European Partnerships in Horizon Europe

What are European Partnerships?

Since their inception in 2002, European Partnerships have become one of the key instruments of the European Research and Innovation Framework Programme, Horizon Europe, and of the European Research Area (ERA). They are strategic instruments, which enable long-term collaboration between the EU's various partners.

European Partnerships bring the European Commission and private and/or public partners together to address some of Europe’s most pressing challenges through concerted research and innovation initiatives. This strategic alignment and pooling of resources makes them a key implementation tool of Horizon Europe, and contribute significantly to achieving the EU’s political priorities, such as the green and digital transitions.

By bringing private and public partners together, European Partnerships help to avoid duplication of investments and reduce the fragmentation of the research and innovation landscape in the EU.

Types of European Partnerships

Under Horizon Europe, there are 3 different implementation modes for European Partnerships.

Institutionalised European Partnerships

• Joint Undertakings (JUs) based on Article 187 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU (TFEU): long-term collaborations with private (sometimes also public) partners requiring a high degree of integration
• Article 185 initiatives, based on Article 185 TFEU: long-term collaborations with public partners requiring a high degree of integration

Both Article 185 and 187 partnerships require the adoption of specific legislation and are implemented by dedicated structures created for that purpose.

• The European Institute of Innovation and Technology’s Knowledge and Innovation Communities (EIT KICs): Europe-wide innovation ecosystems that integrate education, research and entrepreneurship. They are established in compliance with the EIT regulation and the EIT’s Strategic Innovation Agenda.

Co-funded partnerships

Co-funded partnerships fund joint programmes of research and innovation activities between research and innovation funders. They are implemented through Horizon Europe Grant Agreements signed by the Commission and a consortium of partners, generally composed of research and innovation funders and other public authorities. Partners generally implement joint transnational calls as well as additional activities, with either 30% or 50% co-funding from Horizon Europe.

Co-programmed partnerships

Co-programmed partnerships are based on joint programming of research and innovation activities and mobilisation of additional activities by partners in line with the objectives of the partnership. They are based on a Memorandum of Understanding, which the Commission signs with industry associations. The EU contribution is implemented through Horizon Europe work programme calls, while matching contributions from partners are implemented under their responsibility.

The European Partnership portfolio

European Partnerships were identified as part of the Horizon Europe strategic planning process to ensure alignment with the programme’s priorities. The strategic planning process entailed a co-design exercise aimed at better aligning these initiatives with societal needs and policy priorities and fostering coherence, while broadening the range of actors involved.

In line with the better regulation agenda, the Commission carried out strategic plan 2025-2027 includes a list of additional candidate co-funded and co-programmed partnerships to be launched during the second half of Horizon Europe. This brings the portfolio of European Partnerships to a total of 60.

The selected partnerships are divided across 6 areas: