MEPs to vote on Horizon 2020

MEPs in Strasbourg are set to vote on Horizon 2020 later today.

Máire Geoghegan-Quinn, European Commissioner for Research, Science and Innovation, described Ireland’s aim of securing €1bn from Horizon 2020 as an “ambitious but achievable target”. Since 2007, Ireland has secured more than €500m from FP7, €100m of which went to SMEs. Horizon 2020, which runs from next year until 2020, amounts to nearly €80bn – a 30% increase on the previous plan.

Geoghegan-Quinn said if MEPs pass the plan, it will support more innovative ideas, businesses and jobs. She told the Irish Times that: “The budget increase of 30% for Horizon 2020 over the previous programme is a vote of confidence in the power of EU research and innovation funding. This means we can provide more grants for fundamental research, for instance through the European Research Council.

“We can support more innovative businesses in bringing good ideas and we can do more to tackle global challenges like climate change and public health. Ireland has set itself the target of achieving 1 billion euro in funding from Horizon 2020. This is ambitious, but achievable given the wealth of opportunities the programme will offer.”

Universities, businesses and researchers based in Ireland can find out more about commercial opportunities through Horizon 2020 at an event in Dublin on 10 December 2013.