Horizon 2020 opens for business

Horizon 2020, the EU's new programme for research and innovation, is now accepting research and development proposals. The new scheme is worth nearly £67bn (€80bn) and covers the next 7 years. The total budget represents a 30% increase on the now defunct FP7 scheme, with the UK contributing approx. 11% of the EU's total budget.

The R&D funds are allocated through a competitive process, in which the UK traditionally fares very well - second only to Germany.

Horizon 2020 aims to tackle societal challenges by helping to bridge the gap between research and the market by, for example, helping innovative enterprise to develop their technological breakthroughs into viable products with real commercial potential.

The European Commission has a dedicated website for the scheme, including information on Information Days, downloads and Guidance Documents. The website can be found HERE.

There is also a European Association of Research and Technology Organisations (EARTO) who are a leading organisation of Research Providers from across Europe, all of whom are in a position to help UK SME's access Horizon 2020 funding.

The BPF has worked with a number of Research Organisations under the 'old' FP7 scheme, including Queen's University Belfast and Smithers Rapra, both of whom are able to offer tailored advice on the various European Funding Schemes, including Horizon 2020