INCOBRA - Increasing International Science, Technology and Innovation Cooperation between Brazil and the European Union

Funding opportunities under Horizon 2020 are set out in multiannual work programmes, which cover the large majority of support available. The work programmes are prepared by the European Commission within the framework provided by the Horizon 2020 legislation and through a strategic programming process integrating EU policy objectives in the priority setting.

The preparation of work programmes involves the consultation of stakeholders. For this purpose 19 Horizon 2020 Advisory Groups have been set up as consultative bodies representing the broad constituency of stakeholders ranging from industry and research to representatives of civil society. Additional open and targeted consultation activities aim to obtain further views and contributions, including from the Enterprise Policy Group, European Innovation Partnerships and European Technology Platforms.

Preparations for the work programme 2018-2020 began in 2016 with stakeholder consultations and discussions with Member States on priorities, which have been outlined in informal working documents, namely 17 thematic scoping papers and one overarching document. The adoption and publication of the work programme are expected in October 2017. 

Each thematic section organised the stakeholder consultations in the way that is best suited to the respective subject and the respective target groups.

Work has included open public consultations via 'Your Voice in Europe' in areas where also citizens could directly contribute (Societal challenge 'Food' and 'Science with and for society') as well as open consultations using other platforms for ICT related issues.

Dedicated written consultations targeted at respective stakeholder groups, European networks and international bodies as well as several specific events were organised.

The results of recent stakeholder consultations on related policy initiatives (e.g. Digital Single Market, Energy Union, 'call for ideas' for the European Innovation Council etc.) were also taken into account. 

More section-oriented information on the consultations and the preparation of the current and the next work programmes can be found for the following topics:

• Future and Emerging Technologies
• Research Infrastructures, including e-Infrastructures
• Nanotechnologies, Advanced Materials, Biotechnology, and Advanced Manufacturing and Processing (NMBP)
• Information and Communication Technologies
• Innovation in SMEs
• Access to Risk Finance
• Societal Challenge 1 (Health, demographic change and wellbeing)
• Societal Challenge 2 (Food Security, Sustainable Agriculture and Forestry, Marine, Maritime and Inland Water Research and the Bioeconomy)
• Societal Challenge 4 (Smart, Green and Integrated Transport)
• Societal Challenge 5 (Climate Action, Environment, Resource Efficiency and Raw Materials)
• Spreading Excellence and Widening Participation

Read more about the scoping papers and more information about the above mentioned topics here (full article)