Belgium (Brussels Morning Newspaper), Horizon 2020 has made a “major contribution to building an EU society and economy rooted in knowledge and innovation,” says the EU.
Horizon is the EU’s research and innovation programme running from 2014 to 2020 with a budget of nearly €80 billion.
On Monday, the EU said it had benefited Europeans far “beyond what could have been achieved” at the national or regional level.
Enabling rapid response to the COVID-19, Ebola and Zika outbreaks and making a decisive contribution to climate science are just some examples of the tangible impact of Horizon 2020, says the commission.
Each euro in costs linked to the programme will ultimately bring five euros in benefits to EU citizens by 2040, proving the high value for money of investment in research and innovation for the European society, it adds.
These are some of the key conclusions of the ex-post evaluation of Horizon 2020 published on 29 January.
Iliana Ivanova, Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth, said: “Long-standing investment in research and innovation provides high value for money for the society.
“It is the cornerstone of a greener and smarter future as well as a key element of EU competitiveness and strategic sovereignty. Horizon 2020 enabled pivotal science breakthroughs with tangible impact on our lives, from overcoming the COVID-19 pandemic to fighting climate change, and delivered ground-breaking innovations that benefitted our companies and society at large. The insights of this final evaluation will guide us in improving Horizon Europe and feed into the reflections on the future of EU research and innovation policies and programmes.”
The insights and key conclusions of this final evaluation of Horizon 2020 will play a crucial role not only in shaping the ongoing implementation of Horizon Europe but also in influencing the policy development for future research and innovation initiatives. This, says the EU, ensures that lessons learned from Horizon 2020 are effectively integrated into current and future programmes, enhancing their efficiency, relevance and impact for Europeans.
