"Our FP Horizon Europe will stay as a self-standing programme" (U. von der Leyen)

"Let me be clear: our framework programme Horizon Europe will stay as a self-standing programme", states Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, on 20/05/2025 at the annual conference on the EU budget 2025.

Since the leaks from DG Budget in October 2024 showing the integration of Horizon Europe into a Competitiveness Fund, many stakeholders in Brussels have raised their voices in opposition. The President of the Commission is now putting an end to this questioning, a few months before her institution presents its proposal for the next MFF.

However, the FP will "be tightly connected to our Competitiveness Fund. We need a seamless flow from fundamental research to applied research to start-ups to scale-ups.

We urgently need standardised products and a single gateway. This is why the next Budget will have one single European Competitiveness Fund, with simpler rules and transparent procedures."

"Offering a single gateway to project promoters, from small, medium or bigger companies to researchers and universities. Offering the whole box of financial tools to catalyse…