mission ‘Green Cities’, the European Commission aims to exploit the cities’ access to capital, know-hows, and economies of scale for the development to pilot and scale up green innovations. 100 European cities will be selected and supported in their transformation towards complete climate neutrality by 2030.
Mission Area: Healthy oceans, seas, coastal and inland waters
Proposed Mission: ‘Mission Starfish 2030: Restore our Ocean and Waters’
About this mission: With Mission Starfish 2030, the European Commission (EC) targets the most imminent threats to healthy oceans and waters: an unsustainable human footprint; climate change; lack of understanding, connection, and investment; and inadequate governance. Five objectives are defined, each with their own concrete and measurable targets set for 2030, and associated checkpoints for 2025.
Mission Area: Soil health and food
Proposed Mission: ‘Caring for Soil is Caring for Life’
About this mission: The proposed mission aims to give recognition to the soil as an invaluable resource, and put Europe on a trajectory towards sustainable land and soil management, as part of a wider, green transition. The aim is that by 2030, at least 75% of soils in each EU Member State will be healthy, or show a significant improvement towards meeting accepted thresholds of indicators, to support ecosystem services.
Mission Area: Adaptation to climate change including societal transformation
Proposed Mission: ‘A Climate Resilient Europe’
About this mission: The proposed mission aims to turn the urgent challenge of adapting to climate change into an opportunity to make Europe resilient, climate-prepared and fair. By 2030, the Mission will: 1. Prepare Europe to deal with climate disruptions; 2. Accelerate the transformation to a climate-resilient future; 3. Build deep resilience by scaling up actionable solutions triggering societal transformations.
Read more about Horizon Europe
Visit the EC Horizon Europe Mission page
Looking for funding?
How can we help you on your innovation journey?
Neeltje Ramnath-Willems
+31 (0)6 53 82 46 94
