Horizon Europe with the 3Rs in focus

Horizon Europe is the EU's ninth framework programme for research and innovation, which runs from 2021 to 2027. It is the successor to the previous funding programme Horizon 2020.

The budget is €95.5 billion, which includes €5.4 billion from EU recovery programme from the covid-19 crisis.

What is the purpose of Horizon Europe?

The aim of the programme is to strengthen the EU's scientific and technological base, support research and innovation from idea to the market and complement national and regional funding. The programme also contributes to achieving UN’s sustainable development goals and promotes competitiveness and growth.

Horizon Europe will ensure that the EU's work in science and technology makes a difference in addressing major global challenges in critical areas such as healthcare, safety, pollution and climate change.

What does Horizon Europe include?

The framework programme Horizon Europe consists of three pillars:

Pillar 1

This pillar supports high-quality basic research through the European Research Council and increases investment in research infrastructure. This pillar also includes the Marie Skłodowska-Curie actions that fund the mobility, education and career development of researchers.

Pillar 2

Pillar 2 supports research and innovation related to societal challenges and technologies in areas distributed into six clusters: 1) health, 2) culture, 3) civil security, 4) digital technologies and industry, 5) climate, energy and mobility, 6) food, natural resources, agriculture and environment.

This pillar also covers activities carried out by the EU Commission's Joint Research Centre. In addition to clusters, there are also five missions with specific goals.

Pillar 3

The third pillar focuses on increased impact and breakthrough innovation and includes the establishment of the European Innovation Council. The Council offers a single point of contact for innovators with great potential to create markets for the future.

How is the program relevant for the 3Rs?

Through participation in the programme you can receive funding to develop, validate or use animal-free methods. Furthermore, you have an opportunity to contribute to different objectives in the programme by using alternative methods to replace, reduce and refine animal experiments.

What grants are available for research that supports or promotes the 3Rs?

Within Pillar 2 among societal challenges, there are several defined projects with focus on the 3Rs. These are projects with an emphasis on the environment, health and new technologies or materials. In Horizon Europe's work programme for cluster health, we have identified 3Rs relevant projects with open call for proposal in 2023–2024.

We have listed all projects with relevance for the 3Rs, subject and deadline.

National contact points

Each area has a national contact point to offer guidance, practical information and assistance for participation in Horizon Europe. National contact points for cluster health in Sweden are Vinnova, the Swedish Research Council and Forte.