Researchers who got funding from Horizon Europe’s Pillar I have tapped €4.5B from other EU funding streams

Participants in Horizon Europe’s Pillar I for basic science are reaping billions from other EU funds, and since 2021 have secured almost €4.5 billion from EU programmes such as Erasmus+, Digital Europe and EU-LIFE, according to a European Commission study. This is the first time the Commission has been able to calculate how much money EU research programme participants get from other parts of the EU budget, but it looks like the push for more integrated funding at EU level may be working. EU funds are often stretched thin, and policymakers hope better integration of different funding pots will prevent overlaps, improve efficiency and make sure more good ideas can find financing. In pursuit of this, for the first time the Horizon Europe legislation outlined how exactly policymakers wanted the research programme to foster synergies with 21 other EU funds. The €25 billion Pillar I of Horizon Europe awards grants for basic research, researcher mobility and research infrastructures, mostly through the European Research Council (ERC) and the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA). Its beneficiaries are largely universities and research organisations. But other kinds of private and public organisations take part too. The Commission analysis also includes the Widening, the Horizon programme dedicated to helping countries with less developed R&D systems improve their performance. It’s not part of Pillar I but attracts similar participants. Many recipients of money from Pillar 1 are doing really well in other programmes. Out of all ERC participants, 56.1% received grants from other EU programmes, alongside 55.7% of Widening participants, 51.1% of research infrastructure participants. The MSCA’s percentage was lower than the rest at 27.8%. Unsurprisingly, Erasmus+ comes out on top as the programme most Horizon grantees also get money from, with a little over €2 billion in funding secured. This helps foster links between Erasmus+ and MSCA and facilitates joint projects with European university alliances. The second most subscribed two programmes are Digital Europe, from which Horizon participants secured almost €1.5 billion, and EU LIFE which funds environmental and climate action, where Horizon Europe grantees gathered up €435 million. These three – Erasmus+, Digital Europe and EU LIFE – make up the majority of the funding Horizon grantees get from elsewhere. This isn’t by chance, because the Horizon Europe regulation mostly outlines synergies with these three programmes. For the rest of the 18 EU funds, the participation numbers are significantly lower. Synergies in practice Alternative funding: some projects that fail to secure Horizon funding still find it elsewhere in the EU budget. An analysis found 24 unsuccessful MSCA applications received €43.5 million from other EU programmes, 22 WIDERA applications received €10.9 million, and 11 ERC applications received €22.6 million. Interestingly, the amount some of the applicants received from other EU funds was actually higher than they had requested from Horizon Europe. For example, with €43.5 million, the unsuccessful MSCA applicants received around 75% more than originally requested. In the case of the ERC, the amount was 26% higher. But these are exceptions to the rule. Less than 1% of unsuccessful ERC and MSCA applicants managed to secure alternative EU funding. EU to national: Horizon beneficiaries routinely use national and regional funds to complement their EU projects. For example, ERC grantees sometimes apply for national funding to explore research paths emerging from their ERC-funded research, the Commission’s survey found. Cohesion inspires Horizon projects: The Commission survey found 3% of Widening beneficiaries and 2% of INFRA programme for research infrastructures beneficiaries said their project is a continuation of a research project funded under other EU programmes, such as cohesion funds. National to EU project pipeline: alongside cohesion projects, some also build on previous nationally-funded projects. This includes 13% of ERC projects, 13% of MSCA postdoctoralfFellowship scheme participants, and 10% of the MSCA beneficiary organisations.Read More