EU boosts Horizon Europe budget to support green, health and digital innovations and displaced researchers of Ukraine

On 10 May, the European Commission adopted an amendment to the Horizon Europe Work Programme 2021-2022, increasing the budget by nearly €562 million. These additional investments will support EU missions (climate change, cancer, ocean and waters, soil, and climate-neutral and smart cities) towards innovative solutions to green, health and digital challenges, and displaced researchers of Ukraine. The programme’s budget for 2021 and 2022 now reaches a total of nearly €16 billion.

The amendment also includes actions to support researchers previously active in Ukraine. Under the new MSCA4Ukraine scheme, part of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA), €25 million will allow displaced researchers to continue their work at an academic or non-academic host organisation in the EU Member States or in countries associated to Horizon Europe.

Hundreds of Ukrainian scientists will also be able to benefit from an increased budget of €1 million to the Human Frontier Science Programme for the initiative of ‘scientists help scientists’. A blanket provision was also added encouraging all applicants to offer opportunities, where possible, to researchers and innovators of Ukraine.

Moreover, the amendment specifies that legal entities established in Russia, Belarus, or in non-government controlled territories of Ukraine are not eligible to participate in actions supported by Horizon Europe in any capacity. Exceptions may be granted on a case-by-case basis for justified reasons.